JERICHO UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

INTERNET USE AGREEMENT

Internet access is now available to students and teachers in the Jericho Union Free School District. The school district is very pleased to provide this service and believes that the Internet offers vast, diverse, and unique resources for both students and teachers. Our goal in providing this service to teachers and students is to promote educational excellence in schools by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication.

The Internet is an electronic highway connecting millions of computers all over the world and millions of individual subscribers. The key concept underlying the Internet is interconnection - something that will allow administrators, teachers, and students to access an unparalleled array of communication and information resources. Students and teachers have access to general Internet tools including, but not limited to: electronic mail (e-mail), listservs, usenet news, file transfer protocol (ftp), telnet, gopher, and the world wide web (www). These Internet access tools enable students and teachers to:

- communicate with people all over the world;

- access information and news from other institutions; - retrieve public domain software and shareware of all types;

- join discussion groups on many topics;

- access many Library Catalogs, including The Library of Congress.

With access to computers and people all over the world also comes the availability of material that may not be considered to be of educational value in the context of the school setting. The Jericho UFSD has taken precautions to restrict access to inappropriate materials. However, on a global network it is impossible to control all materials and an industrious user may gain access to inappropriate information.

Internet access is coordinated through a complex association of government agencies, and regional and state networks. In addition, the smooth operation of the network relies upon the proper conduct of the end users who must adhere to strict guidelines. The following guidelines are provided so that you are aware of the responsibilities you are about to assume. In general, this requires efficient, ethical, and legal utilization of network resources. If a school district user violates any of these provisions, his or her account will be terminated and future access may be denied. The signatures at the end of this document are legally binding and indicate the parties who signed have read the terms and conditions carefully and understand their significance.

Internet - Terms and Conditions

1) Acceptable Use

The purpose of the Internet is to support research and education in and among academic institutions in the U.S. by providing access to unique resources and the opportunity for collaborative work. The use of your account must be in support of education and research and consistent with the educational objectives of the school district. Use of another organization's network or computing resources must comply with the rules appropriate for the network. Transmission of any material in violation of any U.S. or state regulation is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to: copyrighted material; threatening or obscene material; expressions of bigotry, racism, or hate; or material protected by trade secret. Use for commercial activities is not acceptable. Use for product advertisement or political lobbying is also prohibited.

2) Privileges

The use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in immediate cancellation of those privileges. Each student who receives an account will be responsible for that account and its usage. Therefore, under no circumstances should your account be shared with anyone other than the school district Internet coordinator. Also, each participating student will be required to attend an orientation session with a school district faculty member regarding the proper use of the network. The school district retains sole and unreviewable discretion to determine appropriate use; its decisions shall be final. The school district retains the sole right to immediately cancel any account at any time due to breach of any part of this agreement and to thereupon terminate the user's rights thereunder.

3) Network Etiquette

You are expected to abide by accepted rules of network etiquette. These include, but are not limited to the following: a. Be polite. Do not become abusive in your messages to others. b. Use appropriate language. Do not swear, use vulgarities or any other inappropriate language. c. Illegal activities are strictly forbidden. d. Do not reveal your personal address or the phone number of students or colleagues. e. Note that electronic mail (e-mail) is not guaranteed to be private. People who operate the system do have access to all mail you send and receive. Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities may be reported to the authorities. Messages may be reviewed by the system administration to insure appropriate use. f. Do not use the network in such a way that you would disrupt the use of the network by other users. g. All communications and information accessible via the network should be assumed to be private property.

4) Warranties

The school district makes no warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, for the service it is providing hereunder. The school district will not be responsible for any damages you may suffer. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, nondeliveries, mis-deliveries, or service interruptions caused by its own negligence or your errors or omissions. Use of any information obtained via the Internet is at your own risk. The school district specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its services.

5) Security

Security on any computer system is a high priority, especially when the system involves many users. If you feel you can identify a security problem on the Internet, you must notify the school district Internet coordinator immediately. Do not demonstrate the problem to other users. Attempts to log on to the Internet as system administrator will result in cancellation of user privileges. Any user identified as a security risk or having a history of problems with other computer systems may be denied access to the Internet through the school district. In no event shall the school district be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages or lost profits arising out of or related to this agreement, the performance or breach thereof, or the accuracy or correctness of data or the information contained herein, even if the school district has been advised of the possibility thereof. In no event shall the school district be liable for any damages resulting from or related to any failure or delay of the school district in providing access under this agreement or to the accuracy or correctness of the date or the information contained therein.

6) Vandalism

Vandalism will result in cancellation of privileges. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harass or destroy data or functionality of the school district computers or network, data of another user, data or functionality of the Internet or any of the above listed agencies or other networks that are connected to the Internet. This includes, but is not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses.