Technology Use Agreement

• All users are granted access to the district's technology resources (including the internet, devices, email, and network services) in accordance with the educational goals of the district.
• Any student or employee who accesses the district’s network or any device for any purpose agrees to be bound by the terms of the Agreement, even if no signed Agreement is on file.
• Users will be issued usernames and passwords to access district systems. These credentials must be kept confidential and not shared with others.
• Access to the Internet by students by any means other than the District’s network while in a Johnson City School facility is prohibited.
• Except at approved locations or as otherwise approved, all devices connected to the Johnson City Schools physical network (a device located at a Johnson City School facility, either wired or wireless) must be the property of Johnson City Schools. Mobile equipment may be taken home or to other locations by staff and by students at designated locations, however the staff and/or student is responsible at all times for the care and appropriate use of the equipment.
• Technology equipment is configured for use on the school system network. The Technology Department will not be able to assist with connections to Internet providers outside of the district network.
• Students and staff are responsible for securing technology devices when not in use and for returning them in good working condition.
• Access to district technology is a privilege, not a right. The district may restrict or revoke access at any time due to misuse or violations of this policy.
• Individuals identified as a security risk may be denied access to the District’s technological resources.

• The district respects the privacy of users and will make reasonable efforts to protect the confidentiality of personal information stored or transmitted using district technology.
• However, users should be aware that the district may monitor the use of its technology resources to ensure compliance with this policy and applicable laws.
• Email accounts, files, and communications are not considered private and may be accessed or monitored for compliance with district policies. Because communications on the Internet are often public in nature, all users should be careful to maintain appropriate and responsible communications.
• Users must respect the privacy of others. Personal data such as passwords, student records, or sensitive information must not be shared or accessed without proper authorization.
• All data, including search histories and email communications, transmitted on school system computers or by means of the school system network are subject to monitoring and may be archived.
• Users are encouraged to avoid storing personal and/or private information on the district and/or schools technological resources.
• All users are responsible for the backup and storage of any critical files and/or data. Cloud storage drives are available for all users in the district for file storage.

• Users must comply with all copyright laws and respect the intellectual property of others. Copying, distributing, or using materials without proper authorization is prohibited.
• Plagiarism, or the act of presenting someone else's work as your own, is prohibited.
• Users may not download, share, or use unauthorized software, files, or resources that violate copyright or licensing agreements.
• Duplication of any copyrighted software is prohibited unless specifically allowed for in the license agreement.
• Fair use of copyrighted material for educational purposes is allowed, but users must adhere to appropriate guidelines for citations and permissions when necessary.
• For licensed software, it is the responsibility of the purchaser to ensure the correct number of licenses are purchased.

• District-provided email accounts are for educational purposes only and should not be used for personal or inappropriate communication.
• Email accounts should not be used to send unsolicited or spam messages, including commercial solicitations.
• Email correspondence should be respectful and appropriate for the school environment. Harassment, bullying, or offensive language in email communications will not be tolerated.
• All email communications transmitted via district accounts shall be monitored.
• Users should be cautious when sending personal or sensitive information through email.
• Electronic mail correspondence may be a public record under the public records law and may be subject to public inspection.

• Internet access is provided to enhance learning and support educational activities. However, all users are expected to use the internet in a responsible, ethical, and legal manner.
• All school rules and guidelines for appropriate technology usage shall apply to usage of the Internet.
• Teachers will screen all Internet resources that will be used in the classroom prior to their introduction.
• Students will gain access to the Internet by agreeing to conduct themselves in a considerate and responsible manner and by providing written permission from parents/guardians via this signed agreement.
• Personal hotspots are not permitted for use inside Johnson City School buildings during the instructional day. Wireless Internet connectivity is provided for all wi-fi capable district-owned devices.
• District-owned devices can connect to any standard wi-fi network for which the user has the appropriate network key or password. The Technology Department does not provide support in connecting to outside services.

The district recognizes AI as a powerful tool for learning and productivity. Use of AI must follow these "Three Pillars":

• Academic Integrity (Students)
  Disclosure: Students must cite the use of AI in any project or assignment. Failure to do so may be considered plagiarism.
  Authorized Use: AI should only be used when explicitly permitted by the student’s teacher. It is a supplement to – not a replacement for – critical thinking.
  Verification: AI can “hallucinate” (provide false information). Students are responsible for fact-checking all AI-generated content against reliable sources.

• Professional Ethics (Staff)
  Instructional Design: Staff are encouraged to use AI for lesson planning and administrative efficiency but must review all output for pedagogical accuracy and bias.
  Grading: While AI can assist in feedback, final grading and assessment decisions must remain the responsibility of the human educator.

• C. Data Privacy and Safety (All Users)
  PII Protection: Users must not input Personally Identifiable Information (PII) – such as student names, ID numbers, or home addresses – into any AI platform.
  Age Compliance: Users must adhere to the age requirements set by AI services providers (often 13+ or 18+).

• The district employs internet filtering tools to block access to inappropriate websites and content that is not suitable for educational purposes.
• Users must adhere to the district’s guidelines on acceptable internet use. Accessing inappropriate content (such as adult content, violent materials, or hate speech) is prohibited.
• Users should avoid accessing websites that are not related to school activities during instructional time, unless authorized by a teacher or administrator.
• All students will participate in Internet safety training, which is integrated into the District’s instructional program in grades K-12. Schools will use existing avenues of communication to inform parents/guardians, grandparents, caregivers, community stakeholders and other interested parties about Internet safety.

• The Johnson City Schools' web page cannot be used for profit, commercial purposes, to express personal opinions, or for editorializing.
• Students and staff must obtain permission from a teacher or administrator prior to publishing content on any district-related website or online platform.
• Published content must adhere to the district’s standards for appropriate behavior and educational focus. Content deemed discriminatory, offensive, or inappropriate will be removed.
• Students and staff should not publish personal identifying information (e.g., addresses, phone numbers, or photos) without prior consent from a parent or guardian (for students) or the appropriate district personnel.
• No written permission is required to list faculty/staff and their school contact information (phone extension, electronic mail address, etc.)
• Employees may opt out of having their photograph published by notifying their school’s webmaster and the webmaster of the district website.
• Consent is required for posting employee photographs.
• Posting content that infringes upon copyright laws, or includes obscene, pornographic, harassing, or threatening materials is prohibited by law and will result in disciplinary action and/or legal prosecution.
• All published content must be ADA compliant and meet high standards for accuracy, spelling, usage, and mechanics.
• Pages must to be reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure pertinent and timely content and must include the page editor name and date last updated.
• All website administrators must complete required training prior to gaining or retaining access.
• District website administrators reserve the right to reject all or part of a proposed web page and its location as well as revoking accounts when web publishing guidelines are not followed.

The following activities are examples of inappropriate activities on any Johnson City Schools network, electronic mail system, or the Internet. This list is not all-inclusive. Anything that would be considered inappropriate in "paper form" is also considered inappropriate in electronic form.

• Pretending to be another individual online or using someone else's credentials.
• Sharing your own password.
• Cyberbullying, including harassing, insulting, threatening, or attacking others via technological resources.
• Damaging district-owned devices or the district network in any way.
• Accessing inappropriate web sites (sites containing information that is violent, illegal, sexually explicit, racist, etc.)
• Sending, displaying, or downloading offensive messages or pictures.
• Using obscene, racist, profane, lewd, discriminatory, threatening, or inflammatory language.
• Posting any false, damaging or libelous information about another person, the school system or other organizations, or impersonating another individual.
• Posting any personal information about another person without their written consent.
• Broadcasting network messages and/or participating in sending/perpetuating chain letters.
• Violating copyright laws and/or plagiarism of materials.
• Use of technology resources to create illegal materials (i.e. fake identification, etc.)
• Use of any Johnson City Schools’ technology resources for personal gain, commercial or political purpose.
• Use of Johnson City Schools’ technological resources for purposes of hacking into other local area networks or outside networks or another person’s account.
• File-sharing or downloading file-sharing programs.
• Use of tor browsing, p2p file sharing, VPNs, or attempting to bypass the District’s Internet filter.
• Participating in any other activity that is detrimental to students, the school, the School District or school employees or officials.

• Any violation of the Responsible Use Agreement may result in disciplinary action, including but not limited to loss of access to technology resources, suspension, or expulsion, in accordance with district policies.
• Depending on the severity of the violation, students or staff may face disciplinary action according to the district’s student handbook or employee guidelines.
• In cases of illegal activity, the district may refer the matter to law enforcement authorities.
• Users have the right to appeal a discipline decision to the site administrator or Superintendent of Schools. All Johnson City Schools students and their parent/guardians and all Johnson City Schools employees must sign this agreement as acknowledgment of receipt of these procedures and policies.

Johnson City Schools does not guarantee the reliability of the data connection and does not verify the accuracy of information found on the Internet. Johnson City Schools recognizes that parents/guardians of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards their children should follow when using information sources. Accordingly, before a student may independently access the Internet, the student’s parent must be made aware of the possibility the student could obtain inappropriate material while engaged in independent use of the Internet.