Electronic Mail Policy

All policy statements below relate to both email addresses and associated Google Workspace applications (e.g. Google Drive, calendars etc.)

Overview

The primary purpose of the English International College’s electronic mail system is for Users to communicate professionally with each other, gather and share outside resources related to College assignments and communicate with fellow Users to collaborate on College activities. 

All College Electronic Mail (email) accounts are property of the English International College. 

Email activities must comply with all College policies and guidelines. 

The user accepts all responsibility to understand all policies and guidelines. 

The College email account will be removed from the system after graduation, leaving the College, or infractions outlined below.

User Responsibilities

• Use of the College’s email system is a privilege, not a right.
• Users are responsible for messages sent from their accounts.
• Users must not share their passwords.
• Users will not identify their home telephone numbers, home addresses or any other personal data in any email correspondence.
• Use of the email system will align with the College's code of conduct and the code will be used for discipline purposes.
• Communication through the College's email system will exhibit common sense and civility. It will abide by the College’s required standards of acceptable behaviour.
• Occasional and reasonable personal use of the College’s email is permitted, providing that this does not interfere with the performance of the electronic mail system or disrupt the operation of the College.
• Electronic mail from the College system can be checked from home or from College computers, as long as it does not disrupt the operation of the classroom or College.
• Messages posted on the College's email system cannot cause disruption to the College environment or normal and acceptable College operations.
• Users should not forward chain letters, jokes, or graphics files.
• Users will report any unusual activities such as "spam" communications, obscene email, attempts by adults to lure them into dangerous behaviours, and the like to a member of Staff (or, in the case of Staff, to the Senior Leadership Team) for action.
• The account may be revoked if used inappropriately.

Security

Account user names will be provided to parents so those parents can monitor the account where necessary and communicate with teachers where they feel the account may be misused. 

Electronic mail sent or received by the College system is not confidential. 

Although the College does not make a practice of monitoring electronic mail, the administration reserves the right to retrieve the contents of user mailboxes for legitimate reasons, such as to find lost messages, to conduct internal investigations, to comply with investigations of wrongful acts or to recover from system failure. 

Where deemed necessary, the password to an email address must be surrendered. This will only be at the direct instruction of the Senior Leadership Team.

System administrators may create filters to scan for and eliminate viruses and large graphic files that are unrelated to the College’s operation. 

Improper use of the system will result in disciplinary action and the possible revocation of the User’s email account. 

Illegal activities on the system will be referred to law enforcement authorities for appropriate legal action.

Prohibited Uses (not exclusive):

The email system cannot be used to operate a personal business.

The account may not be sold or otherwise reassigned. 

Users are not allowed to send, access, upload, download or distribute offensive, threatening, pornographic, obscene, or sexually explicit materials. 

Use of the College’s e-mail accounts for financial or commercial gain or for any illegal activity will be subject to disciplinary action.

Users are not allowed to use or distribute material which is in contravention of copyright. 

Misuse of Passwords: Any user caught trying to gain access to another user’s account, files or data will be subject to disciplinary action. 

Any attempt to destroy data or any other malicious use will be subject to disciplinary action. 

Bringing the College into disrepute: Any communication sent from a College email account that it is deemed by the Senior Leadership Team to have the potential to bring the College into disrepute will be subject to disciplinary action.