Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) Policy
During the 2013-2014 school year, students of Columbus County Schools will pilot an initiative that allows them to use their privately owned technology to access the Columbus County Schools wireless network. This wireless access provided to the devices is designed to enhance the students' educational experience and increase authentic student engagement to academic activities. Connecting to the Columbus County Schools wireless network with personal devices is a privilege, not a right. CCS students are not required to bring their own technology. Permission to bring and use privately owned technology is contingent upon adherence of the CCS BYOT Policy and Columbus County Schools Technology Acceptable Use Policy. The administration, faculty, and staff of Columbus County Schools feel that our students are responsible, trustworthy, and mature enough to be trusted with this new privilege. The following information details the parameters of the CCS BYOT Policy.
Acceptable Technology
In compliance with the CCCS BYOT Policy, students are allowed to bring the following electronic devices to use at school: laptops, netbooks, tablets (i.e. iPad, Google Nexus, etc.), eReaders (i.e. Kindle, Nook), Smartphones (i.e. iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, etc.), and audio players (i.e. iPod, San Disk Sansa, etc.).
Unacceptable Technology
Unacceptable electronic devices include, but are not limited to, the following: gaming devices [i.e. Nintendo 3DS, Handheld Playstation (PSP), etc.], recording devices, radios, pagers, laser pointers, and any other similar devices.
Benefits of BYOT
• Today's students use technology on a regular basis to interact with the world. We want to utilize that technology to further engage students in the learning process.
• Teachers will have more flexibility in delivering effective lessons when their students can utilize technology to grasp a concept or skill.
• Teachers will be more equipped to deliver differentiated, individualized instruction when students can use their technology to learn in a method best for them.
• BYOT mirrors college/higher education expectations regarding the acceptable use of personal technology in the educational setting.
• Columbus County Schools is dedicated to developing students to be globally competitive in the 21" century. What better way than utilizing 21" century technological tools?
Ground Rules
1. Before a student can use his/her own technology or any school-owned technology, the student and his/her parent/legal guardian must first read and sign the Columbus County Schools Technology Acceptable Use Policy.
2. Teachers are solely in charge of students' use of technology within their classrooms. The BYOT policy's primary function is for the educational program at CCS. Student use of any technology within a class is governed by the classroom teacher.
3. Administration, faculty, and staff at CCS may request at any time that students must turn off their privately owned technology. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action and possible revocation on BYOT privileges.
4. Students may NOT attempt to use any software, utilities, or other means to access Internet sites or content blocked by Columbus County Schools Internet filters.
5. Students are NOT allowed to:
• Make phone calls on their phones.
• Receive phone calls on their phones.
• Use earbuds or headphones with their electronic devices unless a teacher gives them permission during class in relation to an educational activity.
• Listen to music on their electronic device. (Students listening to music creates a safety issue when music is played too loudly or when students use headphones to listen and are unable to hear directions from administration and staff.)
• Use electronic devices during class without teacher permission.
• Do anything with their electronic devices before school, during class change, or during lunch that may cause a disturbance.
• Use the camera or audio/video recording features. Voice, video, and image capture applications may only be used with prior written teacher permission and for specific instructional purposes.
6. No privately owned electronic device will be allowed to connect to the Columbus County School server by cable. Network access is provided via Wi-Fi/wireless connection only. No one can connect to the server using an Ethernet cable plugged into a data jack in the school.
7. Students will NOT be allowed to charge their electronic devices on campus at any time.
8. No student shall establish a wireless ad-hoc or peer-to-peer network using his/her electronic device or any other wireless device while on school grounds. This includes, but is not limited to, using privately owned technology as a cabled or wireless hotspot.
9. Software and applications owned by Columbus County Schools CAN NOT be downloaded onto personally owned technology.
10. Students may NOT use any personal or school-owned technology to illegally collect electronic data or disrupt networking services. Students may not engage in any malicious use, disruption, or harm to the school network, Internet services, learning environment, or any school or staff owned electronic device.
11. Streaming content from the Internet using personal technology is discouraged due to the bandwidth congestion it may cause. While teachers may allow students to download educational content in the classroom, students are discouraged from doing so during non-instructional periods while in the building.
12. Initiate, promote, or engage in any form of cyberbullying. If a student knows someone who is engaged in cyberbullying, that student must report the incident to administration or staff member.
13. The administration at Columbus County Schools reserves the right to search a privately owned electronic device in accordance with the applicable laws and policies if there is reasonable suspicion that the student has violated any Columbus County Schools policy or procedure or engaged in any other misconduct while using the device.
Loss or Theft of Privately Owned Technology
Portable electronic devices are vulnerable to loss or theft. We highly encourage students and parents to engrave or permanently mark their devices with owner information. Students and parents must assume total responsibility for any privately owned technology they bring on campus. If a privately owned device is stolen, the victim must immediately report the incident to a school administrator and/or our school resource officer. Columbus County Schools will not accept the responsibility for any loss or stolen privately owned electronic device. Columbus County Schools faculty and staff cannot attempt to repair, correct, troubleshoot, or be responsible for malfunctioning privately owned technology.
Consequences for Violation of the Acceptable Use Policy and/or the CCS BYOT Policy
Violation of district and/or school policies, local, state and/or federal laws while using a privately owned electronic device on the Columbus County Schools wireless network or on school grounds will result in appropriate consequences. In accordance with Columbus County Schools Policy, legal action may also be pursued when appropriate. School-level consequences include, but are not limited to, the following: (consequences are listed randomly):
• In-School Suspension
• Confiscation of the electronic device
• Temporary loss of technology privileges
• Out-of-school suspension
• Permanent loss of technology privileges
We have an outstanding student population as they have demonstrated maturity and integrity in their behavior. Our implementation of the new BYOT policy is partly due to the fact we know our students can handle this freedom. As we have constantly reminded them, with freedom comes responsibility. We trust that everyone will act appropriately in regards to BYOT.
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