Skip to main content
District

Technology Responsible Use Policy (RUP)

The board provides its students and staff access to a variety of technological resources, including laptop computers and tablets. These resources provide opportunities to enhance learning and improve communication within the school community and with the larger global community. Through the school district’s technological resources, users can observe events as they occur around the world, interact with others on a variety of subjects, and acquire access to current and in-depth information.            

The board intends that students and employees benefit from these resources while remaining within the bounds of safe, legal and responsible use. Accordingly, the board establishes this policy to govern student and employee use of school district technological resources. This policy applies regardless of whether such use occurs on or off school district property, and it applies to all school district technological resources, including but not limited to computer networks and connections, the resources, tools and learning environments made available by or on the networks, and all devices that connect to those networks.

  • School district technological resources may only be used by students, staff and others expressly authorized by the Technology Department. The use of school district technological resources, including access to the Internet, is a privilege, not a right. Individual users of the school district’s technological resources are responsible for their behavior and communications when using those resources. Responsible use of school district technological resources is use that is ethical, respectful, academically honest and supportive of student learning. Each user has the responsibility to respect others in the school community and on the Internet. Users are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette. General student and employee behavior standards, including those prescribed in applicable board policies, the Student Handbook and other regulations and school rules, apply to use of the Internet and other school technological resources.

    In addition, anyone who uses school district computers or electronic devices or who accesses the school network or the Internet using school district resources must comply with the additional rules for responsible use listed in Section B, below. These rules are intended to clarify expectations for conduct but should not be construed as all-inclusive. Furthermore, all students must adhere to the LCS Technology Use Guidelines as set forth in the Student Handbook. Prior to using the Internet, all students must be trained about appropriate online behavior as provided in policy 4.406 - Use of the Internet.

    All students and employees must be informed annually of the requirements of this policy and the methods by which they may obtain a copy of this policy. Before using school district technological resources, students and employees must sign a statement indicating that they understand and will strictly comply with these requirements. Failure to adhere to these requirements will result in disciplinary action, including revocation of user privileges. Willful misuse may result in disciplinary action and/or criminal prosecution under applicable state and federal law.

    Lenoir City Schools Google Chromebook Policy, Procedures and Information

    The focus of the Chromebook program at Lenoir City Schools is to provide tools and resources for the 21st century learner. Excellence in education requires that technology is seamlessly integrated throughout the educational curricula. Increasing access to technology is essential to build upon college and career readiness skills. The individual use of Chromebooks is a way to empower students to maximize their full potential and to prepare them for college and the workplace.

    Learning results from the continuous dynamic interaction among students, educators, parents and the extended community. Technology immersion does not diminish the vital role of the teacher. To the contrary, it transforms the teacher from a director of learning to a facilitator of learning. Effective teaching and learning with Chromebooks integrates technology into the curriculum anytime, anyplace.

    The policies, procedures, and information within this document apply to all Chromebooks and other technology-able devices used at Lenoir City Schools considered by the administration to come under this policy.

    Teachers may set additional requirements for use in their classroom.

    • Chromebooks will be distributed each fall after the student/parent/teacher informational meetings.    
    • Parents & students must sign and return the Student and Parent Pledge documents before the Chromebook can be issued to their child.

    Student Cost for Chromebook                        

    • Student Chromebook insurance will be $35.00 per year. This policy provides insurance for any accidental damage to the Chromebook.
    • This is payable when the Chromebook is assigned to the student.
    • This insurance provides for all repair and maintenance costs for the Chromebook that result from accidental damage.
    • Students will be charged $30.00 for each lost charger during the school year. Damaged chargers will be replaced, at no cost, as part of the insurance fee.

    Chromebook Device Repair for iLearn: If your student’s device is accidentally broken or if it becomes inoperable for any reason, please contact the Department of Technology at 865-988-1940 at any time Monday through Friday between 8-4. The Department of Technology will set up an appointment with you to drop the non working device off and if the device can not be repaired on site then the student will be issued a loaner device. Once the student’s device comes back from repair the student will be contacted to pick up the device and return the loaner.  If the loaner device is not returned in a reasonable amount of time it will be automatically shut off by the district and made inoperable. This will not be an excuse for the student to not complete work since the loaner device should have been returned to the district.

    • Chromebooks will be returned prior to the end of the school year, on a date to be provided, so they can be checked for serviceability and be stored for the summer. If a student transfers out of the Lenoir City School District during the school year, the Chromebook, Chromebook charger, Chromebook backpack, and any other peripheral devices/tools provided will be returned at that time.
    • Students who graduate early, withdraw, are expelled, or terminate enrollment at Lenoir City Schools for any other reason must return their individual school Chromebook, Chromebook charger, Chromebook backpack, and any other peripheral devices/tools provided on the date of termination.
    • If a student fails to return the Chromebook, Chromebook charger, Chromebook backpack, and any other peripheral devices/tools provided at the end of the school year or upon termination of enrollment at Lenoir City Schools, that student will be subject to criminal prosecution or civil liability. The student will also pay the replacement cost of the Chromebook, Chromebook charger, Chromebook backpack, and any other peripheral devices/tools provided. Failure to return the Chromebook, Chromebook charger, Chromebook backpack, and any other peripheral devices/tools provided will result in a theft report being filed with the Lenoir City Police Department.
    • Furthermore, the student will be responsible for any damage to the Chromebook, consistent with the District's Chromebook Protection plan and must return the computer and accessories to Lenoir City Schools in good working condition.
    • If at any point during the school year there is damage, loss, or theft of a Chromebook the student must contact administration immediately.
    • Any technical issue with the device must be brought to the attention of administration or technology support staff immediately. This includes but is not limited to Chrome OS (operating system), battery issues, loss of Internet connectivity, failure of apps to launch, etc.
  • Students are responsible for the general care of the Chromebook that they have been issued by the school. Chromebooks that are broken or fail to work properly must be taken to the Lenoir City Schools Central Office Building, 200 East Broadway, for repair. Contact Wes Rhodes at wr@lenoircityschools.net or 865-988-1940 to schedule a time to do so and pick up a loaner device, if necessary. 

    • The Chromebook is school property, and all users will follow this policy and the Lenoir City School District acceptable use policy for technology.
    • Only use a clean, soft cloth to clean the screen, no cleansers of any type.
    • Cords and cables must be inserted carefully into the Chromebook to prevent damage.
    • Chromebooks and Chromebook backpacks must remain free of any writing, drawing, stickers, or labels that are not the property of the Lenoir City School District.
    • Chromebooks must never be left in an unlocked locker, unlocked car, or any unsupervised area.
    • Students are responsible for keeping their Chromebooks’ batteries charged for school each day.
    • Chromebooks are very sensitive to extreme heat and extreme cold; therefore, leaving devices in cars, direct sunlight, etc... that may expose them to these conditions are potentially harmful to the device and should be avoided.
    • Do not stack any books or other heavy materials on top of the Chromebook as it could cause the device to break.
  • The Chromebook screens can be damaged if subjected to rough treatment. The screens are particularly sensitive to damage from excessive pressure.

    • Do not lean on the top of the Chromebook when it is closed.
    • Do not place anything near the Chromebook that could put pressure on the screen.
    • Do not place anything in the carrying backpack that will press against the cover.
    • Clean the screen with a soft, dry cloth or antistatic cloth.
    • Do not "bump" the Chromebook against lockers, walls, car doors, floors, etc... as it will eventually break the screen.
    • Replacement Chromebooks may be issued to students when they leave their Chromebooks for repair at the Library Media Center. Please note that there may be a delay in getting a Chromebook should the school not have enough to distribute.
    • Data Storage on the Chromebook is limited and should be managed by the students so that the full educational potential of the Chromebook is available. Any instance of downloading apps that have not been approved by the district are carefully monitored. Students may be directed by school personnel to remove apps, music, videos if the storage of instructional materials is compromised.
    • Students are allowed to set up access to home wireless networks on their Chromebooks. This will assist students with the ability to complete, retrieve, access, etc... educational content used in classes with the Chromebook successfully.
    • If parents/guardians are interested in providing content filtering at home, it is suggested that parents/guardians contact their Internet provider for details and support.
    • Students may save work to their Google Docs (Drive) accounts (or other cloud based storage medium) via the Chromebook.
    • Storage space will be available on the Chromebook, but since the device has storage limitations, it is vital that the storage space be privileged for educational use only. It is also important to note that Chromebooks will NOT be backed up by the district in cases of resetting or reimaging.
    • It is the student's responsibility to ensure that his/her work is backed up and therefore not lost due to mechanical failure or accidental deletion.
    • Chromebook malfunctions are not an acceptable excuse for not submitting work.
    • The Lenoir City School District makes no guarantee that their network will be up and running 100% of the time. In the rare case that the network is down, the District will not be responsible for lost or missing data.
    • Students will not be penalized if the network is down and a completed assignment can not be accessed for class projects, presentations, etc. as this type of network outage will affect all students and staff in the school building.
    • The extensions/apps originally installed by Lenoir City Schools must remain on the Chromebook in usable condition and be easily accessible at all times.
    • From time to time, the school may add software applications for use in a particular course. Periodic checks of Chromebooks will be made to ensure that students have not removed required apps/extensions.
    • Students are allowed to load extra extensions/apps on their Chromebooks. Students are responsible for the web apps and extensions they install on their Chromebooks. Apps and other media must be appropriate per the school's acceptable use policy and code of conduct. Students will be asked to remove apps and media if deemed inappropriate. These apps/extensions will be available upon logging into the device using the official school approved email address.
    • Any attempt to "jailbreak" the Chromebook or change the configuration will result in an immediate disciplinary action.
    • Any software that breaks the Responsible Use Policy or that is deemed inappropriate for use in school is not to be downloaded or installed on the Chromebooks. This includes, but is not limited to, music, games, videos, images, eBooks, and apps as noted in section 3.5 above. Immediate removal of material (or full reset of the device), contact with parents, and disciplinary action will take place.
    • Students may be selected at random to provide their Chromebook for inspection.
    • Reasons for Chromebook inspection may include but are not limited to the following: functionality, maintenance, serviceability, and various violations of student acceptable responsibilities when using the Chromebook.
    • If technical difficulties occur or illegal software are discovered, the Chromebook may be restored from backup. The school does not accept responsibility for the loss of any software or documents deleted due to a need to reformat and/or reimage any device.
    • Upgrade versions of licensed software/apps may become available from time to time. Students may be required to check in their Chromebooks for periodic updates.
    • Students are encouraged to periodically upgrade the apps on the Chromebook if prompted. Chromebooks run Chrome OS (Operating Software) Web browser. OS updates are conducted automatically on the OS.
  • Parent/Guardian Responsibilities

    • Talk to your children about values and the standards they should follow on the use of the Internet just as you do on the use of all media information sources such as television, telephones, movies, and radio.
    • Become increasingly active participants by asking your child/children to show you what sites they are navigating to and/or what apps are being used and how they work.
    • Ensure that siblings and other family members are not using the device for personal use.

    School Responsibilities are to:

    • Provide Internet and Online Course Materials access to its students.
    • Provide Internet filtering and blocking of inappropriate materials as able.
    • Chromebooks will be treated similar to the policy surrounding school lockers. The Lenoir City School District reserves the right to review, monitor, and restrict information stored on or transmitted via Lenoir City School District owned equipment and to investigate inappropriate use of resources.
    • Provide staff guidance to aid students in doing research and help ensure student compliance of the acceptable use policy.

    Students are responsible for:

    • Using computers/devices in a responsible and ethical manner.
    • Obeying general school rules concerning behavior and communication that apply to technology use.
    • Using all technology resources in an appropriate manner so as to not damage school equipment. Taking a proactive role to aid Lenoir City School District in the protection of our computer system/device by contacting an administrator about any security problems they may encounter.
    • Comply with trademark and copyright laws and all license agreements. Ignorance of the law is not immunity. If you are unsure, ask a teacher or parent.
    • Plagiarism is a violation of the Lenoir City School District Code of Conduct. Give credit to all sources used, whether quoted or summarized. This includes all forms of media on the Internet, such as graphics, movies, music, and text.
    • Use or possession of hacking software is strictly prohibited. Violation of applicable state or federal law may result in criminal prosecution or disciplinary action by the District.
    • If a student should receive emails containing inappropriate or abusive language or if the subject matter is questionable, he/she is to make a teacher or administrator aware immediately.
    • Returning their Chromebook to the Library Media Center at the end of each school year. Students who graduate early, withdraw, are suspended or expelled, or terminate enrollment at Lenoir City Schools for any other reason must return their individual school Chromebook and other peripherals on the date of termination.
    • Monitoring all activity on their account(s). No right of privacy exists in the use of technological resources.

    Student Activities Strictly Prohibited:

    Students are strictly prohibited from the following actions while using their Chromebook (Lenoir City School District reserves the right to modify this list at any time.):

    • Illegal installation or transmission of copyrighted materials
    • Any action that violates an applicable existing or future Board policy and any applicable laws.
    • Sending, accessing, uploading, downloading, or distributing offensive, profane, threatening, pornographic,
    • Use of chat rooms, sites selling term papers, book reports and other forms of student work
    • Messaging services EX: MSN Messenger, ICQ, etc.
    • Use of outside data disks or external attachments without prior approval from the administration
    • Changing of Chromebook settings (exceptions include personal settings such as font size, brightness, etc.)
    • Spamming/Sending mass or inappropriate emails
    • Using the Internet to access personal (non-school related) accounts i.e. non-school provided email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail), Facebook, other social media sites, etc.
    • Gaining access to other student's accounts, files, and/or data
    • Use of the school's Internet/Email accounts for financial or commercial gain or for any illegal activity
    • Sending anonymous or misleading communications for any inappropriate purpose via any means
    • Students are not allowed to give out personal information, without the permission and supervision of their parents or a school staff member, over the Internet. This includes, but is not limited to, setting up Internet accounts including those necessary for chat rooms, Ebay, email, etc.
    • Participation in credit card fraud, electronic forgery or other forms of illegal behavior.
    • Vandalism (any malicious attempt to harm or destroy hardware, software or data, including, but not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses or computer programs that can infiltrate computer systems and/or damage software components) of school equipment will not be allowed
    • Transmission or accessing materials that are obscene, offensive, threatening or otherwise intended to harass or demean recipients.
    • Bypassing the Lenoir City School District web filter through a web proxy

  • Students will be held responsible for maintaining their individual Chromebooks and keeping them in good working order.

    • Only labels or stickers approved by the Lenoir City School District may be applied to the device.
    • Chromebooks that malfunction or are damaged must be reported to the administration. The school district will be responsible for repairing Chromebooks that malfunction. Chromebooks that have been damaged from student misuse, neglect or are intentionally damaged will be repaired with cost being borne by the student. Students will be responsible for the entire cost of repairs to Chromebooks that are intentionally damaged or lost.
    • Chromebook damage: Students may be responsible for any and all damage as circumstances warrant.
    • Chromebooks that are stolen must be reported immediately to the Lenoir City Police Department (the police report must be submitted) and to school administration.
    • Comply with all applicable laws, including but not limited to trademark and copyright laws and license agreements.
    • Plagiarism is a violation of the Lenoir City School District Code of Conduct. Give credit to all sources used, whether quoted or summarized. This includes all forms of media on the Internet, such as graphics, movies, music, and text.
      • Use or possession of hacking software is strictly prohibited. Violation of applicable state or federal law will result in criminal prosecution or disciplinary action by the District.

        Student Discipline

    • If a student violates any part of the policies, procedures, expectations outlined in this document, the student handbook or District policies, he/she will be disciplined in accordance with our discipline policy.
  • Student Chromebooks will be labeled in the manner specified by the school. Chromebooks can be identified in the following ways:

    • Record of serial number
    • Lenoir City School District label
    • To prevent damage, nothing should be placed on top of the Chromebook.
  • As mentioned throughout this document, misuse of Chromebooks has the potential to earn disciplinary consequences such as, but not limited to, lunch detentions, after school detentions, in-school suspensions, and out-of-school suspensions.

    Examples of conduct warranting disciplinary action include, but are not limited to the following:

    • Downloading inappropriate apps and media.
    • Leaving Chromebook unattended.
    • Deleting school installed settings from a Chromebook.
      • Lack of adequate care for Chromebook, backpack, charger, etc.

      • Adding a credit card to a Google Account (Google Wallet) to purchase music/unapproved apps.

      • Logging in under a personal Google account to download purchased apps for yourself or another student(s).

      • Loaning of a student's device to other students inside and outside of school.

      • Multiple damage instances caused by lack of care for the Chromebook and other peripheral devices.

  • School issued Chromebooks should be used for educational purposes and students are to adhere to the Responsible Use Policy and all of its corresponding administrative procedures at all times. While working in a digital and collaborative environment, students should always conduct themselves as good digital citizens by adhering to the following:

    1. Respect Yourself. I will show respect for myself through my actions. I will select online names that are appropriate. I will use caution with the information, images, and other media that I post online. I will carefully consider what personal information about my life, experiences, or relationships I post. I will not be obscene. I will act with integrity.

    2. Protect Yourself. I will ensure that the information, images, and materials I post online will not put me at risk. I will not publish my personal details, contact details, or a schedule of my activities. I will report any attacks or inappropriate behavior directed at me while online. I will protect passwords, accounts, and resources.

    3. Respect Others. I will show respect to others. I will not use electronic mediums to antagonize, bully, harass, or stalk people. I will show respect for other people in my choice of websites: I will not visit sites that are degrading to others, pornographic, racist, or inappropriate. I will not enter other people's private spaces or areas.

    4. Protect Others. I will protect others by reporting abuse and not forwarding inappropriate materials or communications. I will avoid unacceptable materials and conversations.

    5. Respect Intellectual Property. I will request permission to use copyrighted or otherwise protected materials. I will suitably cite all use of websites, books, media, etc. I will acknowledge all primary sources. I will validate information. I will use and abide by the fair use rules.

    6. Protect Intellectual Property. I will request to use the software and media others produce. I will purchase, license, and register all software or use available free and open source alternatives rather than pirating software. I will purchase my music and media and refrain from distributing these in a manner that violates their licenses.