policy

BOARD OF EDUCATION
NORTH OLMSTED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

PROPERTY 7540.02/page 1 of 5

WEB CONTENT, SERVICES AND APPS

Creating Web Pages/Sites/Services and Apps

The Board of Education authorizes staff members and students (with advance permission) to create web content, apps and web services (see Bylaw 0100 Definitions) that will be hosted by the Board on its servers or District-affiliated servers and published on the Internet.

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 (COPPA)), and reflect the professional image/brand of the District, its employees, and students. Web content, services 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.

Furthermore, the District is committed to providing individuals with disabilities with an opportunity equal to that of their nondisabled peers to participate in the District’s programs, benefits, and services, including those delivered through electronic and information technology. The District is charged with verifying that its website(s) allow(s) persons with disabilities to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same benefits and services within the same timeframe as their nondisabled peers, with substantially equivalent ease of use, not to be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination in any District programs, services, and activities delivered online, as required by Federal and State law, and receive effective communication with District programs, services, and activities delivered online.

To this end, the District has adopted measures and procedures for determining and ensuring accessibility of online content and functionality in its Web Content and Functionality Specifications Policy, which is detailed in Administrative Guidelines 7540.02.	Any violations of the technical standard(s) used by the District (as set forth in Administrative Guidelines 7540.02) can be reported by: 1) filing a formal complaint through the District’s Section 504 and Title II grievance procedures (as set forth in Administrative Guidelines 2260B, Board Policy 5517, and Administrative

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policy

BOARD OF EDUCATION
NORTH OLMSTED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Guidelines 5517); or 2) contacting the Web

PROPERTY 7540.02/page 2 of 5
Accessibility Coordinator with any

accessibility concerns.	The Web Accessibility Coordinator can be contacted as follows: Web Accessibility Coordinator, Vera Brewer, Director of Communications, 26669 Butternut Ridge Road, North Olmsted, OH 44070, (440) 779-3513, vera.brewer@nocseagles.org.

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 and the Board's Objectives as listed in the Board's Strategic Plan.

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.

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policy

BOARD OF EDUCATION
NORTH OLMSTED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

PROPERTY 7540.02/page 3 of 5

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, 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.

Employees are required to use the Board-specified website, service or app (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.

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policy

BOARD OF EDUCATION
NORTH OLMSTED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

PROPERTY 7540.02/page 4 of 5

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.

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policy

BOARD OF EDUCATION
NORTH OLMSTED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

PROPERTY 7540.02/page 5 of 5

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 Superintendent/Superintendent’s designee 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) and the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and Section 504 and the ADA.

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

R.C. 9.03

O.A.G. Opinion No. 2002-01

© NEOLA 2016

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