Handbooks

Users are reminded that technology can be a powerful tool. While it can open a window to the world and act as a  catalyst for human creativity, communication and 21st century skills, it can also be a distraction if not used  mindfully. Parents and students should discuss guidelines for computer and internet use at home and students should  strive to use the technology at their disposal responsibly. Users are encouraged to exercise self-control, practice  effective time management, discern the advantages and disadvantages of multi-tasking, use caution when social  networking and intentionally monitor their own temptation to use technology as a distraction.  

This policy applies to the use of information, electronic and computing devices, audio-visual, portable devices and  network and server resources to conduct Saint Thomas Academy business or interact with internal networks and  business systems, whether owned or leased by Saint Thomas Academy, the employee, or a third party. All users at  Saint Thomas Academy and its subsidiaries are responsible for exercising good judgment regarding appropriate use of  information, electronic devices, and network and server resources in accordance with Saint Thomas Academy policies,  standards, and local laws and regulation. This policy applies to all technology users at Saint Thomas Academy.

Because of the rapid rate of change in technology, the Saint Thomas Academy administration shall conduct an annual  review of the policy and recommend changes as necessary. 

● Users are responsible for exercising good judgment regarding the reasonableness of personal use and if there  is any uncertainty, users should consult Saint Thomas Academy faculty or Saint Thomas Academy  Information Technology Department. 

● The primary purpose of providing users of Saint Thomas Academy with access to the school’s technology  system, including Internet access, is for education and business. 

● The system may be used for classroom and professional activities. Users of the Saint Thomas Academy  technology system including the Internet are expected to further educational and professional goals  consistent with the mission of the school and school policies. Uses, which might be acceptable on a user’s  private personal account on another system, may not be cyber acceptable on this limited-purpose network. 

● For security and network maintenance purposes, authorized individuals within Saint Thomas Academy may  monitor equipment, systems and network traffic at any time, per Saint Thomas Academy Technology  requirements. 

● Saint Thomas Academy reserves the right to audit networks and systems on a periodic basis to ensure  compliance with this policy. 

● Compliance with teacher directions and instructions is an expectation in every classroom, in the hallways,  gathering areas, Anderson Learning Commons, and computer lab areas. 

● Saint Thomas Academy Middle School and 9th grade users do not own the equipment they are issued or have  any right to use it except as permitted in this policy, the Technology AUP. 

● Saint Thomas Academy students should understand that their teacher is the manager of their  computer/device use in the classroom. 

● Students will only use their computers when their teacher instructs them to do so. 

● Each student will have their computer battery fully charged for each day of school in order to properly  participate in the curriculum. 

● Students should not have screens on or open without their teacher’s permission and will be used in the  classroom at the teacher’s discretion. 

● When computers are in use during the school day, students are expected to be working on class-work and  assignments. 

● Students will lock their computers or other devices in their athletic lockers during practice or home games.  Bringing a computer to an away game or event is not recommended. 

● Users will take care of Saint Thomas Academy technology equipment. 

● Food and drink are not allowed in the Anderson Learning Commons or computer labs.

● Users will keep assigned computers away from food and liquids, or any other potential hazards (high, uneven  or dangerous surfaces, weather, etc.) at all times.

● Always carry or move computers with the screen fully closed and/or in its case, bag, or backpack.

● Never carry a computer by its screen or fully flattened (open) as screen damage can occur.

● Saint Thomas Academy hardware asset tags, labels and original manufacturer model and serial number tags  will remain on all equipment and not be removed. 

The school-issued computers issued to Middle School and 9th grade students need to be kept in good working order  and condition. While normal wear and tear is expected, any excessive or repeated major damage will be charged to the  family. Negligence is not excused. Damage should be reported to the Information Technology Department  immediately. Major damage includes but is not limited to: drops which result in a shattered screen, broken body, or  other cracked components, spills which can damage the motherboard, keyboard or screen. Families may be held  responsible for damage and replacement cost of the device issued to their student. 

● Cameras should not be on or used during the school day. 

● Using cameras and video filming in the classroom is allowed only with teacher’s permission.

● Cameras/video cameras are not allowed in locker rooms and any room where privacy is an expectation. Cameras  on computers are not allowed to be turned on in locker rooms. 

● Students are not allowed to secretly take pictures or video of students or staff on campus or at school-sponsored  events 

● Students are allowed to be in possession of their cellular phone. 

● School administrators will confiscate and search text-messages, call logs, email messages, and voicemail messages  if they have reason to believe a student has used a cell phone for a prohibited purpose or that such a search would  produce evidence of misconduct. 

● Any cell phones used during tests, formal assessments or exams will be confiscated and the use will automatically  be regarded as cheating. 

● Wearable technology is permitted at the discretion of the teacher. 

● If a teacher does not permit wearable technology in the classroom, it may be confiscated and turned in to the  Dean of Students or Director of Technology. 

● It is the expectation that an Upper School student has a fully functional, charged laptop computer in his  possession every day. 

● If a Saint Thomas Academy owned computer is lost or stolen, the following four steps must be completed before  the student will be supplied with a replacement computer. 

● Notify the Information Technology Department immediately 

● A police report must be filed

● A replacement fee must be paid to the Technology Office. Once the replacement fee is paid, the student will be  issued a replacement computer like for like in functionality, appearance, warranty, and software. 

All Saint Thomas Academy students and staff are issued a unique school email account. The purpose of the account is  to better connect students and their teachers and to give users the necessary tools to conduct school business. The  expectation is that users will use this account for academic and business purposes. Email may also be used for  communication for educational purposes. Saint Thomas Academy will exercise its right to archive, inspect, and  monitor email as it deems fit. 

When using school resources, such as email, to access the Internet, users must realize they represent Saint Thomas  Academy. Users should treat any electronic communications as formal communications, since they may be  permanently stored at the server side, even if deleted from the user’s account/inbox or computer, and because these  communications are not protected from discovery in litigation. 

The following are prohibited: 

● Sending unsolicited email messages, including the sending of "junk mail" or other advertising material to individuals  who did not specifically request such material (email spam). 

● Distributing any unwanted material or sending messages to unwilling recipients. 

● Any form of harassment via email, telephone, SMS, Instant Messaging, or paging, whether through language,  frequency, or size of messages. 

● Unauthorized use, or forging, of email header information. 

● Solicitation of email for any other email address, other than that of the poster's account, with the intent to harass  or to collect replies. 

● Creating or forwarding "chain letters", "Ponzi" or other "pyramid" schemes of any type.

● Use of unsolicited email originating from within Saint Thomas Academy’s networks of other  Internet/Intranet/Extranet service providers on behalf of, or to advertise, any service hosted by Saint Thomas  Academy or connected via STA’s network. 

● Posting the same or similar non-school-related messages to large numbers of internet forums, newsgroups, or  social media sites. 

● Posting, emailing, texting, or transmitting content that violates any current school policies regarding student  behavior or Internet use. 

● Bullying or harassing using the email system, Saint Thomas Academy Technology, or the Internet ● Sending obscene, inflammatory, or degrading images or language 

● Sharing another user’s email address without permission 

● Distributing private communications without permission of all parties. 

● Email content containing inappropriate language, subject matter or content 

● Communication to faculty, staff, and coaches that is not in a formal, respectful and constructive tone 1. Social Media, Blogging and Vlogging 

● Saint Thomas Academy’s Acceptable Use Policy also applies to social media, blogging and vlogging. As such,  users are prohibited from revealing any Saint Thomas Academy confidential or proprietary information, trade  secrets or any other material covered by this policy when engaged in social media and blogging away from  campus.

● Users may also not attribute personal statements, opinions or beliefs to Saint Thomas Academy when  engaged in social media, blogging and vlogging. 

● Apart from following all laws pertaining to the handling and disclosure of copyrighted or export controlled  materials, Saint Thomas Academy trademarks, logos and any other Saint Thomas Academy intellectual  property may also not be used in connection with any social media, blogging or vlogging activity. 

The following activities are prohibited: 

Under no circumstances is a Saint Thomas Academy technology user authorized to engage in any activity that is illegal  under local, state, federal or international law while utilizing Saint Thomas Academy -owned resources. 

The list below is by no means exhaustive but an attempt to provide a framework for activities which fall into the  category of unacceptable use. 

● Violations of the rights of any person or company protected by copyright, trade secret, patent or other intellectual  property, or similar laws or regulations, including, but not limited to, the installation or distribution of "pirated" or  other software products that are not appropriately licensed for use by Saint Thomas Academy. 

● Unauthorized copying of copyrighted material including, but not limited to, digitization and distribution of  photographs from magazines, books or other copyrighted sources, copyrighted music, and the installation of any  copyrighted software for which Saint Thomas Academy or the end user does not have an active license is strictly  prohibited. 

● Accessing data, a server or an account for any purpose other than conducting Saint Thomas Academy school  business, even if you have authorized access, is prohibited. 

● Exporting software, technical information, encryption software or technology, in violation of international or  regional export control laws, is illegal. The appropriate management should be consulted prior to export of any  material that is in question. 

● Introduction of malicious programs into the network or server (e.g., viruses, worms, Trojan horses, email bombs,  etc.). 

● Revealing your account password to others or allowing use of your account by others. 

● Using network, computer, email, or other Saint Thomas Academy Technology accounts to which the user is not  specifically given access. 

● Using a Saint Thomas Academy computing or technology asset to actively engage in procuring or transmitting  material that is in violation of sexual harassment or hostile workplace laws in the user's local jurisdiction.

● Making fraudulent offers of products, items, or services originating from any Saint Thomas Academy account.

● Making statements about warranty, expressly or implied, unless it is a part of normal job duties.

● Effecting security breaches or disruptions of network communication. Security breaches include, but are not  limited to, accessing data of which the employee is not an intended recipient or logging into a server or account  that the employee is not expressly authorized to access, unless these duties are within the scope of regular duties.  For purposes of this section, "disruption" includes, but is not limited to, network sniffing, pinged floods, packet  spoofing, denial of service, and forged routing information for malicious purposes. Port scanning or security  scanning is expressly prohibited. 

● Executing any form of network monitoring which will intercept data not intended for the employee's host, unless  this activity is a part of the employee's normal job/duty. 

● Circumventing user authentication or security of any host, network or account.

● Introducing honeypots, honeynets, or similar technology on the Saint Thomas Academy network.

● Interfering with or denying service to any user other than the employee's host (for example, denial of service  attack). 

● Using any program/script/command, or sending messages of any kind, with the intent to interfere with, or disable,  a user's terminal session, via any means, locally or via the Internet/Intranet/Extranet. 

● Providing information about, or lists of, Saint Thomas Academy students or employees to parties outside Saint  Thomas Academy unless given specific instruction and permission to do so. 

● Commercial use of Saint Thomas Academy’s Technology/computer system. 

● Using Saint Thomas Academy systems to post, transmit or distribute false or defamatory information about a  person or organization; to harass another person; or to engage in personal attacks, any form of cyberbullying,  including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks. 

● Using Saint Thomas Academy’s system to vandalize, damage or disable the property of another person or  organization; tamper with, modify or change the school system software, hardware or wiring; take any action to  violate the school system’s security; 

● Using Saint Thomas Academy Technology to gain unauthorized access to information resources, or to access  another person’s materials, information or files without the implied or direct permission of that person.

● Modifying Saint Thomas Academy baseline hardware or software configuration without expressed consent from  the technology department staff. 

● Being neglectful of Saint Thomas Academy Information Technology equipment and hardware (including  computers, multimedia, Smart Boards, televisions, Apple TVs, digital projection systems and school  infrastructure). Users may be liable for any damage. 

● Use of tunneling, VPN, or proxy software, services, or sites to bypass Saint Thomas Academy’s wireless internet.

● Using Saint Thomas Academy’s technology system to access, review, upload, download, store, print, post,  transmit, receive or distribute: 

● pornographic, obscene or sexually-explicit material 

● obscene, abusive, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening, disrespectful or sexually explicit language 

● materials that use language or images that are inappropriate in the educational setting or disruptive to the educational process 

● information or materials that could cause damage, danger or disruption to the educational process

● materials that use language or images that advocate violence or discrimination toward other people  (hate literature) or that may constitute harassment or discrimination. 

The Saint Thomas Academy Information Technology Department will verify compliance to this policy through various  methods, including but not limited to, business tool reports, internal and external audits, and feedback to the policy owner. 

Any exception to the policy must be approved by the Saint Thomas Academy Information Technology Department and/or Saint Thomas Academy Administration in advance.

Any user found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including suspension or  expulsion. Depending on the nature and degree of the violation and the number of previous violations, unacceptable  use of the school technology systems or the Internet may result in one or more of the following consequences:  cancellation of use or access privileges; removal or equipment from the user’s possession; payment for damages and  repairs; discipline under other appropriate school policies, including suspension or expulsion. 

If a user inadvertently accesses unacceptable materials or an unacceptable Internet site, the user shall immediately exit  that site and disclose the action to an appropriate school official. This disclosure may serve as a defense against an  allegation that the user has intentionally violated this policy The school’s supervisory personnel have the right to curtail or terminate usage in any given situation at their discretion.

● Students who access blocked sites through tunneling, VPN, or proxy software or services may lose computer  privileges. 

● In order to regain access, a parent or guardian and the student must meet with the Dean of Students to request  reinstatement. 

● If a staff member discovers a computer unattended, the device will be taken to the Director of Technology,  Director of Middle School or Dean of Students. 

● Students who are observed using computers for non-sanctioned activities will lose computer privileges for that  day, and the device will be given to the Director of Technology or Dean of Students. 

● Students who repeatedly violate the Technology AUP will face suspension. 

● Saint Thomas Academy’s computer system, school-owned cellular telephones, personal electronic devices (e.g.  tablet computers, iPads, notebooks, smartphones, etc.), smart televisions and other computers are Saint Thomas  Academy property. By authorizing use of the school system or above-mentioned devices, Saint Thomas Academy  does not relinquish control of materials on the system or contained in files on the system. Users should expect no  privacy in the contents of personal files or emails created, stored, sent, or received using the school system, or a  school-owned cell phone, or electronic device. 

● The school reserves the right to monitor any user’s email, Internet usage, and computer files for business and/or  educational purposes. Such purposes may include, but are not limited to, general management of the system;  monitoring performance or productivity; or security (preventing a suspected adverse impact on the school, its students, or its employees; and/or investigating possible violations of this or other school policies). A user of the  school’s system is considered to have given consent to such monitoring. Maintenance and monitoring of the school  system may lead to a discovery that a user has violated this policy, another school policy, or the law. 

● Parents/legal guardians have the right at any time to investigate or review the contents of their student’s files.

● The school will cooperate fully with local, state and federal authorities in any investigation concerning or related to  any illegal activities not in compliance with school policies conducted through the school’s computer system. 

Use of Saint Thomas Academy computer system and network are at the user’s own risk. The system is provided on an  “as is, as available” basis. The school will not be responsible for any damage users may suffer including, but not limited  to, loss, damage or unavailability of data stored on school tapes, hard drives, or servers (third party or Saint Thomas  Academy owned), or for delays, changes, or quality of service of information or materials, regardless of the cause. The  school is not responsible for the accuracy or quality of any advice or information obtained through or stored in school  Technology systems. The school will not be responsible for financial obligations arising through unauthorized use of the  school Technology systems or the Internet. 

Outside of school, parents bear responsibility for proper guidance of Technology and Internet use as they exercise with information sources such as online streaming services, television, telephones, radio, movies and other possibly offensive  media. If the student is accessing the school system from home or another remote location, parents are responsible for  monitoring their student’s use of the Saint Thomas Academy devices, computer system and of the Internet.