ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

School Name: St. Molaga’s S.N.S.

Address: Bremore, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin

The aim of this Acceptable Use Policy is to ensure that pupils will benefit from learning opportunities offered by the school’s Internet resources in a safe 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 Therefore, if the school AUP is not adhered to this privilege will be withdrawn and appropriate sanctions – as outlined in the AUP – will be imposed.

It is envisaged that school and parent representatives will revise the AUP annually. The AUP should be read carefully so that the conditions of use are accepted and understood.

This version of the AUP was created on June 2006

By the teaching staff of St. Molaga’s N.S. and approved by the Board of Management

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

School’s Strategy

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 by a teacher.
• Filtering software and/or equivalent systems will be used in order to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material.
• The school will regularly monitor pupils’ Internet usage.
• 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, CD-ROMs or pen drives in school requires a teacher’s permission.
• 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

• Students will not visit Internet sites that contain obscene, illegal, hateful or otherwise objectionable materials.
• Students will use the Internet for education purposes only.
• Students will never disclose or publicise personal information.

Email:

• Students will use approved class email accounts under supervision by or permission from a teacher.
• Students will not send or receive any material that is illegal, obscene, defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate another person.
• Students will not reveal their own or other people’s personal details, such as addresses or telephone numbers or pictures.
• Students will never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they only know through emails or the Internet.
• Students will note that sending and receiving email with or without attachments is subject to permission from their teacher.

Internet Chat:

• Access to chat rooms is not allowed.

School Website:

• Pupils will be given the opportunity to publish projects, artwork or schoolwork on the World Wide Web. The schools website address is:

• The publication of student work will be co-ordinated by a teacher.
• Pupil’s work will appear in an educational context on web pages with a copyright notice prohibiting the copying of such work without express 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.
• Personal pupil information including home address and contact details will be omitted from school web pages.
• Pupils will continue to own the copyright on any work published.

Legislation:

The school’s AUP endeavours to comply with all legislation relating to use of the Internet.

Sanctions:

Misuse of the Internet may result in disciplinary action, including written warnings, withdrawal of access privileges and, in extreme cases, suspension or expulsion. The school also reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Re: Internet Permission Form

As part of the school’s education programme we offer pupils supervised acces to the Internet. This allows students access to a large array of online educational resources that we believe can greatly enhance students’ learning experience.

However, access to and use of the Internet requires responsibility on the part of the user and the school. These responsibilities are outlined in the school’s Acceptable Use Policy (enclosed). It is important that this enclosed document is read carefully.

Although the school takes active steps to promote safe use of the Internet, it recognises the possibility that students may accidentally or deliberately access inappropriate or objectionable material.

The school respects each family’s right to decide whether or not to allow their children access to the Internet as defined by the school’s Acceptable Use Policy.

Having read the school’s AUP, if you wish to exclude your child from Internet usage activities or if you do not want your child’s photograph to be included in the school’s website, please inform the school in writing giving your child’s name and class.

Home