Technology Privacy Policy and Tools

MKA recognizes how valuable the appropriate use of technology is to improving teaching and learning. Accordingly, MKA has made a significant commitment to integrating technological advances into the school program to enhance students’ learning experiences. MKA provides access to the school’s printers and internet services from every device (e.g., laptop, iPad, etc.) connected to MKA’s network. Understanding and following MKA’s Acceptable Use Policy allows MKA to maintain a respectful, effective, and safe learning environment. Issues such as fairness and network capacity limitations also require a policy concerning the appropriate use of all technology.

The school cannot be held responsible for any damages, injuries, or claims resulting from student violations of responsible use of technology as outlined herein.

School-issued devices and network resources are considered the property of MKA. Any actions performed or initiated through the network must reflect the integrity and honesty expected of an MKA student, as described in MKA’s Honor Code, and be compliant with MKA’s Code of Conduct, as set forth in the MKA Handbook. All network traffic is logged by MKA, and those logs may be monitored for inappropriate use. MKA also monitors laptops for the installation of applications that are in violation of this AUP.

MKA blocks websites and web-based services that the administration deem to pose a threat to the safety, security, and well-being of its community members, facilities, network, and resources. Categories that are blocked include:

• Pornography and sexually explicit material
• Criminal and illegal activities
• Weapons and extreme violence
• Computer hacking
• Spyware, phishing, spoofing, and malicious software
• Certain video streaming sites
• Dark Web

MKA will also continue to take precautions against this type of material on all equipment that is part of the school’s network.

Students may be held responsible for actions initiated on their device, regardless of whether they were using their device at the time of the infraction. Therefore, students may only use the device they have been issued or one provided in the event of repair.

Students are provided with an MKA-issued email account, which is the primary email account used by MKA faculty, staff, and coaches. This account is to be used for educational purposes; however, school email may be used for incidental or occasional personal use so long as it does not violate any terms defined in this AUP. Email is not to be used for group solicitations not directly related to school purposes.

As a rule, MKA will protect students’ privacy and will treat students’ electronic information as it treats any other student property. However, the school reserves the right to randomly search students’ personal belongings, devices (personal and school–issued), and school-issued accounts in accordance with policies stated in the MKA Handbook and posted on MKA’s website.

Responsible Use of Technology

Students will:

• Use technology in ways that reflect MKA’s Character Standards and Social & Emotional Learning Competencies and uphold MKA’s Code of Conduct and Honor Code.
• Use technology during class time only for approved academic purposes
  • Software and services whose use may be deemed inappropriate for the teaching and learning approach of a specific course or subject (e.g., generative AI Tools, language translation services, literature summary sites, calculators, and equation solvers) should not be used unless instructed to do so by a teacher
• Protect passwords
  • Do not give out passwords or accept another’s password
  • Have a plan to remember passwords
  • Do not allow anyone to add their fingerprint for Touch ID
• Keep the school-issued protective case on their iPads (Primary School only)
• Keep a hard, protective case on their laptops (similar to the ones originally issued with their laptops)
  • Students are encouraged to place stickers on this protective case to personalize their laptops; students may not place stickers directly on or otherwise mark their laptops
  • Backpacks with a separate, padded, laptop section are recommended
• Keep their school-issued device updated to the most recent OS version - as permitted
• Carry laptops with lids closed
• Come to school with their devices fully charged and charge only in these areas while at school:
  • Middle School: Library, Dining Hall, and Tech Center
  • Upper School: Commons, Academic Center, and Dining Hall
• Visit the MS/US Tech Center or PS Library for any needed repairs (e.g., cracked screen, missing keys)

Violations of the Acceptable Use Policy fall into two broad categories: "Minor Offenses" and "Major Offenses."  A Major Offense of the AUP is also a Major Code of Conduct Violation.

MINOR OFFENSES

A minor offense is an action or behavior that violates a rule that has been put in place to maintain the strength, integrity, and sustainability of our technology program. Students who demonstrate a pattern of minor offenses will be referred to the Primary School Educational Technology Coordinator or the Middle or Upper School Dean of Students. Minor offenses include, but are not limited to, the following:

Laptop Usage and Settings

• Creating secondary accounts for the laptop. (e.g., for a friend or parent or to enable parental controls).
• Installing operating systems other than those installed by the MKA Tech Department. (e.g., Boot Camp, Virtual Machines).
• Changing the following settings in the System Preferences:
  • Sharing → Disabling or changing settings for Remote Login
  • Sharing → Disabling or changing settings for Remote Management
  • Security → Turning on FileVault
  • Security → Enabling the Firewall
  • Screen Time → Enabling services within without discussion with IT department
  • Profiles → Modifying or removing any MKA-related profiles

Network Access (Minor)

• Installing or using unauthorized 3rd party multi-node file-sharing software (e.g., qBittorrent, uTorrent, BitTorrent, Seeds, eMule, Frost Wire) on school laptops. Messages, Dropbox, Evernote, and AirDrop do not fall under this category.
• Using personal laptops or iPads/tablets instead of the school-issued laptop.
• Sending chain emails, inappropriate broadcast messages, or any other information that may cause undue network congestion.
• Accessing MKA’s network via the wired network.
• Using the network for commercial purposes. The school will not be responsible for any financial obligations resulting from school-provided devices, technology, or access to the Internet (including BitCoin related sites/services).
• Installation of third party firewalls, anonymizers, or proxies.
• Accessing non-MKA wireless networks with the laptop while on campus (this includes personal hotspots).
• Attempting to connect to the MKA wired or wireless network with non-authorized devices including personal laptops, phones, or tablets.

MAJOR OFFENSES

A major offense is a serious violation of the standards of the community and poses a threat to the safety and security of the school’s network, infrastructure, students, faculty, and greater community. Major Offenses to the AUP also count as Major Offenses to the Code of Conduct. Major Offenses include, but are not limited to, the following:

Privacy, Property, and Community

• Accessing or deleting the MKA administrative account.
• Vandalizing the device or other network resources. This includes defacing, engraving, coloring, painting, etching, stickers, skins, and using marker on the device itself. It also includes deliberately removing keys or deforming the original shape of the device and its components.
• Accessing devices, accounts, and files of others without permission. This includes going on to someone else’s device and accessing any web page, social network, or application without the owner’s knowledge or permission or impersonating someone online.
• Recording, filming, using a live transcription service, or photographing teachers or other students without express permission to do so. If teachers or other students have given permission to record, the student who receives permission is expected to respectfully and responsibly use and manage the recorded material. Sharing or publicly posting captured material without permission is also prohibited.
• Using the device and its applications or the school network either in or out of school to harass, disparage, or intimidate another person or the school itself.
• Sending or posting messages that are detrimental to the reputation of MKA by virtue of the sender’s address or other means of identification.

Illegal Activity

• Installing or distributing unlicensed or illegal software.
• Using the network in support of illegal activities or businesses or for gambling. The school will not be responsible for any financial obligations resulting from school-provided technology or Internet access.

Network Access (Major)

• Placing, creating, or accessing sexually explicit, violent, obscene, or unlawful material.
• Attempting to get around MKA’s network security or to impair functionality of its network by using, for example, VPNs, or remote login tools (e.g., GoToMyPC, LogMeIn).
• Attempting to bypass restrictions set by the network administrators.
• Using a device for distribution of inappropriate or illegal material including text, audio, images, or video.
• Providing billable services to others for the use of your device or MKA network resources.

MKA has a strict policy against the inappropriate use of computers which is set forth in detail in the Student/Parent Handbook. Cyber-bullying (the use of electronic or wireless devices to harass, intimidate or bully) will not be tolerated. While on the MKA network, the school has the ability to access a computer remotely to view the content saved on a student’s computer. MKA reserves the right to search a student’s computer files/accounts when necessary to determine whether the student has violated the law or MKA rules. All network traffic is logged by MKA and can be monitored and reviewed for appropriate use. Remote access to student computers will be used if necessary to determine whether a student has violated the law or MKA rules. Remote access does not include the use of microphones or web camera to view the area in front of a computer, or to hear sounds in the area of a computer.

MKA laptops come equipped with a built in microphone and web camera that are used by students and teachers for a variety of educational activities. These devices cannot be deactivated or removed from the computer. MKA restricts the use of web cameras and microphones to educational and/or troubleshooting purposes only. MKA does not use these devices to view, or listen, to students on or off campus under any circumstances.

MKA cannot and will not access a web camera or microphone when the computer is not on the MKA network. Since a computer may be logged onto the MKA network only when it is on campus, MKA has no ability to access the computer remotely when it is with the student at home, on vacation or anywhere outside the MKA campus.

MKA utilizes two software applications to troubleshoot faulty computers, Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) and JAMF Casper suite:

ARD permits the MKA Technology Department to remotely access a student’s computer and to carry out the appropriate steps to repair and/or restore the computer while the student is on campus. It allows the Technology Department to see what is on the computer screen; it does not employ a microphone or web camera, which would allow the Technology Department to view the area around the computer or to hear sounds or conversation in the area of the computer. When a computer is accessed remotely using ARD, a menu bar icon will let the computer user know that the program is being used for remote access to their computer. As a general rule, the Technology Department will notify a student before using ARD to access the student’s laptop; exceptions to the rule are limited to emergency situations where a malfunctioning computer must be dealt with immediately.

The JAMF Casper suite is used to report on a variety of activities including application installations, updates, system specifications,hardware configuration changes, application usage (number of hours used), system
restarts and significant changes in the file system. This “audit” information, including the IP address of the individual computer, is sent to a Casper data server on a timed schedule (approximately once an hour). At no time is personal or private information sent to the Casper management server. The JAMF Casper suite cannot be used by the school to listen to sounds in the area of a computer or to view the area around the computer. Its sole purpose is to provide MKA with needed information about the computer network.

All students in grades 4-12 are issued a laptop, required protective case, power adapter, and available software (e.g., Microsoft Office, Adobe Suite, G-Suite for Education, and Evernote).

Occasionally, in highly specialized courses, students may be required to purchase course-specific software available through the MKA Bookstore or other retailers. Students keep their MKA laptop year-round.

Any damage, malfunction or loss of the laptop needs to be reported to the Technology Department as soon as possible. In the case of a burglary or theft, a police report must be filed in order to process any insurance claim.

MKA will provide repair, protection and insurance of the laptops in multiple forms, including:

• Tech Centers at each campus, staffed by MKA’s Apple-certified technicians who will be able to make repairs to the laptops.
• AppleCare warranty, which will cover all manufacturer’s defects and related issues.
• Insurance, which will cover all other issues related to loss or damage, not to include any intentional damage/neglect or mysterious disappearance. In these cases, the student/family will be responsible for the full replacement value of the laptop. (as defined below).

Intentional damage/neglect is defined as: "Any loss arising out of any act, or willful neglect by the user to commit or conspire to commit with the intent to cause a loss, including imposition of any abnormal conditions to the laptop."

Mysterious disappearance is defined as: "The disappearance of property without the knowledge as to the place, time or manner of its loss."

In the event of a needed repair, students will be issued a loaner laptop. Lost or stolen laptops will be replaced with a comparable laptop.

Parents/guardians will be liable for up to a $250 deductible per incident or the payment of all costs not covered by insurance in the event of damage to, loss of or destruction of the computer or peripheral(s), whichever is greater. These charges will be the responsibility of the family and charged to the student's MKA account at the time the device is repaired.

The cost of any visible damage to the inside and/or outside of the computer that may not impact the overall function of the device will be charged when the student leaves the school or the device is returned.

Students new to MKA in grades 5-12 are issued a laptop, power adapter, and required protective case prior to the start of school or, in certain cases, via appointment with a member of the Educational Technology Department.

Students in 4th grade receive their laptops during the opening weeks of school but do not take them home.

MKA’s 1:1 Driver’s Manual contains information and videos about MKA’s 1:1 Learning Program, including MKA’s Technology Acceptable Use Policy (AUP - included above), software updates, backing up, security, good habits, maintenance and how to resolve some common problems.

Taking and passing the Driver’s Test — which assesses students' computer management skills and understanding of the AUP — is the first step to becoming a laptop ‘administrator.’ An administrator has increased access to the laptop and its settings, eliminating the need to visit the Tech Center in order to install new applications, perform updates or customize the computer operating system in advanced ways.

Once students pass the Driver’s Test, they must also answer an in-person question given by a member of the Tech Department. Middle School students are also given a form that must be read and signed by a parent/guardian and returned to the Tech Center in order to be granted administrative rights.

While becoming a laptop administrator is not mandatory, MKA does encourage doing so, especially as students move into the upper grades.

This policy outlines expectations for faculty, staff, and students related to data accessibility while a laptop is being repaired by the Tech Department and a loaner laptop is issued.

• Users must regularly backup via Google Backup & Sync (transitioning to Google Drive for Desktop) and Time Machine (faculty only) .
• When provided with a loaner laptop, users will be able to access their data online via Google Drive (Computers).
• Data will NOT be transferred to loaner laptops. If a damaged laptop is sent to Apple for repair, a backup of the laptop will be made first (if possible).
• Users who have not installed Backup & Sync (transitioning to Google Drive for Desktop) cannot expect to access data that was stored on their laptop while it is being repaired.
• MKA will make or expedite the repair; most repairs will take at minimum of 48 hours.