NETWORK USER RESPONSIBILITIES

Network users include all students, teachers, administrators, support staff, and community members who have access to the Internet via the World Wide Web and the Needham Public Schools' wide area network.

Students may have access to the Internet via the World Wide Web (WWW) and the Needham Public Schools' wide area network (WAN) while working on class projects in a supervised setting. This includes computers in media centers, classrooms, and computer lab facilities during scheduled class visits. If a student wants/needs to use the WWW or WAN for independent school work, the student and parent must read the Acceptable Use Policy and complete the Contract for Individual Access to the World Wide Web.* Students must follow all rules contained within this policy at all times when using the WAN or the WWW. Students must also follow the direction of faculty and staff members supervising any area where networked resources can be accessed.

*The School Committee delegates responsibility to the Superintendent or his/her designee to develop contracts or other procedural documents.

Security and Safety

• Students will demonstrate personal responsibility by agreeing never to get together with someone they meet online without first checking with parents and teachers.
• Users will accept the responsibility for keeping all pornographic material, gambling material, inappropriate text files, material dangerous to the health and safety of students and staff, or files dangerous to the integrity of the wide area network from entering the school via the Internet.
• Users will demonstrate legal responsibility by not transmitting any material in violation of U.S., Massachusetts, or Needham Public Schools regulations. This includes, but is not limited to: copyrighted materials, threatening, harassing, or obscene material, pornographic material, or material protected by trade secret.
• If a user identifies a security problem on the Internet or the NPS wide area network, he/she is responsible to notify a system administrator. Users should not demonstrate the problem to other users. Users should not use another individual's account without written permission from that individual. Security on any computer system is a high priority, especially when the system involves many users.
• Students have the responsibility to use computer resources for academic purposes only. Playing games or using networked resources for non-academic purposes is not permitted unless supervised by school staff. Users may not conduct commercial activities for profit, advertise products, or conduct political lobbying on the network.
• Users may access home telecommunications accounts from school. However, users need to exercise all responsibilities within this policy, as the NPS network is providing a connection to home accounts.
• All users must take responsibility for keeping down costs and avoiding system disruption. No use of this network shall serve to disrupt its use by other individuals or by connecting networks. It is beneficial for all users to keep the network running efficiently.

Property

• Users must respect others' privacy and intellectual property. Any traffic from this network that traverses another network is also subject to that network's acceptable use policy (AUP).
• Users are responsible for citing sources and giving credit to authors during the research process. All communications and information accessible via the network should be assumed to be private property.
• Users will honor the legal rights of software producers, network providers, copyright, and license agreements.
• Users have a right to be informed about personal information that is being, or has been, collected about them, and to review this information.

Courtesy or E-Mail Netiquette

Users may encounter web sites which ask for comments or a reply. They may be sending and/or receiving e-mail. Certain communications behaviors have gained acceptance on the network --some because they save misunderstanding and maintain privacy; others because they help users avoid wasting time or help conserve system resources. The NPS Student Contract for Individual Access to the World Wide Web reviews and encourages the use of these safe and appreciated communications behaviors.

Behaviors and Consequences

Appropriate behaviors are outlined in school handbooks and guidelines developed by the Media/Technology Department. Consequences for inappropriate behavior are as follows:

• Any violation of the network responsibilities will result in a cancellation of network privileges and may result in disciplinary action. The network administrators will deem what is appropriate use and their decision is final. Also, the network administrators may deny access at any time as required. The administration, faculty, and staff of the NPS may request the network administrators to deny, revoke, or suspend specific user privileges. Any user identified as a security risk or having a history of problems with other computer systems may be denied access to the Internet.
• Tampering with computer security systems and/or applications and/or comments will be considered vandalism, destruction, and defacement of school property (see school handbooks).
• Vandalism will result in cancellation of privileges and disciplinary action. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another user, the Internet, or other networks that are connected to the National Science Foundation NET Internet backbone. This includes, but is not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses.
• The NPS makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the services it is providing. The NPS will not be responsible for any damages suffered. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, mis-deliveries, or service interruptions caused by the school's own negligence or the user's errors or omissions. Use of any information obtained via the NPS is at your own risk. The NPS specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its services.

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