The use of computers and related technology supports the curriculum and enhances communication. Users, students and staff will access a vast scope of information available in the school system as well as connections to global resources via the Internet. Since neither the West Hartford Public Schools nor any of its staff controls the content of the information available on the Internet; users must be aware that some of the information may be controversial or offensive.Users encountering such controversial or offensive information should exit the site and contact their teacher or school administration. Individual users are responsible for their own conduct. The use of computers is a privilege, not a right. As the owner of both the hardware and software, the West Hartford Public Schools reserves the authority to withdraw this privilege. Failure to adhere to these guidelines will result in disciplinary action that may include loss of computer access, referral to legal authorities or other administrative action.1. Use of the computers must be in support of education, business, or research within the educational goals and objectives of West Hartford Public Schools.2. Users may access on-line services, use e-mail and voice mail for school related assignments, educational, administrative or other professional purposes.3. Electronic communications (i.e. voice mail, email, Internet) should not be considered completely private and secure. Users should not, under any circumstances, transmit or reveal personal or confidential information about yourself or others, including but not limited to: home address, telephone number, password, social security number, credit card number, or confidential or sensitive information regarding students or staff4. The district has the ability and reserves the right to bypass individual user passwords and to monitor the use of such systems by students and staff. Therefore, students and staff should not expect to maintain personal privacy in the use of the system 5. Users will comply with all school policies concerning acceptable behavior, state, federal and local laws, including copyright laws and those laws prohibiting harassment by computer &A 95-143).6. Users must not interfere with others' work or with the performance of the computers, both hardware and software. These actions include but are not limited to: attempting to illicitly obtain passwords or screen names, entering closed areas of the network, introducing computer viruses, or accessing or altering educational records.7. All users will abide by the generally accepted rules of user etiquette and all applicable school policies.8. Chain letters and pyramid schemes (chain letters with money) are illegal.9. Bulk posting to individuals or groups to overload the system (i.e., spamming or any similar actions) is prohibited.10. Students may not install personally owned or created software on networks or networked computers. Staff may not install personally owned or created software on networks or networked computers.11. Staff members wishing to supplement district software may install single copies of personally owned software on non-networked computers, in compliance with copyright law, as long as it does not interfere with normal computer functions or data integrity.12. Reproduction of copyrighted electronic resources should not take place without appropriate source documentation and permission.13. Official representation of the school or school district (i.e. Internet home page) may be established by obtaining prior written approval of school administration. Approved representations will comply with copyright law.14. Users may access their own personal on-line accounts, for educational purposes only, with advance permission and when it does not interfere with school-related activities.15. Users will abide by the rules of other computer resources accessed through the school telecommunications systems.16. Teachers will monitor the use of the Internet by students at a grade appropriate level.17. Prior to publishing student work on the Internet, teachers will obtain a parent or guardian's permission in writing.18. All other Board policies regarding the confidentiality of student information are in effect.19. All state and local laws regarding technology are upheld and applicable.WHPS Department of Information Technology April 2002