The Birches Academy Acceptable Use Policy for Electronic Resources

The Birches Academy Governing Board of Trustees recognizes that an effective public education system develops students who are globally aware, civically engaged, and capable of managing their lives and careers. The Board also believes that students need to be proficient users of information, media, and technology to succeed in a digital world. Therefore, The Birches Academy will use electronic resources as a powerful and compelling means for students to learn core subjects and applied skills in relevant and rigorous ways. It is the school's goal to provide students with rich and ample opportunities to use technology for important purposes in schools just as individuals do in workplaces and other real-life settings. The Birches Academy technology will enable educators and students to communicate, learn, share, collaborate and create, think and solve problems, manage their work, and take ownership of their lives. The Board directs The Birches Academy administration to create strong electronic educational systems that support innovative teaching and learning, provide appropriate staff development opportunities and develop procedures to support this policy. These procedures are written to support The Birches Academy Acceptable Use Policies for Faculty and Staff, Middle School Students, and Elementary Students, and to promote positive and effective digital citizenship among students and staff. Digital citizenship represents more than technology literacy: successful, technologically fluent digital citizens live safely and civilly in an increasingly digital world. They recognize that information posted on the Internet is public and permanent and can have a long- term impact on an individual's life and career. Expectations for student and staff behavior online are no different than face-to-face interactions. Network The Birches Academy network includes wired and wireless computers and peripheral equipment, files and storage, e-mail and Internet content (blogs, websites, webmail, groups, wikis, etc.) The school reserves the right to prioritize the use of, and access to, the Birches Academy network.

In addition, ‘network’ is also defined as access to the Internet via personal electronic devices using a student’s own connection (e.g. private Wi-Fi, cellular network, LTE, 3G, 4G, etc.). While on school premises, it is subject to the same policies as those regarding use of the school’s own network to access materials on the school’s network or the Internet.

All use of The Birches Academy network must support education and research and be consistent with the mission of the school.

Acceptable network use by school students and staff includes:

• Creation of files, projects, videos, web pages and podcasts using network resources in support of educational goals; • Participation in blogs, wikis, social networking sites and groups and the creation of content for podcasts, e-mail and web pages that support educational goals; • With parental permission, the online publication of original educational material, curriculum related materials and student work. Sources outside the classroom or school must be cited appropriately; • Staff use of the network for incidental personal use in accordance with all school policies and guidelines; • Connection of staff and student personal devices to the school network after checking with the technology department to confirm that the device is compatible and is equipped with up-to-date virus software. Connection of any personal electronic device is subject to all guidelines in this document. All devices must utilize The Birches Academy content filter while on the school premises. Students must also have the permission of their teacher and be under teacher supervision while the device is in use. Unacceptable network use by The Birches Academy students and staff includes but is not limited to:

• Personal gain, commercial solicitation and compensation of any kind; • Liability or cost incurred by the school; • Downloading, installation and use of games, audio files video files or other applications (including shareware or freeware) without specific permission or approval from the technology department; (some games may be downloaded and allowed as they relate to educational use, etc.) • Support or opposition for ballot measures, candidates and political activity other than that pertaining to charter schools; • Hacking, cracking, vandalizing, the introduction of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, time bombs and changes to hardware, software, and monitoring tools; • Unauthorized access to other school computers, networks and information systems; • Cyber bullying, in appropriate texting, hate mail, defamation, harassment of any kind, discriminatory jokes and remarks; • Information posted, sent or stored online that could endanger others (e.g., bomb construction, drug manufacture); • Accessing, uploading, downloading, storage and distribution of obscene, pornographic or sexually explicit material; and • Attaching unauthorized equipment to the school network. Any such equipment will be confiscated and destroyed. The Birches Academy will not be responsible for any damages suffered by any user, including but not limited to, loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, mis- deliveries or service interruptions caused by its own negligence or any other errors or omissions. The school will not be responsible for unauthorized financial obligations resulting from the use of, or access to, The Birches Academy network or the Internet. Internet Safety Personal Information and Inappropriate Content • Students and staff should not reveal personal information, including a home address and phone number, on websites, blogs, podcasts, videos, wikis, e-mail or as content on any other electronic medium. • Students and staff should not reveal personal information about another individual on any electronic medium. • No student pictures or names can be published on any class website unless the appropriate permission has been given according to school policy. • If students encounter dangerous or inappropriate information or messages, they should notify the appropriate school authority immediately. Filtering and Monitoring Filtering software is used while connected to the school’s own network to block or filter access to visual depictions that are obscene and all child pornography in accordance with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Other objectionable material could be filtered. The determination of what constitutes "other objectionable" material is at the discretion of the Head of School and/or Coordinator.

• Filtering software is not 100% effective. While filters make it more difficult for objectionable material to be received or accessed, filters are not a solution in and of themselves. Every user must take responsibility for his or her use of the network and Internet and avoid objectionable sites; • Any attempts to defeat or bypass The Birches Academy Internet filter or conceal Internet activity are prohibited: proxies, https, special ports, modifications to school browser settings and any other techniques designed to evade filtering or enable the publication of inappropriate content; • E-mail inconsistent with the educational and research mission of the school will be considered SPAM and blocked from entering school e-mail boxes to the best of our ability; • The Birches Academy will provide appropriate adult supervision of Internet use. The first line of defense in controlling access by minors to inappropriate material on the Internet is deliberate and consistent monitoring of student access to school computers; • Staff members who supervise students, control electronic equipment or have occasion to observe student use of said equipment online, must make a reasonable effort to monitor the use of this equipment to assure that student use conforms to the mission and goals of the school; and • Staff must make a reasonable effort to become familiar with the Internet and to monitor, instruct and assist effectively. • As a reminder, students are not allowed to connect to the internet using their own personal connection (personal wi-fi, cellular network, 3G, 4G, LTE, etc.) unless specifically instructed and supervised by a staff member. The Birches Academy has no control over filtering software whatsoever if such a connection is used. Copyright Downloading, copying, duplicating and distributing software, music, sound files, movies, images or other copyrighted materials without the specific written permission of the copyright owner is generally prohibited. However, the duplication and distribution of materials for educational purposes are permitted when such duplication and distribution fall within the Fair Use Doctrine of the United States Copyright Law (Title 17, USC) and content is cited appropriately. All student work is copyrighted. Permission to publish any student work requires permission from the parent or guardian. Network Security and Privacy

Network Security Passwords are the first level of security for a user account. System logins and accounts are to be used only by the authorized owner of the account, for authorized school purposes. Students and staff are responsible for all activity on their account and must not share their account password.

These procedures are designed to safeguard network user accounts: • Do not use another user's account; • Do not insert passwords into e-mail or other communications; • If you write down your account password, keep it out of sight; • Do not store passwords in a file without encryption; • Do not use the "remember password" feature of Internet browsers; and • Lock the screen, or log off, if leaving the computer. Student Data is Confidential The Birches Academy staff must maintain the confidentiality of student data in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). No Expectation of Privacy The Birches Academy provides their own network system, e-mail and Internet access as a tool for education and research in support of the school's mission. The Birches Academy reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review and store, without prior notice, information about the content and usage of:

• The network; • User files and disk space utilization; • User applications and bandwidth utilization; • User document files, folders and electronic communications; • E-mail; • Internet access; and • Any and all information transmitted or received in connection with network and e-mail use.

No student or staff user should have any expectation of privacy when using The Birches Academy network with a school owned computer/electronic device or while using their own personal electronic device while on school premises and connected to The Birches Academy network or any other network. The school reserves the right to disclose any electronic message to law enforcement officials or third parties as appropriate. All documents are subject to the public records disclosure laws of the State of New Hampshire. Archive and Backup A limited backup is made of all school files in the event of disaster recovery. Barring power outage or intermittent technical issues, staff and student files are backed up on school servers regularly. Files on any personally owned electronic devices are not backed up by The Birches Academy and are the responsibility of the student and student’s family. Disciplinary Action All users of the school's electronic resources or personally owned devices while on school property are required to comply with and agree to abide by the provisions set forth in The Birches Academy’s Acceptable Technology Use agreement. Violation of any of the conditions of use explained in The Birches Academy Acceptable Technology Use Policy or in these procedures could be cause for disciplinary action.

Agreement for Acceptable Technology Use for Grades 6, 7 and 8 The Birches Academy is pleased to offer you an opportunity to access The Birches Academy network resources and the Internet while on school premises. Access is provided for you to conduct research, complete assignments, and communicate with others. To use these resources you must sign and return this form and obtain parental permission.

Statement of Common Sense We expect you to use the school’s electronic resources for educational purposes only, as approved by your teachers. This means that you may not play computer games, access your own personal email or text or surf the Internet on The Birches Academy computers at any time unless your teachers have introduced them as a part of instruction. You may also not use your own personal device to connect to the Internet via your own private connection (like your phone’s own internet connection) unless permission is given by a teacher. Access is a privilege, not a right. As a technology user, you are expected to act in a considerate and responsible manner. Misuse of the network resources or Internet will result in consequences for the inappropriate behavior, and access may be restricted.

As a student, you should read the following rules regarding acceptable use of technology and then sign this form to show that you understand your responsibilities. While using The Birches Academy network resources or an internet connection using my own personally owned electronic device and the Internet on school premises: • I will communicate politely. I will treat others with respect. I will not harass or attack others, or use expressions of bigotry, racism, or hate. I will not send, display, or use profanity, obscenities, sexually explicit, or offensive materials. • I will protect the privacy and safety of others and myself by not disclosing private or personal information on the Internet. I will never falsify my identity. I understand that information placed on the Internet may be there permanently and will consider carefully my online presence. • I will keep my password private, and will not attempt to use another person's password. • I will use the network/Internet and other electronic resources for school-related, educational activities as assigned by mv teachers. This also means that I will not attempt to use an electronic device to buy or sell any products, for illegal activity, or for political purposes. • I will not tamper with or change a computer file that isn't mine. • I will not copy or download files, or modify the computer's desktop or settings without permission from my teachers. • I will recognize and respect the intellectual property of others by not plagiarizing or using copyrighted materials from the Internet without permission of the author. I will cite the source where appropriate. • I will respect the integrity of The Birches Academy network system. I will enter authorized systems only. I will never try to circumvent security measures on either The Birches Academy network or computers at any remote site. I will not tamper with or alter the system in such a way that would disrupt the network. • I will use equipment responsibly. I will not attempt to damage or vandalize the computer hardware, electronic systems, software, or networks. • I will not make, or attempt to make, any malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another user, including the uploading, downloading, or creation of computer viruses. • I will not access the Internet via my own network connection like personal Wi-Fi, or cellular network such as 3G, 4G or LTE on my phone or tablet without specific approval by a staff member. Consequences for Unacceptable Use of the Electronic Resources at The Birches Academy If I violate any part of this policy, the consequences will be:

First Offense: I will lose access to The Birches Academy computers, personal computers or The Birches Academy network resources for one week, and the teacher will phone my parent or guardian. Any assigned computer work will be completed at home or with pen and paper using traditional resources. Second Offense: I will lose access to The Birches Academy computers, personal computers or The Birches Academy network resources for one month, and the teacher will phone my parent or guardian. Any assigned computer work will be completed at home or with pen and paper using traditional resources. Third Offense: The Birches Academy computers, personal computers or The Birches Academy network resources use will be revoked for 12 weeks (the length of one trimester), the teacher will call my parent or guardian, and a written disciplinary form will be sent home.

The level of disciplinary action is subject to the discretion of the Head of School and/or Coordinator. Please sign, detach, and return to as soon as possible. Students may not have access until this agreement is on file.

Student name:______Homeroom Teacher:______Parent or Guardian's Agreement

As the parent or guardian of this student, I have read the Agreement for Acceptable Electronic Use as written above. I understand that access to network resources/Internet for students at The Birches Academy is provided for educational purposes only. I understand that employees of the school will make every reasonable effort to restrict access to all controversial material on the Internet, but I will not hold them responsible for materials my son or daughter acquires or sees as a result of the use of the Internet while on school premises.

I understand that my child's work may be considered for publication on the Internet or on the school’s website (http://www.birchesacademy.org). Unidentified photos of my child may also be published on school websites as related to projects and activities. My child's first name with last initial may be used with student projects or other school news. For new Birches Academy students: Please complete and return as soon as possible so that an account can be established.

The Birches Academy Network Password Application Student Name:______Homeroom:______

Your child will have a username which will be used when accessing the school’s network of computers and the Internet. The username will be assigned. Please have your child choose an appropriate password, which may be from 5-8 characters and should be something that is easily remembered.

Choose a password:______(5-8 characters)

Parents will also use their child's username and password to access locked areas of The Birches Academy website. Agreement for Acceptable Technology Use for Grades 1-5 The Birches Academy is pleased to offer you an opportunity to access The Birches Academy network resources and the Internet while on school premises. Access is provided for you to conduct research, complete assignments, and communicate with others. To use these resources you must sign and return this form and obtain parental permission.

Statement of Common Sense

We expect you to use the school’s electronic resources for educational purposes only, as approved by your teachers. This means that you may not play computer games at any time unless your teachers have introduced them as a part of instruction. You may also not use your own personal device to connect to the internet via your own private connection (like your phone’s own internet connection) unless your teacher has given you permission. Access is a privilege, not a right. As a technology user, you are expected to act in a considerate and responsible manner. Misuse of The Birches Academy network resources or Internet will result in consequences for the inappropriate behavior, and access may be restricted.

As a student, you should read the following rules of network etiquette and then sign this form to show that you understand your responsibilities.

While using The Birches Academy network resources and the Internet from school properties:

• I will communicate politely. I will treat others with respect. I will not tease or be unkind to others. • I will protect the privacy and safety of others and myself by not sharing private or personal information on the Internet. • I will keep my password private, and will not attempt to use another person's password. • I will use The Birches Academy network/Internet and other electronic resources for school- related, educational activities only as assigned by my teachers. • I will not tamper with or change a computer file that isn't mine. • I will not copy or download files without permission from my teachers. • I will not change the computer's desktop or settings without permission from my teachers. • I will recognize and respect the intellectual property of others. I will not plagiarize or use copyrighted materials from the Internet without permission of the author. I will cite the source where appropriate. • I will respect The Birches Academy network system. I will enter approved systems only. • I will use equipment responsibly. I will not attempt to damage or vandalize the computer hardware, electronic systems, software, or networks. • I will not make, or attempt to make, any attempt to harm or destroy data of another user, including the uploading, downloading, or creation of computer viruses. Consequences for Unacceptable Use of the Electronic Resources at The Birches Academy

If I violate any part of this policy, the consequences will be: First Offense: I will lose access to The Birches Academy computers, personal computers or The Birches Academy network resources for one week and the teacher will phone my parent or guardian. Any assigned computer work will be completed at home or with pen and paper using traditional resources.

Second Offense: I will lose access to The Birches Academy computers, personal computers or The Birches Academy network resources for one month, and the teacher will phone my parent or guardian. Any assigned computer work will be completed at home or with pen and paper using traditional resources.

Third Offense: Use of The Birches Academy computers, personal computers or The Birches Academy network resources use will be revoked for 12 weeks (the length of one trimester), the teacher will call my parent or guardian, and a written disciplinary form will be sent home.

The level of disciplinary action is subject to the discretion of the Head of School and/or Coordinator.