• Julie Paulus
• Chauntel Henry
• Angela Bennert
• Denise Lamb
• Jean Mayer
• Wendy Knoth
• Cheryl Brettschneider

In the past, the District required a signed Acceptable Use Policy before a student was allowed access to the internet. The new policy is a reversal of the old policy. We now are granting ALL students access to the internet UNLESS parents specifically request, IN WRITING, that their child be denied such access. The students are required to follow the guidelines established in the Student Code Handbook(see excerpt below) regarding computer use. Please review these guidelines with your child. Violation will result in loss of access, as well as other disciplinary or legal action as appropriate.

Internet content is filtered as is required by the Child Internet Protection Act. Please keep in mind that with the rapid growth of content available on the internet, some inappropriate material may temporarily find its way through the filter.

The Port Huron Area School District has made computer networks, including the internet, available to all students and staff in an effort to support the District's mission and goals.

The District believes that computer technology and its use can enhance and improve learning in the classroom. Parents who do NOT want their child to have access to the internet are required to notify the building principal in writing.

The following guidelines have been established regarding the internet and other online services:

1. Students are responsible for good behavior on school computer networks, just as they are in classrooms and school hallways.
2. Port Huron Area School District adminstrators will deem what is inappropriate use of the internet and other on-line information services, and their decisions are final.
3. The adminstration, faculty, and staff of the Port Huron Area School District may deny, revoke, or suspend student access accounts for inappropriate use of the internet and other on-line information services.
4. The Port Huron Area School District reserves the right to review any material stored in files and may edit or remove any material which the staff, in its sole discretion, believes may be unlawful, obscene, abusive or otherwise objectionalble.
5. Transmission of any material in violation of U.S. or state regulations, including copyrighted, threatening or obscene materials, is prohibited.
6. Use for commercial activities by for-profit organizations, product promotion, political lobbying or illegal activities is prohibited.
7. The following uses of the internet and other on-line information services are not permitted:
   • (a) Sending, receiving or displaying offensive messages or pictures
   • (b) Using obscene language
   • (c) Harassing, insulting or attacking others
   • (d) Damaging computers, computer systems, or computer networks
   • (e) Violating copyright laws
   • (f) Using another person's account and/or password
   • (g) Giving your account and/or password to another person
   • (h) Trespassing in another person's folders, work or files
   • (i) Intentionally wasting limited resources
   • (j) Employing the network for commercial purposes
   • (k) Divulging personal information about yourself or others to strangers. This includes address, telephone number, credit card numbers, passwords or other confidential information.

Violations will result in loss of access as well as other disciplinary or legal action as appropriate.

The Port Huron Area School District has rules for student behavior which were designed to help maintain a healthy and safe learning environment in our schools. These rules are communicated to students at the beginning of the school year and several times thereafter. Students are expected to follow these rules and maintain good behavior while in school, on school property, on school buses, at bus stops, at school related functions (whether on or away from school grounds) and while in route to and from school and school related functions. Failure to follow school rules could result in a student being suspended or excluded from school, school busing and/or school related functions. Therefore, you are encouraged to take the time to review the school rules with your child and become familiar with them. If you have any questions regarding the school rules, please contact your school's principal.

Some student behavior is very serious (persistent disobedience and gross misdemeanors) and will result in suspension or expulsion from school and possibly from all public education in the State of Michigan. The following are examples of behavior that are considered to be gross misdemeanors:

1. Possession of a weapon or explosive device: A weapon includes a knife (regardless of the size of the knife; including a razor blade and look-alike knife), gun (including a b.b. gun, starter pistol and look-alike gun), club, chain or any potentially dangerous instrument. An explosive device can include any liquid, compound or object that has the potential to explode and includes a bullet, fire works and contained gasoline. Possession includes bringing to the bus stop, on the bus, while walking to or from school, in a school building, at a school related function, transferring or holding for a friend, or holding briefly to examine.
2. Possession, use or distribution of illicit substances: Illicit substances include illegal drugs, inhalants, alcohol, tobacco products, drug paraphernalia, caffeine pills, medication (except the possession or use of prescription medication when authorized under the District's medication policy), and fake and look-alike drugs or alcohol.
3. Making a verbal assault: A verbal assault is any verbal or written statement that indicates the intent to inflict harm to another person.
4. Making a bomb or similar threat: A bomb or similar threat is any verbal or written statement that indicates a bomb or similar object is or may be placed or may explode at or near a school building, school bus, school staff, school grounds or school related function. Threats can be in the form of a telephone call, written statement or drawing on a bathroom wall or elsewhere, comment to staff or another student, e-mail message, Internet message, etc.The Port Huron Area School District may also discipline a student for conduct that occurs off school grounds and outside of school hours where the District determines the conduct has a direct and immediate effect on the District's discipline or education process or the safety and welfare of students or staff. DUE PROCESS

Students faced with disciplinary action are entitled to due process. This includes notice of the accusation and possible discipline and an opportunity for a meeting with the appropriate teacher or administrator. Appeals for discipline short of out-of-school suspensions can be made to the principal, who is the final level of appeal. An out-of-school suspension of 10 days or less may be imposed by the school administrator. An appeal of this decision may be requested in writing to the school principal or, if the suspending official is the building principal, to the Director of Student Services within 5 school days of the decision.

A parent may request a formal hearing if a recommendation is made for the expulsion of a student. A request for a formal hearing must be submitted in writing to the Superintendent within 10 days after receiving written notice of the recommendation. At a requested expulsion hearing, the student has the right to be present and represented by counsel, to examine evidence presented against him/her, and to present evidence on his/her behalf.

The suspension will take place immediately even if the student appeals the decision. If the appeal is upheld, the suspension will be removed from the student's record and the student will be allowed to make up work missed during the suspension.

In light of recent events, the Port Huron Area School District has reviewed its policy regarding weapons and bomb or similar threats (including biological threats). School principals will be reviewing this policy with their students, but we urge you, as the parent or guardian, to also take the time to discuss this policy with your child.

It is imparative that all parents and students understand the seriousness of weapons and bomb and biological (Anthrax, etc.) threats in school. The position of the Port Huron Area School District is that a student carrying a weapon can be charged with carrying a concealed weapon and this can be determined to be a felony. Likewise, students making bomb threats, instigating a biological scare, or other similar threats may face comparable charges. The Student Code of the Port Huron Area School District allows for the following:

1. Notification of Parent
2. Referral to the proper police authorities
3. A ten day suspension
4. A recommendation for permanent expulsion

The interpretation of what constitutes a weapon can include look-alike weapons, b.b. guns, pistols, starter pistols, knives and other potentially dangerous devices. Students need to understand that possession of a weapon can include passing the weapon from one student to another, holding it for a few minutes to look it over, or putting it into a purse or book bag to hold for a friend. Any contact with a weapon constitutes possession. Bomb or other threats can include written threats or verbal threats witnessed by others. Any powdered substance being carried by a student or mailed to any school facility will be deemed as a threat.

Places where the school district has jurisdiction regarding possession of weapons or threats of bombs, biological, or similar threats include to and from school, extra-curricular activities, on school buses and during other school related activities.

This is an extremely serious problem and the school district's position is that it can lead to permanent exclusion from the educational setting.