POLICY

SUBJECT: ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS USE BY STAFF

The purpose of our network is to provide students and staff access to these resources for instructional purposes. Some of the information on the network may not be appropriate for school use. It is essential for each user to recognize his/her responsibility in having access to vast services, sites, systems and people. In spite of our efforts to establish regulations for the district’s network, please be aware that there may be materials or communications on the Internet or other networks that the district staff, parents and students would find objectionable. The Newark Valley Central School District cannot be held responsible for access to inappropriate materials. The user is ultimately responsible for his/her actions in accessing network Internet resources. Given the changing nature of the technology, we anticipate revising this policy in the future.

Part I

Academic integrity is a value we wish to emphasize. While working on the Internet, users are expected
to conduct themselves in accordance with this policy.

Part II

The Newark Valley Central School District claims the right to monitor the use of network resources, including email.

Part III

The use of the network can be revoked at any time for abusive conduct as determined by administration.

Part IV

Staff who gain access to the Internet from any access point within the school district shall:

1. Log on for a specific purpose and be expected to act responsibly.
2. Only use assigned Newark Valley Central School District accounts in our school buildings.

   Personal accounts are to be used at home.

   Staff who gain access to the Internet from any access point within the school district shall NOT:

   1. Access, transmit, or retransmit material which promotes illegal drugs, violence, or advocates destruction of property including, but not limited to, access to information concerning the manufacture of destructive devices such as explosives, fireworks, smoke bombs or incendiary devices or the like.

   2. Access, transmit, or retransmit any information containing pornographic or other sexually oriented material. Pornographic is defined as pictures or writings that are intended to stimulate erotic feelings by the description or portrayal of the human form or sexual activity.

    

3. Access, transmit, or retransmit material which advocates or promotes violence or hatred against particular individuals or groups of individuals or advocates or promotes the superiority of one racial group over another.  
4. Use or possess bootleg software. Bootleg software is defined as any copyrighted software in possession of a user which has been downloaded from a network or is otherwise in possession of the user without the appropriate registration of the software including the payment of any fees owing to the owner of the software.  
5. Commit or attempt to commit any willful act involving the use of the network which disrupts or attempts  to disrupt, vandalize or attempts to vandalize the operation of the network within the school district or any network connected to the Internet including use or attempted use or possession of computer viruses.  
6. Attempt to read, delete, copy or modify the electronic mail of other system users. Forgery or attempted forgery of electronic mail messages is prohibited.  
7. Load personal software or disks onto the district’s computers or network without the express permission of the building administrator or computer coordinator.  
8. Attempt to log on to the district’s system in the name of another individual, with or without the individual’s password.  
9. Use the computer to access secure areas except where access is required when performing the duties of your position.  
10. Transmit materials, information or software in violation of any district policy or regulation, local, state,  or federal law or regulation.

Part V

Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another user or any agency or network that is connected to the Newark Valley Central School District Internet backbone. This includes, but is not limited to, the uploading or the creation of computer viruses and damage or destruction of hardware.

Part VI

Opinions, advice, services and all other information expressed online are those of the online authors and not of the school district. The Internet contains information pertaining to a variety of subjects. Not all this information is accurate or reliable, particularly where the advice of medical, legal, accounting or other professionals would be appropriate. The school district is not responsible for such advice and users are advised not to rely on advice found on the Internet.

The school district does not guarantee or imply that access to the Internet will always be available when staff want to access it or that the software provided by the district will always work as intended. The school district is not responsible for failures in the operation or technical functioning of the Internet or the computers or software used to access the Internet.

Adopted: 5/22/00

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