Appropriate Use of District Computer System

These regulations shall apply to all users of the district’s computer system. The purpose for these rules and regulations is to provide clear guidelines for the use of the district’s computer system. Using the district’s system shall constitute an agreement on behalf of the user to abide by the provision of these rules and regulations.

Definitions

“User” shall mean but is not limited to an employee of the Elkhorn Public Schools.

“Computer System” shall mean but is not limited to: hardware, software, network, servers and data.

“Network” shall mean but is not limited to video, voice and/or data networks and peripheral components.

“Data” shall mean but is not limited to any electronic file or hard copy.

“Social Media” shall mean electronic communication systems, including web logs (blogs), internet chat rooms or bulletin boards, learning management systems, websites, e-mail, and cellular and/or mobile device applications, whose primary purpose is to provide a multi-directional communication venue for the user and others.

General

The district may restrict or prohibit the use of its computer system in response to any violation of these rules and regulations, other district technology policies, or state or federal laws. Inappropriate use of the district’s computer system and violations of these rules and regulations may result in denial of access to the computer system or other disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. The district will install security and filter systems on all district computers.

District Electronic Mail

The district will operate a communication system via its network. All users of the communication system will be expected to regularly and promptly access messages (on at least a daily basis). The e-mail and Internet networks are provided to staff to conduct research and communicate with others. Access to network services is given to staff who have agreed to act in a responsible manner. Access to e-mail and the Internet is a privilege, not a right.

General Rules:

  1. Individual users of the district computer networks are responsible for their behavior and communications over those networks. Users will comply with district standards and will honor the agreements they have signed. Beyond clarification of such standards, the district is not responsible for restricting, monitoring, or controlling the communications of individuals utilizing the network.
  2. Network administrators may review files and communications to maintain system integrity and insure that users are using the system responsibly. Users should not expect that files or any information stored or otherwise retained on district servers or in computers will be private.
  3. Users should not expect, and the district does not warrant, that files stored on district servers will always be private.
  4. The district will not be liable for purchases made by any user over the network. Users shall not make purchases of goods and/or services via the district’s network that are related to outside employment or may result in profit for the user.

Acceptable Uses

The technology resources are to be used for the limited purpose of advancing the district’s mission. The technology resources are to be used, in general, for educational purposes, meaning activities that are integral, immediate, and proximate to the education of students as defined in the E-rate program regulations. Employees before and after normal duty hours and/or during an employee’s lunch break, however, may use the computer system for personal use. Personal use shall be construed to be an “employment benefit” and employees shall use the district computer system only in a manner consistent with these rules and regulations and in a manner that such use would not constitute an expense to the district. Users may check out computers (under Policy 1006.02) and provided such equipment is used in a manner consistent with these rules and regulations.

Unacceptable Uses

  1. Use, which violates statutes, policies, rules and regulations regarding copyright and/or software license agreements. Copyrighted material cannot be posted without explicit written permission from the owner.
  2. The creation, display, access, transmission, reception, exchange or distribution of any text, image or sound that is indecent, obscene, racist, sexist, threatening, pervasively vulgar, defamatory, illegal, fraudulent or that promotes harm to self or others.
  3. Use of the computer system for solicitation or advocacy for commercial, religious, political or any other non-education purpose.
  4. Use of computer system, which violates local, state, or Federal law. This includes attempts to gain unauthorized access, from within or outside the district, to district or proprietary computer systems including, but not limited to, network file servers or security systems.
  5. Installation of any non-district software or peripheral equipment (e.g. printers, scanners, cameras, zip drives, or external hard drives) into the computer system without first obtaining the written permission of a district technology coordinators and/or the building principal.
  6. Personal Gain: Technology resources shall not be used, and no person shall authorize its use, for personal financial gain other than in accordance with prescribed constitutional, statutory, and regulatory procedures, other than compensation provided by law.
  7. Personal Matters: Technology resources shall not be used, and no person shall authorize its use, for personal matters unless the User has entered into a lease agreement or other similar agreement with the School District that makes such use permissible under law.Occasional use that the Superintendent or designee determines to ultimately facilitate the mission of the District is not prohibited by this provision. Examples of occasional use that may be determined to ultimately facilitate the mission of the District: sending an e-mail to a minor child or spouse; sending an e-mail related to a community group in which an employee is a member where the membership in the community group facilitates the District’s mission.
    This occasional use exception does not permit use by employees contrary to the expectations of their position. For example, employees may not play games or surf the net for purposes not directly related to their job during duty time; nor may students do so during instructional time.The occasional use exception also does not permit use of the technology resources for private business, such as searching for or ordering items on the internet for non-school use; or sending an e-mail related to one’s own private consulting business.
  8. Campaigning: Technology resources shall not be used, and no person shall authorize its use, for the purpose of campaigning for or against the nomination or election of a candidate or the qualification, passage, or defeat of a ballot question.
  9. Technology-Related Limitations: Technology resources shall not be used in any manner which impairs its effective operations or the rights of other technology users. Without limitation,
    1. Users shall not use another person’s name, log-on, password, or files for any reason, or allow another to use their password (except for authorized staff members).
    2. Users shall not erase, remake, or make unusable another person’s computer, information, files, programs or disks.
    3. Users shall not access resources not specifically granted to the user or engage in electronic trespassing.
    4. Users shall not engage in “hacking” to gain unauthorized access to the operating system software or unauthorized access to the system of other users.
    5. Users shall not copy, change, or transfer any software without permission from the network administrators.
    6. Users shall not write, produce, generate, copy, propagate, or attempt to introduce any computer code designed to self-replicate, damage, or otherwise hinder the performance of any computer’s memory, file system, or software. Such software is often called a bug, virus, worm, Trojan horse, or similar name.
    7. Users shall not engage in any form of vandalism of the technology resources.
    8. Users shall follow the generally accepted rules of network etiquette. The Superintendent or designees may further define such rules.
  10. Other Policies and Laws: Technology resources shall not be used for any purpose contrary to any district policy or any applicable law. Without limitation, this means that technology resources may not be used
    1. to engage in violations of employee ethical standards and employee standards of performance, such as sending e-mails that are threatening or offensive or which contain abusive language; use of end messages on e-mails that may imply that the district is supportive of a particular religion or religious belief system, a political candidate or issue, or a controversial issue; or sending e-mails that divulge protected confidential student information to unauthorized persons.
    2. to engage in or promote violations of district policies including student conduct rules
    3. to engage in illegal activity, such as gambling.

Disclaimer

The technology resources are supplied on an “as is, as available” basis. The district does not imply or expressly warrant that any information accessed will be valuable or fit for a particular purpose or that the system will operate error free. The district is not responsible for the integrity of information accessed, or software downloaded from the Internet.

Privacy

The district cannot guarantee user privacy. The computer system is the property of the district and any data or material stored on or in the system may be subject to retrieval and inspection by authorized personnel at any time for any reason connected with official district business. If in the opinion of the building principal and/or district technology personnel there exists a reasonable suspicion that a violation of the acceptable/unacceptable uses of the computer system is occurring, the building principal and/or district technology personnel may request and the Superintendent may authorize an electronic monitoring of the equipment possibly being used improperly. The district reserves the right to monitor any usage of district computers, including but not limited to, accessing browser logs, e-mail logs, and any other history of use.

Web Pages

The use of web pages in the district shall be for educational purposes only and the district reserves the right to control the content of web pages created by or installed on the district computer system. All web sites created with or installed on the district computer system shall adhere to the following guidelines:

  1. District Web Site – The district will establish a web site and will develop web pages that will present information about the district. District technology personnel or designee(s) will be responsible for the creation, updating and maintenance of the District Web Site.
  2. School or Class Web Pages – Schools and classes may establish web pages that present information about the school or class activities. The building principal in consultation with the district technology personnel will designate an individual to be responsible for managing the school web site. Teachers will be responsible for maintaining their class site.
  3. Extracurricular Organization Web Pages – With the approval of the building principal, extracurricular organizations may establish web pages.
  4. All material placed on web sites shall be reviewed by district technology personnel building principals, and/or designee periodically to assure the material is accurate, appropriate for the intended audience, and that the material contained on web sites is appropriately attributed.
  5. All web sites shall not have outside links unless those links have given prior approval that is in writing and on file in the district technology personnel’s office. No links under any circumstances will be allowed to business- commercial sites or to sites that provide the creation, display, access, transmission, reception, exchange or distribution of any text, image or sound that is indecent, obscene, racist, sexist, threatening, pervasively vulgar, defamatory, illegal, fraudulent or that promotes harm to self or others.
  6. No individual student names with pictures are to be published on the web site without parental permission and superintendent approval. Student names with pictures are allowable as part of an electronic publication that is an extension of the approved journalism curriculum. Only district and/or school building addresses or telephone numbers may be published. No addresses or phone numbers of individuals will be published on web sites.
  7. The District shall comply with the Nebraska Student Online Personal Protection Act and will endeavor to take all reasonable and necessary steps to protect the online privacy of all students.

Social Media

Staff members must receive written permission from the Superintendent or designee before using social media for school purposes. Equity of access to information or content must be addressed before approval will be granted.

Professional and Personal Responsibility

When using non-district web sites and/or personal social media sites outside of the duties as a staff member of the district, staff should consider the following:

  1. The District’s Code of Ethics and the State Standards of Professional Practice are applicable (See Policy 405).
  2. District staff are responsible for all matters, which they post or publish. Personal social networking during contract time is prohibited.
  3. All matters which may be posted or published, including photographs, should reflect high standards of professionalism and professional discretion, and should not negatively or adversely impact relations with students, parents, other staff, or the community.
  4. At times teachers, staff members, coaches or activity sponsors at the secondary level (only) may communicate with a student or students using email or texting or any other form of communication to communicate daily plans or relevant details. While all professional standards apply to all communications (personal or electronic), another district employee must be included on the electronic communication in all cases. Never should a district employee use electronic communication tools without the inclusion of another district employee and/or parent attached or carbon copied (cc) (not blind copied (bcc)) to the message.

When using district technology, web and/or social media sites, staff may not engage in the following.

  1. Simultaneously identify oneself as a district employee and send, solicit, or display materials that are offensive, including sexually oriented material, graphic depictions of violence, or material that offends or harasses on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, disability, or age.
  2. Activities that do not reflect the standards of honesty, respect and consideration expected of district staff members or that interfere with the district’s core mission. District staff are responsible for their online behavior and will be held accountable for the content of their communications on social media.
  3. Acting as a representative of the district, or acting in a way that would infer that one is a district representative or acting for and on behalf of the district when not authorized to do so (e.g., contacting the media or government officials with district e-mail, responding to complaints or questions about district business on internet discussion groups, etc.).
  4. Sending, receiving, printing or otherwise disseminating proprietary data, trade secrets or other confidential information in violation of district policy, proprietary agreements or other contractual terms. Using district-owned data or work product for personal gain.
  5. Inappropriately sharing confidential information related to district business, including but not limited to, personnel actions, internal investigations, research material, or student information.
  6. Any activity in violation of local, state, or federal law as it relates to the staff member’s employment with the district, including, but not limited to, defamatory remarks; destruction of district data or equipment; or accessing or sharing information in violation of any activity that would cause the district to not be in compliance with state or federal law.
  7. Any activity in violation of district policies and rules.

Approved: July 12, 1999
Revised: May 14, 2001
Revised: July 12, 2004
Revised: April 11, 2005
Revised: November 12, 2012
Revised: November 13, 2017
Revised: May 8, 2023