Acushnet Public Schools
The Acushnet Public Schools Network User Policy
The Acushnet Public Schools Local Area Network (APS-LAN) is a data communications network implemented and managed by the Acushnet Public Schools with the capacity to link workstations, local area networks and/or other external networks as well as access a wide variety of data communications resources worldwide.
The Internet links computer networks around the world, giving the Acushnet Public Schools access to a wide variety of computer and information resources. In general, electronic traffic should pass freely in a trusting atmosphere with a minimum of constraints.
The Acushnet Public Schools user has the responsibility to respect and protect the rights of every user in the community and on the network. Acushnet Public Schools LAN users are expected to act in a responsible, ethical and legal manner.
Acushnet Public Schools LAN/Internet access is a privilege offered each academic year to educators and students. It is expected that educators and students will strive to act in all situations with honesty, integrity and respect for the rights of others and to help others behave in similar fashion.
1. Primary Goals
The goal of APS-LAN is to support and enhance instruction, research activities and administrative records management among the staff and students of the Acushnet Public Schools as well as other interested parties who may participate with the express invitation and permission of the Acushnet School District, by providing access to computer mediated communication resources, shared resources, unique resources, and the opportunity for collaborative work. In addition to access of LAN shared resources, the District, through its MecNet (Merrimack Education Center) affiliation provides access to the Internet. This provides connections to regional, national and international resources. The following guidelines establish minimum standards with regard to all uses of APS-LAN.
2. Acceptable Use Policy
2.1 All use of APS-LAN must be consistent with the Acushnet District's primary goals and the District's Internet Safety Policy (Policy IJNDE, adoption date 9-24-02).
2.2 APS-LAN, through the System Manager (Technology Coordinator) may, at any time, make determinations that particular uses are or are not consistent with the purposes of APS-LAN. Such determinations will be reported, via electronic mail, posting to our home page, and/or message to the user community.
2.3 APS-LAN should only be used for legal purposes.
2.4 It is important that disruptions to APS-LAN be minimized.
Disruptions include, but are not limited to, distribution of unsolicited advertising, propagation of computer worms and/or viruses, and using the network to make unauthorized entry to any other machine or device accessible via the network. Recreational computing, game playing, participating in non-educational chat room and similar activities (which should only occur during non-instructional time) will be considered unacceptable if such activity degrades system performance and/or denies access to other users.
2.5 Users may only access those areas to which they have been given authorization. Users should not attempt to access information, which is not in their purview. This especially applies to administrative database information concerning the staff and students of the Acushnet Public Schools. If there are any questions concerning access, they should be directed to the System Manager.
2.6 Proper professional standards of conduct must be maintained.
Users should refrain from transmitting any material that might be construed as threatening, obscene, or harassing. Users should refrain from accessing material that is inappropriate to the educational environment.
2.7 The District does not endorse or permit access to material that may be considered educationally inappropriate or objectionable in nature. Access to such material on APS owned workstations shall be restricted to the greatest extent possible; free speech and open scholarly research issues notwithstanding. The District employs content filtering systems, which provide the most technologically current protection available. The Acushnet Public Schools may not be held responsible for access to inappropriate and/or objectionable material from systems connecting to APS-LAN though outside telephone, cable or other data communications lines or on APS workstations which have been intentionally reconfigured to bypass content filtering.
2.8 Information and resources accessible via APS-LAN are private to the individuals and organizations which own or hold the rights to those resources and information unless specifically stated otherwise by the owners or holders of rights. Access to information or resources (even when that information or those resources are not securely protected) may occur only with prior permission of the owners or holders of rights to those resources or information. Within the APS-LAN proper (that is, resources residing on equipment owned, leased or otherwise contracted by APS) the final authority regarding specifically authorized rights to view and or access applications, files and other resources which reside on the system shall be the Superintendent or System Manager.
2.9 APS-LAN should only be utilized for approved activities. Profit making activities or use by for-profit institutions except when engaged in open scholarly communication and research, should only occur with the express permission of the Superintendent or System Manager.
2.10 The District shall not assume liability for payment of any new subscriptions, royalties or other fees associated with accessing commercial services, bulletin board systems and/or databases without the prior express permission of the Superintendent or System Manager. In the event APS is billed for such unauthorized access, the user shall be held accountable and may be required to reimburse APS for charges accrued due to such unauthorized access.
2.11 Account codes and passwords are confidential and should not be shared with any other person without the permission of the System Manager.
2.12 Professional standards of conduct and ethics must be maintained with regard to the use of copyrighted and licensed software. It should be noted that it is illegal to duplicate copyrighted and licensed software for use by others.
2.13 Only software that directly supports approved curriculum may be installed on APS workstations without the express permission of the System Manager.
2.14 Under no circumstances shall unlicensed software be installed on any APS workstation.
3. Violation of Policy
3.1 The System Manager of APS-LAN and/or appropriate representatives of the Acushnet District will review all alleged violations of the APS Acceptable Use Policy. Violations of this policy will result in appropriate actions being taken.
3.2 In addition to this section, inappropriate computer use violations may be addressed by the School Principal in a manner consistent with other inappropriate behavior as defined in the Student Handbook.
3.3 Unauthorized access or attempt to access the Administrative Data Base files of the Acushnet School District shall be dealt with to the full extent of the law.
3.4 In the event it is found an effort to conceal the history of computer use has occurred by the deletion, erasure or other attempts to remove files, including the installation and use of any program designed to hide evidence of Internet use, such acts shall be deemed willful and malicious destruction of school property.
4. "Internet Safety Policies" & CIPA Compliance
This section insures the Acushnet Public Schools Acceptable Use Policy is in compliance with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
As adopted in the Acushnet Public Schools Internet Safety Policy (Policy IJNDE), it is the policy of the District to: (a) prevent user access over its computer network to, or transmission of, inappropriate material via Internet, electronic mail, or other forms of direct electronic communications; (b) prevent unauthorized access and other unlawful online activity; (c) prevent unauthorized online disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification information of minors; and (d) comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act [Pub. L. 106-554 and 47 USC 254(h)].
The Acushnet School District believes that the benefits to educators and students from access to the Internet, in the form of information resources and opportunities for collaboration, far exceed any disadvantages of access. But ultimately, parent(s) and guardian(s) of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their child or ward should follow.
4.1 APS through its Internet Service Provider, Merrimack Education Center, content filtering/blocking software is updated at regular intervals. The District's Internet Security & Acceleration Server (ISA Server) can further provide additional filtering that is deemed inappropriate by the District. The student and his/her parent(s) or guardian(s) are warned that the Internet is a vast communication network and new sites are added daily. For this reason, any filtering program can never be totally secure. Questionable information can and will be filtered as needed.
4.2 Inappropriate sites discovered to be accessible should be reported to the System Manager. The System Manager may block such sites immediately. Conversely, blocking of sites which are necessary for 'bona fide research" may be temporarily disabled if they are being blocked within the District's ISA Server
4.3 Web links and/or references to Acushnet Public Schools from other web sites which contain inappropriate or objectionable content shall be discouraged by whatever administrative means are available. (This particularly applies to personal web pages of our staff and students.)
4.4 Monitoring of student Internet use shall be accomplished by a combination of staff supervision and the 'history files' associated with web browsers.
4.5 Any APS owned or leased workstation which will be used to access the Internet off the District's premises shall be configured to employ appropriate content blocking and the user shall agree that such configuration will not be altered.
The Acushnet School District believes that the benefits to educators and students from access to the APS-LAN and the Internet, in the form of information resources and opportunities for collaboration, far exceed any disadvantages of access. But ultimately, parent(s) and guardian(s) of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their child or ward should follow.
5. Disclaimer of Liability
5.1 The Acushnet Public Schools disclaims all liability for the content of material that a student may access on the Internet, for any damages suffered in the course of or as result of the student's Internet use, and any other consequences of a student's APS-LAN use.
5.2 The Acushnet School District in not responsible for any consequences of service interruptions or changes, even if these disruptions arise from circumstances under the control of the Acushnet Public School District.
5.2 All files (including e-mail) enjoy full security and privacy privileges associated with the accounts to which they are assigned. Privacy privileges notwithstanding, the Acushnet District retains the right as owner and employer to examine any and all files residing on our systems as may be warranted to ensure compliance with this policy, satisfy records requests of law enforcement agencies or for other legitimate reasons.
5.3 Under certain conditions Massachusetts general law (specifically as it applies to public institutions and their employees) holds that e-mail is a public record and must be available for public inspection.