Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
Pupil Use of the Internet
The aim of this Acceptable Use Policy is to ensure that pupils will benefit from learning opportunities offered by the school’s Internet resources in a safe and effective manner. Internet use and access is considered a school resource and privilege. Therefore, if the school AUP is not adhered to this privilege will be withdrawn and appropriate sanctions – as outlined in the AUP – will be imposed.
It is envisaged that this AUP will be revised regularly and as necessary by the ICT Co-ordinator/e-Learning team, taking into account any issues raised by parties affected by the AUP (including Staff, B.O.M, Parents) and any changes in IT circumstances. Before signing, the AUP should be read carefully to ensure that the conditions of use are accepted and understood.
Revision Date:
To reflect the evolving nature of technology whilst affording a realistic timeframe it has been agreed to review this plan biannually.
Plan History:
Draft 1: November 2005.
Draft 2: November 2013.
Scheduled Revision Date:
November 2016.
Current e-Learning team members :
Loreto Desmond (Principal)
Valerie Mc Manus (ICT Coordinator)
Grainne Lawlor (SEN representative)
Grainne Finn (3rd Class representative)
Clare Ann Ryan (4th Class representative)
Eoin Shier (5th Class representative)
Suzie Manton (6th Class representative)
School’s Strategy
The school employs a number of strategies in order to maximise learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet. These strategies are as follows:
General ·
Internet sessions will always be supervised by a teacher.
World Wide Web
Email
Internet Chat
School Website/School Blogs
Personal Devices
Pupils using their own technology in school, such as leaving a mobile phone turned on or using it in class, sending nuisance text messages, or the unauthorized taking of images with a mobile phone camera, still or moving is in direct breach of the school’s acceptable use and mobile phone policies.
Legislation
Teachers and Parents are advised to familiarise themselves with the following legislation relating to use of the Internet:
• Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003 www.dataprivacy.ie/images/Act2003.pdf
• Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 www.irishstatutebook.ie/199822.html
• Child Trafficking and Pornography (Amendment) Act 2004
• Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages Act 1993 www.irishstatutebook.ie/front.html
• Video Recordings Act 1989 www.irishstatute book.ie/ZZA22Y1989.html
• The Data Protection Act 1988 www.dataprivacy.ie/6ai.htm Page 3 of 9
Support Structures
The principal will inform students and parents of key support structures and organisations that deal with illegal material or harmful use of the Internet.
Sanctions
Misuse of the Internet may result in disciplinary action, including written warnings, withdrawal of access privileges and, in extreme cases, suspension or expulsion. The school also reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.
Parental Permission
Please review the above Acceptable Use Policy. Should you object to the use of the internet by your child or children within the school please make this known in writing to the principal of the school, Ms. L. Desmond.
Staff and Visitor Use of the Internet and Network
The computer system is provided and managed by the school and is made available to staff to further their professional development and the education of the students in the school. Access to the school’s computer facilities is a privilege and not a right. Any staff member and/or visitor who abuses this privilege will immediately be excluded from accessing and using the computing facilities.
It is a requirement of St.Cronan’s SNS that all users of its network or services accept and adhere to the school’s Acceptable Use Policy for Internet Access.
The Board of Management of St.Cronan’s SNS may change this policy to include changes in the law or in the acceptable practice of internet use and reserves the right to make such changes without notice and whenever required. All users are responsible for ensuring that they have read and understand the current policy.
Compliance with this Acceptable Use Policy is a contractual requirement. If you fail to observe the terms of this policy your account or service may be liable to termination or suspension. In the event that an account is suspended, St.Cronan’s SNS may be prepared, at its sole discretion, to restore the account on receipt of a written statement that the user will not commit any further abuse of the service.
The principal reserves the right to examine or delete any files that may be held on its computer system, to monitor internet sites visited, to monitor all on-line activity and to view any email messages passing through or saved on the system.
Personal Devices
Staff and visitors using their own technology in school, such as leaving a mobile phone turned on or using it in class, sending nuisance text messages, or the unauthorized taking of images with a mobile phone camera, still or moving is in direct breach of the school’s acceptable use and mobile phone policies.
Use of Networks and the Internet in general.
• The service may not be used for the transmission of illegal material. The user agrees to refrain from sending or receiving any materials which may be deemed to be offensive, abusive, indecent, hard-core or pedophile pornography, defamatory, obscene, menacing or otherwise as prohibited by current and future statutes in force. The user agrees to refrain from sending or receiving any material, which may be in breach of copyright (including Intellectual Property Rights), confidence, privacy or other rights.
If you are in any doubt as to the legality of what you are doing, or propose to do, you should either take independent legal advice or cease that usage.
• Storage, distribution of or transmission of illegal materials may lead to investigation and possible prosecution by the authorities
• You must not gain or attempt to gain unauthorized access to any computer systems for any purpose. In addition to being a breach of this AUP, such action may lead to criminal prosecution under the Computer Misuse Act.
• Data may not be sent to the Internet using forged addresses or data, which is deliberately designed to adversely affect remote machines (including but not limited to denial of service, ping storm, trojans, worms and viruses).
• Participation in the sending of unsolicited commercial or bulk email (commonly referred to as ‘Spam’ or ‘UCE’) is not permitted.
• ‘Port scanning’ or use of other software intended to probe, scan, test the vulnerability of or access remote systems or networks is prohibited except in circumstances where the remote user has given express permission for this to be done.
• Network passwords may not be divulged to third parties and all reasonable steps to ensure that such information remains confidential should be taken.
• Exclusion from using the school’s computer network will prevent the user from recovering files and using the facilities.
• Access should only be made via the authorised logon name and password.
• Activity that threatens the integrity of the school ICT systems, or activity that attacks or corrupts other systems, is forbidden. Such activities include browsing system files, and changing any system settings.
• Cautious use of memory keys is encouraged to help prevent the spread of computer viruses. While the school network is regularly swept for viruses and anti-virus software is used to prevent virus activity, the school accepts no responsibility for damage caused by computer viruses on other systems.
• Other users’ files must not be accessed.
• Use of the network to access and/or store inappropriate materials such as pornographic, racist, or offensive material is forbidden.
• Downloading of non-educational programs and games (eg. Netflix, itunes), screensavers, wallpaper from the Internet or uploading the same from disc or CD-Rom is forbidden.
• Use of the computing facilities for personal financial gain, gambling, political purposes or advertising is forbidden.
• Copyright of materials must be respected.
• Posting anonymous messages and forwarding chain letters is forbidden.
• Should a user give their own name, address, credit card, bank details etc. on the Internet then it is at their own risk and the school accepts no responsibility.
Email
Sending and receiving email involves the same responsibilities and approach as would be used when sending or receiving any other form of communication – written or printed mail, fax, telephone call etc. Most users fully understand what would be considered appropriate and acceptable when communicating with others and apply these considerations to their use of email. There are occasions when some users send mail or engage in online communication that others consider unacceptable – generally regarded as abuse by the online community.
In general terms, anything that might be unacceptable, and possibly illegal, in other forms of communication will be equally unacceptable and possibly illegal online.
• Users are responsible for all email sent and for contacts made that may result in email being received.
• Emails likely to cause distress or any material which is offensive, indecent, obscene, menacing or in any way unlawful are prohibited.
• The network may not be used to send email to any user who does not wish to receive it.
• Unsolicited commercial email, in bulk (commonly known as ‘Spam’) or individually is not allowed.
• The network may not be used with intent to deprive others of service (e.g. ‘mail bomb’).
• False mail headers or alteration of the headers of mail messages in such a way as to conceal the identity of the sender is prohibited.
• The use of any email address that you are not authorized to use is prohibited.
Evaluation
The success of this policy is measured from set criteria as follows:
Maintaining a relatively safe ICT school environment
Positive feedback from staff, parents, children
Continual observation of behaviour by all staff
Monitoring and evaluation at staff meetings
Ratification and Communication This policy was communicated to the Parents’ Association and their views sought. This policy is always available for viewing on our website.
This revised policy was ratified by the Board of Management on:
(Date): 10th February, 2014
(Signed): Fr. Paul Thornton
The aim of this Acceptable Use Policy is to ensure that pupils will benefit from learning opportunities offered by the school’s Internet resources in a safe and effective manner. Internet use and access is considered a school resource and privilege. Therefore, if the school AUP is not adhered to this privilege will be withdrawn and appropriate sanctions – as outlined in the AUP – will be imposed.
It is envisaged that this AUP will be revised regularly and as necessary by the ICT Co-ordinator/e-Learning team, taking into account any issues raised by parties affected by the AUP (including Staff, B.O.M, Parents) and any changes in IT circumstances. Before signing, the AUP should be read carefully to ensure that the conditions of use are accepted and understood.
Revision Date:
To reflect the evolving nature of technology whilst affording a realistic timeframe it has been agreed to review this plan biannually.
Plan History:
Draft 1: November 2005.
Draft 2: November 2013.
Scheduled Revision Date:
November 2016.
Current e-Learning team members :
Loreto Desmond (Principal)
Valerie Mc Manus (ICT Coordinator)
Grainne Lawlor (SEN representative)
Grainne Finn (3rd Class representative)
Clare Ann Ryan (4th Class representative)
Eoin Shier (5th Class representative)
Suzie Manton (6th Class representative)
School’s Strategy
The school employs a number of strategies in order to maximise learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet. These strategies are as follows:
General ·
Internet sessions will always be supervised by a teacher.
- ·Filtering software and/or equivalent systems will be used in order to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material.
- · The school will regularly monitor pupils’ Internet usage.
- · Students and teachers will be provided with training in the area of Internet safety.
- · Uploading and downloading of non-approved software will not be permitted.
- · Virus protection software will be used and updated on a regular basis.
- · The use of personal digital storage media in school requires a teacher’s permission.
- Students will observe “netiquette” (i.e. etiquette on the Internet) at all times and will not undertake any actions that may bring the school into disrepute.
World Wide Web
- Students will not intentionally visit Internet sites that contain obscene, illegal, hateful or otherwise objectionable materials.
- Students will report accidental accessing of inappropriate materials in accordance with school procedures.
- Students will use the Internet for educational purposes only.
- Students will be taught never to disclose or publicise personal information even outside of school.
- Students will only download materials or images relevant to their studies under strict supervision of the teacher.
- Students will use approved class email accounts under supervision by or with permission from a teacher.
- School emails cannot be used to send or receive any material that is illegal, obscene and defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate another person. Any evidence of these activities discovered by parents should be reported immediately to the school.
- Students will not reveal their own or other people’s personal details, such as addresses or telephone numbers or pictures.
- Students will be taught never to arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they only know through emails or the internet. Parents should also instruct their children in this area.
- Students will note that sending and receiving email attachments is subject to permission from their teacher.
Internet Chat
- Students will only have access to chat rooms, discussion forums, messaging or other electronic communication fora that have been approved by the school.
- Chat rooms, discussion forums and other electronic communication forums will only be used for educational purposes and will always be supervised.
- Usernames will be used to avoid disclosure of identity.
- Face-to-face meetings with someone organised via Internet chat will be forbidden.
School Website/School Blogs
- Pupils will be given the opportunity to publish projects, artwork or school work on the World Wide Web in accordance with clear policies and approval processes regarding the content that can be loaded to the school’s website.
- The website will be regularly checked to ensure that there is no content that compromises the safety of pupils or staff.
- The publication of student work will be co-ordinated by a teacher.
- Pupils’ work will appear in an educational context on Web pages with a copyright notice prohibiting the copying of such work without express written permission.
- The school will endeavour to use digital photographs, audio or video clips focusing on group activities. Content focusing on individual students will not be published on the school website without parental permission. Video clips may be password protected.
- Personal pupil information including home address and contact details will be omitted from school web pages.
- The school website will avoid publishing the first name and last name of individuals in a photograph. Photographs, audio and video clips will focus on group activities.
- The school will ensure that the image files are appropriately named –pupils’ names will not be used in image file names or ALT tags if published on the web.
- Pupils will continue to own the copyright on any work published.
Personal Devices
Pupils using their own technology in school, such as leaving a mobile phone turned on or using it in class, sending nuisance text messages, or the unauthorized taking of images with a mobile phone camera, still or moving is in direct breach of the school’s acceptable use and mobile phone policies.
Legislation
Teachers and Parents are advised to familiarise themselves with the following legislation relating to use of the Internet:
• Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003 www.dataprivacy.ie/images/Act2003.pdf
• Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 www.irishstatutebook.ie/199822.html
• Child Trafficking and Pornography (Amendment) Act 2004
• Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages Act 1993 www.irishstatutebook.ie/front.html
• Video Recordings Act 1989 www.irishstatute book.ie/ZZA22Y1989.html
• The Data Protection Act 1988 www.dataprivacy.ie/6ai.htm Page 3 of 9
Support Structures
The principal will inform students and parents of key support structures and organisations that deal with illegal material or harmful use of the Internet.
Sanctions
Misuse of the Internet may result in disciplinary action, including written warnings, withdrawal of access privileges and, in extreme cases, suspension or expulsion. The school also reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.
Parental Permission
Please review the above Acceptable Use Policy. Should you object to the use of the internet by your child or children within the school please make this known in writing to the principal of the school, Ms. L. Desmond.
Staff and Visitor Use of the Internet and Network
The computer system is provided and managed by the school and is made available to staff to further their professional development and the education of the students in the school. Access to the school’s computer facilities is a privilege and not a right. Any staff member and/or visitor who abuses this privilege will immediately be excluded from accessing and using the computing facilities.
It is a requirement of St.Cronan’s SNS that all users of its network or services accept and adhere to the school’s Acceptable Use Policy for Internet Access.
The Board of Management of St.Cronan’s SNS may change this policy to include changes in the law or in the acceptable practice of internet use and reserves the right to make such changes without notice and whenever required. All users are responsible for ensuring that they have read and understand the current policy.
Compliance with this Acceptable Use Policy is a contractual requirement. If you fail to observe the terms of this policy your account or service may be liable to termination or suspension. In the event that an account is suspended, St.Cronan’s SNS may be prepared, at its sole discretion, to restore the account on receipt of a written statement that the user will not commit any further abuse of the service.
The principal reserves the right to examine or delete any files that may be held on its computer system, to monitor internet sites visited, to monitor all on-line activity and to view any email messages passing through or saved on the system.
Personal Devices
Staff and visitors using their own technology in school, such as leaving a mobile phone turned on or using it in class, sending nuisance text messages, or the unauthorized taking of images with a mobile phone camera, still or moving is in direct breach of the school’s acceptable use and mobile phone policies.
Use of Networks and the Internet in general.
• The service may not be used for the transmission of illegal material. The user agrees to refrain from sending or receiving any materials which may be deemed to be offensive, abusive, indecent, hard-core or pedophile pornography, defamatory, obscene, menacing or otherwise as prohibited by current and future statutes in force. The user agrees to refrain from sending or receiving any material, which may be in breach of copyright (including Intellectual Property Rights), confidence, privacy or other rights.
If you are in any doubt as to the legality of what you are doing, or propose to do, you should either take independent legal advice or cease that usage.
• Storage, distribution of or transmission of illegal materials may lead to investigation and possible prosecution by the authorities
• You must not gain or attempt to gain unauthorized access to any computer systems for any purpose. In addition to being a breach of this AUP, such action may lead to criminal prosecution under the Computer Misuse Act.
• Data may not be sent to the Internet using forged addresses or data, which is deliberately designed to adversely affect remote machines (including but not limited to denial of service, ping storm, trojans, worms and viruses).
• Participation in the sending of unsolicited commercial or bulk email (commonly referred to as ‘Spam’ or ‘UCE’) is not permitted.
• ‘Port scanning’ or use of other software intended to probe, scan, test the vulnerability of or access remote systems or networks is prohibited except in circumstances where the remote user has given express permission for this to be done.
• Network passwords may not be divulged to third parties and all reasonable steps to ensure that such information remains confidential should be taken.
• Exclusion from using the school’s computer network will prevent the user from recovering files and using the facilities.
• Access should only be made via the authorised logon name and password.
• Activity that threatens the integrity of the school ICT systems, or activity that attacks or corrupts other systems, is forbidden. Such activities include browsing system files, and changing any system settings.
• Cautious use of memory keys is encouraged to help prevent the spread of computer viruses. While the school network is regularly swept for viruses and anti-virus software is used to prevent virus activity, the school accepts no responsibility for damage caused by computer viruses on other systems.
• Other users’ files must not be accessed.
• Use of the network to access and/or store inappropriate materials such as pornographic, racist, or offensive material is forbidden.
• Downloading of non-educational programs and games (eg. Netflix, itunes), screensavers, wallpaper from the Internet or uploading the same from disc or CD-Rom is forbidden.
• Use of the computing facilities for personal financial gain, gambling, political purposes or advertising is forbidden.
• Copyright of materials must be respected.
• Posting anonymous messages and forwarding chain letters is forbidden.
• Should a user give their own name, address, credit card, bank details etc. on the Internet then it is at their own risk and the school accepts no responsibility.
Sending and receiving email involves the same responsibilities and approach as would be used when sending or receiving any other form of communication – written or printed mail, fax, telephone call etc. Most users fully understand what would be considered appropriate and acceptable when communicating with others and apply these considerations to their use of email. There are occasions when some users send mail or engage in online communication that others consider unacceptable – generally regarded as abuse by the online community.
In general terms, anything that might be unacceptable, and possibly illegal, in other forms of communication will be equally unacceptable and possibly illegal online.
• Users are responsible for all email sent and for contacts made that may result in email being received.
• Emails likely to cause distress or any material which is offensive, indecent, obscene, menacing or in any way unlawful are prohibited.
• The network may not be used to send email to any user who does not wish to receive it.
• Unsolicited commercial email, in bulk (commonly known as ‘Spam’) or individually is not allowed.
• The network may not be used with intent to deprive others of service (e.g. ‘mail bomb’).
• False mail headers or alteration of the headers of mail messages in such a way as to conceal the identity of the sender is prohibited.
• The use of any email address that you are not authorized to use is prohibited.
Evaluation
The success of this policy is measured from set criteria as follows:
Maintaining a relatively safe ICT school environment
Positive feedback from staff, parents, children
Continual observation of behaviour by all staff
Monitoring and evaluation at staff meetings
Ratification and Communication This policy was communicated to the Parents’ Association and their views sought. This policy is always available for viewing on our website.
This revised policy was ratified by the Board of Management on:
(Date): 10th February, 2014
(Signed): Fr. Paul Thornton
