Back to Student Handbook — Grades 4-8

Table of Contents

OCS offers students, staff, and faculty a range of telecommunications technologies designed to support excellence in teaching and learning. In particular, the internet and email provide our community with access to unique resources and opportunities for collaborative work. However, the use of these technologies is a privilege that must be used in an effective and ethical manner. Therefore, the use of computers, internet, and all other telecommunications technologies at OCS shall be in support of education and research, shall be consistent with other school policies, and shall assure the use of computers in a responsible, efficient, ethical, and legal manner. Students are required to participate in a technology orientation and sign an acceptable use contract. It is mandatory for students to bring their device to school every day. All questions and concerns regarding technology can be referenced in the Grades 4-8 BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Handbook.

Portable Electronic Devices

Student personal phones are an important way for parents to communicate with their children. However, indiscriminate use of such devices is disruptive to the educational process. Therefore, students are not permitted to use their personal phones from the hours of 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., unless otherwise permitted in the classroom for faculty-supervised educational purposes and permission has been granted by the teacher. Students must keep their cellphone secured in their lockers during the hours of 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Students are responsible for the safety and security of any item or device that they bring to school. Oaks Christian School is not financially responsible for any theft, accidental, willful, or malicious damage to the portable device and is not responsible for replacement or repair. The use of a portable device is a privilege that may be revoked if students do not follow the guidelines as outlined in the technology responsible use policy. These OCS technology policy guidelines apply to any electronics being used on the OCS campus or network.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

BYOD devices are the only electronic resources to be utilized throughout the school day. These devices must be used for academic purposes only and should not be used as a communication tool with other students or parents during the school day. Please see the BYOD Tech Handbook for more information.

Technology Usage Expectations and Consequences

The school reserves the right to limit or suspend technology access privileges to any user who is not using the school’s technological resources in a responsible and ethical manner. Violation of this agreement may also result in disciplinary action. Please remember that the use of the Internet and school computers is a privilege, not a right.

Acceptable Uses and Ethical Behavior

When using technology, students, staff, and faculty are expected to adhere to the same standards of ethical behavior that govern other aspects of our school community:

Exercise good judgment in visiting sites. Do not visit sites that appear to contain objectionable material. Ask a teacher or a parent if you are unsure if the site is appropriate.
Be polite and use appropriate language for all communications. Avoid jokes or statements that might offend.
To protect your privacy and safety, do not give out your address, telephone number, or full name.

Unacceptable Uses and Unethical Behavior

Any unacceptable or illegal use of technology could cause embarrassment to the user and to the school. It could even threaten freedom of access to information within our school community. Misuse includes sending or seeking to receive messages that contain or suggest racism, sexism, inappropriate language, pornography, illegal solicitation, or information that could violate another person’s privacy. Other unacceptable uses include:

Accessing websites or files that contain explicit materials or offensive language; it is the user’s responsibility not to initiate access to such material.
Deleting or changing any application or file belonging to the network or another person. This includes deliberately attempting to bypass security software or obtaining or sharing passwords belonging to others. The security programs at our school are only one way of protecting our computers; our most important safeguard is relying on one another’s honesty and integrity.
Trying to access other individuals' or other institutions' files or mail. You need to respect the privacy of others. Do not modify or copy any files/data of other users without their specific consent.
Forwarding another user’s communication without the author’s prior consent.
Chain letters or any other illegal activity that would violate standard mail practice.
Copying commercial software or personal intellectual property in violation of copyright laws.
Destroying, modifying, or abusing the hardware or software in any way. We ask everyone to respect the fact that the computers are configured in a way that is useful to most of our community and should not be changed to meet individual preferences.
Students, parents, and faculty should be aware of the possibility of the dangers involved with chatrooms and chat sessions. There is no control over individuals who are communicating within these sessions, and adult language is used.
The school computers should not be used for commercial purposes defined as “offering or providing products or services.” Students should not use the school computers for purchasing products or services. The school will not be responsible for financial obligations arising from unauthorized purchases.
Sending out unauthorized global email will result in a school disciplinary action.
Personal conversations using instant messaging tools such as texting or Google chat.
Using an email provider other than the school’s email system and the use of email for personal (non-school-related) communication.
Sexting, pornography, inappropriate comments and/or pictures on technology sites, electronic devices, social networking sites, or otherwise, are not permitted and are subject to discipline.
Taking photos or videos of other students, teachers, administrators, or other OCS personnel without prior consent or authorization. No filming or photography is allowed in any school restrooms.
Using earbuds during the school day without permission from a teacher or administrator.
Associating a website with the school without proper authorization or representing the school by name, logo, or identity in a formal or informal publication, document, or program without prior approval.
Identifying oneself with another person’s name or using password, account, or credentials of another user (including guests). This includes the use of anonymous proxies or identity concealing software or applications. Attempts to log on to the computer/network/Internet impersonating a system administrator, a school employee, student, or individual other than oneself, will result in disciplinary action.
Attempting to gain access to or gaining access to student records, grades, or files outside of the adult supervised and approved shared drives or individual authorized account.
To maintain the academic spirit of each class, students should not use technology for recreational use such as gaming during class or passing periods.

Electronic Monitoring

Since network administrators must maintain system integrity and ensure responsible use, users should not expect files stored on the school’s servers, Internet use, or email communications to be private. OCS reserves the right to review, in its sole and absolute discretion, any files stored on the school’s computers or servers, Internet use, or email communications. OCS is not responsible for any information that may be transmitted or received via email or Internet usage.
The administration may, but does not regularly monitor the language and/or actions of students on public social media platforms. The school will hold students accountable for reported social media incidents and misconduct that violates school handbook policies.
See the Honor Code section of the Student Handbook. Students should treat all social media activity as a direct reflection of their character as an Oaks Christian student. Any action inside or outside of school, deemed unbecoming an Oaks Christian student, may be subject to disciplinary action and dismissal from school.

Student Social Media Policy

Social media offers a variety of positive experiences and benefits to students, including increased engagement in the community, increased sense of social connection and sense of well-being. They also harbor a number of known risks to students' privacy, future employment and current well-being. The risks include, but are not limited to: bullying, harassment, exposure to explicit material, defamation, and injury to reputation. Those risks are increased by the public nature and inherent insecurity of electronic digital communication.

Guidelines

Students are expected:

To be respectful, careful, responsible, and accountable for their use of social media. A student's right to make a statement does not mean that the speech has no consequences in terms of impact on others, judgments made about the speaker by third parties, or the impact on future employers.
To respect the lack of privacy inherent in social media. For instance, communications intended to be private by their sender may be shared by their receiver and published widely.
To consider how their remarks or posts may be interpreted by others.
To respect the speed at which information travels in modern social media.
To be gracious and compassionate both in the statements they make and when they interpret the intentions of those making statements concerning them. Students should expect to be held responsible by others for what they say in all places, including on social media.

Digital Citizenship