There are many policies and procedures in place regarding student use of electronic devices. Please access the links on the left for more information about:

• BASD Acceptable Use Policy

• BASD Technology Policies

• Electronic Readers

• Internet Permission Form

• One-to-One Chromebooks

• Personal Device Guidelines

• Student Email Use

Bellefonte Area Middle School adheres to the Acceptable Use Policy as outlined by the Bellefonte Area School Board of Directors.  You may view this policy on the District web site: www.basd.net and look under School Board, Board Policies.

All BASD students are provided with BASD network user accounts. Access to the BASD network and the Internet is a privilege, not a right. Inappropriate use may result in a cancellation of those privileges. Each user of the BASD network is responsible for any and all activity initiated by his/her account. Users are responsible for selecting a secure password for their account and for keeping the password secret at all times. Passwords must never be given out. The purpose of providing access to the BASD network and the Internet is to support education within the schools of the Bellefonte Area School District by providing the opportunity to develop 21st Century skills such as:  collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, research and digital citizenship.

In order to provide a safeguard to help prevent the accidental access of inappropriate material, and to comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act, Internet access will be filtered using filtering software. The filtering will be in place for all Internet access provided by BASD. Use of a filtering program does not remove the responsibility of network users to restrict their online activities to activities that comply with the guidelines and standards of the acceptable use policy.

The school administration recognizes portable electronic devices as valuable tools to today’s citizens and the benefit in using them for educational purposes. Furthermore, the administration recognizes that students should be provided with guidance on appropriate use of such devices. However, ordinary use of portable electronic devices in school situations that cause disruption and interfere with the educational process are not acceptable.

• Electronic readers may be turned on with direct permission from the teacher for reading purposes only.

• Students are responsible for setting up and maintaining their devices. The district will not provide technological support for personal devices.

• Students are responsible to follow the guidelines of this procedure as well as those of the District’s Acceptable Use/Internet Use Policy.

• Student use of personal electronic readers is to be considered a privilege. Should such devices be misused in violation of a policy, the device will be confiscated and student subject to disciplinary action. Further disciplinary procedure will result from subsequent violations.

Students and parents should be advised that bringing an electronic device to school is not required and should the student choose to do so, the school has no liability if the device should be lost or stolen. Furthermore, school administration has the right to confiscate and search electronic devices that the student chooses to bring with them throughout the school day if there is suspicion that it is being used inappropriately.

Students and parents that determine they will allow student to bring their own technology device to school must fill out a Personal Electronic Device form detailing the specifics of the device.