1.0 PURPOSE
1.1 The purpose of technology in Preston County Schools ("PCS") is to support learning and enhance instruction. Internet access is available to the students in PCS.
1.2 The Internet is an electronic highway connecting thousands of computers all over the world and millions of individual subscribers. Access to the Internet provides students, teachers, and other employees with access to electronic mail, information and news services, public domain software of all types, discussion groups and a multitude of subjects and connections to libraries, companies, agencies and businesses. The Internet offers vast, diverse and unique resources.
1.3 The global network also provides access to controversial materials and materials which lack educational value. Given the global nature of the Internet, it is impossible for PCS restrict knowledgeable users from accessing controversial materials. The purpose of this policy is to set forth the acceptable use of technology and the Internet in PCS.
2.0 RESPONSIBILITY
2.1 The superintendent and/or his designee have the right and responsibility to monitor computers and/or internet activity to insure that such technology is used only for Preston County school activities, and in an appropriate manner.
2.2 The superintendent is responsible for drafting guidelines and procedures governing the appropriate use of the Internet by all users in PCS. The superintendent conveys to each school principal the responsibility for monitoring student access to the Internet.
2.3 Each school principal shall provide a consent and waiver form for signature by students and their parents or legal guardian. School principals have the authority to terminate individual student access to technology if the student graduates, transfers from the school, drops out of School, or violates the Acceptable Use Guidelines.
2.4 Each local school technology coordinator, system administrator and/or teacher, under guidelines set forth in this policy and under the direction of the school principal, may deny user access at any time.
2.5 Additionally, the PCS may pursue legal action to recover damages as a result of the inappropriate use of the network.
2.6 Any questions regarding the PCS's use of technology should be directed to the school principal or the Technology Coordinator of that school.
3.0 AUTHORITY
WV Constitution, Article XII, Section 2
W Code Section 18-2-5
WV State Board of Education Policy 2460, Use of Internet by Students and Educators
4.0 GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS USING THE INTERNET IN CLASSROOMS
4.1 The use of telecommunications in the classroom is an extension of the educator's responsibility in his/her classroom. The use of Internet in schools must be consistent with Preston County School's Acceptable Use Policy and the West Virginia Department of Education's Policy 2460. The following rules apply to use of the Internet in any PCS facility.
4.2 All users of the Internet must be authorized by a PCS educator and must focus on appropriate learning goals and objectives.
4.3 Each school accepts the responsibility for training teachers to use the Internet appropriately. Any employee without an "access.kl2.wv.us" account must sign the PCS Acceptable Use Policy.
4.4 Before any student uses the Internet in school, he/she must receive Acceptable Use training conducted by a PCS educator. The session must include a discussion of the WV Policy 2460 (available at http://access.k12.wv.us) and the PCS Policy and guidelines herein.
4.5 All students must have a signed PCS Acceptable Use Policy on file in their school. These files should be monitored for needed changes throughout the year.
4.6 The PCS endorses the use of the state email system account (access.k12.wv.us) for all staff and students. The state email account system offers a monitoring system and a level of security not available with other accounts. The school Internet contact as designed by the State Department of Education will apply for "access.k12.wv.us" for staff and/or students in their respective school. This same school contact is responsible for keeping the state email accounts updated as staff and students move in and out of their respective school. Local school principals who permit the use of free and/or unsecured email accounts agree to acceptable responsibility at such use by staff and students in their school. No teacher may use such email accounts for personal and/or student use without the knowledge and consent of their school principal. Records must be kept of all email accounts for future investigative use when needed.
4.7 Due to the demand on limited bandwidth, no CUSeeMe or continuous downloading, such as Internet Radio, is allowed without permission from the network administrator. No chat group activities are allowed unless a teacher has a specific curricular need that incorporates these groups into the lesson which has received administrative approval.
4.8 Computers that students use in grades k-8 will have a computer interface known as filtering software which will be provided by the State Department of Education and installed according to state guidelines. This software is provided so that objectionable materials are not easily accessed. Schools must maintain a monitoring/management system for Internet use. Students must sign in and out on log sheets when using the Internet to keep track of on-line usage. These log sheets must be kept on file for at least the two previous completed semesters.
4.9 Adult supervision must be adequately provided as to deter intentional access of inappropriate sites or activity when students are using computers to access the Internet. If a student enters an inappropriate site on the Internet, he/she will withdraw and notify the adult in charge of this situation.
5.0 GUIDELINES FOR OFFICIAL PCS WEB PAGES
Although community members and students are welcome and encouraged to assist in the creating, designing, content, and maintenance of web pages associated with Preston County Schools, the designated Web Master must be a member of the school staff and/or the local chief school administrator's designee for which the chief school administrator accepts responsibility. Each school will have one official home page and the chief school administrator will be responsible for selection criteria by the web master. It is the web master's responsibility to:
6.0 Upon passage of this policy, a similar policy, Policy 3-44, will cease to exist and will not be used as a part of the policies for the Preston County Board of Education.
Adopted: 9/11/00