TC-4000-1

 

4000—BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

       SN    Excludes fiscal management.

 

4015                            Insurance Program (Cf. 8460)

                                       Liability Insurance

                                       Worker’s Compensation

4040                            Safety (Cf. 8590)

                                       Safety Inspections

                                       Fire and Tornado Drills

4050                            Environmental Health and Safety - Employee Indemnification

                                       Toxic Hazards and Asbestos

4080                            Emergency Closings

4100                            Environment

4110                            Security

4250                            Printing and Duplicating Services

                                       Employee Produced Material

                                       Copyright Compliance and Computer Software Copyright

4300                            Student Transportation Management  

                                       Student Conduct on School Buses

                                       Athletic Transportation Limitation

4320                            School Vehicles

                                       Liability

                                       Safety

                                       Safety Inspection

                                       Records

                                       Licensing of Drivers

                                       School Bus Safety Program

4350                            Student Transportation in Private Vehicles

4365                            Special Use of Transportation Service              

4430                            Personal and Business Transportation Services

4450                            Food Service Management

4500                            Technology

                                    SN For policies of a general nature on the generation and control

                                          of statistical and other information as desired by the District

                                          and/or required by state and federal regulations.  See also

                                          “Records” and “Report,” in Index.

                                       New Programs

                                       Upgrades

                                       Data Management

                                       Education and Instruction

                                   


                                                                                                                                               

TC-4000-2

 

4510                            Computer Network

                                       Personal Accounts

                                       System Integrity

                                       Network Use

                                       Limiting Access

                                       SN Includes new construction as well as related activities such as        acquiring sites, plant remodeling or modernizing and leasing or renting property to meet expansion needs.

4601                            Facilities Development Goals

4750                            Naming New Facilities

4770                            Selection of an Architect

4890                            Supervision of Construction (Cf. 4770)

4900                            Fair Employment Clause

4910                            Affidavits and Guarantees (Cf. 4770)

4975                            Dedication Plaques


4015    Insurance Program (Cf. 8460)                                                                              4015

The Board shall insure District property unless otherwise directed by the District electors.  Such insurance may be obtained from companies licensed to do business in the state of Michigan.  The status of the insurance program in its entirety shall be reviewed annually by the Board with specific reference to adequacy of coverage, placement of insurance, and services provided by insurance agents, their representatives, associates, or companies.

Liability Insurance

Liability insurance shall be provided to cover Board members and members of the administrative staff in performance of duties relating to District business and operation.

Worker’s Compensation

Worker’s Compensation insurance shall be carried for all employees as provided by law.

All insurance shall be purchased on the basis of cost consideration, service, potential dividends, reputation of insurance carrier and any other factors which may be of benefit to the District.  The Board shall seek bids when deemed appropriate.

The Superintendent shall be responsible to develop specifications for all forms of insurance and make recommendations to the Board.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:

LEGAL REF:   MCL 380.1269; 380.1332; 691.1405-1406; 691.1409


4040    Safety (Cf. 8590)                                                                                                 4040

The Board and its administrative staff shall make every effort to provide a safe environment for students to study and play and for all employees to fulfill their employment duties and responsibilities.

Safety Inspections

The Superintendent, building Principals and maintenance personnel shall inspect each attendance center, playgrounds and playground equipment, boilers, bleachers and other such areas to determine whether said facilities or play areas are in adequate repair and free of harmful defects under a schedule developed by the Superintendent.

            Fire and Tornado Drills

            Fire and Tornado drills shall be conducted as outlined in current law.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:

LEGAL REF:   MCL 380.1288; R 340.1301-1305; 29.19


 

4050    Environmental Health and Safety - Employee Indemnification                                 4050

Toxic Hazards and Asbestos

The Board is concerned for the safety of students, staff, and the general public and shall attempt to comply with all federal and state statutes and regulations to protect them from hazards that may result from industrial accidents beyond the control of District officials, from the presence of asbestos materials used in previous construction, and from hazardous materials present in the District.

The Board shall appoint a District employee to serve as the designated person who shall carry out the requirements of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Michigan Right-To-Know Rules and Regulations.

The Superintendent may appoint a person(s) to develop and implement the District’s approved asbestos management plan and shall develop a specific job description, which shall ensure proper compliance with federal and state laws and the appropriate instruction and in-service of staff and students.

The Board shall, through either a separate contract, a subclause to an existing contract, or as a part of a negotiated master contract, defend, hold harmless, and indemnify current and former District employees who have been assigned the responsibilities related to the AHERA regulations from any and all demands, claims, suits, actions, and proceedings brought against those individuals as agents and/or employees of the Board, provided that any such incidents arose while those individuals were acting within the scope of their respective employment contracts and were not intentional, negligent, or criminal acts.

The Board shall attempt to maintain a secure liability insurance to help serve as a means of implementing this policy.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:

LEGAL REF:   MCL 380.623(b); 380.1256(1)(2); 388.864; Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act; Michigan Right-To-Know Rules and Regulations; Asbestos Emergency Response Act; Asbestos Abatement Contractors Licensing Act


4080    Emergency Closings                                                                                              4080

The Superintendent is authorized to close the schools in case of inclement weather or other emergency which makes it unsafe for students to attend school.  The Superintendent may delay the opening of school in cases of inclement weather or other emergencies until such hour as it is anticipated conditions are safe to hold school.  The Superintendent shall develop a process to make appropriate information available on which to base the decision.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:


4100    Environment                                                                                                         4100

In order to establish sound environmental and ecological oriented attitudes throughout the District, the Board recognizes its obligation to give appropriate consideration to environmental values in any decision-making or action the Board proposes to take.

The Board shall cooperate with governmental and community agencies in order to increase the awareness and knowledge of environmental problems and possible solutions.

To the extent practical, the Superintendent shall develop administrative procedures relative to purchasing and use of materials which shall consider the environmental and ecological impact of such purchases and uses.  The development of bid specifications for material used by the District shall consider generally recognized and accepted environmental and ecological concepts and principles.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:

LEGAL REF:   MCL 299.561-299.572; 299.861-299.869; 319.311-319.316


4110    Security                                                                                                                4110

The Board shall attempt, through the entire staff, to ensure that students, patrons and all property owned by the District are protected at all times from possible damage or injury, outside intrusion or disturbances occurring on school grounds or in school buildings.

An adequate key control system shall be established which will limit access to buildings to authorized personnel and will safeguard against the potential entrance to buildings by unauthorized persons.

Incidents of illegal entry, theft of school property, vandalism, or damage to school property from other causes, shall be reported by phone to the office of the Superintendent as soon as discovered.  A written report of the incident shall be made as soon as possible.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:

LEGAL REF:   MCL 380.1291

                                                                                                                             


 

4250    Printing and Duplicating Service - Copyright                                                          4250

The Board shall make duplicating equipment available for administrative and instructional use to the extent that is economically feasible and practical according to the needs of the District.

The extent of production of instructional materials by clerical staff shall be determined by the building Principal, who shall develop guidelines for requesting such services.

The copyright laws of the United States make it illegal for anyone to duplicate copyrighted materials without permission.  Severe penalties are provided for unauthorized copying of all materials covered by the act unless the copying falls within the bounds of the “fair use,” as set forth in 4250-R.

Employee Produced Material

The Board has certain proprietary right to publications, devices and instructional materials produced by District employees during their regular and normal workdays while in the employment of the District.  All items prepared by District employees on District time, including data processing programs, shall become the property of the District.  The Board may elect to copyright or patent such materials, devices or programs in the name of the District.  All earnings or profits from such original materials, devices or programs shall become assets of the District.

The Superintendent shall, through regulations, inform staff of the guidelines for use of copyright materials.

Copyright Compliance and Computer Software Copyright

The Board shall adhere to the provisions of the U.S. copyright laws regarding the duplication of computer software programs. The Superintendent shall develop appropriate procedures for staff to follow in this area.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:       

LEGAL REF:   17 U.S.C. § et seq.


4250-R      Printing and Duplicating Services - Copyright                                              4250-R

In accordance with Board policy 4250, the following regulations will be observed to comply with the copyright laws of the United States.

Under the “fair use” doctrine, unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted materials is permissible for such purposes as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research.  If duplicating or altering a product is to fall within the bounds of fair use, these four standards must be met for any of the purposes:

THE PURPOSE AND CHARACTER OF THE USE:  The use must be for such purposes as teaching or scholarship and must be non-profit.  Fair use would probably allow teachers acting on their own to copy small portions of work for the classroom but would not allow a school system or an institution to do so.

THE NATURE OF THE COPYRIGHTED WORK:  Copying portions of a news article may fall under fair use but not copying from a workbook designed for a course of study.

THE AMOUNT AND SUBSTANTIALITY OF THE PORTION USED:  Copying the whole of a work cannot be considered fair use; copying a small portion may be.  At the same time, however, extracting a short sequence from a 16mm film or videotape may be far different from a short excerpt from a textbook, because two or three minutes out of a 20-minute film might be the very essence of that production and thus outside fair use.  Under normal circumstances, extracting small amounts out of an entire work would be fair use, but a quantitative test alone does not suffice.

THE EFFECT OF THE USE UPON THE POTENTIAL MARKET FOR, OR VALUE OF, THE COPYRIGHTED WORK:  If resulting economic loss to the copyright holder can be shown, even making a single copy of certain materials is an infringement, and making multiple copies presents the danger of greater penalties.

 

 

4250-R      Printing and Duplicating Services                                                             4250-R-2

Prohibited Practice

A teacher may not make multiple copies of a work for classroom use if it has already been copied for another class in the same institution; make multiple copies of a short poem, article, story, or essay from the same author more than once in a class term or make multiple copies from the same collective work or periodical issue more than three times a term; make multiple copies of works more than nine times in the same class term; make a copy of works to take the place of an anthology; and may not make a copy of “consumable” materials, such as workbooks.

Permitted Practice

A teacher may make—for use in scholarly research, in teaching or in preparation for teaching a class—a single copy of the following:  a chapter from a book; an article from a periodical or newspaper; a short story, short essay or short poem (whether or not from a collected work); a chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture from a book, periodical or newspaper; may make (for classroom use only and not to exceed one per student in a class) multiple copies of the following:  a complete poem (if it has fewer than 250 words and is printed on not more than two pages), an excerpt from a longer poem (if the excerpt has fewer than 250 words), an excerpt from a prose work (if the excerpt has fewer than 1,000 words or 10 percent of the work, whichever is less) and one chart, graph, diagram, cartoon or picture per book or periodical.

A library may, for interlibrary-loan purposes, make up to six copies a year of a periodical published within the last five years, make up to six copies a year of small excerpts from longer works, make copies of unpublished works for purposes of preservation and security and make copies of out-of-print works that cannot be obtained at a fair price.

 

 

4250-R      Printing and Duplicating Services                                                             4250-R-3

Guidelines for Off-Air Recording of Broadcast

Programming for Education Purposes

A broadcast program may be recorded off-air simultaneously with broadcast transmission (including simultaneous cable re-transmission) and retained for a period not to exceed the first 45 consecutive calendar days after date of recording.  Upon conclusion of such retention period, all off-air recordings must be erased or destroyed immediately.

Off-air recordings may be used once by individual teachers in the course of relevant teaching activities and repeated once, only when instructional reinforcement is necessary, in classrooms and similar places devoted to instruction within a single building, cluster or campus, as well as in the homes of students receiving formalized home instruction, during the first 10 consecutive school days in the 45 day calendar day retention period.  “School days” are school session days—not counting weekends, holidays, vacations, examination periods or other scheduled interruptions—within the 45 calendar day retention period.

Off-air recordings may be made only at the request of, and use by, individual teachers and may not be regularly recorded in anticipation of requests.  No broadcast program may be recorded off-air more than once at the request of the same teacher, regardless of the number of times the program may be broadcast.

A limited number of copies may be reproduced from each off-air recording to meet the legitimate needs of teachers under these guidelines.  Each such additional copy shall be subject to all provisions governing the original recordings.

After the first 10 consecutive school days, off-air recordings may be used up to the end of the 45 calendar day retention period only for evaluation purposes by the teacher, i.e., to determine whether or not to include the broadcast program in the teaching curriculum.  They may not be used for student exhibition or any other non-evaluation purpose without authorization.

4250-R      Printing and Duplicating Services                                                             4250-R-4

Off-air recordings need not be used in their entirety, but the recorded programs may not be altered from their original content.  Off-air recordings may not be physically or electronically combined or merged to constitute teaching anthologies or compilations.

All copies of off-air recordings must include the copyright notice on the broadcast programs as recorded.

Software

Software developed by District employees shall conform to the copyright and patent provisions prescribed in Board policy.  District employees shall adhere to ethical practices when using commercially developed software for the purpose of developing individualized programs to meet the District’s needs.

Software Royalties

Software marketed with private organizations or other educational agencies may produce royalties in the form of financial remuneration, equipment or other material or devices.  The allocation and deposit of all royalties shall be determined by the Superintendent.

Employee Produced Material

The Superintendent shall maintain full use, rights and privileges on all software, manuals, devices, documents and programs and related materials developed by staff during work periods for which they are compensated.

Computer Software Copyright

It shall be a violation of Board policy and the copyright laws of the U. S. to use “pirated” or otherwise illegally obtained computer software for use on District owned equipment, whether for instructional, administrative, or any other purpose.  The use of District equipment to make unauthorized copies of District owned, privately owned, or illegally obtained computer software is prohibited.

4250-R      Printing and Duplicating Services                                                             4250-R-5

In an effort to discourage violations of copyright laws and to prevent illegal uses of the District’s computer system: 

(a)     The proper use of computers will be taught through planned computer curriculum and computer related instruction for students and staff will address the ethical and practical problems caused by software piracy;

(b)     District employees shall adhere to all provisions of the U.S. copyright laws which allow for the making of back-up copies of computer programs.

 

“. . . it is not an infringement of the owner of a copy of a computer program to make or authorize the making of the copy or adaptation of that computer program provided: that such a new copy of adaptation is created as an essential step in the utilization of the computer program in conjunction with the machine and that it is used in no other manner, or that such a new copy or adaptation is for archival purposes only and that all archival copies are destroyed in the event that continued possession of the computer program should cease to be rightful.”

(c)     When software is being used on a disk sharing system, efforts will be made to secure the software from copying;

(d)     Illegal copies of copyrighted programs may not be made or used on District equipment;

(e)     The Superintendent is the only individual who may sign license agreements for software.  Each school using the software should have a copy of the signed software duplication agreement.

(f)      No District employee will illegally access any data base or electronic bulletin Board;

(g)     No District employee will encourage or allow any student to illegally duplicate computer software or access any data base or electronic bulletin board; and

(h)     Each Principal is responsible for establishing practices which will enforce the Board’s policy at the school level.  A copyright warning may be placed on computer equipment.


4300    Student Transportation Management                                                                     4300

When the Board provides full general education transportation, the use of buses by the District shall conform to state law.  School bus routes shall be established by the Superintendent.

Bus transportation will be provided students to and from school for those students who qualify.  Transportation will be provided by the District for all extra-class activities.  Students are prohibited from driving personal automobiles to District-sponsored activities held during the school day.

Student Conduct on School Buses

Students enjoying the privilege of the District’s transportation system are expected at all times to conduct themselves in a manner which promotes the general welfare and safety of everyone on the bus.

Students are expected to follow the rules, regulations and procedures outlined in their respective school handbooks, as well as those developed specifically for the transportation system.

The bus drivers, the Director of transportation and the building Principals shall work together in administering all applicable rules, regulations, and procedures.  Only the Director of Transportation and/or the building Principals shall have the authority to suspend bus riding privileges.

Student handbooks and transportation rules, regulations and procedure shall be reviewed and approved annually by the Board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4300    Student Transportation Management                                                                  4300-2

Athletic Transportation Limitation

The athletic Director may schedule away only contests within 90 miles of the District.  Greater distances may be traveled if the school is scheduled for home and home competition or at the discretion of the Superintendent.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:

LEGAL REF:   MCL 380.1321-1322; 380.1331; 380.1333; 380.1336; 388.1010; R 340.1702; R 340.271-279; R 340.281-282; 257.1801 et seq


4300-R      Student Transportation Management                                                           4300-R

When full District transportation is offered, District transportation equipment shall be used only for the transportation of students to and from school and school sponsored activities.  The equipment may be used to furnish transportation to senior citizen groups when this does not conflict with school activities.  Upon authorization of the Superintendent, adults may be permitted to ride school buses to school sponsored activities.

Student transportation shall be considered a privilege to be enjoyed by a student only as long as he accepts responsibility for his own conduct, carefully follows all rules and regulations, and positively responds to the directions and requests of the bus driver.

Bus Routes

Careful consideration shall be given to such conditions as safety and hazards, number and ages of students, kind and condition of roads, safe and convenient bus stops, economy of operation, and estimated time necessary to cover the routes.  Routes are to be planned to keep individual riding distance and time to a practical minimum.

Distance Eligibility

Students who live 1-1/2 miles from the school which they attend shall be eligible to be transported to school.  Under normal conditions elementary students shall be expected to walk up to 1/2 mile and secondary students up to 1 mile to a bus stop.  The Superintendent is authorized to make exceptions to these distances if safety conditions warrant.

Handicapped Students

A person identified by an educational planning and placement (EPPC) committee to be a “handicapped person” in accordance with R340.1702, who would otherwise be unable to participate in an appropriate special education program or service operated or contracted by the Intermediate School District, shall be eligible for only that


4300-R      Student Transportation Management                                                        4300-R-2

additional transportation determined by the committee to be necessary for the person to participate.

Non-Public School Students

A student enrolled in a non-public school shall be eligible for transportation to the public school that the student would otherwise attend.  This transportation shall be along the regular routes according to the same eligibility provisions and schedules in effect for public school students, except that the non-public school student shall then be eligible for transportation from the public school to the closest non-public school located in the District that the student is eligible to attend or to a point within the District from which he may have available transportation to the non-public school in accordance with state law.

When the District provides transportation to public school students of a given grade classification, other than for special education, attending public schools outside the District, non-public school students of the same grade classification shall then be eligible for transportation in the same general direction for approximately the same distance to non-public schools located outside the District.

Riding a Different Bus

Students who wish to ride a different bus for a specific purpose on a particular day may do so providing they present written permission from their parent(s)/guardian(s) to the Principal and receive approval.  Students shall not be transported to different stops for birthday parties, social events or any program not sponsored by the District.  The same policy shall apply to a non-bus student who on a specific occasion has a justifiable reason for riding a school bus to a specific destination.

Bus Driver Responsibilities

Bus drivers shall have such duties and responsibilities as prescribed by the Superintendent.


4300-R      Student Transportation Management                                                        4300-R-3

Unavailability of Buses

The transportation supervisor shall notify each building Principal any time it is necessary to reduce the number of buses transporting students home.  The Principal shall then notify the necessary staff members and shall then insure that the school telephones be monitored for at least 45 minutes after the last bus departs.


4320    School Vehicles                                                                                                    4320

School buses shall not be loaned, leased or subcontracted to any person, groups of persons or organizations except as allowed by law and subject to Board approval.

No school vehicle of any type shall be used by any student, school employee, patron or any organization to transport anyone to or from a religious activity.

No public funds shall be spent by the Board to hire, rent or lease any form of transportation to be used by any student, school employee, patron or any organization to transport anyone to or from a religious activity.

Liability

All school vehicles shall be adequately insured.

Safety

Every bus driver shall have authority and responsibility for the passengers riding in school buses.

Safety Inspection

All school vehicles shall be inspected annually prior to the opening of school.

Records

Every bus or other vehicle driver of school vehicles shall keep accurate records pertaining to each vehicle assigned to him.  The types of records shall be developed by the Superintendent.

Licensing of Drivers

Michigan laws and regulations of the Michigan Department of Education set standards for the physical fitness, competence, experience, training and proper licensing of school bus drivers.  The Board directs the Superintendent to ensure that these legal requirements and regulations are strictly complied with.

Revocation of license, inability to secure a proper license, or accumulation of traffic violation points shall serve as sufficient cause for immediate dismissal from employment.


4320    School Vehicles                                                                                                4320-2

School Bus Safety Program

The Superintendent and building Principal shall develop and publish school bus safety rules for bus drivers and students.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:

LEGAL REF:   MCL 257.305-305a; 257.314; 257.316-316a; 388.1474; 15.231 et seq.


4320-R      School Vehicles                                                                                          4320-R

Safety

Any student or other person riding in school buses who violates the rules of the District in regard to such passengers shall be reported to the proper administrative official.  Violations of said rules by students or other such persons may result in disciplinary action by school officials.

Safety Inspection

Any defect found in a school vehicle shall be repaired as soon as possible.  The Superintendent shall be responsible for keeping school vehicles in good operating condition.

Records

Any record developed by the District for the purpose of monitoring vehicle use may include but will not be limited to the following information:  miles driven each trip, gas and oil usage, purpose of the trip, destination, time departing and time of return.  Such records shall be signed by each driver at the conclusion of each trip and submitted to the person responsible for collection of said records.  An annual report tabulating such data in the record shall be used in the compilation of the District’s budget.  A copy of said annual report may be given to the Board upon request.

Housing of School Vehicles

All school vehicles shall be housed in areas designated by the Superintendent.  Buses may be housed in the District’s central storage area or assigned to a designated driver who may then house the bus at his private residence.

District cars or vans shall be assigned to a designated employee who shall then be responsible for the proper care, maintenance and housing of the vehicle either at a District-owned site or at the employee’s private residence.


4350    Student Transportation in Private Vehicles                                                             4350

In scheduling transportation for field trips, the Superintendent is authorized to approve the use of private vehicles in situations in which budget or schedule restrictions make it prohibitive or impractical to use school buses.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:

LEGAL REF:   MCL 257.57(c)


4350-R      Student Transportation in Private Vehicles                                                   4350-R

When private vehicles are used, the following requirements shall be met:

1.      Only an adult (non-high school student) licensed driver shall be allowed to drive the vehicle.  The health and driving quality of the driver shall also be taken into consideration;

2.      The vehicle shall be equipped with seatbelts and the number of passengers limited to the number of seatbelts available.  Seatbelts shall be used at all times by all passengers when the vehicle is in operation;

3.      The vehicle shall be generally in good condition, particularly as it pertains to safety equipment such as brakes, horn, tires, lights, etc.;

4.      Vehicle and driver shall be insured;

5.      No open-type vehicle, such as a pickup or truck, shall be used for transporting students;

6.      Non-ownership insurance as a secondary coverage shall be carried by the District either on a permanent or temporary basis as determined by the Superintendent; and

7.      A form verifying certain desired information to be signed by the driver of the vehicle shall be kept on file.


4365    Special Use of Transportation Services                                                                 4365

Transportation service equipment and personnel shall be used primarily to transport to and from school during the day those public and non-public school students eligible for such transportation.

Transportation service equipment and personnel may be used secondarily to provide transportation for field trips for curricular and extracurricular activities which are part of the educational program.

Transportation equipment and personnel shall not be used for any purpose or activity that is not directly connected with and a part of the regular educational programs within the District except as provided in Board policy, or by governmental agencies or nonprofit organizations sponsoring approved programs for youth in the community as approved by the Board.  Other community groups are prohibited from using school transportation equipment by regulation of the State Board of Education.

The Superintendent shall be authorized to approve the use of buses for field trips for curricular and extracurricular activities upon submission of requests from building administrators, classroom teachers or faculty sponsors of extracurricular activities.

No fees shall be charged for transportation for field trips which are mandatory or which are a part of the regular classroom or curricular program of the schools.

Fees to cover expenses of non-mandatory and non-credit extracurricular field trips may be charged according to rules promulgated by the State Board of Education or as set by the Board.

Only students enrolled in the District and chaperones authorized by the school shall be allowed to ride buses on curricular or extracurricular field trips.  The Superintendent may authorize parents and/or other residents of the community to ride buses to school sponsored activities if sufficient space is available.  In all cases, students shall come first.


4365    Special Use of Transportation Services                                                              4365-2

Use of transportation by governmental agencies or nonprofit organizations sponsoring approved programs for youth in the community may be granted upon the approval of the Board.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:

LEGAL REF:   MCL 380.1331-1333; 257.682b; 340.241-243


4430    Personal and Business Transportation Services                                                      4430

The Board recognizes the needs of the District to own or lease vehicles to carry out the instructional program and the business of operating the schools.  The Superintendent is authorized to determine the extent to which District owned vehicles may be used for official school business.  Such vehicles shall not be used for personal travel unless expressly approved by the Superintendent or school Board.  Drivers of school owned vehicles shall be properly licensed.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:


4450    Food Service Management                                                                                   4450

A school lunch program and supplemental milk program shall be made available to all full time students enrolled and in regular attendance in the school District.

A food service supervisor will be hired by the Board to oversee the District’s lunch services.

The District shall participate in the surplus foods program operated under the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  The Superintendent shall determine the extent of participation based upon need and economic feasibility.

A system of accounts shall be designed and be operative which sets forth separately all revenues and disbursements of the food service operation as required by law and for management information purposes.

It should be the financial objective of the food service program to maintain fiscal operations on a break-even basis.  Daily lunch fees shall be set by the Board to cover actual costs of providing meals, milk, and accessories, including supervision, less the amount of food and financial assistance received from federal, state and other sources for meals and milk.

Free and reduced price lunches shall be provided to eligible students according to standards as prescribed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  The Superintendent shall make provisions to ensure that information contained in the application for eligibility is kept confidential, and that students receiving free or reduced price lunches or milk are not discriminated against.

Students eligible for free or reduced price lunches shall not be required to work in the lunch program to an extent more than other students in the school.

The Superintendent shall provide avenues for parent and student participation in the planning and evaluating of school lunches and other foods dispensed upon school premises.


4450    Food Service Management                                                                                4450-2

The control of students using the cafeteria shall be the responsibility of the building Principal.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:

LEGAL REF:   MCL 380.1272-1272d


4500    Technology                                                                                                           4500

The Board encourages the application of technology to any District function where efficiency, reliability or student learning will be improved.

New Programs

New technologies or new applications of technology within the District shall be implemented only after careful and thorough planning on the part of administrative staff. Whenever possible, the administrative staff should establish pilot project(s) and evaluate their effectiveness prior to implementing a new technological program on a school-wide or District-wide level.  District support shall be given only to those new technologies that substantively improve efficiency, reliability, or learning beyond current or “traditional” practice.

Whenever the Board or a District administrator allocates funds for the purchase of new technological hardware or software, an appropriate portion of the funds allocated shall be designated for the training of staff and the development of necessary supplementary materials and documentation.

Upgrades

The Board recognizes the need for ongoing upgrading of technological resources within the District, and shall implement a plan and a budgeting process that ensures the regular replacement of aging equipment and software.

The Superintendent shall develop and submit to the Board annually a plan for upgrading the District’s technology resources based on a replacement cycle of not longer than 5 years.  The plan shall include recommendations for expansion of resources where appropriate, based on the evaluation of pilot programs, and shall include provisions for staff training and curriculum/materials development.  The plan shall be considered by the Board as a part of the annual budgeting process.


4500    Technology                                                                                                       4500-2

Data Management

The Superintendent shall provide for the orderly acquisition of data base software, information processing equipment, networks, and support materials to best use computer technology in support of District administrative functions.  A student database shall be maintained which contains student administrative and instructional information.

The Superintendent shall establish procedures which ensure the security, safety and confidentiality of District data.  Access to District data in any form, including use of the database by students, staff, and volunteers, shall be limited in accord with the Board policies on District and student records.  District databases shall be implemented in such a way as to facilitate access to subsets or aggregates of the data which are not confidential.

Education and Instruction

The Superintendent shall ensure that all staff and students are informed and instructed on the ethical uses of data and computer technology.

 

Approved:        February 13, 2002

Reviewed:

LEGAL REF:   MCL 15.231 et seq.


4500-R      Technology                                                                                                 4500-R

New Programs

Pilot technology programs may be generated by students, teachers, administrative staff, Board members or members of the community at large.  Prior to consideration of a pilot project, the person(s) desiring to lead the project must submit to the Superintendent or building Principal a detailed project proposal and plan, which must include the following:

·              The need for the project, its rationale and goals.

·              A description of the project, including participants and anticipated benefits or outcomes.

·              An itemized list of District support required (financial and otherwise), including hardware and software needs, classroom requirements, staffing, parent support, in-service and training expenses.

·              A list of other Districts, schools, or business that have successfully implemented a similar project and who may be used as a resource.

·              A plan for evaluation and monitoring of the project.

·              A preliminary plan for expanding the pilot project into a regular District program or offering, including “ballpark” cost estimates.

                  It is generally recommended that no more than half of a project budget be used for the acquisition of technological hardware, to ensure appropriate training and the development of documentation and support materials.  In the case of computer technology, a third for hardware, a third (or less) for software, and a third (or more) for training and materials development is a good rule.

Upon submission of a pilot proposal, the administrator shall review the proposal and its alignment with District goals and objectives, suggest modifications, and make a recommendation to the Superintendent, who may in turn make a recommendation to the Board.


4500-R      Technology                                                                                             4500-R-2

In establishing pilot programs, cooperation with outside agencies, especially local universities, is encouraged.  Project leaders should consider the cost-effectiveness of using outside consultants for in-service training and support.

When a project is substantially in place and has been demonstrated successful at another school or District, the Superintendent may choose to recommend the implementation of the program without an in-District pilot, provided substantive and complete materials from the other school or District are available along with consultation and support.

Upgrades

District computer equipment shall be depreciated over no longer than a 5-year schedule.  Each year, the District shall replace at least one-fifth of its computer hardware by installing new equipment in critical areas requiring current hardware, and moving older equipment to other applications in the District as appropriate.  Additional funds may be allocated to expand computer resources in accord with pilot studies.

District computer software shall be depreciated over no longer than a 3-year schedule.  Each year, the District shall order upgrades of software as appropriate and necessary for school operations, and shall allocate funds for the purchase of new software in line with District objectives.

As a general rule, a third of the funds allocated to technology upgrades and improvement should go to hardware and a third to software; the remainder should be allocated for training and development of curriculum and support materials.

The Superintendent shall develop a process for preparing the annual technology plan so as to present it to the Board in advance of the preparation of the general budget.  The process shall consider the recommendations of District system administrators, administrative and support staff, students, and community members.  The


 

4500-R      Technology                                                                                             4500-R-3

technology plan for the current year must provide flexibility to deal with rapid changes in the field, and should project District needs for 3-5 years into the future.

Data Management (Cf. 2810, 8940)

The acquisition, upgrade, and necessary support of District data management facilities shall be included in the development of the annual technology plan submitted to the Board.  Any new database software or hardware must provide for appropriate security, and must offer a simple mechanism for the export of subsets and summaries of the data in a text format, in accord with Board policies on records.  Where possible, the person(s) setting up a database should offer preset forms for excising confidential information fields from records during export, so as to facilitate District responses to requests for records.  Student records database(s) maintained by the District shall include record fields which allow for the recording of non-District personnel requesting access to a student’s records, in accord with Board policy on student records and Michigan law.

The system or database administrator at each site is designated custodian for electronic records.  All District database records shall be secured by a multi-level password system or equivalent, which allows the system administrator to control who has read-only, read-write, and full control over records and/or features in the database.  Persons authorized to access a database shall be informed of proper security procedures with regard to passwords, and shall be required to change their password on a regular basis.  Requests by a staff member for access to specific data outside of what is required for that staff member’s day-to-day job must be directed to the system administrator.  At no time shall a person who is not a regular employee of the District be given a password or otherwise allowed to directly access any District database.  Persons who knowingly allow non-employees, including volunteers or students, to use their password for database access may be subject to discipline.

 

4500-R      Technology                                                                                             4500-R-4

Each custodian for electronic records shall secure the records by making and maintaining back-up copies of the data on an ongoing basis.  Data which is updated frequently should be backed up at the end of each day, and the daily backups made should be retained for two weeks before being re-used to insure against data corruption which is not detected immediately.   In addition to the daily backups, two full backups should be made on a weekly or biweekly basis, with one backup stored off-site to guard against fire or theft loss.  Automatic server-based backup systems are encouraged where practical.

Education and Instruction

All District introductory computer classes, media center computer orientations, and classroom computer orientations shall include instruction on the ethics of computer use as an integral part of the curriculum or orientation.  Such instruction shall include explanation and familiarization with the District’s policy on computer and network use, and may include a computer code of ethics or other statement of ethical expectations of students.  Examples or ethical case studies are highly recommended to help students develop good judgment when confronted by choices during their use of District technology.

Games

Commercial arcade-style games where success is substantially related to physical skill, coordination, and reaction time are not permitted on school computer equipment.  Students who as a personal or class programming assignment write an arcade-style game, however, may use school equipment for programming, testing, and debugging at the discretion of the system administrator.  Games written by students, or commercial games which are substantially dependent on reasoning skills, problem solving, strategy, critical thinking, or knowledge may be allowed on school equipment as long as their use is not disruptive to the learning environment.

 

4500-R      Technology                                                                                             4500-R-5

At all times, students and staff who have need of school technology for work related to a class assignment or other curricular project shall have priority over all other users.  Staff, and students who are pursuing personal academic research, shall have priority over persons using games.