Code of Conduct

This Acceptable Use Policy/ Internet Safety Policy is an extension of school policies already in place whose purpose is to govern student and staff expectations and behavior. The use of the Internet and District Network support education and research and are used in accordance with the educational objectives of the Peru Central School District in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act. It is expected that users will employ network etiquette and common sense.

USE OF DISTRICT INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Acceptable Use Policy for District Access to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks

Technology is Integral to a Modern Society

The Board of Education is committed to maximizing the intentional integration of instructional technology to enrich and extend learning opportunities for students and staff members. The Board considers student access to end-user devices, learning applications, educational software, and the worldwide web to be a fundamental educational and research tool.

To that end, the District is committed to building and maintaining a robust computer infrastructure capable of supporting the application of 21^st Century modern learning tools and practices. The use of computer-related technology in classrooms across the District is strongly encouraged to advance and promote both learning and teaching.

Online navigation, research skills, and interconnectivity are fundamental to the preparation of global citizens and knowledge based participants of an interconnected world economy. Access to the Internet enables students to explore myriad libraries, electronic databases, and other important resources. Instruction to identify useful information and evaluate the value of that material to make connections, build understanding, produce and share knowledge is essential. Educational technology stands to empower learners in the acquisition of information. It also possesses synthesis tools to promote understanding and the production of knowledge. Finally, technology represents a powerful differentiation vehicle to personalize and extend the learning experience.

Beyond the construction of knowledge, the District recognizes that students and staff member’s a like benefit from the free-flowing exchange of ideas facilitated by modern communication technologies. The source of useful ideas and meaningful exchange need not be constrained by geography. Technological tools can greatly support and accelerate communication between students with other people from around the world.

A robust District network architecture provides the backbone that supports multiple uses of modern technology by students and staff members. First, the District network supports internal and external communication, including telecommunication, email, and print messaging. Second, it provides connectivity to the Internet for research, enhances the evaluation of information and formulation of understanding, and provides authentic means to share knowledge. Third, a functional network promotes continuous professional learning and collaboration. Fourth, it supports reliable operations, including the effective management of student information, routing of buses, and appropriate employee compensation.

User Rights Balanced by Responsibility

The Board of Education is committed to developing and supporting responsible cyber-citizenry of students and staff members by providing access to District infrastructure. A central premise of a democratic society is that individual freedoms are balanced with an interest in the collective welfare of others, which comprises both physical safety and emotional security. To this end, it is important that the District describes the acceptable and unacceptable uses of District technology. Clear behavioral expectations for the use of District technology are hereby described in this policy.

All students, staff members, and guest users of the District’s network must understand that access to District infrastructure, end-user devices, and applications comprise a privilege, not a right, and that their use requires personal responsibility. The District reserves the right to control access to the Internet for all users of its devices, network, and systems architecture. More specifically, the District may either allow or prohibit certain uses of its devices and applications.  Further, the District may limit the types of on line activity, including access to specific Internet websites.

In making decisions regarding student access to the Internet, the District considers its educational mission, goals, and objectives. Students utilizing District access to the Internet must agree to the terms and conditions of this acceptable use policy or AUP. They must agree to be supervised by District staff members. The students will be held responsible for using technology in a manner similar to how they are expected to behave and/or communicate in a classroom or other area of the school, as described in the District Code of Conduct.

The District expects that faculty will purposefully integrate uses of the Internet throughout the curriculum and will provide guidance and instruction to students in its acceptable use and maximal benefit. While students will be able to move beyond resources previewed and identified by their teachers, it is expected that they will be provided with specific class lists or project guidelines of resources particularly suited to stated learning objectives.

Inappropriate Uses of Technology

The following actions violate this Acceptable Use Policy:

• to access any individual’s digital materials, information, or files without permission;
• to access, upload, download, or distribute pornographic, obscene, or sexually explicit material whether the material is in audio, graphic, or text format;
• to harass anyone in any way using the school district’s electronic computer systems, networks, or communications systems;
• to perform commercial activities;
• to vandalize, damage, or disable the property of another individual or organization;
• to violate any local, state, or federal statute;
• to violate copyright or otherwise use the intellectual property of another individual or organization without permission;
• to install or operate computer or network equipment on Peru Central School property not previously approved by the systems administrator;
• to interfere with the functioning of the network or computer functions to include, but not limited to;
  • breaking computer security
  • causing broadcasting of e-mail or packets to cause denial of service conditions
  • computer hacking, attacks on computer resources that result in loss of function or access
  • destruction of others’ files
  • distribution of viruses or tools that others might use to cause disruptions
  • running of processes on computers to bog them down
• to use any device or process to circumvent security, conduct hacking or cracking operations, or conduct sniffing of network resources;
• to vandalize, disable, or degrade computer and/or network related equipment;
• to waste consumable resources;
• to commit any other action that interferes with the instructional or learning process.

Protection of User Data

Staff members are required to attain pre-approval from their building or program administrator, who in turn will check with the NERIC Instructional Technology (IT) specialist, before directing or knowingly allowing any student to use any cloud-based educational software or application. This is especially important because of increased concern about identity theft, unwarranted invasion of privacy, and the necessity to protect personally identifiable information as required.  The NERIC IT specialist will determine if a formal contract is required or if the terms of service are sufficient to address privacy and security requirements.  The NERIC IT specialist will confirm with the Superintendent that all requirements have been satisfied and inform the building or program administrator.

Data Storage Expectations

Further, users of District devices or infrastructure should not expect that files stored on school- based computers will remain private. Electronic messages and files stored on school-based computers may be treated like school lockers. Administrators and faculty may review files and messages to maintain system integrity and ensure that users are acting responsibly.

Procurement of Technology Resources for Learning

The Superintendent, working in conjunction with the designated purchasing agent for the District, NERIC IT management team, and the Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Professional Development will be responsible for the purchase and distribution of computer software and hardware throughout the District.

Long-Term Planning

The District’s Tech Vision Committee, a shared-decision making team, will provide input to prepare a comprehensive multiyear technology plan for approval from the Board of Education. The plan will be revised as necessary to reflect statutory changes, evolving technological tools, and/or alterations in District needs.

Consequences for Violations of Use

All users of the District’s network, devices, and/or applications shall comply with this policy and regulation. Failure to comply may result in disciplinary action as well as suspension and/or revocation of computer access privileges.

Any violation of District AUP, its rules, or related regulation may result in loss of District-provided access to the network, devices, and/or applications. This includes computers and access to the Internet.  Additional disciplinary action may be determined by the Superintendent in keeping with existing procedures and practices regarding inappropriate language or behavior via technology. When and where applicable, law enforcement agencies may also be   involved.

The Peru Central School District makes no warranties of any kind, neither expressed nor implied, for the Internet access it is providing.  The District will not be responsible for any damages users suffer, including–but not limited to–loss of data resulting from delays nor interruptions in service. The District will not be responsible for the accuracy, nature or quality of information on District storage media, nor for the accuracy, nature, or quality of information gathered through District provided Internet access. The District will not be responsible for personal property used to access District computers or networks or for District-provided Internet access. The District will not be responsible for unauthorized financial obligations resulting from District-provided access to the Internet.

Parents of students in the Peru Central School District shall be provided with the following information:

The Peru Central School District provides access to the Internet. The Internet is an electronic highway connecting hundreds of thousands of computers and millions of individual users all over the world. This computer technology will help propel our schools through the information age by providing students and staff members with access to and use of resources from distant computers, communicate and collaborate with other individuals and groups around the world, and significantly expand their available information base. The Internet is a tool, integral to lifelong learning in the 21^st Century.

The District will be educating all students regarding appropriate online behavior including interacting with other individuals over digital formats, and regarding cyberbullying awareness and response. The District is committed to developing responsible cyber-citizenship among its students.

Families should be aware that some material accessible via the Internet may contain items that are illegal, defamatory, inaccurate, or potentially offensive to some people. In addition, it is possible to purchase certain goods and services via the Internet which could result in unwanted financial obligations for which a student’s parent or guardian would be liable.

While the District’s intent is to make Internet access available in order to further educational goals and objectives, students may find ways to access other materials as well. Even though the District has instituted technological methods and systems to regulate students’ Internet access, those methods cannot guarantee compliance with the District’s acceptable use policy or AUP. The District believes however that the benefits to student access to the Internet exceed its disadvantages.

Ultimately, parents and guardians of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the Toward that end, the Peru Central School District makes the District’s complete Acceptable Use Policy and procedures available upon request for review by all parents, guardians, and other members of the community.