St. Rynaghs National School

SCOIL NAOMH RAGHNACH

Main St., Banagher, Co. Offaly   -   Phone: 057 91 51419
email: strynaghs@strynaghsns.com

Acceptable Usage Policy for Internet Use

tracy-dolan

 

Acceptable Usage Policy for Internet Use

 

The aim of this Acceptable Use Policy is to ensure that pupils will benefit from learning opportunities offered by the school’s Internet resources in a safe and effective manner.  Internet use and access is considered a school resource and privilege.  Therefore, if the school AUP is not adhered to this privilege will be withdrawn and appropriate sanctions – as outlined in the AUP – will be imposed.

 

It is envisaged that school and parent representatives will revise the AUP regularly.  Before enrolling, the AUP should be read carefully to ensure that the conditions of use are accepted and understood.  It is assumed that the parent accepts the terms of the AUP unless the school is specifically notified.

 

Revised January 2020 Principal Fergal McMahon, with teaching staff.

 

School’s Strategy

The school employs a number of strategies in order to maximise learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet.  These strategies are as follows:

 

General

  • Internet sessions will always be supervised by a teacher.
  • Filtering software from the NCTE are used in order to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material.
  • The school will regularly monitor pupils’ internet usage.
  • Stop Block Tell to be taught to all.
  • Uploading and downloading of non-approved software will not be permitted.
  • Virus protection software will be used and updated on a regular basis.
  • The use of personal memory sticks and other digital storage media in school requires a teacher’s permission.
  • Students will treat others with respect at all times and will not undertake any actions that may bring the school into disrepute. (cf Anti-Bullying Procedures)

 

World Wide Web

  • Students will not intentionally visit Internet sites that contain obscene, illegal, hateful or otherwise objectionable materials.
  • Students will report accidental or inadvertent accessing of inappropriate materials in accordance with school procedures, Stop, Block, Tell.
  • Students will use the internet for educational purposes only during class time.
  • Students will not copy information into assignments and fail to acknowledge the source (plagiarism and copyright infringement).
  • Students will never disclose or publicise personal information.
  • Downloading materials or images not relevant to their studies, is in direct breach of the school’s acceptable use policy.
  • Students will be aware that any usage, including distributing or receiving information, school-related or personal, may be monitored for unusual activity, security and/or network management reasons.

 

Email / Internet Chat

  • Students will use approved class email accounts under supervision by or permission from a teacher.
  • Students will not send or receive any material that is illegal, obscene, defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate another person.
  • Students will not reveal their own or other people’s personal details, such as addresses or telephone numbers or pictures.
  • Students will never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they only know through emails or the internet.
  • Students will note that sending and receiving email attachments is subject to permission from their teacher.
  • Students will not have access to chat rooms, discussion forums, messaging or other electronic communication fora.

 

School Website and Twitter

  • Please note that the following points apply to the school’s website and social media profile Twitter.
  • Pupils will be given the opportunity to publish projects, artwork or school work on the World Wide Web in accordance with GDPR and other relevant policies.
  • The website will be regularly checked to ensure that there is no content that compromises the safety of pupils or staff.
  • The publication of student work will be co-ordinated by a teacher.
  • Pupils’ work will appear in an educational context on Web pages.
  • The school will endeavour to use digital photographs, audio or video clips of focusing on group activities.
  • Personal pupil information including home address and contact details will be omitted from school web pages.
  • The school website will avoid publishing the first name and last name of individuals in a photograph.
  • The school will ensure that the image files are appropriately named – will not use pupils’ names in image file names or ALT tags if published on the web.
  • Pupils will continue to own the copyright on any work published.

 

Distance Learning

St. Rynagh’s N.S. will use Edmodo as our communication platform during school closures.  We will alert parents to codes and accessing Edmodo through the text a parent service.  In exceptional cases of special needs teachers may use WhatsApp to communicate with parents and through parents’ pupils.

All communication will be in line with our A.U.P., our Code of Behaviour, our Digital Learning Plan and our Data Protection Policy.  The GDPR principles outlined on www.gdpr4schools.ie will be observed.

 

Legislation

The school will provide information on the following legislation relating to use of the Internet

which teachers, students and parents should familiarise themselves with:

  • Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003
  • Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998
  • Interception Act 1993
  • Video Recordings Act 1989
  • The Data Protection Act 1988

 

Support Structures

The school will inform students and parents of key support structures and organisations that deal with illegal material or harmful use of the Internet.

 

Sanctions

Misuse of the Internet will be treated as a breach of our code of behaviour and or our anti-bullying policy and will be dealt with accordingly.