Internet and Email Policy

St Joseph’s School Vision Statement

Our school, St Joseph’s, is Christ centred, guided by its motto “Christ Our Way”. All school community members endeavour to facilitate each child’s journey by being dynamic in direction and strong in service.

St Joseph’s School Mission Statement

In being Christ Centred we will:

  • Build the Kingdom of God through our personal relationship with Jesus by providing an atmosphere that encompasses prayer and reverence amongst staff and students.
  • Ensure that the children have an understanding of the Gospel values to develop a faith based relationship with Jesus.
  • Develop knowledge, beliefs and practices of the Catholic faith through prayer, liturgy and the teaching of our Religious Education and Sacramental Programs.

In being Dynamic in Direction, we will:

  • Provide a holistic education that develops an ongoing love of learning by incorporating innovative and enriching teaching and learning activities into our teaching practice to meet the changing needs of our world.
  • Encourage students and teachers to strive for excellence by fostering and supporting them to make the best possible use of their individual gifts and talents.
  • Affirm the dignity of the individual and cater for each student’s and family’s needs by honouring differences in abilities, cultures and interests while respecting each person’s journey.

In being Strong in Service, we will:

  • Give each student an education that is professional, current, relevant and integrated, by staff who are committed to life long learning.
  • Provide leadership that models service to others by being active members of the parish, school and local communities.
  • Offer each student the opportunity to develop leadership qualities that will serve them and their community, now and in the future.
  • Ensure that discipline is just and fair so that it nurtures strong values and morals that promote self responsibility and good citizenship.

Rationale

Computers and the Internet provide students with a valuable learning tool and a variety of experiences linking students to a network outside the school environment. St Joseph's School is pleased to provide students access to a computer network to support their learning which is consistent with the educational and Christian mission of the school.

Students must have parental permission and must sign and return the permission form before they can use the network and its facilities.

This document sets out the guidelines for students and staff of St Joseph's School for the Acceptable Use of the School's Intranet and Internet Access. The computers and network have been installed in the school for educational purposes and use of these facilities must reflect these purposes.

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Expectations

Acceptable Use
  • Users will follow the guidelines set out in Appendix A at all times.
  • Research in support of education and academic research, consistent with our school Mission Statement
  • Communication with others for academic purposes by means of email
  • Downloading of appropriate information for personal or class use.
  • Publishing Web pages for educational purposes.
Unacceptable Use

Staff and students accessing St Joseph's School’s Network, Internet and Email are expected not to:

  • Interfere with other student’s work, which may result it in being lost, changed or vandalised.
  • Send offensive information or messages.
  • Deliberately find inappropriate information on the Internet.
  • Send or receive information, which is a threat to people’s safety or well-being.
  • Communicate any private information (phone/fax numbers, passwords, email addresses) or other confidential information without the permission of the individual and St Joseph's School.
  • Plagiarise work from other people and say it is their own.

Consequences of Misuse

Students or staff found to be involved in an unacceptable practice may have their privileges withdrawn for an appropriate period of time determined by St Joseph's School ICT Co-ordinator.

Inappropriate language, bullying and teasing using St Joseph's School’s email services will be dealt with in line with school’s existing Behaviour Policy.

Appendix A

Intranet, Internet and Email Guidelines

Guideline 1 : General statement

• The internet is provided for the education of and the improved delivery of curriculum material(s). Students are encouraged to make use of the services to this end.

• School management reserve the right to make random audits of the history files that record which web sites that students and staff have visited.

Guideline 2 : E mail

• E-mail is provided for students to make contact with other students in the interest of education.

• Information sent via e-mail shall be constructive, informative or inquiring in the interest of both the sender and receiver.

Guideline 3: Use of service

• No profanity, obscenities, or any other language that could be construed as such, is to be used in any e-mail messages.

• No private information is to be distributed to other parties at any time. This includes reposting of information sent by another party.

• The network is not be used by any student for personal gain or illegal activity.

• Deliberate attempts to gain access to sites containing material of pornographic, racially or religiously offensive, illegal or offensive material will be dealt with as a serious breach of school rules.

• Downloading of material must be scanned for viruses at all times and any deliberate attempt to spread viruses through the network will be dealt with by the management of the school.

• All copyright, privacy and international laws are to be abided by at all times.

Guideline 4 : Accounts

• At no time are students to place orders for goods or services over the internet using the school name, title or funds.

• e-mail accounts are set up for the intended user only. Use of other student's accounts to send and receive E mail is unacceptable

Guideline 5 : Liability

• St Joseph's School is not, and cannot be held responsible for the loss of material, accidental corruption or any other action that might affect transmission or loss of data.

• St Joseph's School has taken all possible precautions to maintain safety of all.

Internet, Intranet and Email Access Permission

* Every family needs to return this form.

Student Agreement

As a student of St Joseph's School I agree to be a responsible user of the school’s Intranet, Internet and Email technology. I understand if I misuse these facilities I may lose my privileges.

Student’s Name: ______

Student’s Signature: ______Date: ______

Internet/Email Access

I do / do not give permission for my child to access the Internet under teacher supervision. I have read the School’s Internet and Email Policy attached. I note that the school will supervise all Internet use but I accept responsibility for guidance of my child in the use of the Internet.

Parent/Guardian’s Name: ______

Parent/Guardian’s Signature: ______Date: ______

Student Photographs

I do / do not give permission for my child’s photograph to appear on the school’s website and Newsletter.

I understand that if children are named, their Christian name only will be used in reference to a photo on the school’s website.

Parent/Guardian’s Name: ______

Parent/Guardian’s Signature: ______Date: ______

School Media

At various times the teachers and/or students may construct multimedia presentations such as video, Power Point and digital photographic displays. These are usually displayed only within the school at assemblies, parent information nights and in class. They are stored on the school’s computer network and are not displayed on the website.

I do / do not give permission for my child’s photograph to appear on the school based multimedia presentations.

Parent/Guardian’s Name: ______

Parent/Guardian’s Signature: ______Date: ______

**These permission notes remain current for a child’s total enrolment period at St Joseph's School.

This policy was reviewed in may 2017