Emery County School District

Policy: IJNDCB—Student or Guest Network Acceptable Use

Date Adopted: 1 October 1997

Current Review / Revision: 1 May 2019

Purpose
The Emery County School District recognizes the need for a policy governing the use of the electronic resources by students as outlined in Utah State Code 53A-3-422. Responsibility is delegated to District administrators for implementing this policy according to established regulations.  The Board authorizes the Superintendent and other administrators to develop administrative regulations consistent with this policy.

Scope
This policy references the use of electronic information resources made available by the District. These resources include, but are not limited to, voicemail, email, the internet, and other network files or accounts provided to students.  Student use of electronic information resources must be in support of education and research, and must be consistent with the educational objectives of the District. Internet access is filtered and monitored on an ongoing basis in an effort to keep harmful material away from students.

In working through matters related to District students, staff, or administration, the Emery County Sheriff’s Office is officially considered an agent of the District and is authorized to access information that directly affects corresponding duties.  This may include, but is not limited to accessing personal information about a student.

The District utilizes a Local Area Network (LAN) and the "Internet" for use by faculty and students in conjunction with Utah Education Network (UETN). The District encourages students to use such tools by establishing individual accounts allowing them Internet access, which may be used at the discretion of each school. This use shall be limited to times and circumstances that will not interfere with the scheduled education programs of schools and be consistent with the Acceptable Use policy.

Any person who is granted a network account shall be referred to herein as an "account holder." Unless transmitted to others by the account holder or with the account holder's permission, the information created by an account holder shall be deemed confidential information belonging to the account holder and the District. As joint owner, the District reserves the right to monitor and access any information contained in a user’s account.

Internet accounts are for educational purposes. Any use of an Internet account inconsistent with such educational purposes shall be grounds for terminating the account and/or confiscating the information saved in the account.  There should be no expectation of privacy for any file or device that is placed on, or connected to the District network.

The District makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the network services provided. The District will not be responsible for any damages a user suffers. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, mistaken deliveries, or service interruptions.  The District specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through use of the network. All users should consider the source of any information they obtain, and evaluate how valid that information may be.

Conditions and Rules for Use
Using the Internet is a privilege, not a right. Inappropriate use, including any violation of these conditions and rules, may result in cancellation of this privilege.  The District has the authority to determine appropriate use and may deny, revoke, suspend, or close any user account at any time based upon its determination of inappropriate use.
Students in grades K-12 may obtain a school email account. Accessing outside email accounts is prohibited while using school computers. Note that email is not guaranteed to be private.  School provided accounts should never be viewed as private, and if a student chooses to access a personal email account using the District’s LAN, the District reserves the right to monitor the content of that account.  Each student and their parent/guardian will sign an Acceptable Use agreement every school year before any account is activated.

Acceptable Use
The purpose of Internet use within the District is to facilitate communications in support of research and education by providing access to unique resources and an opportunity for collaborative work. To remain eligible as a user, the use of any personal accounts must be in support of and consistent with the educational objectives of the District. Access to the Internet is made possible only through an appropriate provider as designated by the District.  All users accessing the Internet must comply with existing rules and the Acceptable Use policy, which are incorporated into this document, and are available from the District.
Transmission or reception of any material in violation of Federal or State regulations, or District policies, is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, pornographic, indecent or sexually suggestive materials, weapons, controlled substances or alcohol, incendiary devices, copyrighted material, threatening or obscene material, or material protected by trade secret.  A student may not be in possession of or use pornographic material on school property. Users are prohibited from posting or sending content that contains threats or is hatefully, racially, ethically, or otherwise objectionable.
Students who formally publish school or District related information on the Internet must have proper approval and abide by District publishing guidelines and procedures.  Students are expected to abide by generally accepted rules of network etiquette. These rules include, but are not limited to, being polite, never sending or encouraging others to send abusive messages, and never using inappropriate language.  Internet use for commercial activities, product advertisement, or political lobbying is prohibited.  All Internet access will be filtered and logged as per Utah state law.
The use of AI in K-12 school environments can offer numerous benefits, but it is the responsibility of the user to ensure ethical, effective, and safe implementation. Users should evaluate bias, fairness, and transparency. Encourage critical thinking and responsible use of AI technologies. Users should Choose AI tools or platforms that align with the identified educational curriculum, objectives, and are age-appropriate for the user. AI technologies should adhere to, school, and district educational standards. When employing AI as a source of information, users should openly acknowledge its use and maintain full transparency throughout the process.

Monitoring
The District reserves the right to review any material on user accounts and to monitor fileserver space in order to make determinations on whether specific uses of the network are appropriate. Using District resources to download or install any programs, music, video, or other copyrighted material for use on District or personal devices is strictly prohibited.  This includes storing such files on school servers or on the hard drives of individual computers, tablets, or chromebooks.   These files will be deleted without notification to the user. In reviewing and monitoring user accounts and fileserver space, the Emery Technology Department shall respect certain privacies for user accounts; however investigative action may be taken as needed.
The District gives no expectation of privacy to any device connected to the District network. This includes, but is not limited to flash drives, smart phones, and any other device that contains electronic file storage capability. This includes connecting such devices to any District owned device. This is done to make sure the security and integrity of the District network is not compromised.

Network Etiquette
All users are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Be polite. Do not be abusive in your messages to others.
• Use appropriate language. Do not swear, use vulgarities, or any other inappropriate language.
• Do not engage in activities which are prohibited under State or Federal law.  Messages and activities relating to or in support of illegal activities shall be reported to legal authorities and could result in the loss of user privileges and/or other disciplinary action or criminal charges.
• Never reveal your personal information such as address or phone number, and never reveal similar information of fellow students or colleagues.
• Do not use the network in a way that you would disrupt the use of the network by other users.

• Security problems or network vulnerabilities are to be reported to the system administrator.

• Do not demonstrate a problem or vulnerability to other users.
• Never use another individual's account.

Attempts to log on to the network as another user, or as a system administrator, may result in cancellation of user privileges.  Any user identified as a security risk for having a history of problems with other computer systems may be denied access to the network by Emery School District
The account holder is responsible for all local and network activity associated with their account. If a network user allows another staff member or student to utilize their account, said user accepts all responsibility for any network activity or content generated or shown while their user account is logged in. The account holder is responsible for not leaving a running system vulnerable. All account holders agree to either lock the system or logout when leaving a workstation they have logged into.

The use of RF (Radio Frequency) readers and hacking devices is strictly
prohibited within Emery County School District. This includes, but is not
limited to, any device capable of intercepting, emulating, manipulating, or
accessing electronic data transmissions without proper authorization.

• Such activities pose serious security risks and are in direct violation of this

• Any individual found in possession of RF readers, hacking devices, or engaging in activities associated with their use will face immediate disciplinary action. Students may face disciplinary action up to and including suspension/expulsion with the possibility of legal prosecution. 
• Employees may face disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment with the possibility of legal prosecution.
• We emphasize the importance of maintaining the integrity and security of our systems and data. Any concerns regarding potential security threats or breaches should be reported to the IT department or administrator immediately.

• Students may not install software on District owned devices.
• Any games and activities played on the Internet and LAN shall be educationally related. These activities will be approved and monitored by a staff member, or listed on the building site. In addition, users shall neither waste nor take supplies, such as paper or printing supplies. All users agree to talk softly and work in ways that will not disturb other users.

Encounter of Controversial Material

Users may encounter material which is controversial and which the user, parents, teachers, or administrator may consider inappropriate or offensive. However, on a global network, it is impossible to effectively control the content of data, and users may inadvertently discover controversial material. Users must notify the instructor, a member of the Emery Technology Department, or an Administrator of any inappropriate material. It is the user's responsibility not to initiate access to such material. Any decision by the District to restrict access to Internet material shall not be deemed to impose any duty to regulate the content of material on the Internet.

Penalties for Improper Use

Any student violating these rules, applicable State and Federal laws, and/or posted classroom rules, is subject to loss of network privileges and other District, school, or legal disciplinary actions.  In addition, pursuant to State law, any unauthorized access, attempted access, or use of any State computing and/or network system is a violation of the Utah Penal Code and other applicable Federal laws, and is subject to criminal prosecution.
The combined signatures on the Acceptable Use agreement indicate that the student and parent/guardian have carefully read, understand, and agree to abide by these terms and conditions regarding proper behavior and use of the network. The signatures on the Acceptable Use agreement are legally binding.

Emery County School District

Student Network Acceptable Use Agreement

Student: I have read, understand and will abide by the Emery School District Student Acceptable Use Agreement Policy. I further understand that any violation of the above Acceptable Use Agreement Policy is unethical and may constitute a criminal offense. Should I commit any violation, I realize that my access privileges may be revoked and other disciplinary action may be taken (which could include appropriate legal action).

Student Name (please print):

Signature:

School:

Grade:

Teacher/Advisor:

If a student is under the age of eighteen (18), a parent or guardian must also read and sign this document.

Parent/Guardian: As the parent or guardian of the above-signed student, I have read the Student Acceptable Use Agreement Policy. I understand that this access is designed for educational purposes. I recognize that it is impossible for Emery School District to fully restrict access to controversial materials and I will not hold the district or staff responsible for materials acquired from or viewed on the Internet. Further, I accept full responsibility if and when my child is found in violation of this computer use policy.

Please only fill out one of the following sections. The first if you give permission for your student to access the computer network and Internet at school. The second section if you DO NOT give permission for your student to access the computer network and Internet at school.

I hereby give permission to allow access to the computer network and the Internet for my child and certify that the information contained on this form is correct.

Parent or Legal Guardian (please print):

Address:

Telephone: E-mail:

Signature:

Date:

I do not give permission to allow access to the Internet for my child.

Parent or Legal Guardian (please print):

Signature:

Date: