Library & Technology

At ACS, how kids learn is as important as what kids learn. The Buzwair Science and Engineering Wing and our Makerspace are designed to feed curiosity and to elevate the role of hands-on, experiential learning. The intent is to instill in our students a mindset that welcomes challenges and enjoys the process of developing solutions to real-world problems.

We prioritize the cultivation of digital citizenship in our students, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to responsibly navigate the digital world. With the rapid pace of technological advancement, the global reliance on the Internet for everyday tasks has significantly grown. That's why teaching our students about digital citizenship is of utmost importance.

ACS Beirut students learn about Digital Citizenship through our comprehensive Digital Citizenship Plan. This plan incorporates materials from various sources, including Digital Citizenship by Common Sense Education and Google's Be Internet Awesome Program, a Digital Safety and Citizenship Curriculum.

The ‘Be Internet Awesome’ curriculum is self-contained. The lessons are reinforced through gameplay with Interland, an adventure-packed online game that makes learning about digital safety and citizenship interactive and fun—just like the Internet itself. 

Be Internet Awesome aligns with both ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) and AASL (American Association of School Librarians) standards.

Preamble

The digital age opens ACS students to the world’s library of knowledge. ACS intends for technology of all kinds to be used by students, individually and collaboratively, to promote educational excellence. As an ACS student, understanding of “digital citizenship” is essential to interact with the ACS and world communities with respect.

Policy Statement

This document has been created to serve students as a guide for acceptable and unacceptable behavior on any device at any time. This includes, but is not limited to the use of school and personal devices and networks both on and off campus, as well as use during and after school hours. 

Users of digital devices and Internet technology at ACS are expected to abide by the accepted Digital Citizenship Agreement. As an ACS community member, understanding of “digital citizenship” is essential to interact with the ACS, Lebanese, and world communities with respect. ACS students must sign the Digital Citizenship Agreement before they are granted access to the school’s equipment and network services. No personal devices are permitted at school. If a student is observed in the possession of a personal device, the device will be confiscated and submitted to the office immediately. Parents will be required to visit the Lower School Office to collect the device in question.

Terms and Conditions

Respect for school and personal property:

I will use school equipment and resources for educational purposes only. I will take care of the equipment, and will report misuse, damage, and/or inappropriate content to my teacher.

Respect for self and others:

I will respond thoughtfully and appropriately to the ideas, opinions, and values of others. If I view an inappropriate image, I will close the screen (turn off the monitor) and then seek help from a teacher or responsible adult. I will not publish or upload personal information, private communications, or photos of other people without permission.

Before posting anything online, I will consider the following questions:

• Is it kind?

• Is it true?

• Is it necessary?

Honesty and Safety:

I will represent myself honestly, and not engage in behavior that puts myself or others at risk. When using technology, I will only access my own account using equipment for which I am responsible. I will follow safety guidelines posted by sites to which I subscribe. If I ever feel unsafe, bullied, or witness unkind behavior, I will seek help from an adult.

Learning:

I will learn through exploration of different technologies. I understand that not everything posted online is true. I will evaluate the validity of information presented online, and reference multiple reputable sources. I will give credit where credit is due, by properly citing the sources of all acquired information. Without expressed, specific permission, I will only use media that is copyright free.

Communication:

I will be mindful of how my words might be interpreted by others. I will make sure the language I use reflects positively on me, my classmates, and the school.

Accountability:

I understand that any violation of the terms and conditions mentioned above may result in suspension, with the number of days determined by severity. Furthermore, I understand that repeated violations of the Acceptable Use Policy can result in expulsion from ACS.

PREAMBLE

The digital age opens ACS students to the world’s library of knowledge. ACS intends for technology of all kinds to be used by students individually and collaboratively to promote educational excellence. Technology will be used creatively as part of the planning, problem-solving, research and presentation processes throughout the curriculum at all grade levels. As an ACS student, understanding of “digital citizenship” is essential to enriching one’s knowledge, and interacting with the ACS, Lebanon, and the world communities with respect.

POLICY STATEMENT

Access to the school network enables students and employees to conduct research and to communicate as it relates to school learning and business. As consumers and creators of information, users must be aware of the impact their actions have on themselves and others.

This document has been created to serve both students and teachers as a guide as to what is acceptable and not acceptable when using technology resources and when connected to the school network. Users of digital devices and Internet technology at ACS are expected to abide by and model the accepted Digital Citizenship Agreement. 

Technology, faculty, and administrative staff have the right to: 

• Assist you in making sure that your device is in proper working so you have more success in school. 
• Sit with you and look at what is on your computer if inappropriate use is suspected.
• Deny internet access in extreme situations. 

ACCEPTABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE USE

A. Resources 

Students should respect all technological resources including all equipment - their own, that issued by the school, and that of other students; bandwidth which is an expensive and limited resource. It is intended for educational use only, not for social, recreational or personal purposes. Care and security of family owned devices are the sole responsibility of the user. 

Students will:

• handle, store, and secure devices carefully.
• properly maintain hardware and software on their own devices.
• label their own devices. (This will include their first and last names, grade, and contact number.)
• refrain from lending their devices.
• refrain from checking out equipment for others.
• bear the costs for lost or damaged equipment. 
• only stream or download files (documents, music, video, images, apps, or software) directly related to their coursework.
• not play games online.
• not use a VPN or Tunnel.
• think before they print and share electronically when possible.
• refrain from mass printing.

B. Principles of Community

The American Community School Beirut promotes an online environment of honesty, individual privacy, respect towards others and accountability of all users. In particular, ACS finds all forms of cyberbullying to be unacceptable. Openness, not secrecy, is the expectation. Students are expected to acknowledge their mistakes, report any problems or issues to faculty or staff, and to change their behavior.

Students will:

• turn off and store all personal technology unless usage has been initiated by the teacher.
• conduct all school communication via the school assigned email. 
• communicate in an appropriate and respectful manner.
• not get involved in any online conversations that are unkind, mean or bullying. 
• report the above types of communication or any disturbing material they may encounter on the web or in e-mail to any adult member of the ACS community.
• not make multiple postings or mass mailings (spam).
• not forge documents or attempt to impersonate others online.
• not “hack” or otherwise try to gain access to another person's or organization's computer system.
• report unsecure user information and equipment immediately to any adult member of the ACS community. 
• not access, store, share or display through any online medium content that contains: 
  • inappropriate pictures or language which is inconsistent with our mission statement.
  • advertising or political or religious lobbying.
  • age-inappropriate material(s).

C. Intellectual Property

Information about fair use, Creative Commons, and royalty-free material can be acquired from teachers, librarians, tech and office staff. For any applications used by ACS faculty, staff, and students, the school follows the security and privacy policies as stated by each provider for their users.

Students will: 

• Demonstrate integrity and academic honesty at all times. 
• Follow copyright and fair-use guidelines for all resources, including multimedia.
• Properly cite all work that is not their own.
• Present only their own original work and credit all sources and collaborators.
• Not download or share media obtained illegally.

D. Privacy of Self and Others

In the 21st century, it is important for students to manage their digital presence. Students should remember that what is shared online may also be viewed by people they don’t know. And once it’s online, it could be there forever. So think before you post.

Students will:

• behave safely at all times while online.
• keep their personal details private, not share personal or family information (full name, addresses, phone numbers, photographs, etc.) without school or parental permission.
• not share their passwords to any accounts or allow other students to use their account to access the Internet or school network.
• set privacy settings so that only the people they know can see them and their personal information.
• choose online names that are suitable and respectful.
• think before posting. Once posted, it can be difficult to remove.
• not post things that they don't want others to know about or that they wouldn’t say to their face.
• show respect for others' privacy by: 
  • not logging on to someone else's account or attempt to access another user's online spaces. 
  • not sharing their classmates, faculty or staff information.
  • not reading, deleting, copying, or modifying the electronic documents of other users.