Computer Education & Acceptable Use Policy

A school-wide local area network supports all classrooms and several laboratories are available for Computer Applications Technology. Besides subject teaching, the computer facilities are used for research by subject pupils and the complex administration of a modern school.

The Computer Rooms should be open at first breaks and after school until 16:00, Tuesdays to Fridays for pupils to work independently when not used for teaching.

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

The Computer Network: Terms and Conditions of Use Agreement

Fish Hoek High School actively encourages the use of technology by pupils and staff. We are proud to have a school-wide network with full access to the Internet. These facilities significantly expand the knowledge base available to pupils and teachers. They also improve communications between the School, home and the community.

Acceptable Use

  1. The purpose of providing Internet access at Fish Hoek High School is to facilitate the availability of information for the sake of research and education, by providing access to resources, and the opportunity of collaborative research. The use of Internet accounts provided by Fish Hoek High School must be consistent with these objectives.
  2. Transmission of any material in violation of any South African national or provincial laws or regulations or rules of Fish Hoek High School is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, copyright material, threatening, obscene or offensive material, or material protected by trade secret.
  3. Use for commercial activities is not acceptable. Use for product advertisement or political lobbying is also prohibited
  4. You will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to Fish Hoek High School Internet connection or to any other computer system through The Fish Hoek High School Internet link or go beyond your authorized access. This includes attempting to log in through another person’s account or access other person’s files. These actions are illegal, even if only for the purposes of “browsing”.
  5. Plagiarism will be dealt in accordance with the Fish Hoek High School’ Code of Conduct. 

Privilege

The Fish Hoek High School has not been established as a public access service or a public forum. Fish Hoek High School reserves the right to place reasonable restrictions on material/software accessed or material/software published through the system.

The use of the network is a privilege, not a right. Inappropriate use, including any violation of these conditions and rules, may result in cancellation of the privilege.

Fish Hoek High School, under this agreement, is delegated the authority to determine appropriate use and may deny, revoke, suspend or close any user account at any time based upon its determination of inappropriate use by account holder or user. 

Monitoring

Fish Hoek High School reserves the right to review material held on user accounts and to monitor file server space in order to determine whether specific uses of the network are inappropriate. In reviewing and monitoring user accounts and file server space, Fish Hoek High School will respect the privacy of the user accounts at all times. 

Security

  1. Security on any computer system is a high priority, especially when the system involves many users. Users must never divulge their password, or in any way allow others access to their account. Users must also protect their passwords to ensure system security and their own privilege and ability to continue to use the system.
  2. Users may not use the accounts of other users.
  3. Any attempt to log on to the network as system administrator will result in cancellation of user privileges.

Vandalism and Harassment

  1. Vandalism and harassment will result in disciplinary action and the possible cancellation of user privileges.
  2. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm, modify, or destroy equipment or data of the school or another user. This includes, but is not limited to, the transferring or creating of computer viruses.
  3. Harassment is defined as the persistent annoyance of another user, or the interference with another user’s work. Harassment includes, but is not limited to, the sending of unwanted mail. 

Copyright Violation

Copyright is the exclusive right of the creator of a work to copy, change, present or reproduce a work through any means. Anyone who does any of these things without the permission of the author or designated agent infringes copyright and is engaging in an illegal activity.

You may not download, view or store copyrighted material while using the school network or computers or by using the school’s internet connection. 

Social Networking and Web 2.0

Social Networking/Web 2.0 sites are those that allow users to publish digital information quickly and easily and make it available to other internet users. This includes applications like forums, blogs and wikis such as MySpace or Facebook. As a general guide, it is any website that allows the publishing of information which is not immediately removed when the user leaves the site.

Learners and parents need to be aware that publishing text, images or video via social networking places it in the public domain, and that, even after it has been deleted by you, it may still be able to be accessed by others. Careful consideration must be given to any information published online and the following guidelines may be useful:

  1. Never publish your contact details on a publicly accessible service.
  2. Exercise great caution when publishing other personal details such as name, gender, age, etc.
  3. Understand that you are an ambassador for the school in all online activities. Material published on social networking websites should not reflect negatively on fellow learners, educators, or on Fish Hoek High School. You will be held responsible for how you represent yourself and your school on the Internet.
  4. As a guide, do not publish anything you’d be embarrassed if your grandmother were to see it. Just as in real life a relationship between a member of staff and a pupil would be inappropriate, online relationships (e.g. Facebook friends) between members of staff and current Fish Hoek pupils are not permitted. Access to Social Networking sites will be blocked during school hours, unless specifically requested by an educator for a class activity.

Encounter of Controversial Material

Users may encounter material which is controversial and which users, parents, teachers or administrators may consider inappropriate or offensive. By its size and nature, it is impossible to control all the content available on the Internet. Although Fish Hoek High School takes precautionary measures to impede students’ ability to access controversial material, it is impossible to provide full protection for users from all material which may be considered inappropriate or offensive, and an industrious user may find such material. It is the user’s responsibility not to initiate access to such material and to withdraw from access to such material as quickly as possible should an encounter occur unintentionally. Any decision by Fish Hoek High School shall not be deemed to impose any duty on the school to regulate the content of material on the Internet. 

The School on the Internet

Fish Hoek High School will use the website, D6 School Communicator and Facebook to reflect the activities and spirit of the School. To this end, anyone that is linked to the School could have their digital photographs displayed on the website. Any member of the Fish Hoek High School community who does not want their child’s photograph displayed on the school website must inform the School, in writing, to this effect. This correspondence must be handed in to the Reception office and should give the name of the person whose photograph should not be displayed on the school website. 

Warranties

Fish Hoek High School makes no warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, for the service it is providing. Fish Hoek High School will not be responsible for any damages a user suffers through the use of these services. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, mis-deliveries, or service interruptions caused by Fish Hoek High School or by the user’s errors or omissions. Use of any information obtained via the Internet is at the user’s own risk. Fish Hoek High School specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its services. All users need to consider the source of any information they obtain, and consider how valid that information might be.

Families will be required to sign this policy before they use the School’s facilities.