-- 2700 -- NCA General Student Policies

A.  Student Network and Internet Acceptable Use and Safety

Introduction
It is the policy of the school to: (a) prevent user access over its computer network to, or transmission of, inappropriate material via Internet, electronic mail, or other forms of direct electronic communications; (b) prevent unauthorized access and other unlawful online activity; (c) prevent unauthorized online disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification information of minors; and (d) comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act [Pub. L. No. 106-554 and 47 USC 254(h)].
 
Definitions
Key terms are as defined in the Children’s Internet Protection Act.

Electronic Devices
Students are not permitted to possess electronic devices (e.g., cellular telephone, smartphones, personal digital assistant (PDAs), laptops, cameras, and other devices designed to receive and send an electronic signal or store digital data) in school, on school property, at after school activities and at school-related functions.
 
Access to Inappropriate Material
To the extent practical, technology protection measures (or “Internet filters”) shall be used to block or filter Internet, or other forms of electronic communications, access to inappropriate information.
 
Specifically, as required by the Children’s Internet Protection Act, blocking shall be applied to visual depictions of material deemed obscene or child pornography, or to any material deemed harmful to minors.
 
Subject to staff supervision, technology protection measures may be disabled for adults or, in the case of minors, minimized only for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.
 
Inappropriate Network Usage
To the extent practical, steps shall be taken to promote the safety and security of users of the school online computer network when using electronic mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, and other forms of direct electronic communications.
 
Specifically, as required by the Children’s Internet Protection Act, prevention of inappropriate network usage includes: (a) unauthorized access, including so-called ‘hacking,’ and other unlawful activities; and (b) unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors.

Use of social media by students
Students are prohibited from accessing social media platforms through the use of Internet access provided by the school unless expressly directed by a teacher solely for educational purposes. As required by Florida statute, the use of the TikTok platform or any successor platform is prohibited on school-owned devices, through Internet access provided by the school, or as a platform to communicate or promote any school-sponsored club, extracurricular organization, or athletic team.
Students must comply with policies and procedures when using school technology resources to access and/or use social media.
Users who disregard this policy and its accompanying procedures may have their use privileges suspended or revoked, and disciplinary action taken against them. Users granted access to the Internet through the school's computers assume personal responsibility and liability, both civil and criminal, for uses of the Internet not authorized by the school’s policies listed below and the accompanying procedures.


Education, Supervision and Monitoring
It shall be the responsibility of all members of the school staff to educate, supervise and monitor appropriate usage of the online computer network and access to the Internet in accordance with this policy, the Children’s Internet Protection Act, the Neighborhood Children’s Internet Protection Act, and the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act.
 
Procedures for the disabling or otherwise modifying any technology protection measures shall be the responsibility of the school operations manager or designated representatives.
 
The school operations manager or designated representatives will provide age- appropriate training for students who use the academy Internet facilities. The training provided will be designed to promote the academy’s commitment to:
 
  1. The standards and acceptable use of Internet services as set forth in the academy Internet Safety Policy;
  2. Student safety with regard to:
    1. safety on the Internet
    2. appropriate behavior while on online, on social networking Web sites, and in chat rooms; and
    3. cyberbullying awareness and response
  3. Compliance with the E-rate requirements of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (“CIPA”).
 
Following receipt of this training, the student will acknowledge that he/she received the training, understood it, and will follow the provisions of the school’s acceptable use policies.
 

B. This is the Policy on Protection of Student Information in Connection with Online Educational Services of Naples Classical Academy (the "School").  This policy is implemented to comply with the requirements of Rules 6A-1.0955(9) and 6A-1.09550, Florida Administrative Code, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), and other applicable laws.  


Definitions.

“Applicable Laws” means FERPA, COPPA, 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501-6506, Section 1002.22, Florida Statutes, all other applicable Florida Statutes, and all applicable administrative rules.
“Education records” means records that are directly related to a student and that are maintained by the School as defined in 20 U.S.C. s. 1232g(a)(4).
“Eligible student” means a student who has reached eighteen (18) years of age.
“Online educational service” means computer software, mobile applications (apps), and web-based tools that students or parents are required to use and access through the internet and as part of a school activity or function. Examples include online services that students or parents use to access class readings, assignments, or videos, to view learning progression, or to complete assignments. This does not include online services that students or parents may use in their personal capacity or to online services that the School may use to which students or parents do not have access, such as a student information system.
“Parent” includes parents or guardians of students who are or have been in attendance at the School.
“Personally identifiable information” or “PII” means information that can be used to distinguish or trace a student’s identity either directly or indirectly through linkages with other information, as defined in 34 CFR §99.3. PII includes, but is not limited to, direct identifiers (such as a student’s or other family member’s name), indirect identifiers (such as a student’s date of birth, place of birth, or mother’s maiden name), and other personal identifiers (such as a student’s social security number or Florida Education Identifier (FLEID) number). PII also includes information that, alone or in combination, is linked or linkable to a specific student that would allow a reasonable person in the school community, who does not have personal knowledge of the relevant circumstances, to identify the student with reasonable certainty.
“Student” means any individual who is or has been in attendance at the School and regarding whom the School maintains education records.
“Third-party vendor” or “Third-party service provider” means any entity, whether public or private, that provides services to the School through a contract or agreement. The term does not include the Florida Department of Education, the Department’s contractors and subcontractors, or School Boards and School Districts.

  1. Purpose.  This policy is intended to protect the personally identifiable information (“PII”) of students when students are required to use online educational services, including to provide protections against potential misuse of PII, data mining, or targeting for marketing and other commercial purposes.  
  2. Review of Online Educational Services.  All online educational services that students or their parents are required to use as part of school activities must be reviewed and approved as described herein, regardless of whether the online educational service is free, whether use of the online educational service is unique to specific classes and courses, or whether there is a written agreement governing student use.  The Principal or their designee must review each online educational service’s terms of service and privacy policy to ensure compliance with state and federal privacy laws, including the Applicable Laws, and the requirements set forth in this policy.   The Principal or designee must determine whether the online educational service provider will collect PII, how it will be used, when and how it will be destroyed, and the terms of re-disclosure, if any. Under no circumstances may an online educational service be used if such a service will share or sell student PII for commercial purposes (including, but not limited to, targeted advertising) without providing parents a means to either consent or disapprove. 
  3. Approval of Online Educational Service.  If a teacher or other employee at the School intends to utilize an online educational service as part of a school activity, they must first submit a request to the Principal or their designee for review and approval.  No online educational service may be utilized for any school activity unless it has been reviewed and approved.  Following the review described above, the Principal or their designee must approve or deny the use of the online educational service.  The Principal or designee reserves the right to deny the use of any online educational service for any reason, including if the online educational service is determined to have policies or practices that could lead to the misuse of student PII or violate the Applicable Laws.  The Principal or designee may also approve the use of an online educational service subject to parental consent, as described in more detail below.  The Principal or designee will maintain documentation related to the approval or denial of all online educational services.  Nothing herein is intended to supersede the authority of the Governing Board to approve the use of an online educational service to the extent such approval is required by any other policy of the School.
  4. Contracts and Agreements. All contracts or agreements executed by or on behalf of the School with a third-party vendor or a third-party service provider must protect the privacy of education records and student PII contained therein. Any agreement that provides for the disclosure or use of student PII must:
    1. Require compliance with FERPA, its implementing regulations, and Section 1002.22, F.S.
    2. Where applicable, require compliance with COPPA, 15 U.S.C. ss. 6501-6506, and its implementing regulations.
    3. Where applicable, require vendors to ensure compliance with the Student Online Personal Information Protection Act, Section 1006.1494, F.S.
    4. Ensure that only the PII necessary for the service being provided will be disclosed to the third party; and
    5. Prohibit disclosure or re-disclosure of student PII unless the disclosure is authorized by FERPA, the disclosure is authorized by the School’s directory information policy, and the disclosure is authorized by written consent of an eligible student or parent. Consent must include, at a minimum, an explanation of who the PII would be disclosed to, how it would be used, and whether re-disclosure is permitted.
  5. Parental Notification and Consent.  Parents must be notified in writing if student PII will be collected by an online educational service, including what PII will be collected, how it will be used, when and how it will be destroyed, and the terms of re-disclosure, if any.  This notification should be sent to parents at the beginning of the school year, or prior to students utilizing the online educational service if it is implemented after the start of the school year.  If during the review process or at any time thereafter it is determined that an online educational service will share or sell student PII for commercial purposes, school personnel shall be strictly prohibited from allowing students to utilize the online educational service in any school activity without having first obtained written parental consent.
  6. Notification.  For any online educational service that a student is required to use, the School will provide notice on its website of the PII information that may be collected, how it will be used, when it will be destroyed, and the terms of re-disclosure, if any. This notice will also include a link to the online educational service’s terms of service and privacy policy, if publicly available. For online educational services that students and parents are referred to as part of a school activity or function, but are not required to use, the School must provide notice to parents and eligible students if such online services have not been reviewed and approved in accordance with this Policy.


C.  School Calendar

Working together, the school operations manager and principal will develop a proposed school calendar. The calendar will be presented to the board for approval.

D.  Student Dress Code

A strong correlation exists between student appearance and the perception of excellence. Students are required to dress and groom themselves in a way that aligns with our philosophy of maintaining a learning environment focused on the development of each student’s academic potential, personal character and leadership skills.

Our uniform policy and dress code will promote a safe environment for students which fosters learning and improves school safety and discipline. It will support an environment in which our school virtues can thrive: Courage, Honesty, Perseverance, Self Government, Service, Courtesy, and Responsibility. Daily reinforcement of strong personal habits promotes courtesy, the honor of self and others, modesty, and discipline. Adherence to the code diminishes economic and social barriers between students; increases a sense of belonging and school pride; encourages good judgment; models good citizenship and encourages all to perform at their highest level.

All students in kindergarten through grade eight and grades nine through twelve are expected to be in school uniform during school hours and during all school activities and events unless otherwise specified. Attire which attracts undue or negative attention or which infringes on the rights or values of others is not considered to be in the spirit of the dress code not only for students, but also for staff and parents visiting the campus. Attire is expected to be clean, in good condition, business-like, and properly sized to fit.  At least one shirt shall have a logo for the purposes of pictures, assemblies, or recitations.

Students, staff and parents are to commit to the code and remain dedicated to interacting with one another as ladies and gentlemen. In doing so, we are choosing to be actively engaged in the safe and secure, nurturing environment of this exceptional learning community.

Any medical, religious concerns or disability that might preclude meeting the uniform guidelines should be addressed with the school principal to determine reasonable accommodations as necessary.

The school will not allow financial need to limit access to the school, and this includes access to uniforms.


E.  Textbook Policy

Students will be issued books in some of their classes, which remain the property of the school. Textbooks include either the physical copy of the book itself, or the digital version. Any lost, stolen, or damaged books are the sole responsibility of the student whom the book has been checked out to. If something occurs to this property, the incident must be reported immediately. Students not returning books or returning severely damaged books or digital media will be required to make payment for the replacement or repair costs to the school.

Adopted: May 5, 2020 
Amended: February 8, 2023
Amended: September 5, 2023


6A-1.0957
2300 Behavioral Policies
2500 Extracurricular Activities
2600 Safety and Security