Ford Heights School District #169 is an Equal Opportunity School District that provides equal access to all programs for all of its students, teachers, and support staff. Therefore, no person will be excluded from participation nor be denied of or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program, service, employment activity, or policy based on race, nationality, gender, age, religion, martial status, handicap, or color. Where requirements have been established in compliance with local, state or federal laws, those requirements will be followed.

Ford Heights School District #169 has a district-wide leadership team comprised of students, staff, board members and parents that meet on a regular basis. This team is conscious of the needs of the district and makes every effort/ accommodation possible to provide equitable access to all educational programs and activities for all students and staff in the district. As a district, we are dedicated to assist every person in obtaining their fullest capability and ensure protection of their legal and human rights including those with disabilities.

Exhibit – Online Privacy Statement

The School District respects the privacy of all Web site visitors to the extent permitted by law. This Online Privacy Statement is intended to inform you of the ways in which this Web site collects information, the uses to which that information will be put, and the ways in which we will protect any information you choose to provide us.

There are four types of information that this site may collect during your visit: network traffic logs, Web-visit logs, cookies, and information voluntarily provided by you.

Network Traffic Logs

In the course of ensuring network security and consistent service for all users, the District employs software programs to do such things as monitor network traffic, identify unauthorized access or access to nonpublic information, detect computer viruses and other software that might damage District computers or the network, and monitor and tune the performance of the District network. In the course of such monitoring, these programs may detect such information as e-mail headers, addresses from network packets, and other information. Information from these activities is used only for the purpose of maintaining the security and performance of the District’s networks and computer systems. Personal identifiable information from these activities is not released to external parties without your consent unless required by law.

Web-Visit Logs

District Web sites routinely collect and store information from online visitors to help manage those sites and improve service. This information includes the pages visited on the site, the date and time of the visit, the Internet address (URL or IP address) of the referring site, the domain name and IP address from which the access occurred, the version of browser used, the capabilities of the browser, and search terms used on our search engines. This site makes no attempt to identify individual visitors from this information.Any personal identifiable information is not released to external parties without your consent unless required by law.

Cookies

Cookies are pieces of information stored by your Web browser on behalf of a Web site and returned to the Web site on request. This site may use cookies for two purposes: to carry data about your current sessions at the site from one Web page to the next and to identify you to the network.

If you prefer not to receive cookies, you may turn them off in your browser, or may set your browser to ask you before accepting a new cookie. Some pages may not function properly if the cookies are turned off. Unless otherwise notified on this site, we will not store data, other than for these two purposes, in cookies. Cookies remain on your computer, and accordingly we neither store cookies on our computers nor forward them to any external parties. We do not use cookies to track your movement among different Web sites and do not exchange cookies with other entities.

Information Voluntarily Provided by You

In the course of using this Web site, you may choose to provide us with information to help us serve your needs. For example, you may send us electronic mail (through a mailer or a Web form) to request information, you may sign up for a mailing list, or you may send us your address so we may send you an application or other material. Any personally identifiable information you send us will be used only for the purpose indicated. Requests for information will be directed to the appropriate staff to respond to the request, and may be record to help us update our site to better respond to similar requests. We will not sell, exchange, or otherwise distribute your personally identifiable information without your consent, except to the extent required by law. We do not retain the information longer than necessary for normal operations. Each Web page requesting information discloses the purpose of that information. If you do not wish to have the information used in that manner, you are not required to provide it. Please contact the person listed on the specific page, or listed below, with questions or concerns on the use of personally identifiable information.

Web Links to Non-District Sites

District Web sites provide links to other World Wide Web sites or resources. We do not control these sites and resources, do not endorse them, and are not responsible for their availability, content, or delivery of services, hi particular, external sites are not bound by this Online Privacy Statement; they may have their own policies or none at all. Often you can tell you are leaving a District Web site by noting the URL of the destination site. These links to external Web sites open a new browser window as well.

Letter to Parent(s)/Guardian(s) Regarding Student Use of the District’s Electronic Networks

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):

We now have the ability to enhance your child’s education through the use of electronic networks, including the Internet. The Internet offers vast, diverse, and unique resources. The District’s goal in providing this, service is to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication. Your authorization is needed before your child may use this resource.

The Internet electronically connects thousands of computers throughout the world and millions of individual subscribers. Students and teachers may have chose access to:

• Limited electronic mail communications with people all over the world
• Information from government sources, research institutions, and other sources
• Discussion groups

Many libraries, including the catalog to the Library of Congress, and the Educational Resources Information Clearinghouses (ERIC).

With this educational opportunity also comes responsibility. You and your child should read’ the enclosed Authorization for Electronic Network Access and discuss it together. The use of inappropriate material or language, or violation of copyright laws, may result in the loss of the privilege to use this resource Remember that you-are legally responsible for your child’s actions.

The District takes precautions to prevent access to materials that may be defamatory, inaccurate, offensive, or otherwise inappropriate in the school setting. On an unregulated network, however, it is impossible to control all material and a user may discover inappropriate material. Ultimately, parent(s)/guardian(s) are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their child or ward should follow. To that end, the School District supports and respects each family’s right to decide whether or not to authorize Internet access.

Please read and discuss the. Authorization for Electronic Network Access with your child. -If you agree to allow your child to have an Internet account, sign the Authorization form and return it to your school.

Each teacher must sign this Authorization as a condition for using the District’s Electronic Network connection: Each student, his or her parent(s)/guardian(s), or any person using the electronic network access must sign the Authorization before being granted access. School Board members and administrators are treated like teachers for purposes of this Authorization.Please read this document carefully before signing.

All use of the Internet shall be consistent with the District’s goal of promoting educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication. This Authorization does not attempt to state all required or proscribed behavior by users. However, some specific examples are provided. The failure of any user to follow the terms of the Authorization for Electronic Network Access will result in the loss of privileges, disciplinary action, and/or appropriate legal action. The signature(s) at the end of this document is legally binding and indicates the party who signed has read the terms and conditions carefully and understands their significance.

1. Acceptable Use – Access to the District’s electronic networks must be (a) for the purpose of education or research, and be consistent with the educational objectives of the District or (b) for a legitimate business use.
2. Privileges – The use of the District’s electronic networks is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in a cancellation of those privileges. The system administrator will make all decisions regarding whether or not a user has violated this Authorization and may deny, revoke, or suspend access at any time, his or her decision is final.
3. Unacceptable Use – You are responsible for your actions and activities involving the network. Some examples of unacceptable uses are;
   
   1. Using the network for any illegal activity, including violation of copyright, or other contracts, or transmitting any material in violation of any U.S. or State law;
   2. Unauthorized downloading-of software, regardless of whether it is copyrighted or checked for viruses;
   3. Downloading copyrighted material for other than personal use;
   4. Using the network for private financia.1 or commercial gain;
   5. Wastefully using resources, such as file space;
   6. Gaining unauthorized access to resources or entities;
   7. Invading the privacy of individuals;
   8. Using another user-‘s account or password;
   9. Posting material authored or created by another without his / her consent;
   10. Posting anonymous messages;
   11. Using the network- for commercial or private advertising;
   12. Accessing, submitting, posting, publishing, or displaying any defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive, harassing, or illegal material;
   13. Using the network while access privileges are suspended, or revoked.
4. Network Etiquette – You are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette.These include, but are not limited to, the following:
   
   1. Be polite. Do not become abusive in your messages to others.
   2. Use appropriate-language. Do not swear, or use vulgarities or any other inappropriate language.
   3. Do not reveal the personal addresses or telephone numbers of students or. colleagues.
   4. Recognize that electronic mail (E-mail) is not private. People who operate the system have access to all mail. Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities may be reported to the authorities.
   5. Do not use the network in any way that would disrupt its use by other users.
   6. Consider all communications and information accessible via the network to be private property.
5. No Warranties – The District makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the service it is providing. The District will not be responsible for any damages you suffer. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, missed-deliveries, or service interruptions caused by its negligence or your errors or omissions. Use of any information obtained via the Internet is at your own risk. The District specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its services.
6. Indemnification -The user agrees to indemnify the School District for any losses, costs, or damages, including reasonable attorney fees incurred by the District relating to, or arising out of, any breach of this Authorization.
7. Security – Network security is a high priority. If you can identify a security problem on the Internet, you must notify the system administrator of Building Principal. Do not demonstrate the problem to other users. Keep your account and password confidential. Do not use another individual’s account without written permission from that individual. Attempts to log-on to the Internet as a system administrator will result in cancellation of user privileges. Any user identified as a security, risk may be denied access to network.
8. Vandalism – Vandalism will result in cancellation of privileges and other disciplinary action. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another user, the Internet, or any other network. This includes, but is not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses.
9. Telephone Charges – The District assumes no responsibility for any unauthorized charges or fees, including telephone charges, long-distance charges, per-minute surcharges, and/or equipment or line costs.
10. Copyright Web Publishing Rules – Copyright law and District .policy prohibit the re-publishing of text or graphics, found on the Web or on District Web sites or file servers, without explicit written permission.
    
    1. For each re-publication (on a Web site or file server) of a graphic or a text file that was produced externally, there must be a notice at-the bottom of the page crediting the original producer and noting how and when permission was granted. If possible, the notice should also include, the Web address of the original source.
    2. Students and staff engaged in producing Web pages must provide library media specialist with e-mail or hard copy permissions before the Web pages are published. Printed evidence of the status of’ “public domain” documents must be provided.
    3. The absence of a copyright notice may not be interpreted as permission to copy the materials. Only-the copyright owner may provide the permission. The manager of the Web site displaying the material may not be considered a source of permission.
    4. The “fair use” rules governing student reports in classrooms are less, stringent and permit limited use of graphics and text.
    5. Student work may only be published if there is written permission from both the parent/guardian and student.
11. Use of Electronic Mail
    
    1. The District’s electronic .mail system, and its constituent software, hardware, and data files, are owned and controlled by the School District. The School District provides e-mail to aid students and staff members in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities, and as an education tool.
    2. The District reserves the right to access and disclose the contents of any .account on its system without prior notice or permission from the account’s user. Unauthorized access by any student or staff member to an electronic mail account is strictly prohibited.
    3. Each person-should use the same degree of care in drafting an electronic mail message as would be put into a written memorandum or document. Nothing should be transmitted in an e-mail message trial would be inappropriate in a letter or memorandum.
    4. Electronic messages transmitted via the District’s Internet gateway carry with them an identification of the user’s Internet “domain.” This domain name is a registered domain name and identifies the author as being with the School District. Great care should be taken, therefore, in the composition of such messages and how such messages might reflect on the name and .reputation of this School District. Users will be held personally-responsible for the content of any and all electronic mail messages transmitted to external recipients.
    5. Any message received from an unknown sender via the Internet should either be immediately deleted or forwarded to the system administrator. Downloading any file attached to any Internet-based message is prohibited unless the user is certain of that message’s authenticity and the nature of the file so transmitted.
    6. Use of the School District’s electronic mail system constitutes consent to these regulations.
    7. Students, parents/guardians, and teachers need only sign this Authorization for Electronic Network Access once while enrolled or employed by the School District.