The information posted within this section can also be located in the
Valwood School FAMILY & STUDENT HANDBOOK on page 39.

TECHNOLOGY POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Valwood's campus and facilities include infrastructure, hardware, and software for "state of the art" technology for administrative, faculty, and student use.  Included in the school's new technology is a campus-wide network through which teachers and students can access many different software applications and the Internet.  Technology stations will be set up at various locations across campus including in classrooms, both libraries, faculty workrooms, technology classrooms, and a special technology resource room in the Upper School.  All technology resources and the school's network are the responsibility of the Director of Technology.

The Internet is available for instructional purposes.  Students who access the Internet are automatically agreeing to follow The Valwood School Acceptable Technology Use Agreement (see below).  In doing so, the student is agreeing to follow reasonable standards and to accept reasonable responsibilities associated with Internet use.

The use of technology is a privilege.  Any misuse of school technology could result in revocation of the privilege.  Students are asked to limit printing to a single copy unless otherwise directed by a faculty member. Food and drink are strictly prohibited in technology rooms and stations.

 Valwood School Acceptable Technology Use Agreement

Valwood School provides technology for the entire school community recognizing its value as an educational resource.  Therefore, technology should be used primarily to further the school's educational goals.  For Valwood, "technology" includes computers (CPU's), thin clients, printers, scanners, hardware, and related materials that provide students access to software applications, the school's network, and the Internet.  At all times, technology is to be used in a manner that is responsible, ethical, and legal.  Student technology use must be in accordance with school rules, as stated in the handbook and elsewhere.  Unacceptable use of technology by a student can result in disciplinary action ranging from revocation of privileges to expulsion. 

Guidelines for Acceptable Use

Uses of technology that support teaching and learning are acceptable.  Teacher-directed classroom activities, student research, and communication of an educational nature are encouraged. Unacceptable uses include:

• Any illegal, unethical or irresponsible act or communication;
• Accessing inappropriate Internet sites;
• Participating in Internet chat rooms, playing interactive games, or other interactive recreational activities while on the school network;
• Using someone else's name or account, or in any way impersonating another person or account;
• Re-posting personal communications without permission of the author;
• Loading or downloading software, written works, information, files, in violation of copyright or patent protection as stated by law;
• Plagiarizing (see definition under Honor Code) works obtained via the Internet;
• Intentionally transmitting material or messages that contain viruses, spamming, or chain letters;
• Creating, using, or transmitting obscene, threatening, abusive, hateful, libelous, or harassing language or messages;
• Posting personal contact information about you or someone else without prior parental approval;
• Accessing or attempting to access, for any reason, any server files of any system without specific prior permission from the proper controlling entity;
• Creating fraudulent documents using school resources.     

Agreement to Policy Terms

Accessing the Internet via the Valwood School network or using school-supplied technology equipment carries with it the automatic agreement to follow the guidelines noted above.