The policy applies to all students and to all personnel employed in the school.
The aim of this Acceptable Use Policy is to ensure that students and staff 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 Therefore, if the school AUP is not adhered to this privilege will be withdrawn and appropriate sanctions – as outlined in the AUP will be imposed. This AUP will be revised as it becomes necessary.
School’s Strategy
The school will employ a number of strategies in order to maximize learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet. These strategies are as follows:
General
1. Student Internet sessions will always be supervised by a teacher.
2. Filtering software and/or equivalent systems will be used in order to minimize the risk of exposure to inappropriate material.
3. The Teacher will regularly monitor students’ Internet usage.
4. Teachers and students will be provided with guidelines in the area of Internet safety.
5. Uploading and downloading of inappropriate software will not be permitted.
6. Virus protection software will be used and updated on a regular basis.
7. The use of personal USB sticks or CD-ROMs or other external memory devices in school by students is not permitted without the permission of the computer teacher.
8. Users will observe good “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
1. Users will not visit Internet sites that contain obscene, illegal, hateful or otherwise objectionable materials.
2. If in doubt about the suitability of a site, the student must bring it to the attention of the teacher immediately.
3. Students will use the Internet for educational purposes only.
4. Students will be made aware of copyright issues relating to online learning.
5. Students will never publicize personal information unless in the context of approved educational use.
6. Users will be aware that any usage, including distributing or receiving information, school-related or personal, may be monitored for unusual activity, security and/or network management reasons.
Email
1. All students will be allocated a preswex.ie email account and password. This account will remain the property of the school and will be monitored by the school authorities. Students must be aware that all accounts will be supervised and maintained by the school.
2. The school email address is for school and educational purposes only.
3. Students will not send or receive any material that is illegal, that contains virus, is obscene, defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate another person or is inappropriate in any way.
4. If any unacceptable behaviour is suspected or reported the school authorities have the right to access, edit, delete or block a student’s school email account.
5. Students cannot change their email account password. If necessary this will be done by the relevant school authority. There will be a charge of .50c for those who forget passwords. All funds will be donated to charity at the end of the school year.
6. Students will not reveal their own or other people’s personal details, such as addresses, passwords, telephone numbers or photographs.
7. Students will never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they only know through emails or the internet.
8. Students may only email teachers or members of the staff with the direct permission of the relevant teacher or member of staff.
9. Students will note that sending and receiving email attachments is subject to permission from their teacher.
10. The email address will be valid only for the duration of the student’s time in the Presentation School.
11. Students are responsible and accountable for any communications or activities associated with their school email addresses.
Internet Chat
1. Students will only have access to chat rooms, discussion forums or other electronic communication forums that have been approved by the school and with permission from and supervision by a teacher.
2. Chat rooms, discussion forums and other electronic communication forums will only be used for educational purposes and will always be supervised.
3. Face-to-face meetings with someone organized via Internet chat will be forbidden.
School Website
1. Students’ may be given the opportunity to publish projects, artwork or school work on the World Wide Web.
2. The publication of student work will be co-coordinated by a teacher. Students’ work will appear in an educational context on Web pages with a copyright notice prohibiting the copying of such work without express written permission.
3. Digital photographs, audio or video clips of individual students will not be published on the school website. Instead photographs, audio and video clips will focus on group activities. Video clips may be password protected.
4. Personal pupil information including home address and contact details will be omitted from school web pages.
5. Students will continue to own the copyright on any work published.
Legislation
Information on legislation pertaining to use of the Internet is available on www.pdst.ie.
Sanctions
Misuse of the Internet will result in disciplinary action, including verbal and/or written warnings, withdrawal of access privileges, suspension and, in extreme cases, expulsion. The school also reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.
November 2014