Acceptable+Use+Policy

=Duxbury Public Schools Acceptable Use Guidelines for Internet Connection= **Acceptable Use Guidelines** The Internet is a vast and worldwide network linking computers at universities, government agencies, K- 12 schools and various other sites. Through a connection to the Internet, users can communicate with people from nations across continents and oceans through newsgroups, electronic mail, and discussion forums. Information can be received from the unlimited resources on the Internet. The potential for use of the Internet as a resource is bounded only by the extent of one’s imagination. However, the user must be aware that there is potential for inappropriate use and access to objectionable materials. The Duxbury Public School system has installed special filtering software in an effort to block access to material that is not appropriate for children. The purpose of these guidelines is to make certain that users of the Duxbury Internet Connection practice appropriate and ethical behavior in communication with others and information retrieval from its expansive resource files. **Safety Issues** Use of the Internet has potential dangers. Users are encouraged to read two brochures regarding Internet safety that the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office has prepared: // The Internet, Your Child and You: // What Every Parent Should Know and // Internet safety: Advice from Kids Who Have Faced Danger // Online. These brochures may be accessed on the Internet at www.ago.state.ma.us. **Basic safety rules for the use of the Internet are:** • Never reveal any personal information such as last names, ages, addresses, phone numbers, parents’ names, parents’ employers or work addresses, or photographs. • Use the “back” key, close the window or quit the browser application whenever you encounter a site that you believe is inappropriate or makes you feel uncomfortable. • Immediately tell the teacher, the network administrator or the technology director if you receive a message that you believe is inappropriate or makes you feel uncomfortable. • Never share your password or use another person’s password. Internet passwords are provided for each user’s personal use only. If you suspect that someone has discovered your password, you should change it immediately and notify the network administrator or the technology director. **Purpose of Duxbury Internet Connection** The Duxbury Acceptable Use Guidelines direct the exploration and use of the Internet as a tool for learning. The use of the Duxbury Internet Connection is a privilege. All users are responsible for what they say and do on the network. Because each message is quickly distributed to a vast and diversified audience, it is important to think about the ideas and thoughts that you, as a user, communicate on the network. • Use of the Duxbury Internet Connection is limited to academic research and projects conducted by students and faculty of the district. • Users must respect other’s privacy and intellectual property. • The legal rights of software producers and network providers, and copyright and license agreements must be honored. • District and building facilitators will make reasonable efforts to maintain reliable service. However, the district cannot be held liable for any lost, damaged, or unavailable information due to technical problems. • Users should be aware of the presence of inappropriate information on the Internet. **Privileges** • Users of the network have the privilege of access to the Internet to facilitate personal growth in technology competency, information gathering skills, and communication skills related to educational projects and research. Users should consider the Internet as an extension of the school library and classroom. • Users may request access to newsgroups and list serves from the Internet in order to facilitate real-time learning with other educational institutions on the network. • Users may request email accounts for communicating with other educational members. **Privacy** Users should not have an expectation of privacy or confidentiality in the content of electronic communications or other computer files sent and received on the school computer network or stored on the server in the user’s folder or on a computer disk or hard drive. The Duxbury Public School system reserves the right to examine all data residing on any storage media involved in the user’s use of the Duxbury Internet service Internet messages are public communication and are not private. All communications including text and images may be disclosed to law enforcement or other third parties without prior consent of the sender or the receiver. Network administrators may review communications to maintain system-wide integrity and ensure that users are using the system responsibly. **User responsibilities** • Users are responsible for adhering to the guidelines set forth in this document. • Users are responsible for all material received on the Internet. Downloading of information must be to disk or to user folders provided by the network administrator. • Users will not allow other individuals to use their passwords and accounts for Internet activities. • All users must receive training or have prior experience to be authorized users of the Duxbury Internet Connection. • Users will accept the responsibility of keeping all inappropriate material or files dangerous to the integrity of the network from entering the school through the Internet. • Users will be responsible for notifying the district or building facilitator of all subscriptions to newsgroups and list serves. Approval is required from the district or building facilitator to request a newsgroup, list serve or email account on the network. • Users must be aware that any illegal action carried out over the Internet, such as software piracy, will not be tolerated and will be reported to law enforcement officials for possible prosecution. • Users are prohibited from chat room access. • The building facilitator or classroom teacher is responsible for monitoring usage of the network within his/her instructional areas and for reporting incorrect use of the network to the network administrator or to the technology director. • The network administrator or the technology director is responsible for informing the faculty membership of a student’s loss of privileges due to inappropriate use of the network. • The school district and its representatives are not responsible for the actions of the users or the information they access. **Violations** The Duxbury Public Schools reserve the right to deny, revoke or suspend specific user privileges and/or to take other disciplinary action, up to and including suspension, expulsion (students), or dismissal (staff) for violations of these Guidelines. The District will advise appropriate law enforcement agencies of illegal activities conducted through the Duxbury Internet Connection. The District also will cooperate fully with local, state, and/or federal officials in any investigation related to any illegal activities conducted through the service.

Revised 8/23/2001 ACCEPTANCE FORM Accept Responsibility for the Duxbury Internet Connection Student Internet Connection Acceptable Use Guidelines Permission We have read the Duxbury Public Schools’ Internet Acceptable Use Guidelines and agree that the student user identified below will abide by its provisions. We also: • Understand that violations of the Guidelines may result in disciplinary action; • That the Duxbury Public Schools has installed special content filtering software but that no filter is perfect and, in rare instances, there may be unintentional access to inappropriate material; and • Agree to hold harmless the school district and its representatives for materials acquired through the Duxbury Internet Connection and for the way the student user chooses to use the access to the Internet. STUDENT _ _ _ Please print (grades PreK-12) Signature (Grades 7-12) Date PARENT OR GUARDIAN _ _ _ _ _ _ Please print Signature Date REFUSAL FORM Refuse Permission for the Duxbury Internet Connection I have read the Duxbury Internet Connection Acceptable Use Guidelines and reviewed it with my son/daughter,. As his/her parent/guardian I feel ( Full name) at this time that I do not wish him/her to have access to the Duxbury Internet connection for use of the Internet and related online searchable databases. PARENT OR GUARDIAN _ _ ___ Please print Signature Date