Educationalists believe in the benefits of curriculum-based internet use. The purpose of the Internet Acceptable Usage Policy is to ensure that pupils will benefit from learning opportunities offered by the school’s internet resources, and will be protected from harmful and illegal use of the Internet.
Divine Mercy SNS employs a number of strategies to maximise learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet.
These strategies are as follows:
- Acceptable Usage Policy (AUP)
2. Filtering/Monitoring
Sanctions
If a pupil deliberately misuses the internet or email, this will result in disciplinary action, including the withdrawal of access privileges. Parents/guardians will receive written notification of misuse by a pupil.
Internet
- Internet will be used for educational purposes only
- Internet sessions will always be supervised by a teacher
- Pupils will seek permission before entering any Internet site, unless previously approved by a teacher
- Filtering software will be used to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material
- The school will regularly monitor pupils’ internet usage . Teachers will be made aware of internet safety issues.
- Uploading and downloading of non-approved material is banned
- Virus protection software will be used and updated on a regular basis
- The use of personal external storage devices in school is not permitted .
- Email will be used for educational purposes only
- Students will only use approved class email accounts under supervision by or permission from a teacher
- Pupils will not send or receive any material that is illegal, obscene, defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate another person
- Pupils will not send text messages to or from school email
- Pupils will not reveal their own or other people’s personal details e.g. addresses, telephone numbers, or pictures via school email
- Pupils will never arrange to meet someone via school email
- Sending or receiving email attachments is subject to teacher permission.
Internet Chat
Students are not permitted to use internet chat rooms.
School Website
- Designated teachers will manage the publication of material on the school website.
- Personal pupil information, home addresses and contact details will not be published on the school website
- Class lists will not be published
- Pupils’ full names will not be published beside their photograph
- Digital photographs, video clips and audio clips will focus on groups and group activities rather than on individual pupils
- Pupils will be given an opportunity to publish projects, artwork or school work on the school website
- Teachers will select work to be published and decide on the appropriateness of such
- Permission to publish a student’s may be sought from pupils/ parents/ guardians. This permission may be withdrawn at any time.
- Pupils will continue to own the copyright on any work published.
Filtering
‘Filtering’ is a term used to describe a way of limiting the content of web pages, emails, chat rooms and other electronic data to which users may be exposed. No filter is 100% accurate. The most effective filtering tool is adult vigilance.
Many browsers have their own built in filtering tool e.g. Google. Google’s search engine has a built-in “Safe Search”. This filter eliminates sites that contain pornography and explicit sexual content from search results. It is easily applied by clicking on the Preferences link on any Google page. Unfortunately it is also easily removed.
Divine Mercy S.N.S has filtering software. The access to websites from all school computers is monitored and regularly reviewed by the NCCA. Websites are only allowed through following a verification of their suitability.
Role of parents in ensuring proper usage
Parents will be requested to sign the following forms to ensure that their children comply with the principles of internet safety as outlined above. This requirement will be introduced for the start of the 2015/2016 school year.
In addition parents will be consistently reminded to monitor their children’s personal use of the internet and social media sites.
Divine Mercy SNS Twitter account
The purpose having of a school Twitter account is to provide;
Communication with parents regarding specific events & activities
Communication with new or prospective parents
Communication with wider audience regarding positive advertisement of school & enrolment dates
Communication with wider audience of school life via photos of pupil’s projects, notice boards, etc.
Communication with other schools and accounts with similar educational interests
Divine Mercy Facebook page
The purpose having of a school Facebook page is to provide;
Communication with parents regarding specific events & activities
Communication with new or prospective parents
Communication with wider audience regarding positive advertisement of school, promotion of school & enrolment dates
Communication with wider audience of school life via possible communication tours -photos of pupil’s projects, notice boards, etc.
Continued advancement of our school communication system with information shared via school app, Aladdin Connect, email, website and Facebook
Those using our social networking site must abide by the following;
Users cannot advertise products or services on our school Facebook page
Users should not post anything on the page that could be deemed as offensive – inappropriate or harmful comments/content will be removed immediately
Users cannot tag or post photographs of children on the page
Users should not add comments that can identify children
To use Facebook, one must be 13 years of age or older. Therefore current pupils cannot be accepted as users.
The sanction for breaking these rules is automatic removal from our Facebook page.