File: IJNDC-R

WEB PAGE GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES FOR APPROVAL

Unlike the Internet itself, schools and the district can control the type of information placed on web pages. Documents created for the web and linked to district web pages shall meet the criteria for use as public information or an instructional resource. The following considerations should be considered when determining the information to include on a school or district web page: Copyright/trademark issues; applicability to the curriculum or communication goals of the school or district; privacy issues; and related school committee policies. Links to other web pages should be carefully selected based on the above issues.

Content Standards

All subject matter on web pages should relate to curriculum, instruction, general information supporting student safety, growth, and learning, and district authorized information. Therefore, neither staff nor students may publish on the district server personal pages or pages for individuals or organizations not directly affiliated with the district. Staff or student work may be published only as it relates to a class project, course, or other school-related activity. Parent groups, partnerships, and municipal or educational cooperatives are considered affiliates of the district. No confidential information is to be published on the district web page.

Quality Standards

All web page work must be free of spelling and grammatical errors. Documents may not contain objectionable material or link directly to objectionable materials. Authors and publishers are reminded that our web site is a virtual doorway to our schools and their audience includes the worldwide community. Schools will be judged by web pages, ease for the user, the design, and the content. Thoughtful consideration should go into decisions regarding purpose, usefulness, and appearance of each item on a web page

Consistency Standards

Each existing department web page shall have a link to the school web page. For consistency, all school district web page(s) must contain certain elements:

· All web pages must include appropriate copyright citations.

· Written student and parent consent must be secured for publication of student work.

· All web pages must reference the Gardner Public School District.

· All teacher and department web pages must be clearly identified by the building, department or source and the latest date of revision.

· Links to student e-mail accounts are not allowed.

· Student information is prohibited from publication, except for the first name, last initial, and grade level of a student.

· Web pages may not contain links to other web pages not yet completed. If additional pages are anticipated, but not yet developed, the text that will provide such a link should be included. However, the actual link to said page(s) may not be made until the final page is actually in place.

· Authors must exhibit care when creating web pages with extensive background, large graphics, applets, animation, and audio or video clips. Files should be limited to a reasonable size.

Adoption date: 10/26/98

[Revised: September 2002]

[Revised: November 2004]

[Revised: May 2005]

[Revised: July 2006]