Avon Middle School Student Handbook

This Program provides an avenue for parents and adult community members to become active in the middle schools through volunteer activities that provide support or assistance in the educational development of students. The Program was created to promote and facilitate educational partnerships with parents, community members, students and staff that encourage and support the social, emotional, and academic growth of students.
    
To learn more about the Program, or to become a volunteer, please call Avon Middle School North, South and West request PEP information.

School buses will load and unload on the south side of each middle school. Students should conduct themselves in a proper manner to ensure a safe, pleasant trip to and from school. The bus driver has the same position of authority on the bus as a teacher in the classroom.

The bus driver at the beginning of the school year will issue transportation procedures for students who ride buses. All school rules apply unless otherwise stated.  No food, drinks, gum or candy of any kind are allowed on the bus.  The following consequences may be employed.

1st Written Notice – Verbal Warning
2nd Written Notice – Written Warning
3rd Written Notice – One School Day Bus Suspension 
4th Written Notice – Referral to Building Administration

Disciplinary action may include removal of a student from school sponsored transportation. Other consequences include, but are not limited to, further bus suspension(s), after school detention, Saturday School, out-of-school suspension and expulsion from school. Buses are equipped with video cameras. Parents/Guardians may request to review a video(s) by contacting a building administrator arranging an appointment and completing appropriate consent forms.

Students and staff in Avon Community School Corporation have access to information through electronic networks. These services offer vast, diverse and unique resources to students and staff. The goal in providing technical resources to students and staff is to promote educational excellence in our schools, to support research, resource access, innovation and communication. The school district expects the staff to blend thoughtful use of the Internet throughout the curriculum and to provide guidance and instruction to students in its use.

I. Statement of Policy

It is the policy of the Board of School Trustees of A.C.S.C. to provide technical resources to students and employees for the purpose of promoting the efficient operation of the school district and promoting student achievement. To promote this policy, the Board expects staff and students to utilize the technical resource opportunities and facilities provided in a manner consistent with this objective.

II. Scope

This Policy applies to all technical resources provided by the Board including, but not limited to, telephone, cell phone, direct radio communication, pager, Internet access, voice mail, e-mail, facsimile transmission and receipt, and computer based research and communication (collectively, “Technical Resource”).  Technical Resources are provided by the Board for use by employees and students (collectively, “Users”).

III. Definition of Terms Used in this Policy

1. “Communication resources” as used in this Policy means “technical resources” as defined below.  The term does not include “live” telephone use not recorded on storage media.
2. “Confidential information” as used in this Policy means information that is declared confidential by state or federal law or Board Policy on access to public records.
3. “Proprietary information” as used in this Policy means information in which a person or entity has a recognized property interest such as a registered copyright.
4. “Technical resources” as used in this Policy means voice systems, e-mail, network access, Internet access, facsimile transmission and receipt, and other computer resources provided by the School District, accessed through the School District, or accessed on School District property or at a School District event or activity.
5. “User” as used in this Policy means a person using School District communications or computer resources.
6. “User’s Supervisor” as used in this Policy means the principal of the building a teacher or student reports to, and the administrator or director to whom any other employee or volunteer reports.

IV. Violation of this Policy

Intentional, knowing, and negligent violations of this Policy may result in the suspension or expulsion of students and the discipline including suspension without pay or termination of employees or cancellation of the contract of an independent contractor.

V.   Ownership of School District Technical Resources & Information Stored on Them

The technical resources provided by the Board and all information contained in or on them is at all times the property of the Board, subject to the registered copyright interest of an author.  In no case are these resources or the information stored on or in them owned or rented or leased by users to the exclusion of authorized School District administrators.  Documents and other works created or stored on technical resources are the property of the User.  Works created by School District employees within the scope of their employment shall belong to the School District unless a different ownership is consented to by resolution of the Board of Education.
 
Since the hardware and software are owned by the school corporation, no user has an expectation of privacy in any information created, received, or stored on the School District’s technical resources.  If a User transmits or receives messages on the School District’s technical resources such as e-mail, voice mail, or facsimile, those messages and other electronically stored communications are subject to investigations, search, retrieval, and review in accordance with this policy or the legitimate interests and obligations of A.C.S.C.  Messages and other information transmitted, stored, or received on the School District’s technical resources may become public records under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act. Messages and information are subject to disclosure by the School District pursuant to an APRA request without further notice to the user.
 
A user of the School District’s technical resources who makes use of a password, code or encryption device to restrict or inhibit access to electronic mail or files must provide access to such communications when requested to do so.  A User’s supervisor (if an employee) or principal or teacher (if a student) may override any code password or encryption device to access the technical resource.  When the School District provides passwords, codes or encryption devices, these must be used.

VI. Procedures for Accessing Technical Resources

In cases where electronic messages, documents, files or other technical resources are accessed or read, the person who desires access to such materials shall notify the employee’s immediate supervisor (or student’s teacher and principal) explaining the reason. The supervisor or principal shall have the authority to grant or deny access.

VII. Appropriate Use of Technical Resources

Any use of the School District’s technical resources must be consistent with the educational mission and objectives of the School District. Misuse of technical resources may result in denial of access to those technical resources. The administration shall monitor the use of all School District technical resources and shall immediately suspend any user’s access to a technical resource pending review of any alleged misuse by the appropriate supervisor. “Appropriate Supervisor” for purposes of this section means the principal of the building to which an employee or student is assigned, a director, or the appropriate assistant superintendent in the case of an administrator.

Students will be permitted access to the Internet through School District electronic resources unless a parent/guardian has signed and returned a “Student Electronic Resources Restriction Form” within the preceding twelve (12) months. The Corporation has implemented the use of technology protection measures which are specific technologies that will protect against (e.g. filter or block) access to visual displays/depictions that are obscene, child pornography, and materials that are harmful to minors, as defined by the Children’s Internet Protection Act. At the discretion of the Corporation or the Superintendent, the technology protection measures may be configured to protect against access to other material considered inappropriate for students to access. The technology protection measures may not be disabled or avoided at any time that students may be using the Network, if such disabling will cease to protect against access to materials that are prohibited under the Children’s Internet Protection Act. Any student who attempts to disable the technology protection measures will be subject to discipline.

The following shall not be accessed, created, transmitted, or stored on School District’s communication resources:

1. Personal communication unrelated to the School District that interferes with educational activities or purposes. (i.e. use that is excessive)
2. A threat communicated with the intent that a person engage in conduct against the other person’s will, refrain from lawful conduct against the other person’s will, or be in fear of retaliation for a lawful act or inaction. Threats or attempt to coerce a person to take an action or refrain from a lawful action.
3. Communications that constitute harassment as defined in Board Policy.
4. Obscene, pornographic, or sexually explicit materials.
5. Information that enable or support the commission of a crime or an act that would endanger the user or others or damage property.
6. Copyrighted information in violation of the rights of the copyright holder.
7. A message for a person not authorized to use School District communication resources.
8. Jokes, comments, or messages that contain content that is demeaning to a person or group of people, defamatory, harassing, threatening, objectively offensive, or disruptive to the intended recipient including sexual comments or images, pornography, and racial, ethnic, disability, or religious slurs.
9. Information that would enable a user to obtain access to the files or e-mail of others without authorization.
10. A computer virus or other message that is known by the sender to have the capability to damage or impair the operation of a School District electronic resource or another person or organization’s communication resource. 
11. Solicitations, offers to buy or sell goods or services, or the use of technical resources for outside, non-school related business purposes. This type of information will be placed on a wide area network employee bulletin board. 
12. Information that hides or attempts to hide the identity of the sender, or represent the sender as someone else or from another user.  
13. Sending large numbers of messages, which are not related to School District business to all users or a large number of users (Spamming or Chain Letters).  
14. It shall not be a violation of this Policy for an employee to use School District technical resources to communicate concerning an organization consisting solely of employees of the School District, except for the purpose of campaigning in a representation election conducted pursuant to Indiana Cole (c) 4. Notification of the time and place of polling or any other notice approved by the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board shall not be a violation of this Policy.  
15. Services or databases that charge a fee for services such as long-distance telephone charges or database access charges except as authorized in accord with Section 10 of this policy.

The Superintendent is authorized to develop administrative guidelines further refining what communications are related to School District business.

VIII. Protection of Proprietary and Confidential Information Communicated or Stored on School District Computer or Communications Resources

Users of the School District’s technical resources are expected to protect the integrity of proprietary and confidential information maintained by the School District. “Confidential information” as used in this policy is information declared confidential by the Boards policy Access to Public Records (200-11). Confidential information should never be transmitted or forwarded to a person not authorized to receive the information. The practice of using distribution lists to send information shall not excuse the disclosure of confidential information. Users shall determine that distribution lists are current and review each name on any list before sending confidential information including but not limited to personally identifiable student records protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.  Users should not access e-mail messages in the presence of others. Messages containing confidential information should not be left visible on the monitor when a User is away from his or her computer. E-mail passwords should be routinely changed.

Users should not copy and distribute through the e-mail system any copyrighted material of the third party (such as software, database files, documentations, articles, graphic files and downloaded information) unless the User has confirmed in advance that ACSC has the right to copy or distribute such material. Violation of the right of a copyright owner will result in a discipline of a student or employee.

IX. Security of School District Technical Resources

Security on any technical resource is a high priority when the resource involves many users and contains proprietary and confidential information. A user shall notify the administration if a security problem is identified on the Internet. The problem shall not be demonstrated to other users. Another user’s password, sign-on, or account is not to be used without written permission from that user and a system administrator. An unauthorized attempt to log onto any technical resource as a system administrator will result in cancellation of user privileges and may result in more severe discipline including termination for employees and expulsion for students. A user identified as a security risk based upon one or more violations of this policy may be denied access to all School District technical resources. A decision denying or restricting a user’s access may be appealed in writing to the Superintendent or designee. The decision of the Superintendent can be appealed to the Board of School Trustees.

X. Incurring Fees for Services

No user shall allow long distance telephone charges or other charges or fees for services or access to a database to be charged to the School District except as specifically authorized by the appropriate supervisor. Charges for personal use shall not be approved or permitted. A fee or charge mistakenly incurred shall be immediately reported to the appropriate supervisor. Incurring fees or charges for services to be paid by the School District for personal use or without prior authorization of the appropriate supervisor may result in discipline including suspension or expulsion of a student, or suspension without pay or termination of an employee.

Denial of Internet Access Form