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Cypress-Fairbanks Internet Safety
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Cypress-Fairbanks ISD places a strong emphasis on creating a safe learning environment for its students. Within CFISD, a range of measures are implemented to guarantee students' online safety.
These digital safety measures encompass:
- Employing firewall protocols
- Implementing content filtering focused on educational materials to prevent access to inappropriate content
- Restricting access to newly emerging social media platforms
- Ensuring devices have the latest security updates
- Applying blocks or utilizing strict/restricted modes for YouTube.
The superintendent or designee will oversee the district’s electronic communications system. The district has invested in computer technology to broaden instruction and to prepare students for an increasingly digital society. Use of these resources is restricted to students working under a teacher’s supervision and/or direction for approved instructional purposes only. All students may use district-approved software in accordance with applicable license agreements. Unless otherwise noted in the license, or in the event the software arrived without a license agreement, any duplication of copyrighted software, except for back-up and for archival purposes, is a violation of federal law. The use of any non-district software or the erasing of or tampering with authorized software on district computers is not permitted. Students violating these guidelines will face disciplinary action and/or restitution to the district. A copy of the responsible use guidelines is included in this handbook. Parents are asked to review these guidelines when initially enrolling students in the district. Students (grades 6-12) are required to sign and agree to the district’s Responsible Use Guidelines regarding appropriate use of these resources.
Taken from the 2023-2024 Student Handbook, the following topics explain how Cypress-Fairbanks ISD provides Internet safety.
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Consent Requirements
The district will provide training in proper use of the system and will provide all users with copies of Responsible Use Guidelines (Student Handbook, Exhibit A, HB-60). All training in the use of the district’s system will emphasize the ethical and safe use of this resource. Copyrighted software or data may not be placed on any system connected to the district's system without permission from the holder of the copyright. Only the copyright owner, or an individual the owner specifically authorizes, may upload copyrighted material to the system. No original work created by any district student will be posted on a district web page or social media under the district's control unless the district has received written consent from the student (and the student's parent if the student is a minor). No personally identifiable information about a district student will be posted on a district web page or social media under the district's control unless the district has received written consent from the student (and the student's parent if the student is a minor). An exception may be made for "directory information" as allowed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and district policy
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System Access
Access to the district's electronic communications system will be governed as follows: • All users will be required to acknowledge their receipt and understanding of the responsible use guidelines as published in the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct for students. • Access to the district's electronic communications system, including the Internet, shall be made available to students primarily for instructional and administrative purposes and in accordance with administrative regulations. Limited personal use of the system by students shall be permitted if the use: - Imposes no tangible cost on the district. - Does not unduly burden the district's computer or network resources. - Has no adverse effect on an employee’s job performance. • Students who are granted access to the districts system will be assigned individual accounts. Students are not to use a computer that is logged in under another user’s name. • As appropriate, district students will be granted access to the district's system. • The district will require that students network passwords be changed routinely. • Any system user identified as a security risk or as having violated district and/or campus computer use guidelines may be denied access to the district's system.
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Filtering
A committee, chaired by the chief financial officer or designee, will select, implement, and maintain appropriate technology for filtering Internet sites containing material considered inappropriate or harmful to minors. All Internet access will be filtered for minors and adults on computers with Internet access provided by the school. The categories of material considered inappropriate and to which access will be blocked will include, but not be limited to: • Nudity/pornography. • Images or descriptions of sexual acts. • Promotion of violence, illegal use of weapons, drug use, discrimination, or participation in hate groups. • Instructions for performing criminal acts (e.g., bomb making). • Online gambling. The district has processes in place to protect students from resources that are inappropriate at school and at home. No filtering solution is 100%. To protect students while online, it is recommended that parent/guardians should monitor their students at home.
Requests to Disable Filter
The committee will consider requests from users who wish to use a blocked site for district-approved educational research or other lawful purposes. The committee will make a recommendation to the superintendent or designee regarding approval or disapproval to disable the filter for the requested use.
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Monitored Use of Electronic and Web-Based Accounts
Electronic mail transmissions and other use of the electronic communications system by students shall not be considered confidential and may be monitored at any time by designated district staff to ensure appropriate use for educational or administrative purposes. This monitoring may include logging, virus scanning, and content scanning. Email cannot be accepted in the following situations that would normally require a parent signature, such as: absence from school excuses, medication administration permission, permission to stay for after school tutorials, early release from school, or field trip permission slips. Suspected violations of responsible use by students should be reported first to the campus principal and, if necessary, by the campus principal to the assistant superintendent for student services. If necessary, access to electronic mail accounts for instructional purposes must have campus and district prior approval. The district may allow secure, web-based, student accounts to support instruction. Students and teachers may participate in district-approved chat rooms in which teachers monitor all student interactions. Participation in computer-mediated conversation/discussion forums for instructional purposes must be approved by curriculum and campus administration. Participation in non-district approved social networking sites, or the use of any anonymizing technologies is prohibited. The use of cell phones and other portable computing devices such as iPads, iPods, tablets, and laptops, can be used for instructional purposes during the school day. Students using cell phones or other portable computing devices without teacher permission will be held accountable to the cell phone rule use set forth in the Student Code of Conduct. The district has provided students with access to a learning management system (LMS) and cloud-based storage and network storage. Students can utilize the LMS and/or the cloud-based storage (Google and Microsoft OneDrive) to store files related to instructional projects or classroom digital resources. To enforce the Student Responsible Use Guidelines and to maintain the integrity of the network, all files stored in the LMS and in district-supported, cloud-based storage and network storage will be monitored by district staff and files such as games, inappropriate images and files will be deleted. External electronic storage devices are subject to monitoring if used with district resources. Student disciplinary action may follow. The district will maintain district and school websites and social media for the purpose of informing employees, students, parents, and members of the community of district programs, policies, and practices. Requests for publication of information on the district website must be directed to the assistant superintendent for communication and community relations or designee. The chief of staff or designee and the assistant superintendent for communication and community relations or designee will establish guidelines for the development and format of web pages controlled by the district.
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Technology Administrator Responsibilities
The chief financial officer or designee for the district’s electronic communications system (or campus designee) will:
- Be responsible for disseminating and enforcing applicable district policies and Responsible Use Guidelines for the district’s system.
- Ensure that all users of the district’s system annually complete and sign an agreement to abide by district policies and administrative regulations regarding such use. All such agreements will be maintained on file in the principal's or supervisor's office.
- Ensure that employees supervising students who use the district's system provide training emphasizing the appropriate use of this resource.
- Ensure that all software loaded on computers in the district is consistent with district standards and is properly licensed.
- Be authorized to monitor or examine all system activities, including electronic mail transmissions, as deemed appropriate to ensure student safety on-line and proper use of the system.
- Be authorized to disable a filtering device on the system for district-approved educational research or another lawful purpose, with approval from the superintendent.
- Set limits for data storage within the district's system, as needed.
- Be responsible for disseminating and enforcing applicable district policies and Responsible Use Guidelines for the district’s system.
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District Approved School Web Pages
The official website for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD is www.cfisd.net. High schools may publish web pages that present information about school activities, subject to approval from the assistant superintendent for communication and community relations or designee, and link to the district’s site. The high school principal will designate the staff member responsible for managing the campus web page under the supervision of the assistant superintendent for communication and community relations or designee. Any links from a web page to sites outside the district's computer system must receive approval from the assistant superintendent for communications and community relations or designee.
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Personal Web Pages
Students may not misrepresent the district by posting content to the Internet or social media purporting to be the official website or social media for the district.
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Termination/Revocation of System User Account Disclaimer
Termination of a student's access for violation of district policies or regulations will be effective on the date the principal or designee receives notice of a student’s withdrawal or of revocation of system privileges, or on a future date if so, specified in the notice. The district's system is provided on an “as is, as available” basis. The district does not make any warranties, whether expressed or implied, including, without limitation, those of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect to any services provided by the system and any information or software contained therein. The district does not warrant that the functions or services performed by, or that the information or software contained on the system will meet the system user's requirements, or that the system will be uninterrupted or error free, or that defects will be corrected. Opinions, advice, services, and all other information expressed by system users, information providers, service providers, or other third-party individuals in the system are those of the providers and not the district. The district will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation concerning or relating to misuse of the district's electronic communications system. 9 Network/Internet Responsible Use Guidelines Network/Internet access is available to students in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District
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Network/Internet Responsible Use Guidelines
Network/Internet access is available to students in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (“the district”). The Internet enables worldwide connections to electronic mail, discussion groups, databases, software, and other information sources, such as libraries and museums. The district provides Network/Internet access to promote educational excellence in the district by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication. The district firmly believes that the valuable information and interaction available on the Network/Internet far outweighs the possibility that users may procure material that is not consistent with the educational goals of the district.
Network/Internet - Terms and Conditions
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Training
The district will provide training in proper use of the system and will provide all users with copies of Responsible Use Guidelines. All training in the use of the district's system will emphasize legal, ethical, and safe use of this resource.
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Risk
Sites accessible via the Network/Internet may contain material that is illegal, defamatory, inaccurate, or controversial. Although the district will attempt to limit access to objectionable material by using filtering software, controlling all materials on the Network/Internet is impossible. With global access to computers and people, a risk exists that students may access material that may not be of educational value in the school setting.
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Parental Consent for Internet Access
Under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), parental consent is required for students under the age of 13 if Internet-based access accounts containing personal information are created for them on websites or online services. Examples of instructional websites used by Cypress-Fairbanks ISD include websites, such as Google Apps for Education, Explore Learning, and Achieve3000. Your student’s first name, last name, birth date, username, or Cypress-Fairbanks ISD email address may be provided to the online service for the purpose of securing confidential information and access for the student. This information will remain confidential and will not be shared except for the purpose of providing these services. Parental consent will be included on the Authorization section of the Student Demographic Information Form sent home at the beginning of each year.
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User Responsibilities
Network/Internet users, like traditional library users or those participating in field trips, are responsible for their actions in accessing available resources. The following standards will apply to all users (students and district employees) of the Network/Internet:
- The user in whose name a system account is issued will be responsible at all times for its proper use. Users may not access another person's account without written permission from a campus administrator or district-level administrator.
- The system may not be used for illegal purposes, in support of illegal activities, or for any other activity prohibited by district policy.
- Users may not redistribute copyrighted programs or data without the written permission of the copyright holder or designee. Such permission must be specified in the document or must be obtained directly from the copyright holder or designee in accordance with applicable copyright laws, district policy, and administrative regulations.
- Users may not share sensitive district documents, such as test answer keys, via the Internet.
- A user must not knowingly attempt to access educationally inappropriate material. If a user accidentally reaches such material, the user must immediately back out of the area on the Internet containing educationally inappropriate material. The user must then notify the teacher or campus/building administrator of the site address that should be added to the filtering software, so that it can be removed from accessibility.
- The user in whose name a system account is issued will be responsible at all times for its proper use. Users may not access another person's account without written permission from a campus administrator or district-level administrator.
Publishing on the Internet
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Recognition
First and last names and grade level may be used on the Internet to recognize personal achievements. Permission for the following items is granted or denied through the Student Demographic Information Form given to each student at the beginning of the school year.
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Student Work
Student work will be published on a cfisd.net website, social media, or a state-sponsored web page for students, only with parental permission. Examples of published work could include short stories, poems, slide shows, and/or artwork. First and/or last names may be included with the student’s work.
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Photographs
Student photographs will be published on a cfisd.net website, social media, or a state-sponsored web page for students, only with parental permission. If a photograph of the student is included with the posting of the recognition and/or student work, first and/or last name may be included with the photograph.
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Exceptions to the Above
Any exceptions to the items above will be secured through the Communication Office. Individual campuses may elect not to publish student work and/or photographs on the campus website even though the parent has given permission to do so.
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Web Authoring
The district, the campuses, and the faculty have an authorized website and social media. Students, district employees, and community members are prohibited from authoring a private website or social media which represents itself as the official site for the district. For example, this would include, but not be limited to, campus and department sites.
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Network Etiquette
System users of email or other communication messaging systems are expected to observe the following network etiquette:
- Be polite; messages typed in capital letters are the computer equivalent of shouting and are considered rude.
- Use appropriate language; swearing, vulgarity, ethnic or racial slurs, and any other inflammatory language are prohibitedPretending to be someone else when sending/receiving messages is considered inappropriate.
- Transmitting obscene messages or pictures is prohibited.
- Revealing personal addresses or phone numbers of the user or others is prohibited.
- Be considerate when sending attachments with email by considering whether a file may be too large to be accommodated by the recipient.
- Using the network in such a way that would disrupt the use of the network by other users is prohibited.
- Be polite; messages typed in capital letters are the computer equivalent of shouting and are considered rude.
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Inappropriate Use
Inappropriate use includes, but is not limited to, those uses that violate the law, that are specifically named as violations below, that violate the rules of network etiquette, or that hamper the integrity or security of this, or any networks connected to the Network/Internet. Please refer to the “Consequences of Violation” section of this document.
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Commercial Use
Use for commercial purposes, income-generating or “for-profit” activities, product advertisement, or political lobbying is prohibited. Sending unsolicited junk mail, or chain letters, is prohibited.
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Vandalism/Mischief
Vandalism and mischief are prohibited. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another user, hardware, peripherals, the district network and Internet, or any networks that are connected to the district network and Internet. This includes, but is not limited to, the creation or propagation of computer viruses. Any interference with the work of other users, with or without malicious intent, is construed as mischief and is strictly prohibited.
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Playing Games and Downloading Music or Video Files or Game Files
These activities are prohibited unless approved for educational purposes.
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Electronic Mail Violations
Forgery of electronic mail messages is prohibited. Reading, deleting, copying, or modifying the electronic mail of other users, without their permission, is prohibited.
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File/Data Violations
Deleting, examining, copying, or modifying files and/or data belonging to or created by other users, without their permission, is prohibited.
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System Interference/Alteration
Deliberate attempts to exceed, evade, or change resource quotas are prohibited. The deliberate causing of network congestion through mass consumption of system resources is prohibited.
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Unauthorized Disclosure
Unauthorized disclosure use and dissemination of personal information regarding students and employees are prohibited.
Security
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Reporting Security Problems
If a user identifies or has knowledge of a security problem on the Network/Internet, such as filtering software not working, the user should immediately notify a teacher, administrator, or the system administrator. The security problem should not be shared with others. Impersonation Attempts to log on to the Network/Internet impersonating a system administrator district employee will result in revocation of the user’s access to Network/Internet.
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Other Security Risks
Any user identified as having had access privileges revoked or denied on another computer system may be denied access to the district’s Network/Internet.
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Violations of Law
Transmission of any material in violation of any US or state law is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to: copyrighted material; threatening, harassing, or obscene material; or material protected by trade secret. Any attempt to break the law through the use of a district Network/Internet account may result in litigation against the offender by the proper authorities. If such an event should occur, the district will fully comply with the authorities to provide any information necessary for the litigation process.
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Consequences of Violations
Any attempt to violate the provisions of these guidelines may result in revocation of the user’s access to the Network/Internet, regardless of the success or failure of the attempt. In addition, disciplinary action consistent with the district discipline policy and/or appropriate legal action, which may include restitution, may be taken. District administrators will make the final determination as to what constitutes inappropriate use. With just cause, the system administrator or other administrator may deny, revoke, or suspend Network/Internet access as required, pending the outcome of an investigation.
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Computer Software Policy
In accordance with Board Policy CY (LOCAL) and administrative regulation CY-(Regulation), it is the practice of the district to respect all computer software copyrights and to adhere to the terms of all software licenses to which the district is a party. Technology Services is charged with the responsibility of enforcing these guidelines. All computer software installed on district equipment must be purchased, reported to, and installed by Technology Services or its designee. Software acquisition is restricted to ensure that the school district has a complete record of all software that has been purchased for district computers and can register, support, and upgrade such software accordingly. Software on district computers used for instructional and/or administrative purposes must be approved by a district curriculum coordinator and Technology Services. Students may not duplicate any licensed software or related documentation for use either on the district’s premises or elsewhere unless Technology Services is expressly authorized to do so by agreement with the licenser. Unauthorized duplication of software may subject the student and/or the school district to both civil and criminal penalties under the United States Copyright Act. Students may not give software to any third-party, including relatives, clients, or contractors. Students may use district-approved software on local area networks or on multiple machines only in accordance with applicable license agreements. For further information regarding the purchase and installation of computer software, please call the district’s HELP desk at (281) 897-HELP (4357).
Disclaimer
These guidelines apply to all CFISD computing devices as well as computers connected to the Network/Internet. The district makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the services it is providing and is not responsible for any damages suffered by users. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, mis-deliveries, or service interruptions caused by its negligence or user errors or omissions. The district is not responsible for phone/credit card bills, or any other charges incurred by users. Use of any information obtained via the Network/Internet is at the user’s own risk. The district specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its services. Opinions, advice, services, and all other information expressed by system users, information providers, service providers, or other third-party individuals in the system are those of the providers and not the district. The district will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation concerning or relating to misuse of the district’s electronic communications system.