Creating Web Pages/Sites/Services and Apps

The Board of Education authorizes staff members and students to create web content, services and apps that will be hosted by the Board on its servers or District­ affiliated servers and published on the Internet.  For purposes of this policy,  an app is defined as a self-contained program or piece of software that enables the user to perform a specific task.

The web content, services and apps must comply with State and Federal law (e.g., copyright laws, Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPM), and reflect the professional image/brand of the District, its employees, and students.  Web content, server and apps must be consistent with the Board's Mission Statement and staff-created web content, services and apps are subject to prior review and approval of the Superintendent before being published on the Internet and/or utilized with students.

Student-created web content, services and apps are subject to Policy 5722 - School­ Sponsored Student Publications and Productions.

The creation of web content, services and apps by students must be done under the supervision of a professional staff member.

The purpose of web content, services and apps hosted by the Board on its servers or District-affiliated servers is to educate, inform, and communicate. The following criteria shall be used to guide the development of such web content, services and apps:

A.    Educate

Content should be suitable for and usable by students and teachers to support the curriculum.

B.    Inform

Content may inform the community about the school, teachers, students, or departments, including information about curriculum, events, class projects, student activities, and departmental policies.

C.    Communicate

Content may communicate information about the plans, policies and operations of the District to members of the public  and  other persons who may be affected by District matters.

The information contained on the Board's website(s) should reflect and support the Board's Mission Statement, Educational Philosophy, and the School Improvement Process.

When the content includes a photograph or information relating to a student, the Board will abide by the provisions of Policy 8330 - Student Records.

All links included on the Board's website(s) or web services and apps must also meet the above criteria and comply with State and Federal law (e.g. copyright laws, CIPA, Section 504, ADA, SOPPA and COPPA). Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the District from linking the Board's website(s) to 1) recognized news/media outlets (e.g., local newspapers' websites, local television stations' websites) or 2) to websites, services and/or apps that are developed and hosted by outside commercial vendors pursuant to a contract with the Board. The Board recognizes that such third party websites may not contain age-appropriate advertisements  that  are  consistent  with the requirements of Policy 9700.01, AG 9700B, and State and Federal law.

Under no circumstances is District-created web content, services or apps to be used for commercial purposes, advertising, political lobbying, or to provide financial gains for any individual.  Included in this prohibition is the fact no web content contained on the District's website may: (1) include statements or other items that support or oppose a candidate for public office, the investigation, prosecution or recall of a public official, or passage of a tax levy or bond issue; (2) link to a website of another organization if the other website includes such a message; or (3) communicate information that supports or opposes any labor organization or any action by, on behalf of, or against any labor organization.

Under no circumstances is a staff member-created web content, services or apps, including personal web pages/sites, to be used to post student progress reports, grades, class assignments, or any other  similar  class-related  material.  Employees are required to use the Board-specified website, service or app (e.g., Powerschool) for the purpose of conveying information to students and/or parents.

Staff members are prohibited from requiring students to go to the staff member's personal web pages/sites (including, but not limited to, their Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest pages) to check grades, obtain class assignments and/or class-related materials, and/or to turn in assignments.

If a staff member creates web content, services or apps related to his/her class, it must be hosted on the Board's server or a District-affiliated server.

Web content, services and apps should reflect an understanding that both internal and external audiences will be viewing the information.

School website(s), services and apps must be located on Board-owned or District-affiliated servers.

The Superintendent shall prepare administrative guidelines defining the rules and standards applicable to the use of the Board's website and the creation of web content, services and apps by staff and students.

The Board retains all proprietary rights related to the design of web content, services and apps that are hosted on Board-owned or District-affiliated servers, absent written agreement to the contrary.

Students who want their class work to be displayed on the Board's website must have written parent permission and expressly license its display without cost to the Board.

Prior written parental permission is necessary for a student to be identified by name on the Board's website.

Instructional Use of Web Services and Apps

The Board authorizes the use of web services and/ or apps to supplement  and enhance learning opportunities for students either in the classroom or for extended learning outside the classroom.

A teacher who elects to supplement and enhance student learning through the use of web services and/ or apps is responsible for verifying/ certifying to the Technology Director that the web service or app has a FERPA-compliant privacy policy, and it complies with all requirements of the Children's Online  Privacy  Protection  Act (COPPA), the Student Online Protection Act (SOPPA) and the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA).

The Board further requires the use of a Board-issued e-mail address in the login process.