Electronic Comment Filing System

Received &Inspected EDU2011 DEC 172010 FCC M 'lR 0 01 pOl P F dO A l' a, oom FCC WIre ess I ot rOJect un Ing PP Ication WC Docket No. 10-222 The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School December 16, 2010 This funding would enable PA Cyber student's portability and increased accessibility for online classroon1 instruction and academic supports. The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School 1200 Midland Avenue Midland, PA 15059 724-643-1180 Attention: Margie-Jo Miller, ext. 1466 Received &Inspected DEC '\ 7 Z011ntroduction to The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School FCC Mail Room Our Mission The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School is "Helping families build their own school... out of choices, not bricks." The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School CPA Cyber) is dedicated to the success of all students who have not had their needs met in a traditional educational setting. We are dedicated to providing the services and educational programs, using current technology, necessary for our students to receive a high school diploma as well as to give them the opportunity to grow beyond the normal curriculum and confines of a traditional school setting. PA Cyber is committed to providing a safe and orderly environment and protecting the health, safety, and welfare ofall students. It is our desire that PA Cyber students graduate and successfully procure satisfying employment or further their education to become independent responsible citizens. Our Vision The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School will be dedicated to providing student-centered service in a professional and compassionate manner utilizing highly trained and committed staff to individualize educational strategies that will empower each student to succeed. As the leader of cyber education in Pennsylvania, PA Cyber will continue to develop best practices and will be a model of academic excellence. Our Shared Values We believe each student can learn. The five core values ofall PA Cyber employees are integrity, service, professionalism, innovation and excellence. Integrity - Honoring and respecting the dignity ofothers: each student, family member, each other, and everyone we touch. Services- Sharing the staff responsibility to identify and meet the individualized needs of each student. Professionalism - Always representing the school and its beliefs with the highest level of courtesy, compassion, and commitment to the mission. Innovation - Defining best educational practices while blending cutting-edge technology with engaging instructional strategies. Excellence - Continually striving to provide the highest level ofintegrity, service, professionalism, and innovation to empower our students to succeed. 2 PA Cyber will utilize state-of-the-art technology and information technology expertise to develop and deliver on-line curriculum aligned with Pennsylvania State Standards to qualified students, enriching their educational experience, increasing their level of achievement and improving their scores on local, state, and national tests. PA Cyber envisions a program that continues to utilize innovative technologies to deliver education programs and services tailored to each student. These technologies can revolutionize the delivery of education services as we know it, affording educators unique opportunities to reach every student, in the ways that best meet the needs of each individual. The on-going development oftechnological proficiency will enhance and strengthen PA Cyber's ability to prepare students to fully meet the challenges of life in the Information Age, and to help define and develop the future in which they will live. Through optimal use of innovative technologies, the PA Cyber staff can deliver comprehensive educational programs and services to students with portability, making learning an integral component of their daily lives. The use oftechnology will provide an effective and efficient channel of communication between students, parents, staff, the community, educational partners and the rest of the world. Teachers will develop advanced technology skills to promote a tailored learning environment that suits a student's personalities, aptitudes, and goals. Administration will utilize the innovative technologies to improve management functions, support decision making, and increase organizational efficiency. Continued technology planning will foster the implementation of new innovative technologies and instructional techniques providing on-going, continuous improvement opportunities to enhance student learning. PA Cyber is open to new educational and technological ideas from all staff members as we continue to offer exciting opportunities for all students. 3 Required Information 1) Full description of the current or planned Applicant Wireless Program: PA Cyber's current wireless program was started because students needed high speed bandwidth for virtual classes. Virtual Classroom for us are real-time classes with Pennsylvania certified teachers using our synchronous delivery software program, Elluminate, and the Internet. Unfortunately some students only have access to dialup service or satellite service, which is too expensive. a) Nature of the Applicant Wireless Program, including the extent to which the use of connectivity is interactive and utilizes the Internet: Students enrolled in our Virtual Classroom are accountable to attend classes as in any regularly scheduled brick-and-mortar setting though scheduling of virtual classes is flexible. Students can choose from a variety oftimes to build a schedule that best suits their needs and daily patterns. Some students will take all oftheir classes in the morning and have afternoons available for dance, athletics, co-op groups, and other supplemental activities. With the wireless devices, even though the students have non-traditional schedules, they can access high speed bandwidth and have the ability to attend and participate in their classes. Student Achievement and Support is offered to our students through required access to online assessment programs. These programs are utilized to better educate our students and measure their learning skills. Initial assessment uses Diagnostic Online Reading Assessment (DORA) and Diagnostic Online Math Assessment (DOMA). These are standards-based adaptive measurement tools that automatically adjust to each student's instructional level by alternating question difficulty based on previous answers. An instructional plan is then generated from each DORA and DOMA assessment and can be used by tutors, classroom teachers, and parents as a prescriptive document. The assessments identify growth over time according to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) demographics. PA Cyber utilizes the assessments for educational placement and to help identify students' areas of need. Other online assessment programs administered to students needing additional support are the Academy of Reading and Math. The Academy of Math program utilizes a systematic approach to help struggling students build fluency in foundation math skills aligned to National Council ofTeachers ofMathematics standards. For each skill area or level, students build conceptual knowledge, computational fluency, and strategic competence. Academy of Reading offers a structured and sequential intervention program that helps struggling students become proficient readers. Individual instruction lets students and educators systematically target areas of weakness so that teachers can facilitate learning where it is needed. Study Island is a web-based program built on Pennsylvania assessment anchors that help students master the math, reading, writing and science subjects assessed on the 4 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) exams. The goal of the program is to have students master every topic in order to demonstrate proficiency in all testing areas thus preparing them for the PSSA exams. The students have the ability to select a mode of instruction which includes test or game format. This highly engaging intervention makes learning fun. Students also have access to online tutoring five days a week with certified teachers. Additional math tutoring is even offered on Saturdays. These online tutoring sessions help students to achieve success in their education. b) How long has the Applicant Wireless Program been in operation and the mobile wireless device(s) being used: We started using the wireless devices in February 2009. The devices currently used are wireless aircards and MiFi devices. c) A description of any technical issues associated with implementing the Applicant Wireless Program, including an analysis of any problems with the availability of wireless access to students ofT the school premises and how those issues are being or will be addressed by the school: We have not had any technical issues using the wireless devices. When eligible students receive a wireless device, included in the box is school contact information. When the family calls the employee listed in the information the employee is able to activate the card online. If the student graduates or withdraws from the school, the employee deactivates the device and a procedure is in place to have the device returned. Before issuing a device we do check the coverage map of our cellular provider to check wireless availability. Unfortunately 30% of wireless requests are in areas not covered by our cellular provider. d) What training has been or will be provided to teachers, librarians, students or parents to implement the Applicant Wireless Program: Besides the quick and easy instructions that are included with each wireless device, the student can contact a member of our Student Technology Department. This department is available to handle any questions the student may have concerning the device or computer. If needed for an expansion of the program, we would create a training session for staff, parents and students via our online Elluminate program. 5 e) The extent to which the Applicant Wireless Program is integrated with federal, Tribal, state, regional or local governmental or non-profit initiatives to achieve educational or community access outcomes: Our current program is only accessible by our students. 2) The poverty level based on the percentage of students eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the national school lunch program (NSLP) or a federally approved alternative mechanism, and the current discount rate of the school: Based on surveys received from our families, 47.5% ofour students qualify for the National School Lunch Program. This percentage places our school at a 60% discount for E-rate. 3) The financial need of the school, including any additional budgetary hardships, notwithstanding the school or library's current discount rate: Approximately 95% ofPA Cyber's budget is fixed and based upon a calculation of tuition rates from the local school districts for whose students we serve. The rates fluctuate each year based upon a predetermined fixed formula and PA Cyber has no control over these rates. Since the rates are a fixed formula, we must find ways to generate additional revenue to compensate for increasing expenditures when the tuition rates do not rise at the same level. Hence, we need to pursue funding opportunities to improve services to our students. 4) All costs, including those eligible for E-rate support and those not eligible for E-rate support, associated with implementing the Applicant Wireless Program, including but not limited to costs for equipment such as e-readers or laptops, access and connection charges, teacher training, librarian training, or student/parent training: We currently incur costs of$42.99/month for service on each wireless device. There is no cost to obtain the device. Laptops cost about $1000 for students. Training charges would be minimal considering the ease ofuse to initiate the cards that are currently deployed. Ifneeded, we would create training documents and utilize our Elluminate program for online training with staff, parents and students. 5) The committed school resources available to implement the entire Applicant Wireless Program, including whether those funds are from the school's general budget or from an outside funding source: PA Cyber's current budget contemplates internet service reimbursements to student families. The projected cost for the 2010-2011 school year is $1,255,750. Internal costs for staffto facilitate such internet service reimbursements are approximately $60,600. These represent the funds available from PA Cyber's general fund budget for the current school year. 6 6) The effect EDU2011 support for off-premise connectivity is likely to have upon the school's or library's projects: Funding for wireless devices could free up funds for other projects such as more creative e-Iearning devices and additional curriculum research to give more students and families the flexibility for leaming at any time and at any place. 7) An analysis of the cost-effectiveness of the current or planned Applicant Wireless Program as compared to the use of other types of technology that would also meet the Program's objectives: The average cost per month reimbursed to families for wired internet service is $40.00. The reimbursement process for families is not efficient. Families must pay for internet service up-front and then seek reimbursement from PA Cyber. The reimbursement process is typically 8-10 weeks from the point in time a family submits the reimbursement request and the funds are mailed to the family. This time frame can create financial hardships for families. Currently PA Cyber has 147 wireless aircards and 7 MiFi devices issued at a cost of $42.99/month each for cellular service. We desire to initiate a pilot program to provide 200 wireless devices to families for internet service. The goal is to determine if these devices increase connectivity for students, and thereby enhance the learning experience. Use of these cards by students is more cost effective for the school because only one person is needed to activate or deactivate the devices. Also, all devices are on one bill which comes directly to the school each month. Once the bill is reconciled it is sent for payment. Families in the program would no longer pay for internet service and experience a delay in being reimbursed. PA Cyber would be able to reduce staff processing costs and thus enhance service to students while increasing efficiencies at a lower cost. 8) Any relevant technology planning documents and, if applicable, a statement of long term objectives for the Program: We have written into our state Educational Technology Report that students will have access to a high speed internet connection. This access allows us to provide them with curriculum choices, aligned with national, state and local standards affording students the highest level of achievement. The Virtual Classroom department sees mobility as the ultimate goal for all students. Enrollment in a cyber charter school should not require students to be bound to one location to receive instruction. We hope to see that students are increasingly able to receive their education wherever and whenever as needs dictate. 7 9) A description of the specific measures taken, or that will be taken, to ensure compliance with the Children's Internet Protection Act and measures to protect against waste, fraud, and abuse: Every student computer has M86 Security software installed. This internet filter software blocks students from accessing inappropriate sites. The software works in conjunction with an M86 appliance installed at the school. The appliance blocks by categories as well as specific sites. When a student computer tries to access an internet site the request first goes to the appliance to see ifthat site is allowed. Ifallowed the site is accessed. If blocked, a message will appear on the computer stating that the site is in violation of the PA Cyber Acceptable Use Policy. The software will contact the appliance with any request no matter how the computer is connecting to the internet (wired through an ISP or wireless through a cellular provider). A copy of our Acceptable Internet Use policy and Student Agreement is attached. 10) A description of internal policies and enforcement procedures governing acceptable use of the wireless devices used in the Program off the school's premises: As specified above, a copy of our Acceptable Internet Use policy and Student Agreement is attached. The policy outlines what is considered acceptable and unacceptable use of the internet, the school network, hardware, and software. Violations to any part of the policy could subject the student to disciplinary action, including the possibility of expulsion. 8 Required Information for Schools 1) Location of the school: Our school is located in Midland, PA with support centers throughout the state in Wexford, Harrisburg, Philadelphia and East Liberty. 2) Name of the school applicant, along with a complete list of the individual schools that will be served, including their billed entity numbers: The application is being submitted by: Margie-Jo Miller, Technology Coordinator/Systems Infrastructure Manager margie-jo.miller@pacyber.org The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School, BEN-16020087 3) Description of the school district or school, including the type of school, such as private, public, charter, or other special type of school: The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School is a K-12 cyber charter school. We educate students who live anywhere in the state of Pennsylvania. 4) Description of the Program's curriculum objectives, the grade levels included, and the number of students and teachers involved and/or being served as part of the program: Virtual classes are available for students in grades 3 through 12. This live instruction brings our students time-tested and dynamic courses that are aligned closely with the Pennsylvania state standards. The combination of first-rate curriculum options and highly qualified instructors has proven successful for thousands of our students who never miss a day of class. All virtual classes are recorded and archived so that students can review sessions as needed, whether they miss the class because of illness or as a review prior to assessment. We currently have 7800 students taking virtual classes being instructed by 120 teachers. All core subjects are offered as well as elective courses. 5) Summary of any data collected by the school on Program outcomes and achievement of Program objectives: PA Cyber enrolls many students who have struggled in a traditional school setting. Approximately 1/3 of our students come to us one to two grade levels below their chronological age. The synchronous math courses at PA Cyber offer students of all ability levels to participate in class. The presence of a live teacher provides students with instruction, practice and enrichment opportunities. Within the synchronous learning environment, students are able to communicate privately with a teacher if questions arise. The students are also able to watch the recorded class as many times as needed to help the student master the concept. The teachers also offer the student the ability to meet synchronously online to assist is they are struggling. PA Cyber recommends all students with scores of basic or below basic on state achievement testing to take synchronous math courses. This has proven successful over time in helping students move to proficiency in math on the state PSSA tests. 9 There are several methods that can be used to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Due to students enrolling in our school performing below grade level, PA Cyber has worked to move students from the basic and below basic levels to proficiency. We have been able to either move an adequate number of students to proficiency or place students on the trajectory to achieve proficiency within two years. By recommending synchronous courses for struggling students, implementing a Response to Intervention (Rt!) model that identifies struggling students quickly and then placing the students into interventions that either synchronously or asynchronously meet their needs, PA Cyber has been able to meet AYP two consecutive years. PA Cyber students have demonstrated growth in reading and math due to these measures implemented over the past three years. 10 The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School - AYP School Status Report School Status Report This School met 29 target(s) cut of 29. 2009-2010 AYP Status Hade AYP t'. Hathemati<s Participation Coal = 95% Met Participation Target Perform nee Goal =:i6~ Met Performa TaJ"get ce All Students 52.3 White non~Hispanic 53.9 Blac.k non-Hisp.anic Latino/Hispank 51..6 A.si.an or Pa.cific Isl.ander N!A N.lA , N!A Anlerican Indian or A.la_ska H.-tive N.lA NiA N/A Multi-Racial/Ethnic 96.5 58.2 IEP 95_6 Yes' 33.0 Yes-SH , English Language Lea""er No Students No Students No Students No Students Economically Disadvantaged 99.5 y s Yes-GH 97.3 I\. Reading Participation Goal =95% Met Targ..t All Students 97.5 Yes White non-Hispank 97.8 'fes Black non-Hispanic Latino/Hispanic Asian or Pacific Island.. r 96.6 lOO.O N.lA NIA American Indian or Alaskan Native Multi-Racial/Ethnic IEP English Language Learner Economically Disadvantaged Performance M.t. Performance Participation Goal = 63% Target 69.0 Yes 70.7 Yes Yes-SH Yes N/A N/A , N/A. Yes-CI , .5 Yes-SHCI No Students Yes-CI Gfil.duation Rilte Goal =850A1 f Met Graduation Target larget = 82.SClftJ or Inlp'rovenlenl All Students 89.71~e Yes .. legend Symbol Definition Net measured for feeder schoals N/A Net applicable for subgroups with fe'"er than ~O student> N2 Two Years of Data N3 Three Years of Data SH Safe Harbor CI Confidence rnterval APP Appeal GM Growth "'Iodel The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School - School Status Summary hoi' I I '"' '"l I I n l~ .., The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School Growth Model for Synchronous vs Asynchronous Math Instruction BarChart p c.rm; ncelev I el' .,~ .]8.1 Ol .J' . Syncl1Asynch ynch vs Asynch Projected Proficient (Growth Model) S 'nchAsynch • prOJeetedPer1orm~n(:eLe el Crossr:tbul~tlon 519 Acceptable Internet Use Effective Date: 09/15/2005 Revision Date: 07/01/2007, 05/10/2010 ACCEPTABLE USE OF COMPUTER NETWORKS/INTERNET PURPOSE The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School is dedicated to the success of all students who have not had their needs met in a traditional educational setting. PA Cyber is dedicated to providing the services and educational programs using current technology necessary for these students to receive a high school diploma as well as to give them the opportunity to grow beyond the normal curriculum and confines of a traditional school setting. PA Cyber is committed to providing a safe and orderly environment and protecting the health, safety, and welfare of all students. The Internet as used by students and staffof PA Cyber will be solely a tool to facilitate educational research. No other use ofthe Internet will be endorsed or allowed by PA Cyber. Specifically, through the use of computers, students and staffwill be able to access educational research materials stored on other computers at other facilities located throughout the world. They will also be able to collaborate with other students and peers with Internet access anywhere on Earth! Although this represents a significant opportunity, there are important responsibilities that must be shared among students, parents, and staff. The purpose ofthis policy is to detail these responsibilities in a manner understandable to all parties involved AUTHORITY Protection of the student is the overriding concern of PA Cyber. Most of the policy set forth in this document deals with providing a positive and wholesome experience for all students. PA Cyber also has a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers ofthe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As a result, this policy involves rules for the protection of District property and assets and adherence to local, state, and federal law. PA Cyber reserves the right to log network use and to monitor fileserver space utilization by PA Cyber users. It is often necessary to access user accounts, including email accounts provided by PA Cyber, in order to perform routine maintenance and security tasks. User accounts are therefore the property of PA Cyber. The system administrator has the right to access user accounts to uphold this policy and maintain the system. The district reserves the right to remove a user account from the network to prevent unauthorized or illegal usage. PA Cyber computer network includes all local area networking and wide area networking within the school community as well as all online and direct-wired networking such as Internet to which the PA Cyber network may be linked. ACCEPTABLE USE All persons (students and staff) using the PA Cyber computer network must conduct themselves in a responsible, ethical and polite manner. Students and staff ofPA Cyber shall practice responsible computing. Responsible computing encompasses the ethical use ofthe computer as a tool. Unacceptable Uses: The PA Cyber Network is to be used for legitimate academic and employment-related purposes only. The following types of access are considered to be inappropriate uses. This list is by no means exclusive and PA Cyber reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to determine whether a particular use is considered inappropriate or unacceptable: 1. Accessing profane or obscene material, material suggesting illegal acts and material advocating violence or discrimination. 2. Using the access for illegal acts. 3. Attempts to access any resources that are restricted, confidential or privileged. 4. Posting chain letters. 5. Internet Relay Chat, news groups, or mailing list participation unless directed and supervised by a staff member for a classroom assignment. 6. Granting Internet or Network access to unauthorized persons intentionally or unintentionally, or failing to notifY a teacher or administrator if you suspect someone of using your password. 7. Posting personal contact information. 8. Agreeing to meet someone met on line without parental approval and under the supervision of a teacher or authorized adult. 9. Attempts to disrupt access. 10. Causing damage to or changing function, operation or design of the technology. 11. Using obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening language. 12. Harassing another person. 13. Posting false or defamatory information. 14. Plagiarizing information found on the Internet. 15. Disregarding the rights of copyright owners on the Internet. 16. Posting web pages without the consent of a teacher or authorized adult. 17. Conducting business unrelated to PA Cyber. 18. Buying or selling any products or services. 19. Engaging in acts of bullying, harassment, intimidation, and/or threatening conduct including, but not limited to such conduct committed or furthered by means of an electronic act. 20. Using school provided devices to send, receive, or in any way access sexually explicit pictures and messages. Students or staff who engage in such activities, or any others deemed inappropriate by PA Cyber, shall be subject to disciplinary measures, as deemed appropriate by the PA Cyber administration, its Board of School Directors and PA Cyber policy. As stated above, use of the PA Cyber computer network is to be limited to legitimate academic purposes. This means using the network in such a manner as to have a direct or indirect impact on the student's educational program at PA Cyber. The use of the computer network for sending frivolous electronic mail (e-mail), chatting, reading and sending jokes, researching non-academic related sources such as MTV, sports sites, social networking sites such as myspace, and playing computer games will not be supported or allowed to occur at PA Cyber. The use of the system for defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, offensive, and ilJegal material or other prohibited activities shall not be permitted, and PA Cyber will use any and all efforts, within the confines of the law, to prevent such material from entering the school's network. Individuals are encouraged to report such activity to the school administration. PA Cyber also requires adherence to certain rules for use of its hardware: 1. Learn how to use hardware properly. 2. Do not adjust, connect, or disconnect components without supervision unless you understand what you are doing and are authorized by PA Cyber personnel to do so. 3. Do not connect your own hardware to PA Cyber's hardware. 4. No food or drink within 10' of computer stations. PRIVACY For the protection of our students, all users are advised and should be reinforced by parents/guardians to NEVER disclose personal information over the network such as home address, physical description, route to and from school, or any other personal information that could threaten the safety and security of our students. PA Cyber employs the Google Apps suite of products for student use. These applications are powered by Google but administered by PA Cyber. Google Apps integrates with the school's standard web single sign-on systems using the SAML 2.0 standard. These single sign-on systems are owned by PA Cyber and housed within a secure datacenter within the school. Such systems permit students to access Google Apps only after their school-assigned credentials are authenticated by the systems. PA Cyber student email is provided as part of Google Apps. Student identification numbers are the only means of identifying users in incoming and outgoing email communications. Additionally, PA Cyber utilizes a set of security tools that allow the school to restrict electronic communications to within the PA Cyber domain or school-affiliated domains. PA Cyber provides Google Apps to students for educational purposes only. The Google Apps Terms of Service contractually ensures that PA Cyber is the sole owner of their data. The controls, processes and policies that protect user data in Google's systems adhere to strict auditing standards. Google complies with applicable US privacy law, and the Google Apps Terms of Service can specifically detail obligations and compliance with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) regulations. Electronic information and communications sent, received, or accessed on PA Cyber-owned property, networks, and/or hardware, remain the prope/1y of PA Cyber. PA Cyber reserves the right to monitor electronic activities and communications. PA Cyber does not employ the use of Web cameras to help enforce any policies or asset tracking, nor does the school use Web cameras to remotely monitor end user activity. NETWORK SECURITY Using the guidelines of the U.S. Children's Internet Protection Act of2000, the PA Cyber has implemented a technology protection measure (internet site filtering software) to prevent all users of the network from accessing inappropriate internet sites. "Inappropriate internet sites" includes the following content: Anything that falls under at least one of the categories below shall be blocked/filtered. This list will be updated/modified as required. NuditylPornography • Prevailing u.s. Standards for nudity (e.g., genitalia, female breasts) • Provocative semi-nudity (i.e., lingerie models) • Sites which contain pornography or links to pornographic sites • Exceptions: Classical nudity (e.g., Michelangelo), swimsuit models Sexuality • Sites which contain material of a mature level (elementary/middle school levels) • Images or descriptions of sexual aids • Descriptions of sexual acts or techniques • Sites which contain inappropriate personal ads Violence • Sites which promote violence • Images or a description of graphically violent acts (rape, dismemberment, torture, etc.) • Graphic autopsy or crime-scene images Crime • Information of performing criminal acts (e.g., drug or bomb making, computer "hacking") • Illegal file archives (e.g., software piracy) Drug Use • Sites which promote the use of illegal drugs • Material advocating the use of illegal drugs (e.g. marijuana, LSD) or abuse of any drug (e.g., drinking-game rules) • Exception: Material with val id-educational use (e.g., drug-use statistics) Tastelessness • Images or descriptions of excretory acts (e.g., vomiting, urinating) • Graphic medical images outside of a medical context • Exception: Graphic medical images within a medical context LanguagelProfanity • Passages/Words to coarse to be softened by the word filter • Profanity within images/sounds/multimedia files • Adult humor (e.g., sexually or racially tinged) • Note: The focus is on American English, but profanity in other languages or dialects is blocked if brought to our attention. DiscriminationlIntolerance • Material advocating discrimination of any kind whatsoever (e.g., racial or rei igious intolerance) • Sites which promote intolerance, hate, or discrimination Interactive Mail/Chat • Sites which contain or allow inappropriate e-mail correspondence • Sites which contain or allow inappropriate chat areas Inappropriate Banner Acts • Advertisements containing inappropriate images Gambling • Sites which allow or promote online gambling Weapons • Sites which promote illegal weapons • Sites which promote the use of illegal weapons Other inappropriate material • Body Modification: tattooing, branding, cutting, etc. Judgment Calls • Whether a page is likely to have more questionable material in the future (e.g., sites under construction whose names indicate questionable material Filtering will be updated periodically by the manufacturer or immediately by the administration to include newly created inappropriate sites. Students and faculty are encouraged to report to the administration any inappropriate sites that may be discovered on the network. The administration will then immediately act to evaluate and, ifjudged necessary, block access to these sites. Requests for the temporary disabling of protection measures or to unblock certain specific internet sites for the purpose of bona fide adult research or other lawful uses shall be reviewed for approval by the administration. Users may not allow others to access the computer network by sharing account information or passwords. Users may not move, repair, reconfigure, modify, or attach external devices to any network equipment. All malfunctions or problems are to be reported to the PA Cyber administration. No computer software is to be installed onto any PA Cyber computer by the staff or students that have not been legally obtained officially through the purchasing office of PA Cyber. Software copyright infringement has recently become a major focus of law. Severe penalties may result from this activity. This affects not only the offending individual, but also exposes PA Cyber to legal action. As a result, this practice will not be tolerated and proper software licensing will be aggressively enforced by PA Cyber. Any question or concern about the legality of software should be referred to the PA Cyber administration. Viruses can enter the system through files downloaded from the Internet and completely unknown to the user. A computer virus is a software program created for the purpose of disrupting computer systems or destroying information stored on the computer. These insidious invasions can cost thousands of dollars to undo. Certain safeguards are in place to protect the network, however this is no guarantee. Anyone who knowingly, purposefully or wi Ilfully introduces a computer virus onto equipment owned by PA Cyber will be subject to discipline, including the possibility of expulsion (student) or termination (employee). Attempted vandalism to equipment or software will result in discipline, including the possibility of expulsion (student) or termination (employee). This includes not only physical destruction of computer equipment, but also destruction of cabling and network infrastructure, attempts to gain unauthorized access by defeating network security (commonly known as "hacking"), attempts to gain access by using a different account or password and destruction or alteration of files. REMEDY The use ofthe computer network at PA Cyber is a privi lege granted only to responsible users. As a result, PA Cyber reserves the right to suspend, expel, or otherwise discipline student-users who violate this policy, and discipline, up to and including termination, employee-users who violate this policy, as deemed appropriate by the PA Cyber administration and its Board of School Directors. In certain circumstances, local police authorities may also be notified as may be required by applicable law. PA Cyber further reserves the right to reasonably monitor and regulate the accounts of students and staff in order to ensure compliance with this entire computer use policy. This includes, but may not be limited to, physical surveillance of users as they access the network, interception of electronic mail messages, and examination of files accessed by the users of the network, and restricting time-of-day or locations of use. This policy may be amended by PA Cyber at any time. Thank you for your interest in the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School. Please read carefully the terms and conditions our students are expected to follow. By following these terms and conditions, we can ensure your every opportunity for academic success. As a student, you agree: 1To attend school a minimum of five hours per day, one hour per subject. 2 To attend any Virtual Classes at the scheduled times knowing that excessive absences may lead to disciplinary action or Virtual Classroom removal. 3 To log attendance daily by logging into the PA Cyber Blackboard site. 4 To keep an adequate pace in all courses by submitting work according to the following gUidelines: - Complete at least one lesson and any assigned work every two days in the Lincoln Interactive courses. The completion of Part 1 courses are expected in January. The completion of Part 2 courses are expected in June. - Submit all assigned homework, quizzes and exams by the determined due dates and times in the Virtual Classroom. - Submit one test per month in the Calvert curriculum. - Complete one Season per nine-week period in the Little Lincoln curriculum. - To complete all Fine Arts requirements according to my grade level. 5 To keep and submit an accurate log of my physical education hours by April 30th. 6 To return all materials and equipment to PA Cyber in the condition that they are received and to follow the Acceptable Use Policy of PA Cyber's technology and equipment. Technology is only to be used for education provided by PA Cyber. 7 To keep my PA Cyber user information secure and will only share my user information with parents/guardians. Iwill not share this information with any additional persons. 8 To remain in contact with my Instructional Supervisor on a regular basis and to keep my Instructional Supervisor aware of any roadblocks to attending school regularly or submitting work as outlined. I will also check my student e-mail account on a regular basis. 9 To participate in all PSSA tests, Scantron tests in January and August, and other local assessments and contribute my best effort for success. 10 To always give my best effort in my studies and apply myself to ensure that Iam able to fulfill all of my future goals. Signature of student Signature of parent or guardian Date 1200 Midland Avenue, Midland, PA 15059 1-888-PACYBER www.pacybeLorg