Adopted: February 25, 2003

Policy

The North Vancouver School District manages a telecommunications system, a website and an e-mail and conferencing system, hereinafter referred to as communication systems, which are provided in support of the delivery of educational programs and the management of the organization. The Board endorses the use of these systems by all employees and approved users and actively encourages and supports the School District’s growing online community. The Board believes that all system users are responsible for ensuring that these communication systems are used effectively, lawfully and in a manner relevant to the operations of the School District.

Administrative Procedures

Confidentiality

The School District takes reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure that the security and integrity of its communication systems are protected. However, there is no protection of privacy regarding the communication systems use or the data contained in those systems, including e-mail and voice-mail.

The School District does not actively monitor individual user email accounts and is respectful of the content of messages created and received by users. However, the School District may access, inspect, retrieve, review, read, copy, archive, delete and disclose to others (including courts, arbitrators and law enforcement authorities) any and all of its communication systems data and uses where it considers such action necessary and appropriate.

Users who wish their Internet, e-mail or voice-mail communications to be private should not use the School District’s systems.

Personal Use

The School District’s communication systems may be used to send and receive e-mail and voice-mail messages of a personal nature and to access the Internet for personal use, provided that in the opinion of the School District, those uses do not interfere with the business of the School District.

E-mail Protocol

All users are expected to exercise the same good judgment and discretion when sending e-mail as they would when sending a formal letter, written memorandum or other correspondence.

Internal e-mail messages should not be distributed to persons outside of the School District unless the distribution is clearly authorized by the author of the e-mail.

Prohibited Uses

The following uses of the School District’s communication systems are prohibited:

• Illegal or unethical use
• Sending, intentionally receiving or accessing offensive, objectionable, abusive, pornographic, obscene, sexist, racist, harassing or provocative messages, images or other media, including adult-orientated web sites or news groups
• Sending defamatory, derogatory or false messages
• Commercial activity not sanctioned by the School District
• Unauthorized access to other users’ e-mail, data or communications
• Uses that infringe copyright or other intellectual property rights
• Uses that may compromise system integrity or degrade system performance
• Any other use that may be determined as inappropriate by the School District