Policy: IFABC

JTA

VESTAVIA HILLS CITY SCHOOLS

COMPUTERS, INTERNET, AND NETWORK RESOURCES
ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
Vestavia Hills City Schools is pleased to provide network and Internet access to
students and staff. While staff members will make reasonable efforts to supervise
student use of networks and Internet access, they must have student cooperation in
exercising and promoting responsible use of this access. The Acceptable Use Policy of
Vestavia Hills City Schools follows in detail.
Please read the following carefully. Violations of the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) may
cause access privileges to be limited or revoked. Disciplinary action may be taken
against any user according to the Vestavia Hills City Schools Policy Manual, including,
but not limited to the Student Code of Conduct. In addition, School Board disciplinary
action and/or appropriate legal action may also be taken.
Vestavia Hills City Schools uses filtering software to help prevent access to
inappropriate web sites for any device connected to our network. Every attempt is made
to protect all users from exposure to objectionable material as required by federal law.

Access:
A. The use of all Vestavia Hills City Schools technology resources is a privilege, not a
right. District technology coordinator, school administrators, and/or the local school
technology personnel will determine when inappropriate use has occurred (as
identified by the guidelines in the Vestavia Hills City Schools Policy Manual) and
have the right to deny, revoke, or suspend specified user privileges and accounts.
B. Staff and students may use only accounts, files, software, and technology
resources that are assigned to him/her. Staff and students may not attempt to login
to the network as another person or use a computer that is logged on as a staff
member or other student.
C. Staff and students must not reduce the efficiency of use for others or attempt to
modify technology resources, utilities, and configurations, or change the restrictions
associated with his/her accounts, or attempt to breach any technology resources
security system, either with or without malicious intent.
D. All passwords are required to be kept private and may not be posted. They may only
be shared with local or district technology personnel or those authorized by the
district technology office.
E. Staff members must actively monitor student use of technology resources at all
times.

F. Employees are responsible for notifying the administration and the school
technology staff of any violation of the Acceptable Use Policy.
G. Staff and students are not permitted to connect or install any computer hardware,
components, or software to school system equipment, which is not school system
property, without prior approval from the district technology department.
H. Employees must log off or lock any computer logged in as him or her before leaving
any computer unattended.
I. Any technology purchased for the school system must comply with the VHCS
Specification List, regardless of funding source. The technology department will
only support devices that are on the districts approved specification list.
J. This AUP applies to all technology resources owned, leased, operated, or
maintained by the Board, regardless of the physical location of the resource or the
user. It also applies to all technology resources (regardless of ownership) brought
onto school grounds during school hours or functions.

Privacy:
A. In accordance with established law, data stored on Vestavia Hills City School
System equipment is property of Vestavia Schools and is not private; therefore,
users are advised to avoid storing personal and/or private information on the district
and/or schools technology resources.
B. Vestavia Hills City Schools cannot guarantee the privacy, security, or confidentiality
of any information sent or received via the Internet.
C. Student data will only be collected with district approved data collection resources to
protect minors from unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal
data in compliance with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).
D. Vestavia Hills City Schools Technology Staff:

Monitors all technology resource utilization.

Deactivates a user account in the event of unauthorized or unlawful activity,

including but not limited to hacking or any violation of this AUP.

E. Vestavia Hills City Schools Technology Department performs routine backups

on network data. However, all users are responsible for storage of any critical data.

Copyright:

A. All users are expected to follow the Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia.
B. Staff members must follow legal and ethical practices of appropriate use.
C. Copies of software without a valid license or web subscriptions may not be used on
school equipment. The school system requires all users to consult technology staff
before purchasing software or subscribing to website services.
D. Only those programs purchased with school funds may be loaded on district owned
equipment. Staff members who purchase software are responsible for maintaining a
license compatible with our operating system.

Staff E-Mail:
A. Email is stored on Vestavia Hills City School System equipment and is considered
property of Vestavia Schools and should not be considered a private means of
communication.
B. E-mail accounts are provided to employees for professional and educational
purposes and should not be used for political gain, personal business, commercial
activity or non-educational subscription services.
C. Users should send email only to those to whom the email applies. Mass school
email should be used sparingly.
D. Only e-mail accounts provided by the school system for communication between
teachers and students will be maintained and supported.
E. E-mail is archived for two months.

Online Resources:
Vestavia Hills City Schools provides valuable online learning resources to employees
and students. These resources promote collaboration and provide a safe and secure
environment for course content. Google Apps and Edmodo are used by the Vestavia
Hills City School System. Under federal law these resources must provide parental
notification and obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from
students under the age of 18. The law permits schools to consent to the collection of
personal information on behalf of all of its students, thereby eliminating the need for
individual parental consent. If parents do not want their child to use Google Apps and
Edmodo, they must notify the school administration in writing with a signature within the
first two weeks of starting school. It then becomes the parents responsibility to explain
to his/her child why he/she is not allowed to access these school provided resources.

A. Google Apps for Education services is provided to all staff and students through a
controlled environment that is for VHCS alone.

a. E-mail accounts are provided to students for educational purposes and are only
exchanged within the school system.
b. Students and staff will create and share documents, presentations, and more
through Google Apps.
B. All school rules and guidelines for appropriate technology usage shall apply to online
resources.
C. Student names, pictures, and assignments may be used in these secure
environments.

Social Media:
Social Media is an online technology tool that allows for prompt communication of
information and resources. Social media can include text, audio, video, images,
podcasts, and other multimedia communications. VHCS encourages the safe use of
social media outlets to extend learning opportunities.
A. All social media used will comply with the Childrens Online Privacy and Protection
Act (COPPA).
B. The school system requires all staff to consult technology personnel before creating
any social media account used for instructional purposes.
C. Social media accounts created for instructional purposes will follow the Social Media
Account Creation guidelines.
D. VHCS reserves the right to remove content or disable the account if it violates any
school board policy.

Internet Safety:
A. The intent of Vestavia Hills City Schools is to provide access to educational
resources available via the Internet with the understanding that staff and students
will access and use information that is appropriate for his/her various curricula.
B. All school rules and guidelines for appropriate technology usage shall apply to
usage of the Internet.
C. Teachers will screen all Internet resources prior to classroom use.
D. Teachers will model and ensure that digital citizenship is taught in the classroom
setting (including cyberbullying awareness, appropriate online behavior, interacting
with others on social networking websites, etc).
E. Alabama Supercomputer Authority filters Internet content for the school system
based on guidelines provided by the Childrens Internet Protection Act; any attempt

to bypass the content filters is a violation of the Acceptable Use Policy. Vestavia Hills
City Schools assumes no liability in the event that content filtering is not 100%
effective.

Web Publishing:
A. Teachers are to maintain a current web presence.
B. Vestavia Hills City Schools' websites cannot be used for profit or commercial/noneducational purposes.
C. Student video, projects, and other personally identifiable information can only be
used with parent/guardian consent on the Technology Consent Form (TCF).
D. To safeguard the Vestavia Hills City Schools property, reputation, and integrity all
school-related websites must be linked to the system website.
E. Any website created by staff and/or students that contains students pictures,
projects, and/or images must be linked to the Vestavia Hills City Schools websites.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD):

A. Student devices must only access the Internet via the VHCS BYOD wireless
network. 3G, 4G, or LTE access will not be allowed while on school property.
B. The permission for such personal devices to be brought to school will be at the
discretion of the local school administration.
C. Personal devices are only to be used for educational purposes at the discretion of
the teacher and/or school administration.
D. Personal devices may not be used to record, transmit or post photographs, images,
or video of a person or persons on campus during school activities and/or during
school hours unless assigned by the teacher as stated by this policy.
E. The school district may collect and examine any personal device at any time for the
purpose of enforcing the terms of this policy, investigating student discipline issues,
or for any other school-related purpose.
F. The school or district assumes no responsibility for personal devices.
G. Students are not allowed to loan, trade, or sell devices on district property, including
school buses.

Source: Vestavia Hills Board of Education, Vestavia Hills, AL

Adopted: June 27, 2007

Last Revised: May 13, 2013

Student Technology Consent Form (TCF)

This form must be completed, signed and submitted before students will be allowed to access school
technologies. If you have any specific questions about this policy, please contact a member of the school
or district technology staff. Vestavia Hills City Schools Computers, Internet and Network Acceptable Use
Policy (JTA/IFABC) is located under Policy on any VHCS site.
Student Agreement
Students Name _____________________________________________

Grade_________

I have read, understand, and agree to abide by the terms of the Vestavia Hills Board of Education
Acceptable Use Policy. Should I commit any violation or in any way misuse my access to Vestavia Hills
City Schools technology, I understand and agree that my access privileges may be revoked and/or
disciplinary action, according to the District Code of Conduct, may be taken.
_________________________________
Student Name (PRINT)

User (place an X in the correct blank):

________________________ _________
Student Signature

___________
Date

I am 18 or older ______ under 18 ______

If I am signing this policy, when I am under 18, I understand that when I turn 18, this policy will continue to
be in full force and effect, and I agree to abide by this policy.
Parent/Guardian Agreement
To be read and signed by parents or guardians of students who are under 18:
As the parent or legal guardian of the above student, I have read, understand and agree that my child or
ward shall comply with the terms of the Vestavia Hills City Schools Computers, Internet and Network
Acceptable Use Policy. I understand that access is being provided to the students for educational
purposes only. However, I understand that it is impossible for the district to restrict access to all offensive
and controversial materials and further understand my child or wards responsibility for abiding by the
policy. I am therefore signing this policy and agree to indemnify and hold harmless the school and school
district that provide the opportunity for technology access against all claims, damages, losses and costs
that may result from my child or wards use of his or her access to technology or his or her violation of the
districts acceptable use policy.
_________________________________
Parent/Guardian Name (PRINT)

________________________ _________
Parent/Guardian Signature

___________
Date

Your childs school may wish to publish examples of student projects and video on the school/district website and
miscellaneous media coverage for television and newspaper.

My child may use the Internet while at school according to the VHCS Acceptable Use Policy.

My childs projects and/or videos may be used for school publications and websites. No

My childs projects and/or videos may be used for non-school* publications and media No
coverage.

Yes
Yes
Yes

No

*Non-School publications/media include but are not limited to: national and local newscasts, magazines, newspapers, etc.

Staff Technology Consent Form (TCF)

If you have any specific questions about this policy, please contact a member of the
school or district technology staff. The complete text of the Vestavia Hills City Schools
Acceptable Use Policy is located in the districts policy manual.

Staff Agreement

Staff Name _____________________________________________ School_______________

I have read, understand, and agree to abide by the terms of the Vestavia Hills Board of
Education Acceptable Use Policy. Should I commit any violation or in any way misuse
my access to Vestavia Hills City Schools technology, I understand and agree that my
access privileges may be revoked and/or disciplinary action, according to the Vestavia
Hills City Schools Policy Manual, may be taken.
I am therefore signing this policy and agree to indemnify and hold harmless the school
and school district that provides the opportunity for technology access against all
claims, damages, losses, and costs that may result from my access to technology or
violation of the districts acceptable use policy.

___________________________
Staff Name (PRINT)

__________________________
Staff Signature

_____
Date