Acceptable Use Statement of Intent

Mission Statement

The mission of the Platteville School District is to ensure high levels of learning for all in a safe and inclusive learning community; “Every student, every day.”

Intent for the 1-1 initiative

The School District of Platteville has invested significantly in technology that offers vast, diverse, and unique resources to students, staff, and guests. The District’s goal in providing these services is to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication.

The District supports access by students, staff and guests to rich information resources along with the development of appropriate skills to analyze and evaluate resources. In today’s world, access to and manipulation of information is a critical skill. Staff, students, and guests will have available to them appropriate technological tools necessary to explore the world both from inside and outside the classroom walls. Our belief is that information technology is provided to support our school district's mission and purpose. All other uses are secondary.

Acceptable Use

Intent

The purpose of the District technology is to enhance instruction, support learning, and to develop professionally. Despite its significant value, it is possible to encounter materials and interactions on the network that are not consistent with the educational goals of the District. It is the purpose of this policy to serve as a warning, provide guidelines for Internet safety, and to identify examples of acceptable and unacceptable use of district technology and the Internet.

Before the District provides network or Internet access, adult users and the parents/guardians of minor users must acknowledge their agreement to abide by this policy.

Privacy

The District reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review, and store at any time and without prior notice any and all usage of District devices, Local Area Networks, and Internet access and any and all information transmitted or received in connection with such usage. All such information files shall be and remain the property of the Platteville School District and no user shall have any expectation of privacy regarding such materials. Use of technology may be revoked at any time for inappropriate conduct.

The School District of Platteville reserves the right to inspect, at any time, any device while connected to its network. The district reserves the right to supervise all device use or confiscate and search a student’s district-owned or personally-owned device to ensure compliance with the Acceptable Use Policy.

Cameras

Students must use good judgment when using any camera. A camera will not be used to take inappropriate, illicit, or sexually explicit photos or videos, nor will it be used to embarrass anyone in any way. Use of cameras and microphones are strictly prohibited unless permission is granted by district staff. Any use of cameras in the bathrooms or lockers rooms will be treated as a violation of the Acceptable Use Policy.

Applications

The apps and operating system originally installed must remain on the device in usable condition and easily accessible at all times. Students will be granted permission to customize certain aspects of the device; however, appropriate media must be used and login information must be provided to district staff when requested.

Security

Network security is a high priority. If the user can identify a security problem on the device, the user must notify the IT staff immediately. Do not share this problem to other users. Breaching security by sharing and/or using unauthorized passwords, interfering with or removing assigned profiles, circumventing the district filter, or working from network accounts that are not assigned to the user is also considered to be an Acceptable Use violation.

Vandalism

Vandalism is considered to be any attempt to harm or destroy any hardware, software, or data of another user, including the District’s network. It also includes modifying the district-owned device in any way other than expressly permitted by district staff. Any student vandalizing will be subject to disciplinary actions.

Unacceptable Use

Examples of unacceptable use include but are not limited to:

• Use for a commercial enterprise or political lobbying unless specifically authorized by the District. Unauthorized use of District technology for the production of non-school related materials or in the participation of illegal activities.

• Using the device to access or send inappropriate material, images, and messages such as obscene or abusive language, harassing or threatening messages, visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography or harmful to minors.

• Breaching security by sharing and/or using unauthorized passwords, interfering with or removing assigned profiles, circumventing the district filter, working from devices that are not assigned to the user, or using anonymous and/or false communications.

• Unauthorized use of Internet chat rooms, social networking websites, gaming websites/ apps, personal blogs/websites, and free email accounts.

• Wasteful use of resources, such as storage space. This includes excessive personal photo/video/music storage.

• Invading the privacy of individuals, which includes the unauthorized disclosure of anyone that is of a personal nature, including photographs, videos, audio recordings, or authored materials.

• Deliberate damage to any District technology.

• Gaining access to unauthorized files, or by-passing the district’s Internet Web filter by any means, including the use of anonymizer websites. This includes, but is not limited to the use of tethering, portable hotspots, or connecting to other Wi-Fi networks or ISP.

Consequences

Student Violations: Any student user who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action as categorized in the student handbook.

Warranties

The School District makes no warranties of any kind, either express or implied, in connection with its provision of access to and use of its computer networks and the Internet provided under this policy. It shall not be responsible for any claims, losses, damages or costs (including attorney's fees) of any kind suffered, directly or indirectly, by any user or his or her parent(s) or guardian(s) arising out of the user's use of its computer networks or the Internet under this policy.

Internet Safety

All users are advised that access to their device and the Internet includes the potential for access to materials that are inappropriate or harmful to minors. Every user (pupil and adult) must take responsibility for his or her use and avoid sites and activities that are inappropriate or harmful to minors.

Users who find sites and/or apps that are inappropriate or harmful to minors shall report such sites to a staff member.

Neither the Internet nor the devices (whether accessed on campus or off campus, either during or after school hours) may be used for the purpose of harassment or cyberbullying. If students' personal Internet expression, such as a threatening message to a staff member or another student, or a website advocating violence or defamation of another's character, creates a substantial disruption, offenders will be subject to disciplinary and legal actions.

Cyberbullying includes, but is not limited to, the following misuses of technology: harassing, teasing, intimidating, threatening, or terrorizing another person by sending or posting inappropriate or hurtful email messages, instant messages, text messages, digital pictures or images, or website postings (including blogs). Often the author (sender or poster) of the inappropriate material is disguised (logged on) as someone else. Any adult staff member is considered a designated official for student reporting. Any administrator or supervisor is considered a designated official for adult reporting. Cyberbullying is subject to disciplinary action.