Information Technology Policy Breach (for Parents/Caregivers)
Dear
In accordance with our school’s Information Technology Policy we would like to
inform you that your child ______
is in breach of this policy.
They have breached the policy in the following way/s
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As a result the schools I.C.T governing body has decided they will not be able to use the schools'
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facilities until ______.
Please note the following procedures will also take place.-
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Please take the time to discuss this issue with your child. If you have any queries please contact your child’s class teacher and/or Computer Administrator, the Deputy Principal/Principal to discuss this issue.
Yours sincerely,
INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION & TECHNOLOGY USERS POLICY
ST THOMAS SCHOOL
GOODWOOD
St. Thomas School ICT Policy 2013
Dear Parents/Caregivers,
You are asked to read this letter and the accompanying Policy before signing the Agreement Form and sending it back to school. Thank you.
Internet
The use of the Internet at St. Thomas School and Pre-school is a privilege and not a right. The Internet is an electronic superhighway connecting computers around the world, linking millions of subscribers, offering vast, diverse and unique resources and points of view for both students and teachers. Access is provided to promote educational excellence through facilitating resource-sharing, innovation and communication.
The Internet must be considered as a public place in cyberspace. Accordingly, students are expected to exhibit the high standards of behaviour on the Internet that are expected at all other times and in other places. Students also need to understand and comply with the highest standards of moral and ethical behaviour while using the Internet, understanding that our schools’ main ethos is centred on family, faith and morally sound futures. The use of the Internet is monitored by teachers at St. Thomas’ both in classrooms and also via a Net Filter. However, the supervision of internet use at home on the Apple Laptops (which are leased in a co-agreement between Parents and St. Thomas’ School and Pre-School) is to be parent’s/caregivers responsibility. Please ensure you have adequate procedures in place to ensure you know what your child is accessing. Inappropriate downloads or file-sharing of content which does not reflect our values of ‘Faith, Family, Future’ will not be tolerated. St. Thomas’ School strongly recommends students do not save or run content which is not for educational purposes on the Apple Laptops. If your child or you are unsure what a task requires in terms of Internet use please ask your child’s teacher before proceeding.
Electronic mail (email) accounts are available to students as part of the Virtual Private Network. All students from Years 2-7 can have access to their own account.
Off site access to school email accounts is also possible at www.stthgood.adl.catholic.edu.au/myinternet . Students will need to enter their personal username and password to access their account. Of course, the same expectations in regard to email content and purpose will need to be ensured off-site as would be reinforced at St. Thomas’ School and Pre-School. This account should only be used for school purposes. Students need to be informed that emails which breach our schools cyber-bullying or strict inappropriate content guidelines will be investigated with the possibility of consequences.
In Conclusion
Whilst every attempt will be made to educate the students of their responsibility, ultimately students using the school’s ICT facilities or Apple Laptops must take responsibility for their own actions. To ensure you and your child(ren) understand what is expected, we ask you to read, sign and return the attached permission form.
Please read the following conditions carefully and discuss them with your child(ren).
If you are unsure about any points, please contact the school before signing the policy.
Inappropriate use (as outlined in the Conditions and Student Responsibilities) will result in loss of user privileges.
It is envisaged that this Policy will be revised annually and that a new agreement
shall be signed each year. Thank you for your support.
Liz Thomas Daniel Milford
(Principal) (ICT key contact person)
Acceptable Use Policy for School Network and Internet
“All schools should develop an Acceptable Use Policy and educate staff, students and parents in the consequences in any breach of these policies”.
(National Catholic Education Commission 1999)
Introduction
St. Thomas’ School allows all students and staff to ‘log-on’ to any connected computer in the Library or classrooms with a Username and Password. This allows access to a number of software applications, a personal “work space” and the Internet (including email facilities for all staff and Years 2-7 students).
Providing access for our children to current Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a privilege that the school community is committed to educationally and financially. To ensure ICT’s ongoing success educationally, there are certain responsibilities that need to be formalized and adhered to.
This document is the Acceptable Use Policy for ICT at St. Thomas School and Pre-School. This document should be read carefully by parents, teachers and students and signed by all parties as an understanding in support of the responsibilities and expectations associated with accessing the Network and Internet at St. Thomas School and Pre-School.
Network
ICT is used to support learning and to enhance teaching. Our computer network allows people to interact with many computers. All computers and technology peripherals such as digital cameras, scanners and projectors are to be used in a responsible, efficient, ethical and legal manner. Unacceptable use of ICT’s by students will result in a loss of access to the technology.
Student Responsibilities
Students need to-
· Log-on with their own username and password (pre-school, R-1 can use class log-on)
· Respect the rights and feelings of other computer users.
· Treat the equipment with respect at all times.
· Use the ideas of others only as a basis for creating their own work.
· Log-off when finished with the computer.
· Respect the integrity of the network by not accessing/altering others ‘work-space’.
· Keep within their allocated student budget for Internet and Email usage.
· Monitor their computer budget and report discrepancies to class teacher or Sina administrator.
· Ensure they keep their password secret.
· Ensure they do not deliberately interfere with others files and data.
Staff Responsibilities
Staff have undertaken to:
· Encourage fair and equitable access for all students to ICT.
· Teach specific skills when needed, which will enable students to use the available software and peripherals.
· Provide general supervision of Internet access.
· Regularly discuss this Policy with students.
· Follow-up on breaches of policy stated herein.
· Respond to Parent questions regarding use/ maintenance of Apple Laptops at home.
· Stay abreast of policy change and discuss issues such as Cyber safety & Cyber bullying.
The Conditions
It is acceptable:
· To use the Internet for research, information and online learning that relates to education at school, and to communicate with peers, teachers or other persons who are involved in education.
· For Years 2-7 students can access their own email account as part of the VPN.
A Responsible user will:
· Always use their own Username and Password to access the network and Internet at St. Thomas School and Pre-School.
· Use the Internet with an adult’s knowledge and consent, only for legal purposes.
· Be polite and never send abusive or impolite messages through email.
· Use appropriate language.
· Access and retrieve only their own files, and not change any file that does not belong to the user. This includes shared drives such as the Internal S:Drive.
· Maintain privacy and not reveal their Username or Password to any other student.
· Maintain privacy and not reveal their own or other’s phone number, address or personal details whilst online.
· Report to teachers (or parents) any illegal or irresponsible activities.
· Not exceed their allocated Internet budget for each term.
· Ensure the adequate functioning of an Apple Laptop (yrs 3-7) prior to beginning school at the start of the day (i.e. Is Laptop charged?). Or inform class teacher upon arrival if this technology is malfunctioning or is inoperable.
· Maintain acceptable standard of leased laptops so that they are operable and cosmetically sound. (free from large scratches, dents, dirt, cracks etc.)
It is unacceptable to:
· Transmit or deliberately access and/or receive any material that may be considered inappropriate in that it may be of a threatening, sexually explicit, harassing, offensive or discriminatory nature, or material that may be harmful either physically or emotionally to others. This encompasses examples of Cyber-Bullying (see Cyber Bullying and e-crime)
· Log-on with someone else’s username and password.
· Reveal their password to anyone not authorized to receive it, nor must one obtain anyone else’s password.
· Breach any laws such as copyright (including software) or undertaking any unlawful activity as defined in Commonwealth or States laws.
· Interfere with or disrupt any other users on the Network through their activities.
· Place personal details or photographs on the Internet or the details of any person without authorization.
· To use the school email accounts for non-school purposes.
· Order materials, services or goods from the Internet.
· Use Internet chat sessions, news groups or any other interactive facility without teacher permission. This includes uploading footage of any part of the school or students, school uniform or school logo to sites such as YouTube or other Internet Sharing Community.
· Claim others personal views/works as your own without acknowledging where you found this information. (referencing)
· Download any material without teacher permission.
· Allow your Apple Laptop to be placed in a situation whereby through negligent action it is, or may be damaged or broken (either external or internal damage).
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
Parent/Caregiver Section.-
I (name) ______have read the St. Thomas School and Pre-School ICT users Policy and have discussed the information outlined in the policy with my child. I agree that my child will be bound by the guidelines for appropriate use of all I.C.T’s at St. Thomas’ School. (including the appropriate use/care of Laptops at home Years. 3-7)
Signed:______Date: ______
Student Section.-
I (name) ______have read or talked through with my parent/caregiver, the St. Thomas School and Pre-School ICT users Policy and I agree to follow the guidelines for appropriate use of all I.C.T’s at St. Thomas School. (including the appropriate use/care of Laptops at home Years. 3-7)
Signed or print:______Class: ______
Principal Section.-
I ______(Principal) have read the St. Thomas School and Pre-School ICT users Policy and agree with the guidelines for appropriate use of all I.C.T’s at St. Thomas’ School. I agree to follow-up on breaches of this Policy.
IMPORTANT: PLEASE FILL OUT AND RETURN TO YOUR CHILD’S CLASS TEACHER.
Thank you.
St Thomas School and Pre-School
Cyber-bullying and e-crime policy
St. Thomas’ School and Pre-school and Pre-School takes your child’s safety and personal wellbeing seriously. Please ensure that your child knows what constitutes cyber-bullying (and indeed bullying in general). Please refer to the ‘student page’ for information specifically designed as a guide for students.
What is cyber bullying?
E-technology provides individuals with a powerful means of communicating instantly with others in both positive and negative ways. Cyber bullying is bullying which uses e-technology as a means of victimising others. It is the use of an internet service or mobile technologies–such as email, chat room discussion groups, instant messaging,
Webpages or SMS (text messaging)–with the intention of harming another person.
Examples can include communications that seek to intimidate, control, manipulate, put down or humiliate the recipient. Activities can include flaming (repeated negative messages), sexual and racist harassment, denigration, impersonation, trickery, exclusion and cyber stalking. The targeted person often feels powerless and may need help.
What schools are doing to protect children
Research shows schools are one of the safest environments for your child. Cyber bullying has been found to occur more often outside of school. It may follow incidents at school. The implication here is that a child may consider it okay to talk to other students or about other students regarding events and conversations held at school, but at home. St. Thomas’ School and Pre-School wishes to advise Parent/s and Caregivers that it is important to discuss what is acceptable to communicate via email/The Internet as well as ensuring Parents/Caregivers have access to the content shared between your child and their friends/peers.
What can I do to protect my child?
Provide safe and supervised access. Consider the best location for your computer. It is recommended that internet access should be in a public place. Make sure you have safety software installed–antivirus, spyware and a firewall.
What can I do if I am unsure or I believe cyber-bullying is occurring
· Contact your child’s Principal.
· Communicate with your child’s teacher who may refer the matter to the Principal.
· Go to NetAlert, Australia’s Internet Safety Advisory Body, at www.netalert.net.au/03547-Advice-
Centre.asp for your free information booklet A parent’s guide to internet safety. Then consider advising your child’s Principal.
St Thomas School and Pre-School
Cyber-bullying/Communication
Student Page
St Thomas School asks that you avoid the following.-
· Communicating about students, teachers or staff at St Thomas School and Pre-School in a degrading manner or in way that would offend or cause hurt feelings.
· Seek to email or in any other way communicate with a member of the School community with the intention of abusing, bullying, or causing hurt feelings.
· Swear or in anyway use offensive language when discussing a member/ of our school community. Referring to a staff member in derogatory terms or in a threatening manner is a serious breach of policy and must be avoided.