5000.5T USE OF PRIVATE TECHNOLOGY DEVICES BY STUDENTS

SHIPMAN & GOODWIN RECOMMENDED COVID-19 TEMPORARY POLICY

                                                                          Series 5000.5T

                                                                               STUDENTS

                 USE OF PRIVATE TECHNOLOGY DEVICES BY STUDENTS

Temporary amendments to this policy related to the COVID-19 pandemic have been
made to the body of the policy. All temporary revisions appear in highlighted bold
italics or strikethrough text.

Students may possess privately-owned technological devices on school property and/or
during school-sponsored activities, in accordance with the mandates of this policy and
any applicable administrative regulations as may be developed by the Superintendent of
Schools.

Definitions

Board Technology Resources

For the purposes of this policy, “Board Technology Resources” refers to the Board’s
computers and instructional technologies; communications and data management
systems; informational technologies and the Internet; and any other technology
resources owned and/or used by the school district and accessible by students.

​Privately Owned Technological Devices

for the purposes of the this policy, “Privately Owned Technological Devices” refers to
privately owned ​desktop computers,​ wireless and/or portable electronic hand-held
equipment that can be used for word processing, wireless Internet access, image
capture and recording, sound recording, information transmitting and/or receiving,
storing, etc. These devices may include, but are not limited to, ​desktops,​ personal
laptops, Smartphones, network access devices, Kindles, Nooks, cellular telephones,
radios, personal audio players, I-Pads or other tablet computers, walkie-talkies,
Blackberries, personal data assistants, I-Phones, Androids and other electronic signaling
devices.

Use of Privately-Owned Technological Devices

Privately-owned technological devices may not be used during instructional time, except
as specifically permitted by instructional staff ​or unless necessary for a student to



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access the district’s digital learning platform or otherwise engage in remote learning
during the COVID-19 pandemic.​

On school property, at a school-sponsored activity, while in use for a remote learning
activity, or while being used to access or utilize the Board’s technology resources, the
use ​Use​ of any such device for an improper purpose is prohibited. Improper purposes
include, but are not limited to:

        ·​ ​Sending any form of harassing, threatening, or intimidating message, at any
        time, to any person (such communications may also be a crime);

        ·​ ​Gaining or seeking to gain unauthorized access to Board technology
        resources;

        ·​   Damaging Board technology resources;
             ​


        ·​ ​Accessing or attempting to access any material that is obscene or contains
        pornography;

        ·​   Cyberbullying;
             ​


        ·​ ​Using such device to violate any school rule, including the unauthorized
        recording (photographic, video, or audio) of another individual without the
        permission of the individual or a school staff member; or

        ·​   Taking any action prohibited by any Federal or State law.
             ​


Search of Privately Owned Technological Devices

A student’s privately owned technological device may be searched ​if the device is on
Board property or in a student’s possession at a school-sponsored activity and​ if there
are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the search will turn up evidence that the
student has violated or is violating either the law or the rules of the school. Any such
search shall be reasonably related to the objectives of the search and not excessively
intrusive in light of the age and sex of the student and the nature of the infraction.

​Responsibility for Privately Owned Technological Devices

Students are responsible for the safety and use of their privately owned technological
devices. If a privately owned technology device is stolen, lost, or damaged​,​ ​while the
device is on school property or during a school-sponsored activity​,​ a report should be
made to the building principal, who will investigate the loss in a manner consistent with
procedures for stolen or damaged personal property. Students and parents should be
aware that the Board is not liable for any privately-owned technological device that is
stolen, lost, or damaged while at school or during a school-sponsored activity. For that


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reason, students are advised not to share or loan their privately-owned technological
devices with other students.

Disciplinary Action

Misuse of the Board’s technology resources and/or the use of privately-owned
technological devices​ ​to access or utilize the Board’s technology resources in an
inappropriate manner or the use of such devices in any manner inconsistent with this
policy will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary action. For students, a violation
of this policy may result in loss of access privileges, a prohibition on the use and/or
possession of privately-owned technological devices on school property or at
school-sponsored activities, and/or suspension or expulsion in accordance with the
Board’s policies related to student discipline.

[OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL SECTIONS THAT APPLY IF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
INTENDS TO GRANT STUDENTS ACCESS TO A WIRELESS NETWORK OR OTHER MEANS
OF CONNECTING WITH THE BOARD’S COMPUTER SYSTEMS WHILE AT SCHOOL ​OR
ENGAGED IN DIGITAL LEARNING PLATFORMS​]:

Access to Board Technology Resources

It is the policy of​ ​The​ C
                           ​ olchester Board of Education ​to ​may​ permit students, using their
privately owned technology devices, to access the Board’s computers and instructional
technologies; communications and data management systems; informational
technologies and the Internet; and any other technology resources used by the school
district and accessible by students. Additionally, it is the expectation of the Board of
Education that students who access these resources while using privately-owned
technology devices will act at all times appropriately in ways which are fully in accord
with applicable policies concerning technology use as well as all local, state, and federal
laws.

Through the publication and dissemination of this policy statement and others related
to use of the Board’s computer systems, as well as other instructional means, the Board
educates students about the Board’s expectations for technology users.

The Board technology resources shall only be used to access educational information
and to promote learning activities both at home and at school. ​The Board considers
access to its technology resources to be a privilege and not a right.​ Students are
expected to act at all times appropriately in ways which are fully in accord with
applicable policies concerning technology use as well as all local, state, and federal laws
when using the Board technology resources. Failure to do so will result in the
consequences outlined herein and in other applicable policies (including, but not limited
to, the Safe School Climate Plan, the Student Discipline Policy and the Use of Computers
Policy).


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Students must abide by the procedures outlined in this policy and all policies and
applicable regulations outlined in the Board’s computer use and other applicable
policies. Students will be given specific information for log-on and access procedures for
using school accounts. No user may deviate from these log-on/access procedures.
Students are advised that the Board’s network administrators have the capability to
identify users and to monitor all privately-owned technological devices while they are
logged on to the network. ​Students must understand that the Board has reserved the
right to conduct monitoring of Board technology resources and can do so ​despite​ the
assignment to individual users of passwords for system security. Any password systems
implemented by the Board are designed solely to provide system security from
unauthorized users, not to provide privacy to the individual system user. The system's
security aspects, message delete function and personal passwords can be bypassed for
monitoring purposes. Therefore, students should be aware that they should not have
any expectation of personal privacy in the use of privately owned technological devices
to access Board technology resources. This provision applies to any and all uses of the
Board’s technology resources and any privately-owned technological devices that​ ​access
the same.

Harm to Board Technology Resources

Any act by a student using a privately-owned technological device that harms the
Board’s technology resources or otherwise interferes with or compromises the integrity
of Board technology resources will be considered vandalism and will be subject to
discipline and/or appropriate criminal or civil action.

Closed Forum

This policy shall not be construed to establish a public forum or a limited open forum.

Legal References:

       Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-233j

       Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-48d

       Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-182; 53a-183; 53a-250, ​et seq.

       Electronic Communication Privacy Act of 1986, Public Law 99-508, codified at
28 U.S.C. §§ 2510 through 2520

TEMPORARY POLICY ADOPTED:            October 13, 2020


COLCHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Colchester, Connecticut

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