The school network (“the network”) has been established for a limited educational purpose, including classroom activities, career development, and high quality, educationally-enriching research. Use of the network and the school’s information technology resources (including Internet access and school-owned computer workstations, printers and other equipment) requires that students act in compliance with this Acceptable Use Policy. The policy defines appropriate educational and ethical uses of the network and the Internet, identifies student responsibilities and unlawful activities, discusses security and privacy, and outlines violations and liability.

Metropolitan Preparatory Academy will place reasonable restrictions on the material you access or post through the network, and may revoke access to these resources if you violate this policy or the law. Using the network and the school’s information technology resources is a privilege, not a right, and must be treated as such by all students. Network activities should always be legal, ethical, reflect academic honesty and school standards, and show restraint in the consumption of shared resources. Students must respect the integrity of the network, its equipment, the facilities, and system security mechanisms.

By using the network, the Internet, and/or equipment and facilities provided by Metropolitan Preparatory Academy, you agree to adhere to the regulations set forth in this Acceptable Use Policy. School administrators reserve the right to limit, restrict and/or deny network privileges and access to its resources and equipment for those who violate policy.

Acceptable Use

During instructional times, the material that you access through the network should be for class assignments or for research on subjects similar to what you might study in the classroom or in the school library. In classrooms and other lecture spaces, use of a school-owned workstation for entertainment purposes, such as personal blogs, instant messaging, online shopping, or gaming, is not allowed. Users should not access information on the Internet that would be considered controversial or inappropriate if brought to school in any other format, such as pictures or articles of an adult nature.

You will not use the Internet to access the following: material that is profane or obscene; material that depicts – or describes in an offensive way – violence, nudity, sex, death, or bodily functions; material that is considered child pornography or has been designated adults only; material that promotes or advocates illegal activities (including copyright infringement) or dangerous acts (including bombs and weapons); material that promotes or advocates violence or discrimination towards other people (including hate groups and other potentially dangerous groups); or material that promotes or advocates academic cheating. Other Internet activities that are not permitted include: undertaking deliberate activities that waste or misuse class time or network resources; accessing, downloading, uploading or streaming audio or video during class unless approved by administrators as a school or class project; initiating or encouraging direct communications such as instant messaging or other online chat systems during lectures; publishing defamatory and/or knowingly false material on social networking sites, blogs, wikis or any other online publishing format; or using proxy sites to avoid Internet filtering.

Furthermore, you will not attempt to circumvent network security by: making unauthorized entry into this or other computer or communication systems; subverting or obstructing a computer network by introducing a virus; supplying false or misleading information to access computer or network systems; port scanning and network sniffing; attempting to gain unauthorized access to data, computers, or networks; or sending crippling amounts of data or traffic across the network.

The school has installed filtering appliances and software to protect against access to inappropriate material. If you feel that the Internet filtering is blocking your access to an appropriate site, please report this to a staff member or administrator. You must not seek to bypass the Internet filtering by using a proxy site, remote access, secure tunnel, or any other means. Doing so will result in revocation of your network access and/or computing privileges. If you mistakenly access inappropriate information, you should immediately notify a staff member or administrator. This will protect you against claims that you have violated this policy intentionally.

If a student misuses the Internet at school or encourages another student to misuse the Internet at school, Metropolitan Preparatory Academy staff and administrators have the right and responsibility to take immediate action and may suspend school network privileges. Unacceptable use may result in limiting, restricting and/or denying network privileges and access to the school’s information technology resources and equipment.

Responsibilities

Students are expected to respect and protect account security. Only assigned accounts and passwords should be used. Do not view, use or copy passwords, data, or networks to which you are not authorized. Respect and uphold the Acceptable Use Policy, the school code of conduct and the law. You are not to intentionally access, transmit, copy, or create material that is illegal (such as articles or photographs that are pornographic, threatening, discriminatory, harassing, obscene, stolen, or copyrighted).

Students must respect and protect the integrity, availability, and security of the network and the school’s information technology resources. Students must not intentionally degrade or disrupt services or equipment. This includes but is not limited to: tampering with computer hardware or software; vandalizing data; invoking computer viruses; or attempting to gain access to restricted or unauthorized network services. Observe all network security practices, as described in the Acceptable Use Policy and as posted throughout the school. Be sure to report security risks or violations to a staff member or system administrator. Do not destroy or damage data, networks, or other resources that do not belong to you. You must also conserve, protect, and share these resources with other students and Internet users.

Most importantly, students are to respect and care for school equipment. Computers workstations and their parts should be treated as if they were their own, and students should take care not to cause damage. Do not interfere with plugs or cables, add software of any kind, or change any system settings without permission. Wireless access to the Internet is provided by the school for connection of personal devices. Connecting personal computers or other unauthorized devices via Ethernet cable is strictly prohibited without approval from administrators. Always obtain permission prior to printing in the computer laboratories, and do not print unnecessarily or excessively.

Unlawful Activities

You will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the school network or to any other computer system through the network, or go beyond your authorized access. This includes attempting to log in through another person’s account, or attempting to access another person’s files. Using files that are dangerous to the integrity of the network is strictly prohibited. You will not make deliberate attempts to disrupt this or any other computer system or destroy data by introducing any form of malicious software, virus or malware into the network, or by any other means.

Students will not engage in any other unlawful act, including: arranging for a drug sale or the purchase of alcohol; engaging in criminal gang activity; threatening the safety of any person; engaging in personal attacks, including harassment, prejudicial or discriminatory attacks, bullying; account theft or using any password other than your own; hacking into unauthorized areas; or using the network to perpetrate any form of fraud, including piracy of software, film, television, music or other copyrighted works. Unlawful file sharing or other peer-to-peer networking is not permitted on the network and may be a criminal offense.

System Security

You are responsible for your individual account and should take all reasonable precautions to prevent others from being able to use it. Under no conditions should you provide your password to another student, or try to discover other passwords. Passwords are to be kept strictly confidential.

Students should immediately notify a staff member or system administrator if they have exposed passwords or identified a possible security problem. However, they should not search out security problems because this may be construed as an unlawful attempt to gain access. Students shall not intentionally seek information on, obtain copies of, or modify files, other data, or passwords belonging to other users, or misrepresent other users on the network.

Privacy

Metropolitan Preparatory Academy staff and administrators monitor the use of information technology resources to help ensure that activities are secure and in conformity with this policy. You should not expect privacy in the contents of your personal files on the network or the records of your online activity. All student use of the Internet is monitored and can reveal all activities you engage in using the network. Parents/guardians have the right to request to see the contents and activities of your account, including your files and your Internet browsing history, at any time.

School administrators reserve the right to examine, use, and disclose any data found on the network in order to protect resources or property, and to further the health, safety, discipline, or security of any student or other person. They may also use this information in disciplinary actions or to furnish evidence of crime to law enforcement. Routine network maintenance and monitoring can also lead to discovery that you have violated sections of this policy, the school code of conduct, or the law. Targeted individual searches will be conducted if there is reasonable suspicion that you are in violation.

Violations

Metropolitan Preparatory Academy shall be the final authority on the use of the network and how it relates to this policy. Violations will be reported to the school Principal and to parents/guardians, which may require a formal meeting with all parties involved.

Disciplinary action can include temporary or permanent loss of access to the network and/or the school’s information technology resources. Written reports will also be placed in the student record for two years. Further disciplinary action may be taken against any student who willingly and knowingly continues to violate the policy, which can result in academic suspensions.

Liability

Metropolitan Preparatory Academy will not guarantee that the functions or services provided through the network will be error-free or without defect. The school will not be responsible for any damage you may suffer, including but not limited to loss of data, interruptions of service, or exposure to inappropriate material.

Students and parents/guardians can be held financially responsible for any damage that results from intentional abuse or misuse of the network and school equipment (including replacement of damaged items).

PARENTS/GUARDIANS SHOULD DISCUSS THIS POLICY WITH THE STUDENT AND ENSURE THAT IT IS UNDERSTOOD.

This document may be updated at any time. Notice of changes to the Acceptable Use Policy will be posted at www.metroprep.com and/or sent by mail. Please review the policy and our website from time to time to note any changes.