St Joseph's Parish School is pleased to offer students access to a computer network for electronic mail and the Internet. We are very excited this year to have new, much faster computers that will make frequent Internet projects a realistic expectation. Of course, increased Internet use involves increased risk of students accessing potentially harmful material. To gain access to e-mail and the Internet, all students must obtain parental permission as verified by the signatures on the form below.

What is possible?

Access to e-mail and the Internet will enable students to explore thousands of libraries, databases, museums, and other repositories of information and to exchange personal communication with other Internet users around the world. Families should be aware that some material accessible via the Internet may contain items that are illegal, defamatory, inaccurate, or potentially offensive. We will be using filtering software, and students are never permitted to go online without adult supervision. While the purposes of the school are to use Internet resources for constructive educational goals, students may find ways to access other materials. We believe that the benefits to students from access to the Internet far exceed the disadvantages.

What is expected?

Students are responsible for appropriate behavior on the school's computer network just as they are in a classroom or on a school playground. Communications on the network are often public in nature. General school rules for behavior and communications apply. It is expected that users will comply with the specific rules set forth below. The use of the network is a privilege, not a right, and may be revoked if abused. The user is personally responsible for his/her actions in accessing and utilizing the school's computer resources. Students are advised never to access, keep, or send anything that they would not want their parents or teachers to see.

What are the rules?

Do not use a computer to harm other people or their work.
Do not damage the computer or the network in any way.
Do not interfere with the operation of the network or install illegal software, shareware, or freeware.
Do not violate copyright laws.
Do not view, send, or display offensive messages or pictures.
Do not share your password(s) with another person.
Do not waste limited resources such as disk space or printing capacity.
Do not trespass in another's folders, work, or files.
Do notify an adult immediately, if by accident, you encounter materials which violate the rules of appropriate use.
BE PREPARED to be held accountable for your actions and for the loss of privileges if the rules of appropriate use are violated.

Online Publication of Schoolwork and Photographs

This year we'd like to share what we do at our school with the greater community. We have so much to be proud of! We need parental permission to publish a child's work, and photographs of the child at school, on our website. For safety, only the first name and grade of each child will be provided in connection with any pictures or work we publish online.