Aceptable Use Policy

• Elementary Student Contract
• Staff/Employee Guidelines

Some Guidelines for Acceptable Use

• Students must only open, view, modify, and delete their own files.
• Internet use at school must be directly related to school assignments and projects.
• Students may be assigned individual email and network accounts and must use only those accounts and passwords that they have been granted permission by SSCA to use. All account activity should be for educational purposes only.
• Students must immediately report threatening messages or discomforting Internet files/sites to a teacher.
• Students must at all times use SSCA's electronic resources, including email, wireless network access, and internet tools/resources to communicate only in ways that are kind, productive and respectful.
• Students are responsible at all times for their use of SSCA’s electronic resources and must assume personal responsibility to behave ethically and responsibly, even when technology provides them freedom to do otherwise.
• Use of other organization’s networks or computing resources must comply with rules appropriate to that network.
• Transmission of any material in violation of any United States or other state organizations is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to: copyrighted materials, threatening or obscene material, or material protected by trade secret. Use of unauthorized commercial activities is not acceptable.
• Use of product advertisement or political lobbying is prohibited.
• Use of the network that incurs expense to SSCA is prohibited.
• Unauthorized installing of any software or data is prohibited.

Some Examples of Inappropriate Use

• Using any electronic resource for illegal purposes including, but not limited to, cyberbullying, gambling, pornography, and computer hacking.
• Disabling or attempting to bypass any system monitoring or filtering or security measures with a VPN or any other source.
• Sharing usernames and passwords with others; and/or borrowing someone else’s username, password, or account access.
• Purposefully opening, viewing, using or deleting files belonging to another system user without permission.
• Electronically posting personal information about oneself or others that is inappropriate or damaging to character.
• Downloading or plagiarizing copyrighted information without permission from the copyright holder.
• Intentionally introducing a virus or other malicious programs onto SSCA’s system.
• Electronically posting media or accessing materials that are abusive, obscene, sexually oriented, threatening, racist, harassing, illegal or damaging to another’s reputation.
• Electronically lobbying for political purposes.
• Gaining unauthorized access to restricted information or network resources.
• Purposefully utilizing SSCA's electronic resources in any way that disrupts the use of any computers or networks by others.
• Using any device which permits recording the voice or image of another in any way that disrupts the educational environment, invades the privacy of others, or is made without the prior consent of the individual(s) being recorded or photographed.
• Purposely searching and/or viewing any content that is inappropriate.

Email/Electronic Storage

1.  SSCA staff may arrange for electronic communications, and electronic storage accounts for students on a limited basis for instructional purposes only. As SSCA provides these accounts, they are considered to be SSCA accounts not personal accounts, and therefore governed by applicable SSCA policies. All communications and data accessible from these accounts are not considered to be private and shall be monitored by SSCA staff.
2. Messages and data in violation of this or other SSCA policies may be archived and/or deleted without notification.
3. All users of any electronic mail either provided by SSCA or transmitted through the SSCA’s technology resources are required to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy.
4. Never assume electronic mail or storage is private. Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities must be reported to the authorities and SSCA will comply with state and federal laws, as well as court orders or subpoenas that will require disclosure.

Web Policy

1. Teacher/Staff Web Pages. Teachers may establish Web pages for use with class activities or that provide a resource for other teachers. Teachers will be responsible for maintaining their class or educational resource sites. Teacher Web pages will be developed in such a manner as to reflect well upon SSCA.
2. Student and Extracurricular Organization Web Pages. Students may create a web site as part of a class activity. Material presented on a student class activity Web site must meet the educational objectives of the class activity. Material presented on extracurricular pages must relate specifically to organization activities.
3. Online Identification - Intermediate/High School. To recognize student achievement and success, images of students and their work may be displayed on Web pages. Images of students, student work, and student achievement will only be identified by first name and, if necessary, a last initial. Student grades may be displayed by I.D. number. Signed parent permission must be obtained if students are to be identified beyond these guidelines.
4.  Online Identification - Elementary School. To recognize student achievement and success, images of students and their work may be displayed on Web pages. Images of students, student work, and student achievement will only be displayed with signed positive parent/guardian permission.
5.  Online Identification - Email Addresses. Students may be issued web-based e-mail addresses to be utilized as part of class activity and in the furtherance of academic programs and educational objectives. Student e-mail addresses are not intended for personal use. Students’ e-mail usage and communications will be monitored by SSCA personnel.
6. It will not be considered a violation of a user’s right to free speech to require the removal of material that fails to meet established educational objectives or that is in violation of this ISP or student disciplinary policy, or to suspend or revoke a student’s e-mail privileges for violation of this acceptable use policy.

Special Note: Cyberbullying

•  Sending abusive text messages to cell phones, computers, or Internet-connected game consoles.
• Posting abusive comments on someone’s social networking site.
• Creating a social networking site or web page that masquerades as the victim’s personal site and using it to embarrass him or her.
• Making it appear that the victim is posting malicious comments about friends to isolate him or her from friends.
• Posting the victim’s personal identifiable information on a site to put them at greater risk of contact by predators.
• Sending abusive comments while playing interactive games.
• Acquiring and/or sharing media, sometimes manipulating it to embarrass the target.

Consequences For Inappropriate Use

• Appropriate disciplinary or legal action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct and applicable laws including monetary damages.
•  Suspension of access to SSCA's electronic resources.
• Revocation of SSCA' electronic account(s); and/or Termination of System User Account: SSCA may deny, revoke, or suspend specific user’s access to SSCA's system with or without cause or notice for lack of use, violation of policy or regulations regarding acceptable network use, or as a result of disciplinary actions against user.
•  Possible criminal action.

Personal Laptops/Electronic Equipment Use

Student Personal Responsibility

1.  As a representative of SSCA, the user will accept personal responsibility for reporting any misuse of the network to a teacher, administrator or supervisor. Misuse can come in many forms but is commonly viewed as any message(s) sent or received that indicate or suggest pornography, unethical or illegal solicitation, racism, sexism and inappropriate language.
2.  Security on any computer system is a high priority because there are so many users. If the user identifies a security problem, notify an administrator at once. Never demonstrate the problem to other users. Never use another individual’s account without written permission from that person. All use of the system must be under the user’s own account. Any user identified as a security risk will be denied access to the information system.
3. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another user or any other agencies or networks that are connected to the system. This includes, but is not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses. Any vandalism will result in the loss of computer services, disciplinary action, and/or legal referral.

SSCA Disclaimers, Responsibilities & Limitations

1.  SSCA and its individual schools, administrators, faculty, and staff thereof, make no warranties of any kind for the service provided and will not be held responsible for any damage suffered by users. This includes the loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, miss-deliveries, and intrusion by computer virus, or service interruption.
2.  Use of any information obtained via network access is at the risk of the user, and SSCA specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained.
3.  SSCA cannot guarantee complete protection from inappropriate material. Furthermore, it is impossible for SSCA or content filter to reflect each individual or family’s opinions of what constitutes “inappropriate material.” If a student mistakenly accesses inappropriate information, he/she should immediately notify a SSCA staff member.
4.  SSCA is not liable for an individual’s inappropriate use of district’s electronic resources or violations of copyright restrictions or other laws, or for costs incurred by users through use of SSCA’s electronic resources.
5.  SSCA is not liable for any individual’s personal device lost, stolen or damaged while at school or on school property.
6.  SSCA will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation concerning or relating to misuse of SSCA’s electronic resources.
7. SSCA will take prudent steps to develop, implement and maintain security procedures to ensure the integrity of individual and SSCA files. SSCA cannot guarantee that information on any computer system will be secure from other users.
8.  SSCA will attempt to provide error free and dependable access to technology resources associated with the network.
9.  SSCA will not be held liable for any information that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable due to technical or other difficulties.
10. SSCA cannot be held liable for the accuracy of information available through its services.