443.5

STUDENT USE OF PERSONAL ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES

The Appleton Area School District recognizes the role schools play in educating students to use technology responsibly. The Appleton Area School District also recognizes the legitimate educational right that students have to learn and engage in school activities without distraction or disruption.

Students may be granted limited permission to possess and use Personal Electronic Communication Devices (PECDs) at school (before, during and/or after the normal school day) and/or in other school-supervised settings.

Personal Electronic Communication Devices (PECDs) are devices such as cellular telephones or other personal electronic devices with communication functions or with recording, photographic, or video-imaging capabilities. PECDs may or may not connect to the Internet.

Principals are authorized to establish school rules and acceptable use guidelines for limited, non-disruptive use of PECDs during the school day in the school building or during school activities. Such limited use shall be consistent with the following general parameters:

1. The Appleton Area School District shall not be responsible for the safety or security of PECDs that students bring to school. Students who bring PECDs to school do so at their own risk of possible theft, damage, misappropriation of data/equipment, or other loss.
2. Students have different needs, levels of understanding, and maturity levels. Accordingly, rules regarding student possession and use of PECDs may be different among students by grade level or another reasonable basis. The rules may address instructional and non-instructional uses of PECDs.
3. Permission to possess and or use personal electronic devices at school or in any school-supervised setting shall be subject to further modification or limitation by a staff member, activity supervisor, or any school administrator.
4. Consistent with state law requirements a copy of the District’s rules regarding student possession and use of PECDs shall be provided to students on an annual basis.
5. Students who receive limited permission to possess and/or use any PECDs receive those permissions as a privilege, not a right. Students who violate any law or any applicable school policy, rule, or directive in connection with their possession or use of PECDs shall be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with established procedures.
6. Nothing within this policy or in any rules established in connection with this policy shall be construed to limit a student’s ability to use a PECD in a manner that functions as assistive technology necessary for a student’s education and that is required under an individualized education program (IEP) or a Section 504 plan.

The inappropriate use of PECDs by students while on campus is subject to disciplinary action. Students may not use PECDs to create, communicate, share, or post personal information, recordings or images of any other student or staff member without permission from that student or staff member.

The inappropriate use of cameras or other PECDs includes but is not limited to the following examples:

• in areas where one would reasonably expect privacy, i.e. locker rooms, bathrooms, etc.
• to communicate test answers, photograph tests, or in any way enable students to cheat.
• to engage in cyber-bullying – placing cell phone calls or sending text messages that ridicule, threaten or harass another student.

The inappropriate use of the Internet and PECDs by students while off campus is subject to disciplinary action if engaging in cyber bullying or maintaining or posting material to a website, social media account, or elsewhere on the Internet that threatens a likelihood of disruption in school or results in disruption in school.

Students involved in activities that interfere with the rights of other students to participate fully in school or extracurricular activities will be in violation of this policy.

Violation of this policy by students will result in disciplinary action which may include any of the following:

• revocation of District technology use privileges
• application of school disciplinary practices and procedures
• notification of law enforcement officials
• notification of parents/guardians or legal custodians
• notification of the activities director and/or co-curricular coaches/advisors
• notification of the District Superintendent or designee
• suspension from school
• recommendation for expulsion.
• Personal Electronic Communication Devices may be confiscated and held by school officials for return to the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student, retained for disciplinary reasons, or turned over to law enforcement officers.

The rules related to this policy will be published in student handbooks and distributed annually.

Student Nondiscrimination
The Appleton Area School District does not discriminate against students on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or physical, mental emotional or learning disability or handicap in its education programs or activities. Discrimination complaints shall be processed in accordance with established procedures.

Legal Reference:
Wisconsin State Statute 118.258

Cross References:
Locker Room Privacy, 443.92 Acceptable Use for Technology and Network Resources, 363

Adoption Date: September 13, 1993

Amended Dates: June 28, 1999, May 22, 2006, May 14, 2007, June 22, 2020