POLICY

Roselle Park Board of Education

Roselle Park, New Jersey File Code: 4119.24
STAFF USE OF INTERNET SOCIAL NETWORKS AND OTHER FORMS OF ELECTRONIC
COMMUNICATION
"Electronic communications," for the purpose of this policy, means a communication transmitted
by means of an electronic device including, but not limited to, a telephone, cellular phone,
computer, computer network, personal data assistant, or pager. Electronic communications
include, but are not limited to, e-mails, text messages, instant messages, and communications
made by means of an Internet website, including social media and social networking websites.
The Superintendent and the School Principals shall annually remind staff members and orient
new staff members concerning the importance of maintaining proper decorum in the on-line
digital world as well as in person. Employees must conduct themselves in ways that do not
distract from or disrupt the educational process.
The annual orientation and reminders will give special emphasis to improper fraternization with
students using electronic communications as follows:
A. School employees shall not list current students as "friends" on networking sites;
B. All electronic contacts with students shall be through the district's computer and telephone
systems;
C. All electronic contacts by coaches and extra-curricular advisors with team members and
members of extracurricular activities shall be sent to all team members and activity
participants;
D. School employees shall not give out their private cell phone or home phone numbers to
students without prior written approval of the Superintendent or his/her designee;
E. Inappropriate contact with students via e-mail or phone is prohibited;
F. Examples of inappropriate behavior shall be covered and discussed, including behavior to
avoid and the need for all school employees to use common sense in avoiding inappropriate
and unprofessional behavior when communicating and interacting with students;
G. Inappropriate electronic communications with students, including communications via a
social networking website, social media venues, or other Internet websites, include but are
~ t limited to:
1. Posting or sharing items containing sexual content;
2. Posting or sharing items exhibiting or advocating the use of drugs, alcohot or any
illegal activities;
3. Posting or sharing items that pertain to students, including confidential information;
4. Posting or sharing any content that significantly affects the employee's ability to
perform his/her job or disrupts the educational environment;
5. Posting or sharing any content th<1t w9ld violate district policies and/or procedures.
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H. Monitoring and penalties for the improper use of district computers, district technology, and
the district computer network shall be discussed and staff shall be informed of the
consequences that may result from inappropriate electronic communications with students
and the possibility of penalties, including dismissal from employment, for failure to exercise
good judgment in on-line and electronic conduct.
I. School staff shall have no expectation of privacy when using district technology, the district
network, and/or public social media and networking venues.
The Superintendent or his/her designees shall periodically conduct Internet searches to
determine if school employees have posted inappropriate material on the Internet. When
inappropriate use of computers and Internet websites is discovered, the Superintendent or
his/her designees shall download the problematic, inappropriate, or offensive material and seek
to maintain storage and chain of custody of the evidence. The Superintendent or his/her
designees shall also promptly bring the problematic, inappropriate, or offensive material to the
attention of the Superintendent, the Board President, and the Board's Personnel Committee for
review.
Cell Phones
School staff shall not contact a student's cell phone unless directed to do so by the student's
parent/guardian or the adult student. School district personnel shall limit cell phone interaction
with students to contact that pertains to legitimate school business. Legitimate school business
includes, but is not limited to, the following:
1. Answering academic inquiries regarding homework, other classroom work or
assignments;
2. Scheduling appointments for school related conferences and/or extra help;
3. Clarifying classroom expectations and/or assignments;
4. Sending notifications related to classroom, club or sports schedules, events, trips,
assignments; deadlines.
Cell phone contact with students shall be as brief and as direct as possible. When brief contact
is not sufficient and/or feasible to resolve the matter, teachers shall schedule face to face
conferences during regular classroom and extra-help periods to confer with the student. No cell
phone contact shall exceed three replies.
Text Messages
No staff member, coach or volunteer shall text message any student individually. All text
messages to students shall be sent to the class, team, club or organization. Staff shall not send
messages that contain material that may be defined by a reasonable person as profane or
obscene; messages that are racist, sexist or promote illicit, illegal or unethical activity; or
messages that:
1. Violate the district's affirmative action policy;
2. Are personal in nature and not related to the business of the district;
3. Can be interpreted as provocative, flirtatious or sexual in nature;
4. Contain confidential information to persons not authorized to receive that information;
5. Violate the Board's policy on Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying, File Code: 5131
HIB. .
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Computer. Tablet. and Other Electronic Communication
School district personnel shall adhere to the following guidelines when sending or receiving
messages from students using district owned or issued computers/tablets/other electronic
communication; the district network; and the staff member's external Email accounts:
1. All messages shall pertain to legitimate school business;
2. Personnel shall not reveal passwords to others. If a staff member believes that a
password has been lost or stolen, or that E-mail has been accessed by someone without
authorization, he/she must contact the Help Desk immediately. E-mail windows should
not be left open on the screen when the computer is unattended.
3. District administrators shall have access to the employee's password or passwords for
all district owned or issued devices and the use of the district network;
4. To ensure that federal copyright laws are not violated, staff shall not send messages that
contain text without the author's permission.
Staff shall not send messages that contain material that may be defined by a reasonable person
as obscene; messages that are racist, sexist or promote illegal or unethical activity; or
messages that:
1. Violate the district's affirmative action policy;
2. Are personal in nature and not related to the business of the district;
3. Can be interpreted as provocative, flirtatious or sexual in nature;
4. Are broadcast to a large group of other district personnel without supervisory permission;
5. Contain confidential information to persons not authorized to receive that information.
6. Violate the Board's policy on Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying, File Code: 5131
HIB.
Personnel shall become familiar with the district's policies and regulation on staff and student
access to networked information resources before initiating E-mail use. Employees learning of
any misuse of the E-mail systems shall notify the supervisor of technology immediately.
Social Networking Websites, Social Media. and Communications Made by Means of an Internet
Website
School employees have no expectation of privacy when using public social networking
websites, public social media venues, and public Internet websites. School employees are
prohibited from improperly fraternizing with students.
1. School employees may not list current students as "friends" on social networking sites or
social media venues.
2. School employees shall not inappropriately communicate with students via social
networking websites, social media, or other Internet websites. Inappropriate electronic
communications with students include but is not limited to:
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a. Posting or sharing items containing sexual content;
b. Posting or sharing items exhibiting or advocating the use of drugs, alcohol or any
illegal activities;
c. Posting or sharing items that pertain to students, including confidential
information;
d. Posting or sharing any content that significantly affects the employee's ability to
perform his/her job or disrupts the educational environment;
e. Posting or sharing any content that would violate district policies and/or
procedures.
Implementation
This policy shall be distributed annually and as needed to all staff members.
Adopted: October 20, 2009 Revised: March 16, 2010, __ _
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