2022 Electronic Resources, Internet Safety, and Digital Citizenship
The Franklin Pierce Board of Directors recognizes that an effective public education system develops students who are globally aware, civically engaged, and capable of managing their lives and careers. The Board also believes that staff and students need to be proficient and safe users of information, online media, and technology to succeed in a digital world.
Electronic Resources
The district will develop and use electronic resources as a powerful and compelling means for students to learn core subjects and applied skills in relevant and rigorous ways and for staff to educate them in such areas of need. It is the district’s goal to provide students with rich and ample opportunities to use technology for important purposes in schools, just as individuals in workplaces and other real-life settings use these tools. The district’s technology will enable educators and students to communicate, learn, share, collaborate, and create; to think and solve problems; to manage their work; and to take ownership of their lives.
The superintendent or designee will: 1) create strong electronic resources and develop related educational systems that support innovative teaching and learning; 2) provide appropriate staff development opportunities regarding this policy; and 3) develop procedures to support this policy. The superintendent or designee is authorized to develop procedures and acceptable use guidelines for staff and students as to the use of district electronic resources, including those that access internet, social media, and other district resources (i.e. servers, programs, curriculum, learning management system, etc.), and to regulate the use of personal electronic resources on district property and related to district activities.
Internet Safety
To help ensure student safety and citizenship with electronic resources, all students will be educated about internet safety and digital citizenship. This will include appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and cyberbullying awareness and response.
To promote internet safety and digital citizenship of students and staff as they use electronic resources and access material from the internet, the superintendent or designee is authorized to develop or adopt internet safety procedures, responsible and acceptable use guidelines, and, for students, related instructional materials for every grade level. The superintendent or designee in evaluating such procedures and instructional materials should take into account district electronic resources, community norms, privacy rights, federal and state guidelines and laws, responsible use, and issues of concern with student or staff use of electronic resources.
As a component of the district internet safety measures, all district-owned electronic resources, including computer networks and Wi-Fi, in all district facilities capable of accessing the internet, must use filtering software to prevent access to obscene, racist, hateful or violent material. However, given the ever-changing nature of the internet, the district cannot guarantee that a student will never be able to access or be exposed to objectionable material or acceptable material being inadvertently blocked.
Furthermore, when students use the internet from school facilities for educational purposes, district staff will make a reasonable effort to supervise student access and use of the internet. If material is accessed that violates standards in the materials selection district policies, procedures, or student guidelines for electronic resources or acceptable use, district staff may instruct the person to cease using that material and/or implement sanctions consistent with district policies, procedures, guidelines, or student codes of conduct.