Valders Area School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

7540 - COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY NETWORK, AND INTERNET ACCEPTABLE USE AND SAFETY

The Board of Education is committed to the effective use of technology to both enhance the quality of student learning and the efficiency of District operations. However, the use of the District’s network and technology resources by students is a privilege not a right.

Safeguards shall be established so that the Board's investment in both hardware and software achieves the benefits of technology and inhibits negative side effects. Accordingly, students shall be educated about appropriate online behavior including, but not limited to, using social media to interact with others online; interacting with other individuals in chat rooms or on blogs; and, recognizing what constitutes cyberbullying, understanding cyberbullying is a violation of District policy, and learning appropriate responses if they are victims of cyberbullying.

Social media shall be defined as internet-based applications (such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.) that turn communication into interactive dialogue between users. The Board authorizes the instructional staff to access social media from the District’s network, provided such access has an educational purpose for which the instructional staff member has the prior approval of the principal.

However, personal access and use of social media, blogs, or chat rooms from the District’s network is expressly prohibited and shall subject students and staff members to discipline in accordance with Board policy.

The Board authorizes the access and use of social media from the District’s network to increase awareness of District programs and activities, as well as to promote achievements of staff and students, provided such access and use is approved in advance by the District Administrator.

© Neola 2010