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MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Internet Safety
The two types of
information technology most frequently used by Montgomery
County Public
Schools (MCPS) students and staff are the Internet and
e-mail. Here are some tips and
techniques for a safe, educational, and exciting online
experience.
The Internet is a global network of information networks
accessible with a computer.
Entertainment, education, and information are all at your
fingertips. You can visit the world’s
great libraries, take a class, play a game, check weather
forecasts, and monitor sports scores.
Virtually anything you want to know can be found somewhere
on the Internet. It’s one of the
most powerful technologies in the world. However, no
specific person or entity—neither the
government nor a trade association—regulates it.
There are a number
of ways for MCPS students, staff, and parents to lessen or
eliminate some of
the risks associated with using the Internet:
•
Students should always be supervised when using the
Internet.
•
Teachers
should preview Web sites that support the lesson’s
instructional objectives.
Students should
know these basic do’s and don’ts when using the Internet:
•
Never
give out information that may identify you, such as name,
address, school name,
parent names, pets, etc.
• Never respond to
messages that are suggestive, obscene, or threatening;
notify a parent or
teacher if this happens.
• Tell a parent or
teacher if someone on the Internet asks to meet you face to
face or sends
you inappropriate information.
•
Contact the MCPS technology security
officer at 301-517-8111 for information on
password protection, computer viruses, and privacy issues.
E-mail Security
E-mail is technology
at its best—one-on-one communication. It can be quicker than
reaching
someone on the telephone or sending a letter. In MCPS, each
staff member is provided access to
produce and exchange communications that support instruction
and learning through an e-mail
system—Microsoft Outlook.
Here are some
security steps MCPS users can take to help safeguard the
e-mail system:
•
Use
e-mail for educational purposes only.
• Always keep your
password private. This will prevent unwanted intruders from
accessing
MCPS data.
• Never send
confidential information in an electronic message. E-mails
are not
confidential and are sometimes forwarded or distributed
without the originator’s
permission. Also, they are sometimes used in legal
proceedings and investigations.
• Be careful when
opening e-mail and an attachment from someone you do not
know. The
attachment may contain a computer virus.
• Never post an e-mail
that is illegal, obscene, or that violates the safety and
privacy of
others. Speak with your immediate supervisor if you have any
concerns about
appropriate use, content of a message, or if you think MCPS
Regulation IGT-RA,
User
Responsibilities for Computer Network and Network Security,
has been violated.
•
Remember to log off e-mail at the end
of each e-mail session.
Sites on Safety
Children and adults can check several Web
sites for more information on Internet safety,
including the following:
•
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm
•
http://www.missingkids.com/cybertip
•
http://nypl.org/legal/safety.cfm
•
http://www.safekids.com/
•
http://www.safeteens.com
Related Resources
http://www.schoolsecurity.org —A
national consulting firm specializing in school security and
crisis preparedness training, security assessments, and
related safety consulting for K–12
schools, law enforcement, and other youth safety providers
(an independent, non-productaffiliated
organization).
http://www.ed.gov/Technology/ —Site
for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of
educational Technology (OET). OET develops national
educational technology policy, working
closely with the Offices of Elementary and Secondary
Education (OESE), Educational Research
and Improvement (OERI), Postsecondary Education (OPE),
Vocational and Adult Education
(OVAE), and Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS).
http://www.staysafeonline.info/ —This
Web site is designed to give you the information needed
to secure your home or small business computer and provides
tips on how to safeguard systems,
a self-guided cyber security test, educational materials,
and other Internet resources.
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/policy/pdf/igtra.pdf —MCPS
Regulation IGT-RA,
User
Responsibilities for Computer Networks and Network Security,
applies to all uses of our
technology resources.
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