Wenatchee School District #246

Learning & Teaching - Acceptable Use Policy

Policy No. 2022
INSTRUCTION
TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY : PURPOSE
The Wenatchee School District provides a wide range of computer resources to its students and staff for the purpose of advancing the educational mission of the District. Computer resources are provided and maintained at the District’s— and, therefore, the public’s—expense and are to be used by members of the school community with respect for the public trust through which they have been provided. The Appropriate Use Procedures that follow provide details regarding the appropriate and inappropriate use of District computers. The procedures do not attempt to articulate all required or proscribed behavior by users. Successful operation of the District computer network requires that all users conduct themselves in a responsible, decent, ethical, and polite manner while using the District computers. The user is ultimately responsible for his or her actions in accessing and using District computers and the District computer network. All users (students, staff, parents, community members) of District computers are expected to review and understand the guidelines and procedures in this document.
Cross References: Board Policy 2020 Curriculum Development and Adoptionof Instructional Materials
2025 Copyright Compliance
3241 Classroom Management, Corrective Actions or Punishment
5252 Staff Participation in Political Activities
5281 Disciplinary Action and Discharge
Legal Reference: 18 USC §§ § 2522. Enforcement of the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act
USC Title 18, Part I, Chapter 119 Wire and Electronic Communications
Interception and Interception of Oral Communications, Sections § 2510-2522
Adoption Date: July 11, 2006
Wenatchee School District

Procedure 2022P
INSTRUCTION
APPROPRIATE USE PROCEDURES: Scope
The following procedures apply to all District staff, students, and community members using our resources and cover all District computer equipment, including any desktop or laptop computers, the District computer network, and any computer software licensed to the District ("District computers").
Appropriate Use
The District expects everyone to exercise mature judgment and use District computer equipment in a professional manner. The Superintendent reserves the right to define mature judgment and/or professional manner. Use of the equipment is expected to support the District’s goals of educating students and/or conducting District business. The District recognizes, however, that some personal use is inevitable. Therefore, incidental and occasional personal use that is infrequent or brief in duration is permitted so long as it occurs on personal time, does not interfere with District business, and is not otherwise prohibited by District policy or procedures.
Use of privately-owned computers: The District has a process (Use of Privately-Owned Technology TEC-P009) that outlines the acceptable use of such equipment. Users are expected to read and follow this process. Use of District Software: District software is licensed to the District by a number of vendors that may have specific licensing restrictions regarding duplication or use of a particular program. Users of District software must obtain permission from the District (TRA, TRT, Operational Technology, or Instructional Technology departments) prior to copying or loading District software onto any computer, whether the computer is privately owned or is a District computer.
Remote Email Access: The District provides remote access to its email network via the Internet for the convenience of its staff. Users may access the District’s email network over a standard Internet connection by using either a District laptop or a privately owned computer.
Prohibited Uses: District computers may not be used for the following purposes:
* Commercial Use: Using District computers for personal or private gain, personal business, or commercial advantage is prohibited.
* Political Use: Using District computers for political purposes in violation of federal, state, or local laws are prohibited. This prohibition includes the use of District computers to assist or to advocate, directly or indirectly, for or against a ballot proposition and/or the election of any person to any office. The use of District computers for the expression of personal political opinions to elected officials is prohibited. Only those staff authorized by the Superintendent may express the District’s position on pending legislation or other policy matters.
* Illegal or Indecent Use: Using District computers for illegal, harassing, vandalizing, inappropriate, or indecent purposes (including accessing, storing, or viewing pornographic, indecent, or otherwise inappropriate material), or in support of such activities, is prohibited. Illegal activities include any violations of federal, state, or local laws (for example, 7/11/06
infringing on copyright, publishing defamatory information, or committing fraud). Harassment includes slurs, comments, jokes, innuendoes, unwelcome compliments, cartoons, pranks, or verbal conduct relating to an individual that (1) have the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment; (2) have the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or school performance;
(3) Have the purpose or effect of defamation of staff; and/or (4) interfere with school operations. Vandalism is any attempt to harm or destroy the operating system, application software, hardware, or data. Inappropriate use includes any violation of the purpose and goal of the network, network security, or content filter, including the intent to bypass either the district border firewall or content filter. Indecent activities include violations of generally accepted social standards for use of publicly owned and operated equipment.
* Non-District Employee Use: District computers may be used only by District staff and students and others expressly authorized by the District to use the equipment.
* Disruptive Use: District computers may not be used to interfere or disrupt other users, services, or equipment. For example, disruptions include distribution of unsolicited advertising (“spam”), propagation of computer viruses, and distribution of large quantities of information that may overwhelm the system (chain letters, network games, or broadcasting messages), and any unauthorized access to, or destruction of, District computers or other resources accessible through the District’s computer network.
Privacy
District computers, the Internet, and use of email are not inherently secure or private. For example, the content of an email message, including attachments, is analogous to a letter or official memo rather than a telephone call since a record of the contents of the email may be preserved by the sender, recipient, any parties to whom the email may be forwarded, or by the email system itself. It is important to remember that once an email message is sent, the sender has no control over where it may be forwarded and that deleting a message from the user’s computer system does not necessarily delete it from the District computer system. In some cases, emails have also been treated as public records in response to a public records disclosure request. Likewise, files such as Internet "cookies" may be created and stored on a computer without the user’s knowledge. Users are urged to be caretakers of their own privacy and not to store sensitive or personal information on District computers. The District may need to access, monitor, or review electronic data stored on District computers, including email and Internet usage records.
While the District respects the privacy of its staff, and while the District currently does not have a practice of monitoring or reviewing electronic information, the District reserves the right to do so for any reason. The District may monitor and review the information in order to analyze the use of systems or compliance with policies, conduct audits, review performance, obtain information, or for other reasons. The District reserves the right to disclose any electronic message to law enforcement officials, and under some circumstances, may be required to disclose information to law enforcement officials, the public, or other third parties; for example, such disclosure may be required in response to a request made in a lawsuit involving the District or by a third party against the user or pursuant to a public records disclosure request.
Discipline
The Acceptable Use Policy is applicable to all users of District computers and refers to all
information resources whether individually controlled, shared, stand alone, or networked. Disciplinary action, if any, for students, staff, and other users shall be consistent with the District’s standard policies and practices. Violations may constitute cause for revocation of access privileges, suspension of access to District computers, other school disciplinary action, and/or appropriate legal action. Specific disciplinary measures will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Care for District Computers
Users of District computers are expected to respect the District’s property and be responsible in use of the equipment. Users are to follow any District instructions regarding maintenance or care of the equipment. Users may be held responsible for any damage caused by intentional or negligent acts in caring for District Computers under their control. The District is responsible for any routine maintenance or standard repairs to District computers. Recommendations for the care and cleaning of laptop computers can be found on the Technology Department web site. Users are expected to notify the District (TRA, TRA, TSS, Technology Department) of any need for service in a timely manner.
Users are not to delete or add software to District computers without District permission. Due to diverse licensing terms for different software programs, the user should not assume that if it is permissible to copy one program, then it is permissible to copy others.
If a District laptop is lost, damaged, or stolen while under the control of a user, outside of the school district, the user is expected to file a claim under his/her insurance coverage, when coverage is available. Except in cases of negligent or intentional loss or damage, the District will cover out-of-pocket expenses.

Dear Parents:
The Wenatchee School District has the ability to enhance your child’s education by providing access to current technologies, including the Internet. The rich sources of information available on the Internet augments the quality of education available to all students by improving their ability to do research, communicate and collaborate with others, and access content appropriate for their educational program. It is our intention to provide an Internet environment that is safe and appropriate for all of our students. The district currently uses a commercial Internet screening product that filters Internet content and does not allow access to pages and/or sites with objectionable material. In addition, district personnel monitor Internet use to ensure that students are using the resources appropriately and design use according to the student’s grade level:
Grades K-3 Limited use for specific projects. Use is teacher-directed and only sites selected by the teacher are accessed. Some teachers within this grade band post grades and/or assignment scores.
Grades 4-5 Use is project-focused and adult-directed and supervised. The teacher selects most of the sites accessed. Search engines used are education-oriented and screened. Some teachers within this grade band post grades and/or assignment scores.
Grades 6-8 Use is adult-directed and monitored. Some independent Internet use is permitted but is supervised and screened. Most teachers within this grade band post grades and/or assignment scores.
Grades 9-12 Students may use the Internet independently and use it as part of class assignments and projects. Computers are monitored and sites are screened. Most teachers within this grade band post grades and/or assignment scores.
At the beginning of each school year, your child’s teacher will discuss the appropriate use of technology, including the Internet. The district’s Acceptable Use Policy will be reviewed, and students will be expected to follow the rules established in the policy. Your local school may require additional Internet and computer use guidelines to make the experience safe and engaging for students.
Because Internet use is an integral part of learning, all students are granted access when they enroll in our schools. If you DO NOT want your student to have access to the Internet, please contact your school office, and access will be denied. If assignments require the use of the Internet, alternatives will be provided.
The Wenatchee School District is using all of the strategies described in this letter to ensure the safety of students and to restrict access to inappropriate material. However, access to the Internet brings with it the availability of material that is of no educational value, abusive, racially biased, or is otherwise offensive. While district personnel seek to ensure appropriate access, we cannot guarantee that students will not locate material that may be objectionable. We continue to rely on a student’s judgment to use the Internet ethically, responsibly, and in accordance with the guidelines outlined by the district.
If you would like to review the district Acceptable Use Policy with your child, it may be viewed
and printed from the Wenatchee School District web site at: http://home.wsd.wednet.edu/WSD/learnteach/acceptable_use_policy.htm, or you can request a copy from the District Office at 663-8161, and it will be mailed to you. Your cooperation in helping students understand appropriate use of the Internet is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Brian Flones
Superintendent Wenatchee School

PROCEDURE 2022P LETTER AND CONSENT FORM (pdf)