Acceptable Use Policy

At Midnapore School, students use digital technology for learning. Students are informed of the following Acceptable Use Policy which outlines the rights and responsibilities surrounding the use of digital devices at school. 

Students in Midnapore School are provided access to the Internet using the CBE Network. The Internet allows our students to interact with hundreds of thousands of networks and computers. Within our schools and libraries the Internet and e-mail may be used by our students for educational purposes. There is no intent that students use Internet access from school computers for personal use. The Internet is similar to other student learning resources such as books, magazines, videos, CD-ROMs and encyclopedias and it is made available for learning purposes. 

Conditions for Use

Midnapore School and the CBE reserves the right to access, audit and monitor use of all supplied Information Technology (IT) resources at school for non-compliance to this policy, without prior notice to the user. There is no expectation of privacy on behalf of the user with regard to information technology resources.

It is a general policy that all computers used through Midnapore School’s network are to be used in a responsible, efficient, ethical and legal manner. Failure to adhere to the policy and guidelines for the use of the network as described below will result in the revocation of access privileges. Unacceptable uses of the network include, but are not limited to:

• Using the network for any illegal activity, including violation of copyright or other laws.
• Using the network in ways which violate school policies and behavior standards.
• Using the network for financial or commercial gain.
• Degrading or disrupting equipment or system performance.
• Invading the privacy of other individuals by accessing and/or vandalizing their computerized data.
• Wasting technology resources, including bandwidth, file space, and printers by downloading music or video files, except for those identified as legitimate curriculum resources.
• Gaining unauthorized access to resources or entities.
• Using an account owned by other users with or without their permission.
• Posting personal communications, including photos of another person, without that other person's consent.
• Giving one’s account and password information to other users.

Network Etiquette

Midnapore School network users are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette. These include, but are not limited to:

• Being polite in all of your communications to others.
• Using appropriate language.
• In all activities being compliant with municipal, provincial, federal or international law.
• Maintaining the confidentiality of your personal address and phone numbers and those of students and colleagues.
• Using the network without disrupting the use of the network by others.
• Assuming that all communications and information accessible via the Internet are the private property of those who put it on the Internet.

Unacceptable Material and Behaviours

Vandalism and harassment will result in cancellation of user privileges. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm, modify, or destroy data of another user, the Internet or other networks that are connected to the Internet. This includes, but is not limited to, the uploading or creating of computer viruses. Harassment is defined as the persistent annoyance of another user or the interference of another user’s work. “Harassment” is further defined as any unwelcome behaviour, conduct or communication, directed at an individual that is offensive and/or annoying to that individual.

Because access to the Internet provides connections to other computer systems located all over the world, students (and parents) must understand that neither the school nor any school staff member controls the content of the information available on these other systems. Some sites accessible via the Internet may contain material that is inappropriate for educational use in a K-12 setting, such as hate literature, pornography, and information related to immoral or illegal activities. Midnapore School does not condone the use of such materials and does not permit usage of such materials in the school environment. The school uses Internet filtering software in addition to teacher supervision to reduce the likelihood of students accessing inappropriate Internet sites. In the event a student inadvertently accesses an inappropriate Internet site, he/she must advise the supervising teacher of the inadvertent access.

Penalties for Improper Use

Violation of Midnapore School’s Acceptable Use Policy may result in:

• Restricted network access
• Loss of network access
• Disciplinary action
• Legal action