Hollister School District Technology Handbook

 

Acceptable Use Procedures (AUP) 

When signing the Acceptable Use Procedures (AUP) during online registration, you are acknowledging that you understand and accept the information in this document and agree to Hollister R-V School District’s Responsible Use Procedures and Terms and Conditions for Device Usage.

 

Hollister R-V School District students and families must understand that:

1. The term "equipment," "technology," or “device” refers to devices, batteries, power cords/chargers and cases. Each piece of equipment is issued as an educational resource.
2. All users of the district’s equipment, network and hollisterschools.com domain must comply at all times with the district's Acceptable Use Policy.  (EHB-AP(1))  Users are strictly prohibited from utilizing any hardware, software, network configuration, or other mechanism-including but not limited to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), proxies, personal hotspots, or specialized browsers-to bypass the district network while on campus, or to circumvent content filters on district-owned equipment at any time.
3. Devices are available for student use and remain the property of Hollister R-V School.
4. All users are accountable to all school, district, local, state, and federal laws.
5. All use of devices and district networks must support education.
6. Students and families must follow all guidelines set forth in this document and by district staff.
7. All rules and guidelines are in effect before, during, and after school hours, for all Hollister R-V School District devices whether on or off the school campus.
8. All files stored on district  equipment, the network, or virtually by a third party are the property of the district and may be subject to review and monitoring.
9. Students are expected to keep the devices in good condition. Failure to do so may result in bills for repair or replacement.
10. It is the responsibility of the student to report any damage to their device immediately.
11. Students are to report any lost devices as soon as the student realizes the device is lost.
12. All students will return their devices at the end of the school year or when leaving the district. 
13. Students who identify or know about a security problem are expected to convey the details to their teacher.
14. Students are expected to notify a staff member immediately if they come across information, images, or messages that are inappropriate, dangerous, threatening, or make them feel uncomfortable.
15. All users are expected to follow existing copyright laws and educational fair use policies.  
16. Students may only log in under their assigned username. Students may not share their password with other students.
17. Students should not loan their device or device components to other students unless under the direction of a staff member.  Students who do so are responsible for any loss of components.
18. Any failure to comply may result in disciplinary action. 
19. Hollister R-V School District reserves the right to confiscate the property at any time.

 

Parent/Guardian Responsibilities

Hollister R-V School District makes every effort to equip parents/guardians with the necessary tools and information to ensure safe use of the devices. There are several responsibilities assumed by the parent/guardian and the student. These are outlined below:

 

• All Parents/Guardians are required to sign the Acceptable Use Agreement form through online registration documents.  
• Devices will be collected at the end of each school year or when leaving the district.  Students will be charged a non-refundable replacement cost for any missing or damaged school issued equipment. 
• When possible, students will be assigned the same device each year while enrolled at the same school.
• High School parents/guardians are expected to enforce the rule that students must have their devices with them in school charged and ready to go on a daily basis.  Students are also encouraged to bring chargers with them to school each day.

 

Device Rules and Guidelines

The rules and regulations are provided here so that students and parents/guardians are aware of the responsibilities students accept when they use a district-owned device. In general, this requires efficient, ethical and legal utilization of all technology resources. Violations of these rules and guidelines will result in disciplinary action. Students receive device-related training at school during the first weeks of school.

• Technology Usage Agreement:
  • All students will sign an acceptable use agreement which states they have read and understand the technology policy that governs their use of district devices and resources. (EHB-AP(1) EHB-AP(2))

 

• All use of technology must:
  • Support learning
  • Follow local, state, and federal laws
  • Be school appropriate
• Security Reminders:
  • Do not share User IDs or passwords
  • Follow Internet safety guidelines
• Students are prohibited from:
  • Removing the top or bottom case from the chromebook.
  • Defacing school issued equipment/case in any way. This includes but is not limited to marking, painting, drawing, marring any surface of the device, applying stickers on the device.
  • If such action occurs, the student will be billed the cost of repair or replacement.

 

Caring For the Device

The device is district property and all users will follow this procedure and the Hollister R-V School District Acceptable Use Policy.

• Students should use the device assigned to them and not lend their device to others unless directed by a staff member.
• Students are responsible for the general care and cleaning of the device issued by the school.
• Students are responsible for keeping the device's battery charged for school each day.  Procedures are in place in each building where equipment does not leave district property for charging the devices.  High school students are encouraged to bring chargers with them to school each day.  Students are expected to follow the procedures as directed in their classroom.  
• Damaged devices or devices failing to operate properly must be taken to the Techbrary (at the middle school and high school) or the office (at the elementary or early childhood center) for an evaluation and or repair.  Students will be assessed fees for damages as appropriate.
• Only use a clean, soft cloth to clean the screen, no cleansers of any type.   A slightly damp disinfecting wipe can be used to sanitize the keyboard.
• Devices must be in the protective case at all times.  Cords and cables must be inserted carefully to prevent damage.
• Devices must never be left unattended in an unlocked locker, unlocked car, unsupervised area or in extreme temperatures.
• Device protective cases furnished by the school district must be returned with only normal wear and no alterations to avoid a case replacement fee.

 

Carrying the Device

• Devices must be in the protective case installed on the Chromebook by the district at all times. 
• The protective cases should not hold other objects or pieces of paper, stickers, etc. 
• Folders, workbooks, pens, pencils, earbuds, papers, etc. should be carried separately to avoid placing excessive pressure and weight on the device screen.

Screen Care

• Screen damage will occur when pressure is applied to the screen. Users must avoid leaning on the top of the device when closed and placing objects in a book bag that would apply pressure to the screen or picking it up and carrying it by the screen.
• The screen must be cleaned with a dry soft cloth or anti-static cloth.
• The device must not be bumped against lockers, walls, car doors, floors, etc. as it will break the screen.

Care of Device at Home

• Charge the device fully each night.
• Store the device on a desk or table.
• Protect the device from extreme heat or cold, food and drinks, small children, and pets.
• Do not leave the device in a vehicle.
• It is recommended that when a device is taken home that it be used in a common room of the home.
• In case of theft, an official police report will be required.

 

Email for Students

All Hollister R-V School district students are issued an email account. Hollister R-V School email allows students to safely and effectively communicate and collaborate with district staff and classmates, giving them an authentic purpose for writing. These accounts will be used at school for school-related projects.  Age appropriate guidelines are in place regarding student access to their email accounts.  At the elementary and early childhood center students are not allowed to use their email address except as a  login to school approved apps and websites.  Their email address is basically a username for logging in to school appropriate sites.  Middle school students are allowed to use email within the hollisterschools.com domain only. They may not email anyone outside of hollisterschools.com or receive email from other people outside of the hollisterschools.com accounts.  High School students have access to email outside of the hollisterschools.com domain as they are learning skills and time management in preparation for college and careers.  

 

Email Usage

• The primary purpose of the student electronic mail system is for students to communicate with school staff and fellow students to collaborate on school activities.
• Students are responsible for good behavior while using school email (at school and at home).
• Access is a privilege - not a right. Access entails responsibility.
• Students are responsible for messages sent from their accounts.
• Students should not share their passwords.
• As a safety precaution, students should not give out personal information over email, including home telephone numbers or home addresses.
• Using email to bully, harass, or threaten other students or individuals will not be tolerated.  Students should alert their teacher or principal immediately so that district staff can deal with it appropriately.
• Students will report any unusual activities such as obscene email or attempts by adults to lure them into dangerous behaviors.
• Students will not use email to send chain letters, viruses, hoaxes or forward social or non-school related email to other students or staff.
• Email accounts are filtered and messages written containing inappropriate language or content will be flagged.
• School email should only be used to sign up for school related accounts and other collaborative Internet tools.   Students are not to use school email for access to personal websites and apps the student may use, such as music streaming, TikTok, SnapChat, gaming, or other sites not school appropriate.  
• Student email is provided by the district and is district property.  Hollister R-V School District reserves the right to archive, monitor and/or review all use of its email system, and users should not have any expectation of privacy in any electronic message created, sent or received on the District's email system.
• Student email accounts will be suspended after graduation, when leaving the school district, or for disciplinary actions.  If necessary, Hollister R-V School District, at its discretion, may close the accounts at any time.  Accounts that are inactive for two years may be deleted.  Graduated student accounts will be deleted one year after graduation.

Guidelines and Reminders

• Email must be used for educational purposes only.
• Email transmissions may be monitored by staff at any time to ensure appropriate use.  This means that staff may check students' email at any time.
• All email and all contents are property of the district.
• Email should only be used by the authorized owner of the account.
• Students are expected to protect their passwords.

Unacceptable Use Examples

• Harassment, profanity, obscenity, racist language
• Cyber-bullying, hate mail, discriminatory remarks
• Email for individual profit or gain, advertisement, or political activities
• Non-education related forwards (e.g. jokes, chain letters, inappropriate images)
• Chatting

 

Webcams

Devices equipped with audio/video equipment offers students an extraordinary opportunity to experience workplace tools and to develop workplace communication skills.  Webcams are to be used for educational purposes only, under the direction of a staff member. 

• Examples of Use:
  • For remote learning or AMI days
  • Recording videos or taking pictures to include in a project
  • Recording a student giving a speech and playing it back for rehearsal and improvement.

 

Watching Videos and YouTube

• At School - Watching videos on your device is not allowed during school hours without permission from a staff member.
• At Home - Watching videos on your device is allowed at home with permission from parents/guardians.

 

Gaming

• Online gaming is not allowed unless supervised or assigned by a staff member. 

 

Profile Images, Backgrounds and Screensavers

Any images set as a profile image or device background must be school appropriate and in line with School Board Policy documents. Inappropriate media may not be used as a device background. Presence of guns, weapons, pornographic materials, inappropriate language, alcohol, drugs, or gang-related symbols will result in disciplinary

action and/or loss of device privileges.

 

Copyright and Plagiarism

Students are expected to follow all copyright laws as outlined in Fair Use Doctrine of the United States Copyright Law (Title 17, USC). The distinction between what is fair use and what is infringement in a particular case will not always be clear or easily defined. There is no specific number of words, lines, or notes that may safely be taken without permission.

 

Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining permission. Copyright protects the particular way authors have expressed themselves. The safest course is to get permission from the copyright owner before using copyrighted material.

 

Many people think of plagiarism as copying another's work or borrowing someone else's original ideas. To "plagiarize" means to steal and pass off the ideas or words of another as one's own, including answers/essays generated by artificial intelligence. A student should never use another person's work without crediting the source.  In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud.  It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward.

 

Technology Discipline

Most tech-related behavior violations are equivalent to "traditional" classroom violations.

• Leaving the device at home is equivalent to leaving a textbook or school supplies at home.
• Cutting and pasting or using artificial intelligence without citing sources or putting it into your own words is plagiarism.
• Cyber-bullying is bullying or harassment.
• Damaging or defacing the device or accessories is vandalism or property damage.

 

School-Based Discipline

The discipline policies at school encompasses technology equipment and appropriate usage.  Please reference the materials specific to the student code of conduct in the school’s Student Handbook or contact the school directly for details.

 

 

Qualifications

A student who is actively enrolled full-time in one of the Hollister schools, qualifies for use of a district-owned student device. In order to possess and use the device, one must comply at all times with the expectations of the District Technology Handbook and the district’s Student/Parent Technology Use Agreements as approved by the school board.

 

At the elementary and early childhood center devices are assigned to students and maintained by the teacher and technology staff of the district.  Procedures are in place in each classroom for the proper use and management of the devices.

At the middle school and high school, students are given greater responsibility for helping to maintain and keep their device in good condition.  On campus, systems are in place for storing and charging Chromebooks overnight for middle school students.  Students in the high school  are responsible for bringing a fully charged Chromebook to school every day.  Students are encouraged to bring their chargers in case it is needed.   

Repair Costs 

It is imperative that the device the student is issued be maintained and handled in a responsible way.  The student/parent will bear financial obligation for costs associated with loss/damage of the device, including but not limited to: inappropriate handling/care, storage, transport, use, or any other occurrence that is not in complete compliance with the District Technology Handbook and District Student/Parent Technology Use Agreement.  Any failure to comply may terminate students accessibility to school issued technology and administration or designee may repossess the property.

 

Students will be responsible for the entire cost of repairs or replacement to devices damaged through student misuse, neglect, intentional damage or loss. In case of theft, an official police report will be filed.

 

Accountability

 

Legal Title

Legal title to the device is with the district and shall at all times remain with the district. The student is responsible at all times for the device's appropriate care and use.

 

Legal Property

Comply with trademark and copyright laws and all license agreements. Ignorance of the law is not immunity. If you are unsure, ask a teacher or parent. Plagiarism is a violation of the student policy. Give credit to all sources used, whether quoted or summarized. This includes all forms of media on the Internet, such as graphics, movies, music, and text, including those created by artificial intelligence. 

 

Liability

School issued equipment is to be returned at the end of the school year (or a designated date prior to the end of school) or when a student transfers out of the district.  Failure to return the equipment may result in non-refundable replacement fees assessed to the student’s account and/or charges sought against the person in possession of the device.  Hollister R-V School District reserves the right at any time to demand return of the device.  Students remain responsible for the device until it has been verified to be in working order. The parent/guardian/student are responsible for the entire cost of repairs or replacement to computing devices damaged through student misuse, neglect, intentional damage or loss. In case of theft, an official police report will be filed.

 

Google Workspace for Education and Data Privacy 

 

In addition to a device, each student will be issued a Google Workspace for Education email account which they will use to complete assignments, communicate with their teachers, sign into their Chromebooks, share documents, and learn 21st century digital citizenship skills.  Depending on the age level of the student, students will be able to access core Google services (such as Calendar, Classroom, Drive and Docs, Slides, Gmail, etc.) and might use other additional services (such as, YouTube, Google Maps, etc.).  For more specific information about student data privacy and your students Google Workspace for Education account, please read the Google Workspace for Education Privacy Notice  

 

School Board Policy

 

The Hollister R-V School District Board of Education has adopted the following policies as they pertain to technology usage by students:

 

EHB - Technology Usage

EHB-AP(1) - Technology Usage (Technology Safety)

EHB-AF(1) - Technology Usage (Parent/Guardian Technology Agreement)

EHB-AF(2) - Technology Usage (Student Technology Agreement)

EHBC - Data Governance and Security

EHBD - Artificial Intelligence Use

EHBD-AP(1) - Artificial Intelligence Use - (AI Use Plan)

 

Policies can be accessed through the district website under the heading Public Information, then Hollister School Resources, and then the School Board Policy link.

 

 

What is Digital Citizenship?

• Digital Citizenship is a concept that helps students understand how to use technology appropriately in a society full of technology.  Each building may require students to participate in a digital citizenship curriculum. 
• The district expects students to use technology appropriately and responsibly whether in electronic communication or participation.
• The district has electronic precautions in place in order for students to participate safely and securely in this environment and enjoy the rights of a digital world in an educational setting.

 

District Responsibilities

• The school will provide Internet access on school issued devices while at school to all students and email access to middle school and high school students.
• School staff will help students conduct research and ensure student compliance with the district's Acceptable Use Procedures.
• Filtering/blocking of inappropriate Internet materials is done at the district level, and the district provides network and cloud data storage areas for students.
• Hollister R-V School District reserves the right to investigate the inappropriate use of resources and to review, monitor and restrict information stored on or transmitted via district owned equipment and resources.

 

Student Responsibilities

Students will abide by the district's Acceptable Use Procedures and

• contact an administrator about any security issue they encounter.
• monitor all activity on their personal account(s).
• report email containing inappropriate or abusive language or questionable subject matter to a teacher or administrator at school.
• return the equipment and accessories to the school at the end of each school year or when requested.  Failure to do so could result in a non-refundable charge for missing items.
• when students withdraw from school they must return all equipment to the school.

 

Parent/Guardian Responsibilities

• Talk to your children about the values and standards you expect your children to follow as they use the Internet just as you talk to them about their use of all other media information sources such as television, telephone, movies, radio, etc.

• Parents are encouraged to monitor student online activity at home.

• All district-issued devices and district accounts contain Internet filters and are subject to all district policies.

 

Appropriate Content

All files must be school appropriate. Inappropriate materials may include, but are not limited to, explicit or implicit references to:

• Alcohol, tobacco or drugs
• Gangs
• Obscene language or nudity
• Bullying or harassment
• Discriminatory or prejudicial behavior

 

Monitor Student Use

The parent/guardian must agree to monitor student use at home, and away from school. The best way to keep students safe and on-task is to have a parent/guardian present and involved.

 

Parent Resources for Safe Use

Common Sense Media Resources, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research

Internet Safety 101, https://internetsafety101.org/parentsguidetosocialmedia

Homeland Security Parents and Educators Tip Card, https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Parents and Educators Tip Card_0.pdf

Parent ProTech, https://www.parentprotech.com/

 

Cyber-Safety Tips

Open communication with your child is vital. Your child needs to feel they can come to you if they encounter frightening communications or images.

• Set age limits.  Keep young children away from any unaccompanied chatting.
• Understand the technology. Open an account yourself, and get your whole family connected. If your child views the program as a way of staying in touch with family, there might be less risk of misuse with friends.
• Use privacy settings. Just like other communication tools like TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, most video chat programs come with privacy settings.
• No inappropriate activities. You may be able to use parental controls through your Internet provider to restrict what sites your children can visit.
• Set time limits. With any online activity, be sure to tell your children how long they will have to engage in these activities.  

 

Help protect children against inappropriate content

• Use the NetSmartz Internet Safety Pledges to set clear guidelines for going online.
• Report the sexual exploitation or online enticement of a child to www.cybertipline.com. 

 

Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA)

The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) was enacted by Congress in 2000 to address concerns about children's access to obscene or harmful content over the Internet. CIPA imposes certain requirements on schools or libraries that receive discounts for Internet access or internal connections through the E-rate program.

Hollister R-V School District follows the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act by:

• Blocking or filtering Internet access to materials that are harmful to minors
• Providing instruction in Internet Safety
• Monitoring online activities of minors

 

Contact your teacher if you have questions about ....

• Troubleshooting
  • Always try restarting the device as the first step of troubleshooting.  On a chromebook, press refresh and power button to restart the device.
  • At School - If restarting the device does not solve the problem, contact your teacher.
  • At Home - If restarting the device does not solve the problem and it is an Internet connectivity problem, contact your Internet service provider. For other problems, contact your teacher or techbrarian when you return to school.
• How the device is used in instruction
• Question about the device
• Cyberbullying
• Inappropriate content
• Proper use of the device

 

Thank you for partnering with Hollister R-V School District by agreeing to abide by the Acceptable Use Procedures (AUP) and becoming familiar with the HSD Technology Handbook.

 

Google Workspace Education Privacy