POLICY REGARDING EMPLOYEE USE OF THE DISTRICT'S COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

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POLICY REGARDING EMPLOYEE USE OF THE DISTRICT'S COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

Computers, computer networks, electronic devices, Internet access, and e-mail are effective and important technological resources.  The Board of Education provides computers, a computer network, including Internet access and an e-mail system, and other electronic devices that access the network such as wireless and/or portable electronic hand-held equipment that can be used for word processing, wireless Internet access, image capture and recording, sound recording, information transmitting and/or receiving, storing, etc. (including, but not limited to, personal laptops, Smartphones, network access devices, Kindles, Nooks, cellular telephones, radios, personal cassette players, CD players, iPads or other tablet computers, iPhones, Androids and other electronic signaling devices), (referred to collectively as "the computer systems"), in order to enhance both the educational opportunities for our students and the business operations of the district. 

 These computer systems are business and educational tools.  As such, they are made available to Board employees for business and education related uses.  The Administration shall develop regulations setting forth procedures to be used by the Administration in an effort to ensure that such computer systems are used for appropriate business and education related purposes. 

 In accordance with applicable laws and the Administrative Regulations associated with this Policy, the system administrator and others managing the computer systems may access email or monitor activity on the computer system or electronic devices accessing the computer systems at any time and for any reason or no reason.  Typical examples include when there is reason to suspect inappropriate conduct or there is a problem with the computer systems needing correction.  Further, the system administrator and others managing the computer systems can access or monitor activity on the systems despite the use of passwords by individual users, and can bypass such passwords.  In addition, review of emails, messages or information stored on the computer systems, which can be forensically retrieved, includes those messages and/or electronic data sent, posted and/or retrieved using social networking sites, including, but not limited to, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and MySpace.

 Incidental personal use of the computer systems may be permitted solely for the purpose of e-mail transmissions and access to the Internet on a limited, occasional basis.  Such incidental personal use of the computer systems, however, is subject to all rules, including monitoring of all such use, as the Superintendent may establish through regulation.  Moreover, any such incidental personal use shall not interfere in any manner with work responsibilities. 

Users should not have any expectation of personal privacy in the use of the computer system or other electronic devices that access the computer system.  Use of the computer system represents an employee’s acknowledgement that the employee has read and understands this policy and any applicable regulations in their entirety, including the provisions regarding monitoring and review of computer activity.

Legal References:

 Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-40x

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-48d

Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-182; 53a-183; 53a-250

Electronic Communication Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510 through 2520

ADOPTED November 17, 2015

Amended December 6, 2016