May I use the school email and internet access for personal use?

Employee’s are allowed to use the school’s electronic mail system and Internet access for limited personal use, but should not conduct personal use during work hours. The school trusts employees to exercise discretion in personal use.

Employees should ensure that no personal correspondence appears to be an official communication of the school since employees may be perceived as officially representing the school. Personal electronic mail should be deleted after it is read and not stored on the school’s network.

To protect the school’s not-for-profit status, the electronic mail system may not be used at any time to solicit or proselytize for commercial ventures or political causes, or even for political comments.  Do not use email or a school related Web site to encourage people to vote for a particular candidate or to comment on legislation currently under consideration.  Under IRS code, such activity could result in tax difficulties for the school and potential loss of non profit status.

The electronic mail system must be used within Biblical and professional standards in regard to relationships. It may not be used to create any offensive, defaming or disruptive messages. Among those which are considered offensive, are any messages which contain sexual implications, racial slurs, gender-specific comments, or any other comment that offensively addresses someone's age, religious or political beliefs, national origin, or disability. This includes the transmittal of gender related humor and stories.  It also includes degrading comments regarding politicians.

All e-mail messages composed, sent, or received on the school’s electronic mail system are and remain the property of the school. They are not the private property of any employee. This includes any personal use of the school’s equipment. 

The school wishes to protect employees from possible discriminatory and offensive comments and to protect it’s non profit status. Therefore, the school reserves the right to review, audit, intercept, access and disclose all messages created, received or sent over the school’s electronic mail system for any purpose.  If an employee does not want personal e-mail to be subject to this process, then the employee should not use school equipment for personal e-mail.

Employees should be aware that the confidentiality of any message should not be assumed. Even when a message is erased, it is still possible to retrieve and read that message. Further, the use of passwords for security does not guarantee confidentiality. Employees should not use e-mail to transmit confidential information regarding students, student families, fellow employees or sensitive school information.

Notwithstanding the school's right to retrieve and read any electronic mail messages, such messages should be treated as confidential by other employees and accessed only by the intended recipient. Employees are not authorized to retrieve or read any e-mail messages that are not sent to them.

Employees should not duplicate or download any software or materials that are copyrighted, patented, trademarked, or otherwise identified as intellectual property. Items downloaded for personal use should be transferred to diskette and not stored on the school’s network. Software programs for business or personal use should not be downloaded and installed on the school network without the explicit permission of the Director of Technology.