SAFETY AND VIDEO SECURITY SYTEMS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
1. Purpose
Northfield Community School District Board of Education supports and is committed to enhancing the quality of life by integrating the best practices of safety and security with technology. A critical component of a comprehensive security plan is the utilization of a safety and security camera system.
Our goals are to promote and foster a safe and secure teaching and learning environment for students and staff, to ensure public safety for community members who visit or use our school property, and diminish the potential for personal and District loss of destruction of property.
A. Camera Location, Operation and Control
1. Placement of cameras is restricted to public areas.
2. Areas chosen for surveillance shall be where surveillance is a necessary and viable deterrent.
3. Cameras will not monitor areas where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy (e.g. change rooms and restrooms).
4. Surveillance cameras may be used for, but not limited to deterring incidents of theft, violence, vandalism or other breaches of security.
5. Only authorized personnel shall have access to the monitor operation
controls.
6. The video camera surveillance system will be in operation virtually 365 days a year and 24 hours per day. However, at the school’s discretion, video camera surveillance may be suspended without notice.
7. Video recordings remain the property of the Board.
B. Protection of Information and Disclosure
1. Security and Retention of Recordings
I. Only those authorized by the Superintendent/designee, Principal/designee, Local Police Department, or Technology Coordinator shall have access to the recordings.
II. Video monitoring of buildings or areas for security purposes maybe retained based on the server capacity but not to exceed thirty (30) calendar days. Copies of video monitoring preserved as evidence may be used for student hearings or court cases.
III. Copies of recordings of incidents subject to investigations, court cases or due process hearings shall be submitted to the Local Police Department.
IV. All appropriate measures must be taken to protect an individual’s right to privacy and hold information securely through its creation, storage, transmission, use and deletion.
V. All camera installations are subject to federal and state laws.
2. Video Monitors
I. The video monitoring shall be in a controlled access area or a privacy screen should be utilized as needed to block public view of the video monitor.
II. Only an administrator, authorized staff members, or police officers shall have access to the video monitors while they are in operation.
3. Monitoring Devices on School Vehicles
I. The Board of Education recognizes that safe and secure conditions for all students transported in a contracted school vehicles is paramount. Students transported in a school owned or contracted school vehicle must maintain proper discipline in the vehicle at all times.
To maintain the safe and secure conditions for all students transported on contracted school vehicles, the Board may use devices to monitor and/or observe student behavior, teacher and support staff behavior, for the purpose of employee discipline, and/or school bus driver driving techniques. The device may be a sound video camera, a voice monitoring device or other appropriate devices.
The recording may be used in student and staff discipline matters, driver evaluations or for driver discipline or training.
C. Scope of Protection
This policy applies to all personnel and departments in the use of security cameras and their video monitoring and recording systems. Security cameras may be installed in situations and places where the security and safety of either property or persons would be enhanced. Cameras will be limited to uses that do not violate the reasonable expectation of privacy as defined by law. Where appropriate, the cameras may be placed campus-wide, inside and outside buildings. Although the physical cameras may be identical, the functions of these cameras fall into three main categories:
1. Property Protection: Where the main intent is to capture video and store it on a remote device so that if property is reported stolen or damaged, the video may show the perpetrator. Examples: an unstaffed computer lab, an unstaffed science lab, or a parking lot.
2. Personal Safety: Where the main intent is to capture video and store it on a remote device so that if a person is assaulted, the video may show the perpetrator. Examples: a public walkway, or a parking lot.
3. Extended Responsibility: Where the main intent is to have the live video stream in one area monitored by a staff member in close proximity. In this case, video may or may not be recorded. Example: a computer lab with multiple rooms and only one staff.
D. Use of Information Collected
1. Video surveillance may be used for inquiries and proceedings related to law enforcement, student and employee hearings. Video used as evidence for law enforcement purposes may not be altered.
2. Videotape/film of students is considered part of a student’s educational record and therefore, viewing of a videotape must adhere to regulations of the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
I. A video, not part of the Local Police Department can only be shown to unauthorized persons if the school receives consent from the adult student or parent/guardians of the other minor students visible in the videotape.
II. A copy of a video recording can be released to appropriate authorities.
III. A videotape of athletic events, concerts and plays does not hold the same confidentiality because they are public events and therefore can be shown. At the School’s discretion, recordings of students that do not involve disciplinary or other confidential information, i.e., hallways, playgrounds, parking lots, etc. may be released without consent of the parties shown on the recording.
E. Storage and Retention of Recordings
No attempt shall be made to alter any part of any surveillance recording. Surveillance centers and monitors will be configured to prevent camera operators from tampering with or duplicating recorded information.
All surveillance records shall be stored in a secure centralized location for a period not to exceed 30 days and will then promptly be erased or written over, unless retained as part of a criminal investigation or court proceedings (criminal or civil), or other bona fide use as approved by the Superintendent or designee.
F. School Furnished Electronic Devices
The district may furnish students electronic devices such as laptop computers, tablets, notebooks, or other electronic devices. When a student is furnished with an electronic device the district shall provide the student with written or electronic notification that the electronic device may record or collect information on the student’s activity or the student’s use of the device if the electronic device is equipped with a camera, global positioning system, or other feature capable of recording or collecting information on the student’s activity or use of the device. The notification shall also include a statement that the district shall not use any of the capabilities in a manner that would violate the privacy rights of the student or any individual residing with the student. The parent or guardian of the student furnished an electronic device shall acknowledge receipt of the notification. The district shall retain the acknowledgement as long as the student retains the use of the electronic device.
G. Exceptions
This policy does not apply to cameras used for academic purposes. Cameras that are used for educational purposes would be governed by other policies involving human subjects and are, therefore, excluded from this policy.
This policy does not address the use of Webcams for general use by the District. This policy also does not apply to the use of video equipment for the recording of public performances or events, interviews, or other use for broadcast or educational purposes. Examples of such excluded activities would include videotaping of athletic events for post-game review, videotaping of concerts, plays, lectures, or videotaped interviews of persons
Adopted: Sept 26, 2016
Revised:
NJSBA Review/Update:
Readopted:
Legal References: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Possible Cross Reference: 3516 Safety 5142
Pupil Safety
1330 Use of School Facilities