Natick Public Schools
Laptop Information Session
MS School Parents – June 10, 2015
because it’s the right thing…
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Engaging students and making education relevant
is critical...for our schools to continue to effectively
and fully prepare the citizens and leaders of
tomorrow.
But know…it’s not the ONLY thing. Learning in a
technology environment is still a social endeavor.
Tools to Enhance the Learning
Process
Student Equipment
13” MacBook Air
Specifications:
- 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy
display
- 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo
Boost up to 2.6GHz)
- 128GB flash storage
- 4GB of 1600MHz LPDDR3 onboard ram
3 Year Warranty
Laptop Charger
Protective Bag
Tools to Enhance the Learning
Process
Robust and Secure
Infrastructure
School Wide
Wireless
Mobile Device
Management
Internet
Filtering
Robust and Secure
Infrastructure
Students will not have administrative rights to
the laptop!
Standard software image is maintained district wide.
Allows faster deployment and fewer surprises in the classroom!
Internet Filtering Services
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The web filtering service we implemented within the
district follows laptops everywhere they go.
Supervision is still recommended in school and home –
use of a filter is no guarantee – no monitoring solution is
fool proof
Our filtering solution provides detailed reporting by
username and computer ID. School staff has the ability
to view the content of a student laptop at any time
Robust and Secure
Infrastructure
Mobile Device Management
1.
Software Distribution
2.
Establishing Policies
3.
Remote Monitoring
4.
Inventory Control
Robust and Secure
Infrastructure
Carts for Secure Storage and
Charging while in School
Summary of Student
Safety & Security
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No Administrative rights to the laptop
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Roaming Internet Filter at School and Home
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Email provided to students archived for 1 year
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Anti-Virus Software provided
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Casper Suite for Mobile Device Management
and Monitoring
Help Desk Center &
Technical Support

Technology Team is based at each school and has
a Help Desk staffed by a certified Apple technician.

Technical support is available from 7:30 am until
3pm.

Students can stop by the Help Desk Center with
questions and problems during homeroom or other
appropriate times.
After Hours
Technical Support
The school district has purchased an Apple Care
Protection plan with each laptop.
This allows you to contact Apple directly for help
with hardware or software issues:
800-APL-CARE (800-275-2273)
http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/service
Laptop Warranty &
Annual Fee
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All computers are covered by Apple’s warranty against manufacturer’s
defects for three years.
On-line payment and NPS Student & Parent/Guardian laptop agreement
will be available for 2015-2016 school year up until Tuesday June 23,
2015.
After June 23rd, the NPS Student & Parent/Guardian laptop agreement
needs to be signed and $75 check made out to the Natick Public
Schools before laptops are distributed at the start of school.
The Natick School District’s Laptop Computer Accidental Damage/Loss
Policy is in place to cover most issues that may arise with the laptop
What the $75 will not cover...
If the machine is dropped (Apple voids the warranty)
If the laptop/charger was “stolen” because it was left
UNATTENDED
If damage is due to not following the Required Use
Policy
Laptop Accidental
Damage/Loss Policy
Tiered approach for damage and repairs:
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Tier I -
$0 (Minor wear and tear covered by annual laptop fee)
Tier II keyboard)
$100 (Moderate damage or part replacement, ie: broken
Tier III $200 (More expensive repair due to spill damage,
cracked screen, dropped laptop)
Tier IV – Full value of the device if lost or stolen. GPS
tracking will be used when a police report is filed.
Parent Resources for Laptops
• Laptop Rules & Regulations for MS
• http://www.natickps.org/departme
nts/technology/laptopprogram/eig
hthgrade.cfm
Middle School
Distribution and Discipline
Middle school laptops will be distributed by
teaching teams within the first few weeks of
school accompanied by an extensive safety
orientation, organizational assistance, and
instruction on being a successful student in a 1:1
environment. This is now a part of how we teach
study skills grades 5-8.
The middle school behavior rubrics outline
discipline expectations and consequences.
Logins/Passwords
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Students have been issued their login and password
information.
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Students should not change passwords. The same
username and password is used for network access,
iPass, Moodle and Destiny, Google, etc.
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Students must not share their password with anyone!!
Data Backup
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Students are ultimately responsible for backing up their data.
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Students can now sync personal files to Google Drive.
Instructions will be provided with laptop.
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For students creating a lot of large files, like photos and
videos, they may prefer to provide their own flash drives or
external hard drive to backup.
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Laptops will be collected by the last day of school each year
and completely wiped to start next school year clean.
Laptop Care
Carry in provided case at all times – limit other items in laptop bags
Charge nightly
Visit Help Desk Center at first sign of trouble (don’t put it off)
Do not walk around with laptop open
Do not leave unattended (charger and laptop)
Avoid eating and drinking near laptop
Careful when using around young children and pets
Property of NPS, entrusted to the student to benefit their education
Taking Care of Your Laptop
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Do not leave ANYTHING on the keyboard when closing
your laptop
Don’t use your computer as a folder to store papers
Keep your laptop in your carrying case when you aren’t
using it.
Keep your laptop away from dampness or wet weather,
such as rain, snow, and fog
Taking Care of Your Laptop

Keep your laptop away from extreme heat or cold. Leaving it in
an unventilated car or in the sun could damage it. If your laptop
has been exposed to cold conditions for a long period of time, let
it warm up to room temperature before you use it.

Close the lid gently from the center and wait for the sleep light to
pulse before moving the laptop.
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Remember, laptops don’t like to be bounced around, and screens
will break if enough pressure is applied to them.
The laptop must be returned in similar condition – no stickers,
scratches, writing, engraving or defacement.
Using Your Laptop

Set up your laptop on a stable work surface
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Keep your laptop away from water or other liquids
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When attaching the power adapter to the laptop,
make sure the cord isn’t stretched too tight; it should
be a little loose
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Don’t insert things, especially metal, into any
openings of your laptop
Using Your Laptop
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Be patient. Sometimes computers take a few
seconds to think–so don’t start pounding on the keys
if your laptop doesn’t respond right away
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Plug in your laptop when you get home from school
so your battery will be fully charged for the next day.
Your laptop does not have a replaceable battery
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If you have problems with your laptop, stop using it
and ask your teacher for assistance, and/or report it to
the school computer technician.
Cleaning Your Laptop
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Don’t spray liquid directly on the laptop
Do not mark the laptop in any way with
markers, stickers, etc. Each laptop is labeled
with a district identification barcode and
student id label. Do not remove these labels
Battery Tips
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Bring laptop to school fully charged each day
Use until discharged – don’t short charge – let the
battery go completely dead at least once a month
Please bring your charger to school each day in the
event you need to plug-in.
Review battery-conservation tips in ‘Section 2 : Care
and Maintenance” section of the handbook.
Protecting Your Laptop

Be wary of theft – it’s very easy to walk away with a
laptop
-Keep in constant contact with your laptop
-Do not leave your laptop unattended
-Whenever possible, lock up your laptop
Internet Safety and Safe Use
in the Schools
Student Training
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Students receive training on the use of the laptop
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Students receive training on Internet safety
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Ergonomic advice/training on 1:1 site
Internet safety guidelines for Students
1. Never give out personal information
2. Never use parents’ credit card online
3. Never share passwords with anyone
4. Never arrange a face-to-face meeting
5. Don’t open e-mail if you don’t know who sent it
6. Don’t click on banner adds or pop-up ads on websites
7. Never use bad language or send threatening e-mail
Suggested Guidelines For Home
Internet Use
Parents should set and enforce rules for home Internet use
• Have computer in a common room (not in the bedroom with
the door closed!)
• Time limit on Internet, instant messaging, social networking
sites, online gaming, etc.
• Parents should ask and know student’s personal username
and password
Home Internet Safety
Suggestions concerning e-mail
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Parents should have access to students’ e-mail
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Threatening e-mail should never be sent
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Attachments bring danger of viruses
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Spam=Junk mail=Don’t reply
Resources
1:1 Site
http://www.natickps.org/districtinfo/forstudents/onetoone.cfm
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Internet Safety:
http://www.natickps.org/Departments/technology/laptopprogram/I
nternet%20Safety%20and%20Social%20Networking%20Tips.pd
f
Natick’s Digital Conversion Story
http://npsdigitalconversion.wordpress.com/
On Limit Setting and Technology/Family Values
http://drjessematthews.com/2013/02/21/setting-limits-on-technologywhats-best-for-my-family/