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School Policies
Introduction
The Internet is an essential element for education, business and social interaction. Internet use is part of the revised curriculum and a necessary tool for education. The purpose of Internet use in Mother of Divine Grace Primary School is to raise educational standards, to promote pupil achievement, to support the professional work of staff and to enhance the school’s management, information and business administration systems.
This Acceptable Use Policy will address all rights, privileges, responsibilities and sanctions associated with access to and use of the Internet in Mother of Divine Grace Primary School.
The AUP will be revised regularly.
Aims
The aim of our Acceptable Use Policy is to ensure that pupils, teachers and parents will benefit from the learning opportunities offered by the school’s Internet resources in a safe, responsible and effective manner.
Internet use and access is considered a school resource and privilege. Therefore, if the school AUP is not adhered to, this privilege will be withdrawn and appropriate sanctions – as outlined in the AUP - will be imposed.
Staff/People employed by the school/student teachers/volunteers etc who breach the AUP may be dealt with by the Board of Management's disciplinary procedures and/or child protection procedures. *See School's Child Protection Policy.
Strategies
The school will employ a number of strategies in order to maximise learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet.
These strategies are as follows:
General
Internet sessions will always be supervised.
Systems including filtering software will be used in order to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material.
The school will regularly monitor Internet usage.
Students will not have access to passwords.
Students and teachers will be provided with training in the area of Internet safety.
Uploading and downloading of non-approved software will not be permitted.
Virus protection software will be used and updated on a regular basis.
The use of personal floppy disks, pen drives, CD-ROMs or DVDs in school requires permission and all external software must be scanned with anti-virus software before use.
Students will observe good “netiquette” (i.e. etiquette on the Internet) at all times and will not undertake any actions that may bring the school into disrepute.
World Wide Web
Sites that the children use in school will be previewed by their teacher before use. Where possible, children will access web sites by using Web Quests.
Students will use the Internet for educational purposes and/or as deemed appropriate by the teacher -e.g as a reward or for golden time etc.
Teachers and students will be familiar with copyright issues relating to online learning.
Students will never disclose or publicise personal information.
All Internet users in Mother of Divine Grace School should be aware that any usage, including distributing or receiving information, school-related or personal, may be monitored.
Students and staff (including people employed by the school/contractors etc) will not visit Internet sites that contain obscene, illegal, hateful or otherwise objectionable materials.
Children should inform their teacher if they inadvertently access information that makes them in any way uncomfortable. In the unlikely event that this should happen, the children will be reassured and their parents will be notified. Also, where possible, the offending URL will be noted and the service provider will be informed.
Email
The teacher should set one e-mail address for classes for work online with partner schools.
Emails will be opened by a teacher and printed for children who are participating in such projects.
Students will not send or receive by any means any material that is illegal, obscene, defamatory or any material that is intended to annoy or intimidate another person.
Students will not reveal their own or other people’s personal details, such as addresses, telephone numbers or pictures.
Students will never arrange a meeting with someone they only know through emails or the internet.
Students will note that sending and receiving email attachments is subject to permission from their teacher.
Internet Chat
Students will only have access to closed chat rooms, discussion forums or other electronic communication forums that have been approved by the school.
Chat rooms, discussion forums and other electronic communication forums will only be used for educational purposes and will always be supervised.
Students will not have access to closed chat room passwords.
Usernames will be used to avoid disclosure of identity.
Meetings with someone organised via Internet chat rooms and discussion forums is forbidden.
School Website
Pupils will be given the opportunity to publish projects, artwork and school work on the World Wide Web with parental permission.
The publication of student work will be co-ordinated by a teacher.
Pupils’ work will appear in an educational context on Web pages with a copyright notice prohibiting the copying of such work without written permission.
Digital photographs, audio or video clips of individual students will not be published on the school website. Instead, photographs, audio and video clips will focus on group activities and these will be published with permission using the school's standard permission form.
Personal pupil information including name, home address and contact details will be omitted from school web pages.
Pupils will continue to own the copyright on any work published.
Legislation
Internet users have been made aware of legislation relating to use of the Internet. Links have been provided on the “Favourites” menu, of each computer connected to the Internet, to the following:
Support Structures
Websites offering support and advice in the area of Internet Safety have been listed on the “Favourites” menu of each computer connected to the Internet. The following is a selection:
The following guides/manuals are available in school:
Be Wise on the Net …Information and Advice for Schools NCTE
Internet Safety Awareness Education Programme Teachers’ Handbook SAFT Project (NCTE)
Sanctions
Misuse of the Internet may result in disciplinary action according to the School's Code of Conduct, and/or the school's Anti Bullying Policy and/or the school's Child Protection Policy. The Code of Conduct includes written warnings, notification of parents, withdrawal of access privileges and, in extreme cases, suspension or expulsion.
*Please Refer to School's Code of Conduct/Anti Bullying Policy/Child Protection Policy for further information.
The school also reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.
This policy will be reviewed in the school year 2014/2015
Signed:
___________________________________ Chairperson
Date: 16.4.2013
Internet Safety - Useful Web Sites