All cell phones entering the building must be turned off.
This policy regulates the use of cell phones and other electronic signaling devices in order to ensure uninterrupted instruction, safety, decreased bullying, and reduction of theft.
● Students and staff may bring cellphones to school; however, the purpose of this policy is to regulate their use so that such use does not interfere with instruction, safety, or work for which the individual has been hired.
Using an honor system, students are expected to adhere to not using phones during classroom instruction, lectures, town hall meetings, workshops, hallways, and during transition periods to include stairwells. Students violating the cell phone usage policy will be given a warning by the teacher or staff member. Should the student continue to violate the policy, the student will be escorted to Post 1 to place their cell phone in the cell phone locker.
Cell phones, while they provide a great source of communication for families, can also be disruptive and a source of safety and security issues in the school. Any parent needing to contact a student may call the main office and students may make emergency calls from the main office or counselor suite.
The following actions are a few examples of what will be considered cell phone violations and are subject to consequences.
● Playing music that is disruptive to the classroom and instruction
● Talking on the phone while in class that becomes a disruption
● Using the cell phone to record a student, or staff without permission
● Watching movies/videos
● Engaging in social media
Students not adhering to the cell phone policy may be subjected to the following:
● First offense – Verbal warning from Maya staff and documented in Powerschool School. ● Second offense – The student will receive a Behavioral Referral form that may refer to the student for additional consequences.
● Third offense – Students will be escorted to Post 1 to place the cell phone in cell phone lockers.
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● Fourth offense – Parent conference will be set up for parent conference with an administrator.
Technology Acceptable Use Policy
The Technology Acceptable Use Policy contains general policies for the use of technology along with policies related to the usage of non-Maya Angelou Public Charter School (MAPCS) provided devices, such as personal laptops that access MAPCS systems and/or make use of MAPCS internet technologies. The Laptop Usage Agreement specifically refers to devices provided by MAPCS for educational use by students. The Laptop Usage Agreement must be signed and returned prior to a student being issued a laptop. There is a fifty ($50.00) dollar fee imposed for any damaged, broken, or unreturned laptop unit.
The MAPCS Acceptable Use Policy applies to all technology resources including, but not limited to: personal computers and devices, school computers, cell phones, video and audio equipment, copy machines, and information storage devices. MAPCS students are expected to use school resources in a considerate, ethical, moral, and legal manner.
All MAPCS technology systems and information stored on them are governed by school policies and are subject to school supervision and inspection whether they reside on school-owned computers or computers or external drives brought on campus by students. MAPCS reserves the right to monitor, access, retrieve and read all messages, information, and files created, sent, posted from, stored on MAPCS laptops, or stored on MAPCS networks. Any student who violates this policy or any applicable local, state, or federal laws is subject to disciplinary action, a loss of technology privileges, and may face legal prosecution.
Acceptable Use on General Computer Use
MAPCS provides computer network access to students who use the access in accordance with the mission and philosophy of MAPCS. Students agree to the following terms as a condition of having network access:
1. Appropriate Use: Student use of the MAPCS computer network must be consistent with the philosophy of MAPCS and its educational goals. Misuse includes any Internet conduct on or off-campus that negatively affects the reputation of MAPCS including messages sent, posted, or received that suggest harassment, racism, sexism, and inappropriate language or symbols.
2. Vandalism/Hacking: Students will not use their MAPCS access or other internet access to interfere with or disrupt network users, services, MAPCS data or data of another student, or equipment, either locally or off-campus.
3. Unauthorized Entry: Students will not access or try to make unauthorized entry to any machine/software accessible via the network or on remote networks. If a student notices a security problem, the student must notify school personnel immediately.
4. Inappropriate Messages: Students will not use their MAPCS access to transmit threatening, obscene, or harassing/bullying materials, including chain letters, solicitations, inappropriate photos, or broadcast messages via our network or email system.
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5. Inappropriate Material: The Internet contains certain material that is illegal, defamatory, inaccurate, or potentially offensive to some people. Students will not use their MAPCS access to knowingly visit sites that contain this material nor import, transmit and/or transfer any of this material to other computers.
6. School Personnel: Students may not post to websites or blogs, images, photos, or videos of employees of MAPCS. This includes the creation of fan pages or groups on social networking sites.
7. Private Use: Students will not share their MAPCS access or password.
8. Personal Privacy: Students will not communicate their address, phone number, or other personal information to any person or company on the Internet or through email.
9. Unauthorized Programs or Computers: Students may not use, copy, delete, or install any program on a school computer or save any executable program without the permission of school personnel. Students may not use personal laptop computers without prior permission from the Technology Director.
10. Copyright: Students are not to post to websites or blogs any photos or logos that are the property (intellectual property) of MAPCS.
Any unauthorized technology used for the purpose of bypassing security systems, including internet filtering, is not permitted. This includes the use of ssh, proxy-bypass software, remote desktop sessions, and other technologies.
Any costs, charges, liabilities, or damage by misuse of the computers are the individual student’s responsibility. Any consequences of service interruption or privacy violation will lead to disciplinary action according to the school student success code.
Permitted Use of Personal Electronic Devices
The use of personal laptop computers, tablets, and mobile devices on campus is a privilege that is subject to the policies in the school student success code and the following rules. All policies set in place in this Acceptable Use Policy continue to apply when a student brings a personal device for use on campus.
1. Students are responsible for securing their devices (laptops, tablets, cell phones, phone chargers, etc.) on campus. MAPCS assumes no responsibility or financial liability for any damage the student or parent/guardian suffers, including but not limited to theft, physical damage, loss of data, or software malfunctions of a personal laptop computer. If a device/computer appears to have been stolen, the student will immediately report the incident to the Assistant Principal and in some cases, a report must also be made to the police.
2. The student must adhere to any additional guidelines which the MAPCS personnel may require. The use of the electronic device may in no way disrupt or distract from the learning environment, including the use of cell phones, MP3 players, etc.
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3. Students may ONLY connect wirelessly to the school’s network using ONLY MAPCS issued technology. Students are not permitted to connect their personal devices to the school network at any time. Devices that do not support this network connectivity are not permitted. All usage must be in accordance with the policies in the Student-Parent Handbook and be consistent with the Mission and Philosophy of MAPCS. Students are strictly prohibited from using peer-to-peer software, file-sharing programs, telnet/ssh, or messenger programs as well as other resources/network-intensive applications. The use of network monitoring software or applications considered intrusive by the school is considered to be a serious offense and will result in disciplinary action articulated in the school student success code.
4. The student is responsible for coming to school with a fully charged device and may not connect to any classroom outlets for charging their device without adult permission.
5. Student use of a personal laptop on campus must meet the requirements of the Acceptable Use Policy. Laptops are not to be used for games, chat, DVD viewing or other forms of entertainment.
This Laptop Acceptable Use Policy is intended to promote responsible use and protect students and the school from liability resulting from any misuse of the school-issued laptop. Technology, on or off-campus, must be used in accordance with the mission and philosophy of MAPCS as well as the Acceptable Use Policy for Technology. Teachers and Student Development Managers (SDM) may set additional requirements for use in their respective classes.
MAPCS laptops remain the property of MAPCS at all times. Therefore, there is no assumption of privacy. MAPCS reserves the right to inspect student laptops at any time during the school year. Misuse of the laptop may result in disciplinary action up to and including reimbursement of a damaged device.
Above all, the laptop program at MAPCS is an academic program, and the policies governing the use of the laptop support its academic use. To maintain the integrity of the laptop program, all students and parents/guardians must acknowledge and agree to the following conditions of use:
I. Laptop Distribution and Care
1. Students must not have food or beverages anywhere in the vicinity of the assigned laptop.
2. The laptops issued to students are the property of MAPCS and are made available as learning tools.
3. Students will be issued their laptops at the beginning of the school year. The laptops are to be returned at the end of each School Day or session, depending on the mode of instruction for the day.
4. Students are responsible for knowing how to properly operate and protect the laptop. This includes not leaving the laptop in a location where it can be damaged by cold, heat, or moisture.
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5. Students/parents are solely responsible for the care and security of student laptops. LAPTOPS MUST NEVER LEAVE THE ASSIGNED PUPIL LEARNING COMMUNITY (PLC).
6. If a laptop is damaged or malfunctions, students must report the damage to their teacher or support staff as soon as possible (before the end of the school day) for evaluation. If a student damages the laptop (outside of reasonable wear and tear), the students/parents are responsible for the expense of repairing or replacing the device.
7. If the laptop is lost or stolen, the student must report the incident to a staff member immediately. In the case of theft, students/parents are responsible for replacing the lost or stolen laptop at his/her own cost.
8. Students are not permitted to repair, alter, modify or replace laptops without express authorization from MAPCS. Under no circumstance will MAPCS replace or repair a student laptop without the required payment from the student/parent.
9. Laptops must remain free of any writing, drawing, stickers or labels that are not the property of MAPCS.
II. General Expectations
1. Students are responsible for understanding and adhering to all Acceptable Use Policy for Technology regulations from the Student-Parent Handbook relating to the use of technology in addition to this laptop Agreement.
2. Students may not remove or circumvent the management system installed on each laptop. This includes removing restrictions or “jailbreaking” the device.
3. Students may only connect to the Internet via the wireless network provided by MAPCS while on campus.
4. Sound must be muted at all times unless permission is obtained from the teacher for instructional purposes.
5. Earphones will be issued to each student for use with the laptop as needed. The earphones must be returned at the end of the class period or learning session depending on the instructional model of the day.
IV. Prohibited Use
1. Leaving the laptop unattended.
2. Exchanging laptops with another student.
3. Allowing other students to retain or remove the laptop from their presence.
4. Copying certain Internet materials or reproducing or transmitting materials without the permission of the author or other right-holder.
5. Plagiarizing academic materials. It is the student’s responsibility to respect and adhere to all copyright, trademark, and other intellectual rights and trade secret laws.
6. Using the laptop for any action that violates existing school rules or public law.
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7. Creating, accessing, or distributing offensive, profane, bullying/threatening, pornographic, obscene, rumors/gossip, sexually explicit, or other content not aligned with the school’s mission and philosophy.
8. Use of chat rooms, (social media “live” features) or messaging services not authorized by the teacher for academic use.
9. Accessing sites selling term papers, book reports, and other forms of student work. 10. Spamming: sending mass or inappropriate emails.
11. Gaining access to other student’s accounts, files, and/or data.
12. Use of the school’s internet/e-mail accounts for financial or commercial gain or for any illegal activity.
13. Bypassing the MAPCS web filter through a web proxy.
14. Sharing passwords, addresses, or other personal information on the Internet without the authorization of a parent or school representative.
15. Using or possessing hacking software.
V. Precautions
1. In consideration for receiving the laptop from MAPCS, each student and his or her parent or legal guardian agrees not to sue and hereby releases, waives, discharges, holds harmless, indemnifies, and defends MAPCS, as well as their respective employees, personnel, staff, volunteers, agents, directors, affiliates and representatives, from any and all liability, losses, damages, claims, actions and causes of action of every nature for any and all known or unknown, foreseen or unforeseen, bodily or personal injuries, property damage, or other loss, whether claimed by the student, parent, legal representative, or any third party, relating in any way to the use of the laptop furnished by MAPCS to the student.
2. This laptop Acceptable Use Policy applies to MAPCS students at all times, whether or not the students are on campus, as MAPCS students are school representatives at all times.
Cell Phones and Personal Electronic Devices
Students are authorized (with their teacher’s permission) to utilize personal technology in an instructional assistive manner (ex. calculator, google searches, dictionary). Personal student technology must not interfere with the instructional environment. Constant disruption of the instructional environment will result in disciplinary consequences.
When a student is found using their device in a non-instructive manner, the student will be asked to surrender his/her device to MAPCS personnel or put the device away. Behavior personnel will return the device at the end of the day. Refusal to follow instructions will result in a response
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from the student success code. After five (5) incidents in a quarter, a parent or guardian will be required to attend a conference and retrieve the device.
MAPCS does not assume responsibility for the security of student personal technology that has not been confiscated by the school.
Student Technology Usage Agreement
The technology usage agreement must be signed and returned prior to a student being issued a laptop. Students/Parents must agree to the following terms
Laptop Distribution and Care
- Students must not have food or beverages anywhere in the vicinity of the assigned laptop
- The laptops issued to students are the property of MAPCS and are made available as learning tools.
- Students will be issued their laptops at the beginning of the school year. The laptops are to be returned at the end of each School Day or session, depending on the mode of instruction for the day.
- Students are responsible for knowing how to properly operate and protect the laptop. This includes not leaving the laptop in a location where it can be damaged by cold, heat, or moisture.
- Students/parents are solely responsible for the care and security of student laptops. LAPTOPS MUST NEVER LEAVE THE ASSIGNED
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY (PLC)
- If the laptop is damaged or malfunctions, students must take the laptop to their SDS as soon as possible (before the end of the school day) for evaluation. If a student damages the laptop (outside of reasonable wear and tear), the
students/parents are responsible for the expense of repairing or replacing the device. at a cost of $50.00.
- If the laptop is lost or stolen, the student must report the incident to the SDM immediately. In the case of theft, students/parents are responsible for
replacing the lost or stolen laptop at his/her own cost.
- Students are not permitted to repair, alter, modify or replace laptops without express authorization from MAPCS. Under no circumstance will MAPCS replace or repair a student laptop without the required payment from the student/parent.
- Laptops must remain free of any writing, drawing, stickers or labels that are not the property of MAPCS.
General Expectations
- Students are responsible for understanding and adhering to all Acceptable Use Policy for Technology regulations from the Student-Parent Handbook relating to the use of technology in addition to this laptop Agreement.
- Students may not remove or circumvent the management system installed on each laptop. This includes removing restrictions or “jailbreaking” the device.
- Students may only connect to the Internet via the wireless network provided by MAPCS while on campus.
- Sound must be muted at all times unless permission is obtained from the teacher for instructional purposes.
- Students will be issued their own individual laptop by their Professional Learning Community (PLC) and each laptop will have a registration number that is associated with the student it is issued to.
- Earphones will be issued to each student for use with the laptop. The earphones must be returned at the end of the school day or learning session depending on the instructional mode of the day.