School - Academics - Technology

Technology

St. Mary of Gostyn Parish has a local area network that includes five buildings and connects the main school building as well as the Learning Resource Center to the server. Sonic Wall enables us to block any websites that are inappropriate for all users on our network. An additional content filter, OpenDNS, is used as a supplemental tool to ensure our children's safety. All parish workers are under the same restrictive policies as our children.

We have three computer labs for student use: 15 networked computers in the LRC with a presentation laptop and a LCD projector for instruction, 3 networked computers in the library area of the LRC for library catalog searching, and 60 IBM Thinkpad laptops for classroom use. The laptops are checked out by teachers for curriculum integration. In all, we have over 120 computers in our school which have access to the Internet.

Students become proficient at logging onto the network, saving files to it, and sharing files in various network locations. All Microsoft software is used for various projects within the curriculum. All work generated on our school computers is integrated within the curriculum. The computers are tools for learning which enable our students to become independent learners in a technological world.

Students have access to the school library and the Internet from their classrooms. Keyboarding is encouraged and practiced in Technology in grades 1-8. The Internet is used for educational research. All teachers have a Teacher webpage and use this for website links that students use in class as well as at home. Parents and students must sign the Joliet Diocese Internet User Policy before students are allowed to go on the Internet each year.

Full day Kindergarten students have an introduction to Technology class. Students in grades 1 & 2 take Computer/Reading and students in grades 3-8 take Computer class for a full year. Starting in grade 6 the grade is counted toward a student's eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities/sports.

We also added interactive Technology to our school's media. Eno boards, interactive whiteboards, are used to enhance the curriculum. Smart Technology airliners, which are slates that connect to the classroom computer via Bluetooth communication signal, are used to engage the students. A wireless mouse is used to navigate the screen.

Parents receive communication from the school electronically via email and also the web pages. For Grades 6, 7, 8 can see weekly grades online using Edline . Grades are updated twice each week.

Academic Information
The curriculum stresses achievement within a Catholic community. The Diocesan curricular guidelines, consistent with the Illinois guidelines, are followed.

Internet User Policy

Each student is required by the Diocese of Joliet to have a signed Internet User Policy on file at St. Mary of Gostyn School. It is required that each student and parent sign the form. A copy of the policy is shown below---

DIOCESE OF JOLIET CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE STUDENT AGREEMENT FOR INTERNET ACCESS AND RELATED TECHNOLOGY USE

The Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Joliet and the Parish School, St. Mary of Gostyn School, support the use of technology in the instructional program through individual computer workstations, notebooks/tablets, lab networks, school‐wide networks, school owned handheld devices, the Internet, including Web 2.0 tools(sometimes collectively referred to as "Technology Resources"), as a means to n. facilitate learning and teaching through communication, access to information, research and collaboration.

All uses of Technology Resources shall be for educational purposes only, and will be consistent with the Diocesan and School’s goal of promoting academic excellence as defined in the respective mission and philosophy statements.

The Parents/Guardians of student users of Technology Resources must agree to and accept the Terms and Conditions below before their children will be granted access to the Technology Resources within the School. Student users must also agree to and acknowledge the Terms and Conditions below. Both the Parent/Guardian and Student user acknowledge that the Code of Conduct herein also applies to privately owned electronic devices, including, but not limited to cell phones and other handheld devices, laptops or desktop computers and notebooks/tablets ("Privately Owned Devices").

The failure of any user to follow the terms and conditions of this Agreement may result in the loss of n and/or legal action. privileges, disciplinary action.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Acceptable Use

The Diocese and Parish School will make reasonable efforts to ensure that technology is used in a responsible, moral and ethical manner consistent with the educational and moral objectives of the Diocese and School.

Responsibility

School administrators, teachers and staff work together to help students develop the intellectual skills necessary to discriminate among information sources, to identify information appropriate to their age and developmental levels, and to evaluate and use the information to meet their educational goals. However, there is an enormous range of material available on the Internet, some of which may not be fitting with the particular values of a students’ family. It is not practically possible for the Diocese and School to monitor and enforce a wide array of social and religious values in student use of the Internet. Therefore, the Diocese and School recognize parents as primary educators of their children and the need for them to be involved in instructing their children as to what material is and is not acceptable for access and communication through the School network system.

The students, teachers and staff have the responsibility to respect and protect the rights of every Tother user in the School and on the Internet.

The Principal or Pastor has the authority to determine what constitutes inappropriate use and his/her decision is final.

2. Code of Conduct

Students are expected to act in a responsible, ethical and moral manner, use the accepted rules of network etiquette and follow federal and state law as well as the terms of this Agreement. Outside of School, it is expected that families bear the same responsibility for such guidance of their child(ren). The Principal has the right to intercede when the Parish, School, their employees, volunteers, Administration or students are affected by the inappropriate use of Technology Resources or Privately Owned Devices which are governed by the terms of this agreement including, but not limited to the following:

a. All users are to be polite and use appropriate language. Students using blogs are expected to treat blog spaces as classroom spaces. Speech that is inappropriate for class is not appropriate for blogging. While we encourage students to engage in debate and conversation with other bloggers, we also expect that they will conduct themselves in a manner reflective of representatives of this School.

b. No inappropriate, obscene, or pornographic pictures or drawing are to be downloaded, displayed, printed, or communicated through any electronic or handheld device.

c. No School related picture, video, or other digital images of students, School employees, volunteers and/or School related activities are to be uploaded to any site on the Internet, including video sharing sites, such as You Tube, without the expressed permission of the Principal or Principal’s designee.

d. No offensive, harassing or threatening remarks or comments related to another student, teacher, administrator, employee or volunteer of the School or Parish are to be placed on the Internet, personal websites, blogging sites, social networking sites, or sent via texting, instant messaging, email or on handheld devices.

e. Cyber bullying is not tolerated. No student shall participate in communication that spreads hate, or discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or disability.

f. No students shall transmit any material that is derogatory or defamatory or which is intended to offend, annoy, harass or intimidate or has the effect of offending, annoying, harassing or intimidating another person or persons through Technology Resources or Privately Owned Devices.

g. No student shall upload, download, copy, forward or transmit any copyrighted material or any portion of such copyrighted materials, including, but not limited to music, video, photographs, teacher. pictures, pamphlets, books, newspaper or magazine articles without the permission of the teacher.

h. No offensive, derogatory or defamatory letters, essays, papers, email or other written documents are to be uploaded, downloaded, forwarded, copied, transmitted, displayed, printed or communicated.

i. The use of the School network shall not disrupt the work of other users and this includes, but not limited to disrupting the School network’s performance, deleting or altering files or destroying data by downloading or spreading viruses and/or worms.

j. The personal address, phone number or social security number of any student, administrator, teacher, volunteer or staff member is not to be used in email or on the Internet.

k. The School network may not be used for the purchase of any type of merchandise, services, copying of copyrighted material or to send material or communication likely objectionable to the recipients.

l. At School, no user shall be involved in or participate in, chat rooms, blogs or discussion groups without the express permission and/or supervision of the teacher/system administrator.

m. No student shall post or send defamatory comments regarding the Diocese, School, administration, faculty, staff, or other students comments or materials that could damage the reputation of the Diocese, School administration, faculty, staff or other students.

n. No student shall install any software, games, files or other electronic media on school equipment or network, without the permission of the teacher/IT administrator or IT staff.

o. No student shall use or disclose someone else’s code or password without authorization.

4. Safety

Reasonable efforts will be made to protect users of the network from harassment, unwanted and unsolicited communication. Any network users who receive threatening or unwelcome communication shall immediately bring this to the attention of a teacher or Principal.

5. Internet Filtering

The school will use technology protection measures in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act(CIPA) to protect minors and all users against access through such computers to visual depictions that are violent, obscene, constitute child pornography, or are otherwise armful to minors.

6. Privacy

The user does not have any right of privacy or ownership whatsoever in relation to his/her use of the School network and/or email. Consequently, all electronic and telephone communication systems and all communication and information transmitted by, received from, or stored in any manner are the property of the Parish, School or Diocese and are to be used for educational purposes only.

To ensure that the use of the network is consistent with the educational objectives and philosophy of the School, Parish, and Diocese, authorized representatives may monitor the use of the network from time to time, which may include the printing and reading of all information stored, and all emails entering, leaving or stored and all files created and saved in the system. The system administrator (Principal or designee, Pastor) may remove any material stored by the users which violates the terms of this Agreement.

7. Consequences for Inappropriate Use

The School network user shall be responsible for damages to equipment, systems, and software resulting from deliberate and willful acts or installation of unapproved software and/or files. Illegal use of the School network, intentional deletion or damage to files or data belonging to others, copyright violations or theft of services will be reported to the appropriate authority and will be deemed a failure to follow the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

If a user mistakenly accesses inappropriate information, the user shall immediately inform the the teacher or adult supervisor.

8. Web Pages

The School may choose to publish Web Pages for purposes of providing School or Parish information and teacher or class information. This may include the posting of meetings, agendas, student activities, projects and accomplishments, schedules and other information of interest to students, parents and the community. Classrooms may participate in the development of webpages as on‐going educational projects. The posting of any material that may violate copyright law is expressly prohibited.

Disclosure of student information on the School website will be limited to first name and last initial. Photographs or video of students may be posted on the school website; however, no photograph or video of any student will be captioned with the student’s name, or identify the student by name in any other manner. No image of a student may be posted in such a way that the image of that student may be matched up with the student’s name.

The principal or his/her designee shall monitor school web publications.

9. Handheld Devices

The use of hand‐held devices for educational purposes is limited solely to those devices approved by or distributed by the School. All rules of conduct shall apply. The beaming of information that is considered threatening, unwelcome or inappropriate shall be reported to the teacher or dult supervisor immediately.

10. Personal Electronic or Cellular Devices

Students may not carry Privately Owned Devices with them during School hours unless special permission is granted by the Principal or his/her designee. Privately Owned Devices otherwise stored in student lockers must be turned off. These items include, but are not limited to: cell phones, pagers, Mp3 players, IPods, cameras/video recorders, laptops, notebooks/tablets and all other handheld (which exception to those covered in #9 of this agreement).

11. Indemnification

The user’s parent/guardian hereby agrees to indemnify the School/Parish/Diocese for any losses, costs, or damages, including attorney fees, incurred by the School, Parish, or Diocese relating to or arising out of the breach of, or the enforcement of this Agreement or the School/Parish/Diocese enforcement thereof.

12. Financial Obligations

The student, parent, guardian, agrees to be responsible for any financial obligation incurred through the use of the School network that is contrary to the terms of this Agreement.

13. Limitation of Liability The School/Parish/Diocese makes no guarantee that functions and services provided by the School’s computer system and network will be error free or without any defect. The School/Parish/ Diocese have no responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through the use of the School network or for any damages users suffer.

Rev. 3/2010

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