Technology Policy

RESPONSIBLE USE POLICY

FOR TECHNOLOGY

Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

PURPOSE

Technology is a valuable and real-world educational tool.  All Archdiocese of Philadephia schools will educate all students about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, cyberbullying awareness, and response to ensure the appropriate use of technology, including video conferencing platforms. The policy outlined below applies to all technology use including, but not limited to Internet use. The Responsible Use Policy for Technology (RUP) applies to all students, faculty, administrators, staff, volunteers, or community members allowed access to school technology resources.  In some cases, outside or personal uses of technology may be applicable under this policy.

SCOPE OF USE

We recognize that the digital world allows anytime, anywhere access.  Users mentioned in this policy apply to inside school use and may in certain instances apply to personal technology use and/or uses outside of school. Where personal and/or non-educational use of technology creates substantial disruption in school, including but not limited to harming or interfering with the rights of other students or teachers to participate fully in school or extracurricular activities, these activities may be viewed as a violation of the Responsible Use Policy and may be subject to disciplinary measure found herein.  N.B. The types of electronic and digital communications referenced in the RUP include, but are not limited to, social networking sites, cell phones, mobile computers and devices, digital cameras, video conferencing platforms, text messaging, email, voice over IP, chat rooms, instant messaging, cloud, and web-based tools.

GOAL

The school’s goal is to prepare its members for a responsible life in a digital global community. To this end, the school will:

• Integrate technology with curriculum to enhance teaching and learning.

• Encourage critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

• Facilitate evaluation and synthesis of information.

• Encourage ethical practices and provide education for internet safety, digital citizenship, and the creation of a positive digital identity.

• Provide a variety of technology-based tools and related technology skills.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF USER

Our schools will make every effort to provide a safe environment for learning with technology including Internet filtering and safeguards. The students, faculty, administrators, staff, and school community are granted the privilege of using the computer hardware and software peripherals and electronic communication tools including the Internet. With this privilege comes the responsibility for appropriate use.

TECHNOLOGY USE GUIDELINES

Educational Purpose/ Responsible Use: Technology is to be used to enhance student learning.  Students are able to access social networking and gaming sites only under the guidance and supervision of the teacher for the educational outcomes identified within the lesson and given appropriate age.

Copyright/Intellectual Property: All sources obtained for teacher and student work should be properly cited. Users are to respect the rights of and intellectual property of others in accordance with Federal Copyright Law. Transferring copyrighted material to or from a school without express permission of the owner is a violation of Federal Law and could result in copyright infringement claims.

Communications: Electronic and/or Digital communications with students should be conducted for educationally appropriate purposes and employ only school sanctioned means of communication. The school-sanctioned communication methods include:

• Teacher school web page, school-issued email and/or phone number
• Teacher created, educationally focused networking sites
• Student Information System and Learning Management System
• Remind Communication App- or similar i.e. Class Dojo, Seesaw

Teachers or administrators in their normal responsibilities and duties may be required to contact parents outside of the school day. A teacher, administrator, or staff is free to contact parents or guardians using a home phone or a personal cell phone. However, they should not distribute a home phone number or a personal cell phone number to students. If a student contacts a teacher or administrator using a teacher or administrator’s personal numbers, email, or networking sites, the teacher or administrator should immediately report this to the administrator or appropriate authorities.

Electronic and Mobile Devices, Cell phones/Wearable Technology: Users must adhere to local school policy that may further define uses of mobile devices.  The administrator of the local school will determine permissible use.  If a particular mobile device is to be used for an educational purpose, the school administration and/or teacher will provide parameters for this use. 

Smart Speakers:  Primarily intended for at-home consumer use, these always-listening devices are not directly intended for the classroom.  Therefore, smart speakers (Echo, Google Nest, etc) are not to be used in the classroom or connected to the network on a permanent basis during the academic year.

Remote/Distance Learning: Remote or distance learning may be used to supplement face-to-face instruction, or where appropriate, maybe the primary modality of instruction.  To effectively engage in remote or distance learning, users are expected to:
 

• Participate from an appropriate location in the home.
• To the user's best ability, be in a well-lit and quiet area.  Avoid having windows or strong sources of light directly behind an individual when engaging in teaching/learning on camera.
• Wear appropriate and respectful attire. (This may be more specifically defined by the local school administration.)
• Where able, only use first name and last initial to identify yourself via video conferencing software.
• Students are not to use or preserve a photograph, image, video, including live streaming, or likeness of any student or employee without the express permission of the individual and of the principal.
• Prior to recording any portion of a live classroom session, instructors are to notify the students who are in the same session, face-to-face or online.
• Live class recordings are meant for internal school use only.  Recordings are to be saved locally on a network drive or the school's GSuite for Education Google Drive.  Recordings are to be deleted at the end of the academic year in which they were recorded.  Recordings are not for promotional use, rather solely for educational purposes.
• This Responsible Use Policy applies to students using personal devices for remote instructions.
• Maintaining hardware/devices provided by the local school is the responsibility of the student/family.  (Local school policy may define further students' responsibilities and expectations). 

Examples of Unacceptable Uses

Users are not to:

• Use technology to harass, threaten, deceive, intimidate, offend, embarrass, annoy or otherwise negatively impact any individual.
• Post, publish, disseminate, or display any defamatory, inaccurate, violent, abusive, profane, or sexually-oriented material. Users must not use obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude or threatening language. Users must not knowingly or recklessly post false information about any persons, students, staff or any other organization.
• Use a photograph, image, video including live streaming, or likeness of any student, administrator, employee, or volunteer without express permission of that individual and of the principal.
• Create any site, post any photo, image or video of another individual except with express permission of that individual and the principal.
• Attempt to circumvent system security, blocked sites, or to bypass software protections.
• Attempt to modify any software and/or hardware configurations on a school-issued device without proper permission and direction.
• Breach confidentiality obligations of school or school employees.
• Deliberately visit a site known for unacceptable material or any material that is not in support of educational objectives. Students must not access social networking sites or gaming sites, except for educational purposes under teacher supervision.
• Harm the goodwill and reputation of the school or system in the community.
• Violate license agreements, copy disks, CD-ROMs, or other protected media.
• Use technology for any illegal activity. Use of the Internet for commercial gains or profits is not allowed from an educational site.
• Transmit any material in violation of any local, federal, and state laws.  This includes, but is not limited to copyrighted material, licensed material, and threatening or obscene material.
• Load personal software onto a school device or school-issued device without proper permission or direction.
• Attempt to remove covers or protective shells to make repairs to hardware.

Reporting: Users must report immediately any damage or change to the school’s hardware/software that is noticed by the user.

Administrative Rights: The school has the right to monitor both student and employee use of school computers and computer-based content.  Due to the evolving nature of technology, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Office of Catholic Education reserves the right to amend or supplement this policy at any time without notice.

Personal Use of Social Media: This section of the policy refers to the personal use of social media sites such as, but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Tumbler, Ask.fm, Snapchat, Vine, and Tiktok.  Teachers and students may not mention members of the school community on social media without their consent unless the subject is of public concern and the speech falls under applicable constitutional protections. 

"Friending" or "Following" of current students by teachers is forbidden on a teacher's personal social media site.  Teachers should also not "friend" former students unless nd until such a student has attained the age of majority.  Personal and professional posts must use appropriately respectful speech, and refrain from harassing, defamatory, abusive, discriminatory, threatening, or inappropriate communications.  Teachers are encouraged to have professional social media accounts and parents are encouraged to follow those for announcements and resources.  teachers are to inform local administrators as to any class utilizing social media, which should be for educational purposes only.

Policy Violations

Inappropriate use in contradiction to the above rules will be addressed by the administration of the school.  Violation of these rules may result in any or all of the following:

• Loss of use of the school network, computers and software, including Internet access. The student will be expected to complete work on a non-networked, stand-alone computer system.
• Issuance of demerits/detentions, if applicable.
• Disciplinary action including, but not limited to, dismissal and/or legal action by the school, civil authorities, or other involved parties.