Responsible Use of Technology Policy

Kids Academy Lighthouse recognizes that access to technology in school provides students with greater opportunities to learn, participate, communicate, and develop skills that will prepare them for work, life, and citizenship. We are committed to helping students develop 21st-century technology and communication skills.

To that end, we provide access to technology for students and staff use. This Responsible Use of Technology Policy outlines the guidelines and behaviors students are expected to follow when using school technology or personal devices both on and off school grounds.

• The      school network is intended for educational purposes only.
• All      activity through the network or when using school technology will be      monitored and recorded.
• Online      content accessed through the network may be restricted in accordance with      our policies and federal regulations, such as the Children’s Internet      Protection Act (CIPA).
• Students      are expected to follow the same rules for good behavior and respectful      conduct online as they do offline.
• Misuse      of school resources or personal devices while connected to the school      network or an external network may result in disciplinary action.
• Kids      Academy Lighthouse makes reasonable efforts to ensure students' online      safety but is not responsible for any harm or damages resulting from the      use of school technologies.
• Users      are required to immediately report any security concerns to an      administrator, technology staff, or teacher.

Definitions

Authorized Users:

1. Student – Any child aged 18 or under      enrolled at Kids Academy Lighthouse.
2. Faculty/Staff – Any person employed by Kids      Academy Lighthouse, full- or part-time, who provides instruction or      supports school operations.

School Network – A system that connects two or more computers and their peripheral devices to exchange information and share resources, including wired and wireless systems.

Internet – Includes both external and internal access to communication and data storage systems, whether owned or designated for use by Kids Academy Lighthouse.

Covered Technologies – This includes access to the Internet, desktop computers, laptops or mobile devices, videoconferencing tools, online collaboration capabilities, message boards, email, and more. Students may also be allowed to bring personal devices that will be subject to this policy. As new technologies emerge, this policy is intended to cover all technologies, not only those specifically listed.

Usage Policy

All technology provided by the school is intended for educational use. All students are expected to exercise good judgment and follow both the letter and spirit of this policy: be safe, appropriate, careful, and kind; do not attempt to bypass technological safeguards; use common sense; and ask questions if unsure. If inappropriate behavior occurs off campus but is brought to the attention of the administration, Kids Academy Lighthouse will investigate and may take disciplinary action in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

Web Access

Kids Academy Lighthouse provides students with access to the Internet, including websites, resources, content, and online tools. This access is restricted in accordance with the Social Media Policy, CIPA regulations, and school policy. Web browsing may be monitored, and activity logs may be retained indefinitely.

Students are expected to respect that web filtering is a safety precaution and should not try to bypass it. If a site is blocked and a student believes it should not be, the student should follow school protocol and notify technology staff or submit the site for review.

Social/Online Tools

Recognizing the benefits of collaboration in education, Kids Academy Lighthouse may provide students access to websites or tools that allow communication, collaboration, sharing, and messaging among users.

Students are expected to conduct themselves online with the same respectful, safe, and appropriate behavior they are expected to use offline. Posts, chats, sharing, and messaging will be monitored by teachers and protected from outside viewers. Students should be careful not to share personal identifying information online.

Using personal social media sites for recreation is prohibited on campus during instructional hours. Students must not take or post photos or videos of themselves, other students, or teachers during instructional hours. Creating fake accounts using the school’s name, logo, or any identifying symbols will result in disciplinary action and loss of privileges.

Live Streaming

For distance learning, Kids Academy Lighthouse may implement a video platform that allows teachers to livestream instruction to students at home when necessary.

Students learning from home must wear their school uniforms and be in a quiet space free from distractions or interruptions to the teacher and other students.

Mobile Device Policy

Kids Academy Lighthouse may provide students with laptops or other devices to support learning. Students must follow the same responsible use policies when using school devices outside the school network as they do on campus.

Devices must be handled with great care and caution; these are expensive tools entrusted to the student. Any loss, damage, or malfunction must be reported to staff immediately. Students may be financially responsible for any damage caused by negligence or misuse. Use of school-issued mobile devices off-campus may be monitored.

Personal Device Policy

Kids Academy Lighthouse may allow students to bring personal devices to class once approved by the Technology Department. Students must keep personal devices (laptops, tablets, e-readers, smartphones, cell phones, smartwatches) turned off and stored during school hours unless directed otherwise for educational use or in case of emergency.

Due to security concerns, personal mobile devices requiring data access may only be used on the school’s network with data services disabled. Technology staff must grant permission and students must provide necessary documentation (e.g., MAC address, serial number). In some cases, a separate network may be provided for personal devices.

Security

Students are expected to take reasonable security precautions to prevent security threats across the school network. This includes not opening or distributing infected files or programs, or opening files from unknown or untrusted sources. If a student suspects that a device is infected with a virus, it must be reported to IT immediately. The student should not attempt to remove the virus or install any software to fix it. Passwords must be unique to each student and must not be shared.

Downloads

Students should not download, attempt to download, or run .exe or other executable programs via the school network or resources without express permission from the Technology staff. Students may be allowed to download other types of files, such as videos or images, only from reputable sources and for educational purposes in compliance with copyright laws.

Netiquette

Students must always use the Internet, network resources, and online sites courteously and respectfully. They should recognize that not all content online is accurate or appropriate. Students must use reliable sources when conducting research and follow copyright laws.

Plagiarism

Students must not plagiarize (i.e., use as their own, without citing the original creator) content, including words or images, from the Internet. They may not take credit for something they did not create or misrepresent themselves as the author of something found online. Research must be properly cited to credit the original author.

Personal Safety

Students should never share personal information (e.g., phone number, address, social security number, date of birth, financial information) over the Internet without parent or legal guardian permission. Internet communication comes with risks and anonymity, and students must carefully protect their own and others’ personal information. Students should never agree to meet someone in person whom they only know online without parental permission.

If students encounter a message, comment, image, or anything else online that concerns their safety, they must notify an adult immediately (a teacher or staff member at school; a parent or legal guardian at home).

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying will not be tolerated. Examples include harassment, impersonation, exclusion, deception, exposure, or intimidation online. Do not be mean. Do not send emails or post comments meant to scare, hurt, or intimidate someone.

Engaging in such behavior—or any activity intended to harm another person physically or emotionally—will result in severe disciplinary action and loss of privileges. In some cases, cyberbullying may be a crime. Remember, your activities are monitored and recorded.

Sexting

Any student who takes, distributes, possesses, or shares obscene, sexually explicit, or otherwise illegal content (commonly known as "sexting"), including images of themselves or others in inappropriate or suggestive positions, will be disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. The student may also be required to complete an educational program about the risks of such behavior and, in some cases, be reported to law enforcement. Such behavior must be reported to a parent/guardian and, if involving other students, to a teacher or school administrator immediately.

Examples of Responsible Use

The student will:

• Use      school technologies for school-related activities.
• Follow      the same guidelines for respectful and responsible behavior online as      offline.
• Treat      school resources with care and report any problems immediately.
• Encourage      constructive discussion when allowed to use collaborative tools.
• Report      any threatening, inappropriate, or harmful content (images, messages,      posts) to a staff member.
• Use      school technologies at appropriate times, in approved places, for      educational purposes only.
• Cite      sources when using websites and online resources for research.
• Recognize      that using school technologies is a privilege and act accordingly.
• Take      caution to protect their safety and that of others.
• Help      maintain the security of school resources.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Students should use good judgment when using school technologies.

Examples of Irresponsible Use

I, the student, will not:

• Use      school technologies in a way that could harm myself or others.
• Try to      access inappropriate images or content.
• Engage      in cyberbullying or disrespectful behavior toward others.
• Attempt      to bypass school security or filtering systems.
• Use      school technologies to send spam or chain mail.
• Plagiarize      content found online.
• Post      personally identifiable information about others or myself.
• Agree      to meet someone I met online in person.
• Send or      share obscene or sexually explicit images.
• Use      inappropriate language online.
• Use      school technologies for illegal activities or to access such information.
• Attempt      to hack or access unauthorized sites, servers, or content.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Students should use good judgment when using school technologies.

Internet Safety Plan

• Kids      Academy Lighthouse implements effective Internet filtering and reporting      solutions that monitor Internet activity and use current technologies to      block or filter images that are obscene, pornographic, or otherwise      harmful to minors, as defined by CIPA.
• The      filtering solution is designed to limit minor access to inappropriate      material on the Internet and restrict access to potentially harmful      content.
• School      policies and procedures include category blocking, automated weekly      internet activity reports, and identification of emerging threats.
• The      school’s network is protected against unauthorized access, including      hacking and other illegal online activity by minors.
• Teachers      provide instruction on online safety integrated into their curriculum or      as part of a technology class, covering appropriate online behavior,      including interaction with others on social networks, in chat rooms, and      cyberbullying.
• This      Responsible Use of Technology Policy and Internet Safety Plan will be      published in the parent/student handbook, and Kids Academy Lighthouse will      hold an information session to review the policy.

Limitation of Liability

• Kids      Academy Lighthouse is not responsible for damages to personal devices,      files, data, or hardware brought to school by students.
• While      the school employs filters and other security measures and strives to      ensure their proper function, it does not guarantee their effectiveness.
• Kids      Academy Lighthouse is not financially or otherwise liable for unauthorized      transactions conducted through the school network.

Violations of this Policy

Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action at the discretion of Kids Academy Lighthouse in accordance with the Code of Conduct, including but not limited to:

• Suspension      of network, technology, or equipment privileges
• Notification      of parents
• Detention      or suspension from school or school-related activities
• Legal      action and/or prosecution