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Responsible Use Policies

Employee & Student use of District Information Technology
The purpose of this regulation is to ensure that students, staff, and contractors utilize network and computing resources offered by the District in a safe and effective manner. This AR replaces the following two forms: BP 3523-E, Employee Terms and Conditions for Responsible Use of MSBSD IT and BP 6161.4-S Student Terms and Conditions for Responsible use of MSBSD IT Resources.

Section 1. General

The Mat-Su Borough School District recognizes technology as a productivity enhancement tool. Employee, contractor, and student use of District information technology is a privilege, not a right, and is authorized only for work or education related purposes. Employee, contractor, and student use of District information technology will be in accordance with this policy, in accordance with governing law, and in accordance with other relevant District policies, regulations, and procedures. By using District computers and/or networks, employees, contractors, and students acknowledge the terms and conditions governing their use of District information technology.

Employee, contractor, and student access to District information technology may be suspended at any time if it is in the District’s best interest to do so, as determined by the District in its sole discretion. The District reserves the right to set and revise limits on employee, contractor, and student network bandwidth usage and email and file storage on District computers. Employee and contractor access to District information technology will be terminated when the employee or contractor ceases to be employed/contracted by the District.

As used in this policy, the term District information technology includes, but is not limited to, District computers, mobile devices, email, Internet access, cloud resources, and social media and social networking sites. As used in this policy, the term computer includes, but is not limited to, as applicable, all District computers, computer systems, networks, computer hardware, associated peripheral equipment, and software purchased or developed by the District. As used in this policy, the term mobile device includes, but is not limited to, all District cell phones, cameras, audio/visual players, and any other hand-held electronic communication, computing, and data storage devices.

 

Section 2. Privacy

No expectation of privacy: Expecting applicable federal, state, municipal and tribal laws, all employee, contractor, and student communications, including email, and all related documents, data, software, and other information stored on District computers and/or on mobile devices are authorized only for work and education related purposes, employees, contractors, and students will have no expectation of privacy with respect to their use of District information technology. The District reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review, and/or remove files. Accessing another employee’s or student’s files is to only be done with the proper authorization and/or pursuant to assigned duties.
 

Section 3. System Security and Access Controls

Unauthorized Access:  The District uses national standards and industry best practices to secure network and computer systems.  Employees, contractors, and students will not attempt to circumvent technical controls securing District data and systems.

No Account Sharing:  Network accounts are to be used only by the authorized owner of the account for the authorized purpose. Password sharing is not permitted.  Computers or other devices which access District data are not to be left unattended without locking the screen.

Passwords:  Passwords are the primary form of user authentication used to grant access to District information systems. To ensure that passwords provide as much security as possible they must be carefully created and used. Password requirements will be in alignment with industry standards and outlined online at https://www.matsuk12.us/pw. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will be implemented as necessary on certain systems.

Physically Secure and Encrypt Portable Devices: District devices that access District data and systems are to be encrypted when not in use.  Employees and contractors that are issued portable devices will ensure they are not left in areas where they can be easily taken or used without authorization.

 

Section 4. Email

Because of the versatility and ubiquity of email technology, the District recognizes and has established the use of email as an official means of District communication. When using District email, employees, contractors, and students will:     
      

  • The District and its email administrators will not read email unless necessary while performing their job duties, including investigation of inappropriate content or as directed by the Director of Human Resources.
  • Not send or forward email through a District system or network for purposes that violate District policy or for an illegal or criminal purpose.    
  • Use only an official District email account to conduct official District business. The use of personal email accounts to conduct District business or to represent oneself or one’s enterprises on behalf of the District is prohibited.             
  • Not send or forward nuisance email or other online messages such as chain letters or obscene, harassing, offensive, or other unwelcome messages. Such email will be reported immediately to the appropriate District technology official.
  • Not send or forward confidential and/or sensitive information (e.g., information containing Social Security numbers, credit card information, medical records, etc.). If using email, such information should be sent only as an attached password-protected and/or encrypted file.       
  • Contain genuine sender information (i.e., from whom and from where the message originated). Users will not impersonate other users or user groups, real or fabricated, by modifying email header information in an effort to deceive recipients. Email spoofing is strictly prohibited.     
  • Not send or forward potentially damaging email messages (e.g., unsolicited, mass, or commercial messages and/or messages appearing to contain viruses) to intentionally disrupt District operations. In order to prevent the spread of these types of email messages, the District reserves the right to terminate its connection to outside host servers, as well as filter, refuse, and/or discard these messages. 
 
 

Section 5. District Employee Responsibilities Regarding Student Internet Use

Instruct On Internet Safety & Discernment: District employees responsible for classes, programs, or activities involving student Internet access will instruct the students, prior to allowing such access, about Internet safety and appropriate online behavior, including cyberbullying awareness and response and interacting with other individuals on social networking sites, chat rooms, etc. District employees responsible for classes, programs, or activities involving student Internet access will also assist the students in developing skills to discriminate among information sources, to identify information appropriate to their age and developmental levels, and to search, evaluate, and use information appropriate to their educational goals. In addition, employees will monitor online activities of minors, protect minors from visual depictions considered to be obscene and/or child pornography, or with respect to use of District information technology by minors, considered to be harmful to them.
 

Section 6. Hardware, Peripherals, Software, and Programs

Personal Hardware and Software Prohibited: Employees, contractors and students will not connect or otherwise attach any personally owned network equipment, switching, routing or storage device (including but not limited to switches, routers, network hubs, access points, printers, 3D Printers, and network attached storage devices) unless expressly authorized to do so by the appropriate District technology official.
 

Section 7. Confidentiality

Maintain Confidentiality: Employees and contractors will maintain the confidentiality of all student education records and personally identifiable information developed, sent, received, and/or stored through the use of District information technology as required under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Alaska Public Records Act (APRA), and all applicable District policies, regulations, and procedures. Employees and contractors will also maintain the confidentiality of all personnel file information developed, sent, received, and/or stored through the use of District information technology as required under the Alaska Public Records Act (APRA) and all applicable District policies, regulations, and procedures.

No Personnel or Student data on Personal Devices: Confidential student and personnel information will be stored only on District computers. Such confidential information will not be stored on an employee’s or student’s personally owned computer, mobile, or electronic storage device. Such confidential information will not be stored on any electronic transmission or storage technology owned, controlled, or operated by a third party. Employees are subject to rules established by designated District personnel governing the types of student, employee, and volunteer information that may not be downloaded onto District laptop computers, mobile devices, and other portable technology.

No Unauthorized Disclosure: Employees and contractors will ensure confidential student and personnel information is disclosed only to persons and organizations outside the District as authorized by law and by District policies and regulations. Such confidential information may be disclosed within the District only to officials having a legitimate educational or supervisory interest in it. Toward these ends, it is imperative employees and contractors use District information technology correctly and carefully to protect against unauthorized disclosure of confidential student and personnel information.

Instruct on Internet Safety & Discernment: Electronic student education records are subject to inspection by a student’s parent/guardian and by other persons and organizations as provided under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and applicable District policies, regulations, and procedures.

Use Applications Responsibly: When a District approved app is installed on a mobile device, the information in that app still belongs to the District and remains confidential.  A personal passcode should be added to the mobile device to add an additional level of security to the data.  The District maintains the right to exclude users from the use of the app in the event that they abuse the app and the data contained in it.  The District also maintains our legal right against potential abusers of the app and data.

 

Section 8. Protecting Data and Systems

Use Network Storage: All employees, contractors, and students will do their best to ensure all software or data is virus-free before it is installed or loaded on a District computer system. Any detection of a software virus will be reported immediately to the IT Department. Lastly, employees and contractors are strongly encouraged to store their data on a network file share as opposed to a computer. Data on network file shares are backed up and protected by the IT Department and thus reduces the potential for lost, stolen or otherwise compromised data. 
 

Section 9. Online Assessments

Student assessments may be conducted using District technologies such as the Internet or audience response systems. Privacy and security, as defined above, along with confidentiality of assessment responses, are expected.
 

Section 10. Vandalism

Any intentional act by a student that damages District technology hardware, software, operating systems, and/or data will be considered vandalism and will be subject to school rules and disciplinary procedures. Any intentional act requiring a person’s time to repair, replace, or perform corrective work on District technologies or data will also be considered vandalism.
 

Section 11. Prohibited Uses

Employees and contractors will not use District information technology to generate, send, receive, or store communications, documents, data, software, or other information:                              

  • Containing sexually oriented content or pornography, in either written or visual form, that may be reasonably perceived as having the purpose or effect of stimulating erotic feelings or appealing to prurient interests;             
  • Directing profanity, obscenities, or vulgar language toward another person or classification of persons;            
  • Promoting violence or advocating unlawful acts;             
  • Concerning the purchase or manufacture of weapons, controlled substances, or items unlawful to acquire and/or own;
  • Harassing, threatening, or promoting violence against another person or classification of persons;               
  • Concerning the commercial purchase or sale of goods and/or services, or any commercial transaction or advertising related to the employee’s personal interests or profit;                                
  • Constituting plagiarism;                  
  • Defaming another person or classification of persons;                        
  • Violating another person’s confidentiality, or disclosing information about which another person has a reasonable expectation of privacy;                        
  • Involving impersonation or electronic transmission through an anonymous remailer;
  • Involving unauthorized access to District computers, computer files, email accounts, email files, or Internet sites, including social media;                       
  • Involving unauthorized use or downloading of software, files, or data;                     
  • Violating federal, state, and/or local laws, including but not limited to criminal law and trademark, copyright, or patent law;                             
  • Violating District policies, regulations, and/or procedures;                                    
  • Interfering with the normal operation or use of District computers, email, or Internet access, or otherwise disrupting District operations;                                 
  • Interfering with a school’s ability to provide educational opportunities to students.
 

Section 12. Misuse

Data misuse is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another user or any other agencies or networks that are connected to the system; to gain access or attempt to gain access to unauthorized systems; or to access inappropriate materials from school or District computers.

Misuse of personal or District technology resources while on or near school property, in school vehicles, and/or at school-sponsored activities, as well as the use of District technology resources via off-campus remote access may result in disciplinary action.

Attempts to bypass the District’s internet filtering software is prohibited.

 

Section 13. Reliability and Limitation of Liability

Use at Own Risk – No Warranty:  The District makes no warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, for the technology resources it provides to students. The District will not be responsible for any damages suffered by the student, including those arising from non-deliveries, mis deliveries, service interruptions, unauthorized use, loss of data, and/or exposure to potentially harmful or inappropriate material or people. Use of any information obtained via the Internet or via District communications technologies is at the student’s own risk. The District specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through the Internet, including social media and social networking sites. The student and his or her parent/guardian will indemnify and hold the District harmless from any losses sustained as the result of misuse by the student of the District’s technology resources.
 

Section 14. Account Access, Deletion, and Data Retention Policy

 

Employee, substitute, and student accounts are rendered inactive and deleted upon separation from the District according to the following schedule:

Employees/Contractors:

Inactive: One (1) day

Deleted:  One (1) year

(Exception: substitute account deletion maybe less than 1 year)

Students

Inactive: Five (5) days

Deleted:  Ninety (90) days

Account deletion includes email, network folder, and access to instruction software applications including, but not limited to, Google Docs, etc.

At District discretion, account data may be stored for five (5) years from the date received in the system.

 It is the responsibility of the employee to save any personal electronic files or data stored on District systems prior to the separation date. Access to personal electronic files or data will not be provided/guaranteed after the last date of employment unless the individual has a valid active affiliation.

 

Section 15. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI systems may be used for academics, business needs, and to further the District’s mission within the following guidelines:

In Compliance with Laws:  Use will not violate District policy federal, state, tribal, and local laws.

Humans Involved in Automated Decision Making:  AI will not be permitted to make decisions without review by a human.

Humans Involved in Automated Actions Impacting the Public:  AI will not be permitted to take automated actions without human oversight.

Honesty:  No use of AI to generate content with the intent to deceive. This includes but is not limited to:

  • Misrepresentation of AI content as that generated by a human
  • Manipulating opinions with inauthentic behavior -- failing to disclose affiliations or conflicts of interest.
  • Present as authentic, create/fabricate, or distribute false digital media to sway persons toward specific interests or agendas, including but not limited to deepfakes.
  • Plagiarism or academic dishonesty.

Public Information Only:  Personally identifiable information and organizational information will not be entered into AI systems or its user prompts.

Licensed Professional Advice:  AI will not be used to generate individualized advice that in the ordinary course of business would be provided by a licensed professional.  This includes legal, financial, and psychological.

Predicting Protected Characteristics:  AI will not be used to explicitly predict protected characteristics (e.g., race, religion, age, political affiliation etc.).

The District will identify AI resources and notify the public before directing them to an AI systems.

 


Section 16. Consequences for Policy Violation

Employee: Any employee or contractor who violates this regulation and/or corresponding policies and procedures may have their system access privileges suspended and will be subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment or contract, and/or may lead to possible legal referral.

Students: Student use of District technologies may be suspended or restricted at any time with or without cause. Disciplinary action up to and including expulsion, and/or may lead to possible legal referral.

Furthermore, intentional unauthorized access and/or damage to networks, servers, user accounts, passwords, or other District resources may be punishable under local, state, and/or federal law.

A school may temporarily hold, pending parental or same-day pickup, personal mobile devices that are used inappropriately.

 
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