Technology

The Sycamore Community Unit School District (the “District”) is pleased to offer students access to our computer network as well as the Internet. We are happy to be able to provide this service and believe it offers vast, diverse, and unique resources. Our goal in providing this service is to continue to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, engaged learning, and communication. Students’ use of the District’s computer network will be teacher directed and for academic-related assignments only.

Internet access will enable the exploration of thousands of libraries, databases, museums, and other sources of information around the world. Families should be aware that some material accessible via the Internet may contain items that are illegal, defamatory, inaccurate, or potentially offensive. While the purpose of school use of Internet resources is constructive educational goals, students may still find ways to access inappropriate materials. We believe that the benefits of Internet access in the form of information resources and opportunities for collaboration far exceed the disadvantages. Ultimately, parents and guardians are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their students should follow when using media and information sources. Therefore, we respect each family’s right to decide whether or not to allow their student(s) access to the Internet.

Even though the District uses robust filtering software to keep students from accessing unauthorized and inappropriate sites, no filter is guaranteed to be error free or totally dependable. Among other matters, the District is not liable or responsible for:

• Any information that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable due to technical or other difficulties;
• The accuracy or appropriateness of any information that is retrieved through technology;
• Breaches of confidentiality;
• Defamatory material; or
• The consequences that may come from a student’s failure to follow District policies and procedures governing the use of technology.

The District promotes the use of computers in a manner which is responsible, legal and appropriate. Use of the District’s network is a privilege. Failure to adhere to this Technology Acceptable Use Policy will result in the revocation of access privileges, disciplinary action, and/or appropriate legal action. Should a user’s privileges be revoked, there shall be no obligation to provide a subsequent opportunity for access to the District’s network.

Students are responsible for appropriate behavior on the District’s network just as they are in a classroom or on a school playground. The user is personally responsible for his/her actions in accessing and utilizing the District’s computer resources. Users are advised never to access, save, print, or send anything that they would not want parents/guardians and teachers to see or read. Network storage areas may be treated like school lockers. Network administrators may review communications and files to maintain system integrity and to ensure that the network is being used responsibly.

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

• Be polite and non abusive in your messages to others;
• Use appropriate language. Do not swear or use vulgarities or any other inappropriate language;
• Do not reveal personal information of others, including addresses or telephone numbers;
• Do not use the network in any way that would disrupt its use by other users;
• Adhere to the rules of copyright law and assume that all software is copyrighted (unless it is labeled“freeware” or “public domain”);
• Adhere to the licensing agreements governing the use of shareware;
• Be responsible at all times for the proper use of access privileges and for complying with all required system security identification codes including not sharing such codes;
• Close any site (URL) that has inappropriate material. Contact or report the site to a lab supervisor or teacher, and do not share such sites with other users;
• Respect the right of others to use equipment and therefore do not use it for non-school activities; and
• Protect the privacy of other users and the integrity of the network by avoiding misuse of passwords and others’ files, equipment and programs.

Users are responsible for their actions and activities involving the network. Network users will not:

• Use offensive, obscene, inflammatory or defamatory speech;
• Harass other users;
• Use the account or password of another user;
• Misrepresent themselves or others;
• Violate the rights of others including their privacy;
• Access, submit, post, publish, download or display any defamatory, intentionally inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexual, threatening, racially offensive, harassing, or illegal material;
• Post material authored or created by another without his/her consent;
• Post anonymous messages;
• Use the network for commercial or private advertising or for the sale or purchase of materials for personal use;
• Download unauthorized software programs or files: including but not limited to the following types: exe, zip, mp3, mpeg, avi, streaming audio, etc.;
• Wastefully use network resources such as file space;
• Gain unauthorized access to resources or entities;
• Use the network for private financial or commercial gain;
• Vandalize data, programs, and/or networks;
• Damage technology hardware and/or software;
• Spread computer viruses;
• Use the network for any illegal activity, including violation of copyright or other contracts, or transmitting any material in violation of any federal or state regulation;
• Reveal their personal address or telephone number or those of others; and
• Use the network while access privileges are suspended or revoked.
• Use software, hardware or any other means to bypass our web filter, firewall or any other security protocols.

Failure to comply with this policy and any administrative regulations and guidelines governing the use of technology will result in the revocation of access privileges, disciplinary action including payment for any equipment damage), and/or appropriate legal action.

Network users must recognize that there is no assurance of confidentiality with respect to access to transmissions and files by persons outside or from persons inside the District. Also, the District reserves the right to log technology use, to monitor file server space utilization by users, and to examine users’ files and materials as needed. Therefore, users cannot expect absolute privacy from District personnel as to their use of technology.