High School Technology Policies

Chromebooks for 9th Graders and Returning Students: All incoming 9th graders will receive a new district-issued Chromebook and charger at the start of the school year. Students will keep this device for their entire high school career, including over summer breaks, and return it at the end of their 12th-grade year. For current students, most have retained their previously issued Chromebook. However, if a student has turned in their Chromebook, they will be provided with one at the start of the new school year.

Daily Chromebook Requirement: All high school students are required to bring their fully charged district-issued Chromebook to school every day.

Option to Bring Personal Devices: Students may bring their own personal devices (e.g., laptops, tablets, & smart phones) to school for personal use outside of the classroom or to be used as directed by their teacher in class. 

However, the district-issued Chromebook must be brought daily and will be the primary device required by teachers for all in-class assignments and assessments.

Classroom Teachers reserve the right to have students store their personal devices in a designated area during class time. 

Users need to become familiar with their responsibilities while using the Ridgefield Public Schools technology resources.

Users agree to always adhere to the following standards and expectations for conduct.

• Behave ethically, safely, legally, and responsibly when using technology resources

• Refrain from utilizing proxy gateways, or similar technologies, to bypass technology monitoring and filtering.

• Handle technology devices with care. Refrain from deleting, destroying, modifying, abusing, moving resources without permission, and/or accessing unauthorized technology resources.

• Do not breach or disable network security mechanisms, or compromise network stability or security in any way. or download/ modify computer software in violation of the district's license agreement(s) without authorization from the Technology Department.

• Acceptable use of technology defined within the Acceptable Use Policy covers use of all Ridgefield Public Schools technology resources assigned to and used within schools and off-site.

Use technology resources to transmit communications or access information only for legitimate educationally relevant purposes and to access educationally appropriate content.

• Refrain from sending any form of communication that breaches the district's confidentiality and data privacy requirements, or the confidentiality of students.

• Refrain from sending any form of communication that harasses, threatens or is discriminatory.

• Refrain from accessing any material that is obscene, harmful to minors or prohibited by law.

• Refrain from using social network tools for personal use. Professional use and a student academic use is defined in RPS policies 4118.51 (4218.51) and 6141.322.

• Use communication and collaboration tools (email, voicemail, blogs, etc.) respectfully and professionally.

Respect the privacy of others and treat information created by others as the private property of the creator.

• Maintain confidentiality of your username and password by not sharing it with others and not using another person’s username and password.

• Maintain the integrity of files and data by not trespassing, modifying, copying or deleting files of other users without their consent.

• Protect the confidentiality and safety of others when sharing work and images.

• Protect the privacy and confidentiality of students, staff and Ridgefield Public Schools by adhering to the Confidentiality and Data Guidelines.

• Share, post and publish only within the context of the District Publishing Guidelines.

• Respect copyright and fair use laws; these policies and procedures apply in digital contexts, as well. Plagiarism is prohibited.

All technology assigned to staff, students, or visitors are property of Ridgefield Public Schools and are to be kept secure and in working condition.

• Any device provided to staff or students by the Ridgefield Public Schools is the property of Ridgefield Public Schools and therefore must be returned to appropriate administrators, teachers, or Technology Department staff upon request.

• Upon departure from the Ridgefield Public Schools assigned devices are to be returned promptly to the Technology Department.

• Damaged and non-functioning devices are to be returned immediately to the Technology Department for repair.

• Staff and students are financially responsible for theft and damage caused by neglect or improper use.

Consequences for Misuse of Technology

The Ridgefield Public Schools will not be responsible for unauthorized financial obligations resulting from the use of, or access to, Ridgefield Public School's computer network or the Internet. Ridgefield Public Schools assumes no responsibility for any unauthorized charges made by employees including but not limited to credit card charges, subscriptions, long distance telephone charges, equipment and line costs, or for any illegal use of its computers such as copyright violations.

Users of the technology resources of the Ridgefield Public Schools shall be responsible for damages to the equipment, system and software resulting from deliberate or willful acts.

Illegal use of the technology resources of the Ridgefield Public Schools, intentional deletion or damage of files or data belonging to others, and copyright/fair use violations or theft of services will be reported to the appropriate legal authorities for possible prosecution and other consequences.

The employee or student shall be responsible for any losses, costs or damages incurred by the district related to violations of district policy or these regulations for which they are responsible

Violation of the Acceptable Technology Use Policy and Regulation or in these procedures could be cause for disciplinary action.