Holy Family School is committed to combining technology with a restructured learning environment to prepare our students for the 21st century.  This commitment includes proper use of technological tools and skills in an active and enriching classroom and lab experience for each student--one that enhances learning, instruction, and management.  Computers are integrated into the curriculum to teach/reinforce skills and concepts.  Students have networked access to E-Mail and Internet as directed by the teacher and individually as authorized by the school and parents in accordance with the Acceptable Internet Use Policy.      


HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL ACCEPTABLE INTERNET USE POLICY

PURPOSE
Holy Family School supports the use of computers and the Internet in its instructional program in order to facilitate access to information, research, collaboration, and interpersonal communications.  In order to ensure responsible use of the network and Internet, all such use of these resources shall be in accordance with the Acceptable Use Policy that may be adapted by the Holy Family School Education Commission from time-to-time.

The use of computer hardware and software shall be consistent with the Catholic identity of our school, reinforce the curriculum, and reflect the varied instructional needs and learning styles of our students.

AUTHORITY
The electronic information available to students and staff does not imply endorsement of the content by Holy Family School, nor do we guarantee the accuracy of information received on the Internet.  The Holy Family School Education Commission views information gathered from the Internet in the same manner as reference materials identified by the School.  Specifically, the Commission supports resources that will enhance the learning environment with directed guidance from the faculty and staff and monitored as a regular instructional activity.    Although the use of our computer system can be monitored, controlling all materials on a global network is impossible and an industrious user may perform inappropriate actions or discover inappropriate information,

Holy Family School shall not be responsible for any information that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable when using its computes or for any information that is retrieved via the Internet.

Holy Family School shall not be responsible for any unauthorized charges or fees resulting from access to the Internet.  We reserve the right to log network use and to monitor fileserver space utilization by computer users.  The use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right; inappropriate, unauthorized, and/or illegal use will result in the cancellation of those privileges and appropriate disciplinary action.

Each student and their parents or guardians must sign the Internet Responsibility Contract before being granted access to the Internet through school resources.  Internet access can be withdrawn at any time by either the school’s administration or the student’s parents.

RESPONSIBILITY
Holy Family School shall make every effort to ensure that students and staff use this educational resource responsibly.  Teachers have a professional responsibility to help students develop the moral foundation and intellectual skills necessary to discriminate among sources, to identify appropriate information, and to evaluate and use information to meet their educational needs.

Teachers and staff have the responsibility to respect and protect the rights of every other user in Holy Family School.  The principal shall determine what is inappropriate use, and his/her decision is final.

PROHIBITIONS
Students and staff are expected to act in a responsible, ethical, and legal manner in accordance with the moral principles espoused by the Catholic Church, accepted rules of network etiquette, and federal and state law.  Specifically, the following uses of computer hardware and software, the Internet, E-mail, and/or the network are strictly prohibited.
    o  To facilitate illegal activity.
o  To access obscene or pornographic materials of any nature including those of text, graphic or video   formats.
    o  To disrupt the work of other users.
    o  To transmit material likely to be offensive or objectionable to recipients.
    o  To intentionally obtain or modify files, passwords, and data belonging to other users.
    o  For commercial or for-profit purposes.
    o  For non-work or non-school related work.
    o  For product advertisement.
    o  For fraudulent copying, communications, or modification of materials in violation of copyright laws.
    o  For hate mail, discriminatory remarks, and offensive or inflammatory communication.
    o  Unauthorized or illegal installation, distribution, reproduction, or use of copyrighted materials.
    o  Inappropriate language or profanity.
    o  Impersonation of another user, anonymity, and pseudonyms.
    o  Loading or use of unauthorized games, programs, files, or other electronic media.
    o  Destruction, modification, or abuse of hardware and/or software.
    o  Quoting personal communications in a public forum without the author’s prior consent.
    o  Chat rooms are not allowed to be accessed at Holy Family School.

SECURITY
System security is protected through the use of passwords.  Failure to adequately protect or update passwords could result in unauthorized access to personal or school files.  To protect the integrity of the network, the following guidelines must e followed:
1.    Employees and students shall not reveal their passwords to another individual.
2.    Users are not to use a computer that has been logged in another’s name.
3.    Any user identified as a security risk or having a history of problems with computer systems may be denied access to the network.

SAFETY
To the greatest extent possible, users of the network will be protected from harassment or unwanted or unsolicited communication.  Any user who receives threatening or unwelcome communications shall immediately bring them to the attention of a teacher or administrator.  Users shall not reveal personal data such as, but not limited to, their addresses or telephone numbers to other users on the network or the Internet.

PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES FOR E-MAIL
Users should practice proper E-mail behavior (ANY failure to follow proper protocol will result in the student losing all computer privileges for a period of time and possibly losing E-mail privileges for the entire term of attendance at Holy Family School):
o  Do not reveal your personal address or the phone numbers of students or colleagues.
o  Never agree to meet anyone you have met on-line. Attempts by others to meet you should be reported to your parents and to school officials, if it takes place through school provided resources.
o  Always report any messages you receive that make you feel uncomfortable or are inappropriate to parents and/or school officials.
o  Be polite.  Do not get abusive in your messages to others.
o  Use appropriate language.  Do not swear, use vulgarities or any other inappropriate language or graphics.
o  Holy Family School cannot assure the rights of privacy for Electronic Mail (E-mail).  People who operate the system can access E-mail.  Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities may be reported to the authorities.  E-mail produced in the scope of the school’s work is public record.  
o  All communications and information accessible via the network should be considered private property and should not be re-posted to others without permission from the author.
o  Posting chain letters or engaging in spamming is not permitted.

CONSEQUENCES FOR INAPPRORPRIATE USE
The user shall be responsible for damages to equipment, systems, and software resulting from deliberate or willful acts or "hacking".  Illegal use of the network, intentional deletion or damage to files belonging to others; copyrighting violations or theft of services will be reported to the appropriate legal authorities for possible prosecution.

General rules and etiquette for behavior and communications will also apply when using E-mail or the Internet.  Loss of access and other disciplinary actions shall be consequences for inappropriate use.

Vandalism will result in cancellation of access privileges.  Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy hardware, software, or data of another user, the Internet, and/or other networks.  This includes but is not limited to the creation or uploading of computer viruses.

COPYRIGHT
The illegal use of copyrighted software by students and staff is strictly prohibited.  Anything uploaded to or downloaded from the network shall be subject to "fair use" guidelines a copyright law.

DEFINITIONS
Computer virus - a piece of computer code that can replicate itself and cause the system to fail by using up all of the memory and destroying all of the programs on a computer.

Download/Upload - Transferring information to and from your computer over a network or via modem.  "Download" means to bring information to your computer and "Upload" usually means to send information to another computer and from your computer.

E-mail - an abbreviation for electronic mail.

Internet - A loose confederation of networks around the world, the networks that make up the Internet are connected through several backbone networks.  The Internet grew out of the U.S. Government ARPA net project, and is specifically designed to have no central governing authority.

On-line documents - Documents that are found on web pages and in files on the Internet.

Re-posting - To copy and send an article or information to other users or news groups that was sent to you by someone else.  This includes sending copies of messages that someone else sends to you without their permission.

Software - The programs that computers operate.

Spam - Message sent or posted to a large number of people on the Internet with no concern about whether the people wished to get the message.

Signed copies of the Parent/Guardian Internet Responsibility Contract and the Student Contract to Use Internet Connections must be on file before HFS students are allowed to participate in Internet usage.
    
COMPUTER SOFTWARE USE AND THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAW
    Diocesan policy regarding the illegal duplication and use of pirated software requires all diocesan employees to comply with federal law.  Anyone who purchases a copy of software has the right to load that copy of software onto a single computer and make another copy for archival (backup) purposes only.  It is illegal to use computer software on more than one computer without multiple licenses or to make or distribute copies of software for any other purposes unless specific written permission has been obtained from the institution holding the copyright.
    Anyone who illegally copies and/or distributes a software program may face civil suit for damages, criminal liability, fines, and/or imprisonment as defined by federal statutes.  Employees of the diocese who are found copying, or have copied, computer software for other than backup purposes without permission of the owner of the copyright of the software shall be subject to disciplinary action and/or termination.  (C-404, P-CDOP, 1/03)