Communication and Technology Policies

As an organization with a commitment to excellence in education and the safety of our students, as well as the preservation of our outstanding reputation as a school, the standards for appropriate online communication at Kennedy Catholic High School are high. While we respect the right of students, employees, alumni, and other members of our community to utilize the variety of private social media options available, faculty and students are expected to follow the same behavioral standards online as mandated by current school and Archdiocesan policies. Guidelines for Communicating with Students via Technology: Kennedy Catholic faculty, staff, coaches, and volunteers follow the Archdiocesan policies on communicating with minors. In addition, the following rules apply: Email: When emailing a student or group of students, staff must copy this email address: copy@kennedyhs.org, which is periodically reviewed by school administration. Student Email Code of Conduct: See website for the Use of Microsoft 365 Code of Conduct in its entirety: https://www. kennedyhs.org/academics/technology/support. Texting: When texting a student or group of students, staff must copy a generic account: copy@kennedyhs.org which is periodically reviewed by school administration. Social Media: Kennedy Catholic supports the use of social media in communicating, engaging, connecting, and sharing information with the Lancer community. Social media is designed to communicate online through social interaction using highly accessible public publishing forums such as, but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, blogs, message boards, and other social platforms. Any social media account considered a public account representing the interests of Kennedy Catholic is the property of Kennedy Catholic. Permission to start such a site must be obtained from the Marketing & Communications Office. Staff are prohibited from “friending” a student, accepting a “friend request” from a student, or “following” a student on a personal social media page. See website for the Social Media Policy in its entirety: https://www.kennedyhs.org/parents. Microsoft Office 365 is for educational purposes only. This agreement states users will not use Microsoft Office 365 for personal emails and personal social networking. In turn, they will not use personal email for school related communication. This agreement states that users will be polite and respectful of other students. Users will also respect students’ privacy and security when using Microsoft Office 365. Kennedy Catholic requires computer use and provides computer network services to its on-campus community (administration, faculty, staff, students, and volunteers) to support the school’s mission. Computer network services are individual network accounts, which provide email, local area network, and internet access. Kennedy Catholic, in accordance with the goals and criteria of the Seattle Archdiocese Catholic Schools Department, believes that these tools and services, when used in “an atmosphere of wise freedom,” significantly enrich and transform teaching and learning experiences at Kennedy Catholic, and further “deepen respect for intellectual values.” Websites: Websites run by faculty/staff for school purposes are reviewed frequently by the President/Principal and Administration. Code of Conduct: All posts and comments should be marked by Christian charity and respect for the truth. They should be on topic and presume the good will of other posters. Discussion should take place primarily from a faith perspective. (From Social Media – Principles, Policies and Guidelines for Parishes, Schools and Programs of the Archdiocese of Seattle) Computers: See the website for the Acceptable Use of Computer and Network Services Policy, Code of Conduct and User Agreement in its entirety: kennedyhs.org/academics/technology/support. Kennedy Catholic’s Acceptable Use Policy is in accordance with the Archdiocese of Seattle Office of Catholic Schools and FCC CIPA (Children’s Internet Protection Act enacted by Congress in 2008). Kennedy Catholic recognizes that access to these diverse electronic tools and resources comes with occasional risks that are inconsistent with the values and educational goals of the Seattle Archdiocese Catholic Schools Department. In order to promote and protect these values and goals, Kennedy Catholic actively limits access to network services, resources, and uses that are inappropriate for the school’s educational purposes. These limits will be applied and monitored across the Kennedy Catholic on-campus community as the school deems appropriate and necessary. These include, but are not restricted to, network level software/hardware filtering, network, monitoring, and classroom observation. Integral to the Kennedy Catholic curriculum is the responsible use of these electronic resources by all members of the community. Since computer use is required and network services are provided by the school for its educational mission, Kennedy Catholic will take swift and appropriate disciplinary actions for any violations of the school’s Code of Conduct.