District Policy
3720 - Publishing on the Internet
Technology Usage Washington County School District - Approved 06-10-2008
1. Purpose:
District websites provide instructional resources; information about curriculum, instruction and school authorized activities; and general information relating to our schools and our District's mission. Communication with parents, family, the community and students is important for the District and each classroom teacher. Events and projects can be displayed to show what has been happening in the classroom along with keeping all informed about future events and assignments. It is important that teachers give their web page address to students and parents as often as possible and keep their site updated.
Washington County School District teachers will be allowed to create and post their own web pages to the Internet. This will place the primary responsibility for the content of the teacher's page on the teacher. Building administrators and the Washington County School District are also responsible under federal law for the content of these pages. Teachers should be extremely careful whatever they post. It is the responsibility of the teacher, the building administrators and the District to ensure that all District hosted web pages follow District policies and state and federal laws. This guide is intended to assist District personnel and teachers in the development and posting of web pages.
2. Policy:
2.1. Teachers posting web pages on District sponsored web servers must adhere to the established rules and guidelines.
2.2. Posting of student work on District sponsored web servers must be in compliance with the established rules and guidelines.
3. Procedure:
3.1. Web Page Rules and Guidelines
3.1.1. This policy provides the basic overview for teachers posting web pages linked to the District webpage. Among the key points are:
3.1.1.1. Teachers and administrators are encouraged to develop links to third party hosts. The links need to conform to the "three-click rule" so that the link does not provide connection to inappropriate sites.
3.1.1.2. Teachers and administrators need to attend training sessions if they are going to create and maintain a District web site.
3.1.1.3. The District encourages teachers to involve students in the development of web sites. (Involvement needs to be grade appropriate. Students can be involved in various aspects including layout, design, choosing colors, and offering suggestions).
3.1.1.4. All web pages are subject to evaluation at any time by District administrators.
3.1.2. The content and links within the District, school, or teacher web site should:
3.1.2.1. Be informative.
3.1.2.2. Be accurate.
3.1.2.3. Be current.
3.1.2.4. Pertain to education or to the functions of the school.
3.1.2.5. Be correctly written, spelled and punctuated.
3.1.2.6. Be thoughtfully and attractively presented.
3.1.2.7. Have written parental permission to display a student's name or picture.
3.1.2.8. Ensure that a student CANNOT be identified by attaching his/her name to a specific picture, phone number or address.
3.1.2.9. Have written permission in order to display the name or picture of any staff member or School Board member.
3.1.2.10. Require written permission be obtained for single, specific pictures or it may be generally given for District approved use.
3.1.2.11. Allow adults to be identified by attaching his/her name to a specific picture, phone number or address with written permission.
3.1.3. Content and links (defined as any site that can be reached in two clicks or less) within the District web site or, a teacher/student page linked from the District site, should not:
3.1.3.1. Contain or point to pornographic, violent, obscene, objectionable or offensive material.
3.1.3.2. Violate copyright laws by containing unauthorized or plagiarized content including but not limited to written materials, pictures, graphics, audio, and video.
3.1.3.3. Contain any personal information on students without written parental permission.
3.1.4. In order to protect individual privacy and promote good community relations, District web sites or, teacher/student pages linked from the District website, should:
3.1.4.1. Never provide addresses, phone numbers or other private information about students.
3.1.4.2. Never post individual pictures with the student's first or last names.
3.1.4.3. Only post class pictures that include three (3) or more students and does not include information explaining the positioning of individuals in the picture.
3.1.4.4. Never provide e-mail addresses except for the purpose of supporting or providing feedback for a school-related activity, organization or web site.
3.1.4.5. Never contain information or material that the District would not be willing to publish in other media forms (e.g., newspaper, television, brochures, etc.).
3.1.4.6. Never allow students to post their personal web pages. If students need to post a web page as part of integrating the classroom curriculum with the Internet, it should be posted on a District owned web server with teacher approval through the District or school web master. All links from a student project web page must be checked for appropriateness.
3.1.4.7. Never promote specific political, metaphysical or religious viewpoints or agendas. Links to such pages may be placed on a web page for research purposes if the links are balanced.
3.2. Internet Release Form
3.2.1. The release form must be signed by teachers, administrators, staff and other individuals to give permission for information to be placed on a web page hosted by the District or any of the District's schools. This form should also be signed by guest speakers and other special event participants that will be featured on the web page. It is the responsibility of the web page creator/teacher to ensure the release form is signed and maintained if any of the following are posted on a web page:
1. First Name
2. Photograph
3. Published Project (If an individual's project is to be published on a teacher's web page, it is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that all copyright issues are addressed.
4. Email Address