Frequently asked questions (FAQs) from parents:
What will this cost me?
If you have a laptop or tablet at home, that your student can bring to school, there will be no cost.
You also have the option to lease a Chromebook from the school for approximately $80 per year
(school retains ownership of device). This leasing fee would be added to your yearly Textbook
Rental bill. If your student qualifies for free or reduced lunch, your student may be provided a
school-owned laptop for use during the school year at no cost.
I have a computer at home. Will it work?
As long as the computer has a working wireless network card, so the student has the ability to
connect to the internet, the computer should be fine.
Will the district be coordinating purchasing opportunities for laptops?
No. The school-owned device will be the Chromebook. The advantage of the Chromebook is it
costs about $250-$290. Information about the Chromebook and how to order one can be found at:
http://www.google.com/chrome/devices/
What kind of laptop computer is recommended if I want to purchase a new one for my child and
would rather have something more powerful than a Chromebook?
Most of what we will use computers for will be word processing, web access, cloud storage and
Google Applications. Most laptops or tablets purchased in the past 3-5 years should work. Most of
the activities kids will do with the computers at school will access the internet. Our technology
department has provided the following information for those looking to purchase laptop other than a
Chromebook to ensure it has the optimal browser and operating system to access web content:
Supported browsers
Google Drive on the web supports the two most recent versions of the following browsers:

Chrome

Firefox

Safari (not supported on Windows)

Internet Explorer
Note: Other browsers might work with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. However, we can't
guarantee that features will work as expected.
No matter what browser you use, you should enable cookies and JavaScript.
Laptop
For Windows
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
Windows Vista

Windows XP

Windows 7

Windows 8
For Mac

Mavericks (10.9)

Mountain Lion (10.8)

Lion (10.7)

Snow Leopard (10.6)
For Linux
Google Drive isn't currently available for the Linux operating system. Linux users can still access
Google Drive on the web – drive.google.com or through the Google Drive mobile app.
For Android

Eclair and up (Android 2.1+)
For iPad

iOS 5.0+
What happens if a device is damaged, stolen or lost?
If another student's computer is intentionally damaged or stolen by another student, the incident will
be treated like any other disciplinary action within the school day. The district is not responsible for
any damage or loss that could occur to a student's device. Parents can purchase extended warranties
and insurance through the vendor they purchase their computer from. If a student damages, or loses
a school computer, the parent will be responsible for paying the school’s $25 insurance deductable or
repairing or replacing the computer if the damage was negligence not covered by the school’s
insurance policy.
Will there be devices available if a student does not bring one from home?
Given the number of these devices already owned by students and the low or no cost options to
parents, it is our expectation that students bring a laptop or tablet to school. However, we will still
have our current computer labs in the high school.
My child is saying the school is requiring an ipad for next year is this true?
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iPads are wonderful devices and they are acceptable to send to school with your student; they can do
many things a traditional laptop computer can do. There are, however, three drawbacks to an iPad.
The first is that since there is not a physical keyboard, it is harder to "create" content. The second is
Google Apps does not work well on "i" devices. The third is cost. An iPad can cost $200 more than
a Chromebook or a laptop computer on sale.
How will teachers use the increased technology?
The answer to that question is that it depends on the teacher. The classroom teacher knows the best
way to reach their students. We feel it is in our student's best interest to let that classroom teacher
decide what works best for them. However, we do know that some teachers are investigating a
process called “flipped learning”. This is where the daily homework assignment is to go online and
watch a short video, or other presentation on the classroom material. The student is then expected to
come to class with questions. The class time will be spent answering questions and working on labs,
or other activities that will enhance what the student did at home. Other teachers are using
technology to increase student collaboration while learning. An example would be having the
students peer review papers before they are turned in. Having students use the internet to discuss
topics outside of class would be another example.
The device I have will not last an entire day.
First off, we know that some teachers will be using the devices every day, some will use the device
for a portion of the class period, others at intervals throughout the week, and there will be certain
classes the student will not be using a device at all (PE for example). As a result, a device may only
be used for part of the school day. Students needing to re-charge their devices will have access in
each classroom to electrical outlets. We will plan on adding power strips in the library, study hall,
and other common areas of the building allowing students to charge their device.
My child is bringing his/her iPad to school for instructional purposes. Will he/she have access to
things he/she normally does with district equipment?
Your child will have access to any of the web based software the high school campuses currently use
(Databases, library search tools, etc.). Software may run differently on different devices for various
reasons. You should consult your owner’s manual for software limitations. (Ex., iPads cannot run
software requiring Flash Player.)
As a parent, am I required to add additional software (virus protection, filter, tracking device, etc.)
to my child’s technology tool?
No. Currently we are not requiring any additional software for school use. Virus protection is always
advised, but not required to participate in the pilot. While on the school network, students will be
monitored through the district’s filter, so there is no need for additional filtering software.
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What if I do not wish to have my child accessing the Internet using his/her own laptop? I would
like to allow him/her to use her computer for productivity, but not the Internet. Is this possible
within this pilot plan?
Yes. Your child may choose not to accept the terms of use; however, the rules outlined in the
school’s Acceptable Use Policy still apply for technology use of any kind (Internet or other). Also, it
is not the responsibility of campus staff to ensure he/she has not accessed the Web on his/her own
technology device (using personal or parent-provided 3 or 4G wireless internet access for example).
Damage or theft is still the responsibility of the owner.
If my child’s device is stolen or damaged, what recourse can I take?
The district is not responsible for any damage or theft of student owned equipment. Installing
tracking software like Absolute Software can help locate the equipment if it is stolen, and keeping
track of the device’s serial number, model and type will be helpful as well. Theft or vandalism of any
kind should be reported immediately to school administrators.
What are the campus/classroom rules for using student owned devices including phones?
Teachers make the final decision for any tools used in the classroom; student owned equipment
would be no different. It will be up to the individual teachers to communicate their expectations to
parents and students. Please refer to the student handbook for further details.
Will my child have access to communication tools like email, calendar, etc.?
Yes. Students will be provided a free, secure school email account. We expect to have this completed
over Christmas break of this school year. They will also have access to any personal, web-based
email accounts that they may have already created. Many of the Google tools that are used in
classrooms require students to have email accounts.
What types of filtering do you provide when students use the guest network?
Guest access uses a standard filter provided for by Lightspeed. This is the same filter we have used in
our school for years. We’ve found it effective at blocking inappropriate and violent sites. We feel
our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) does a very good job at defining what a student should access
when using the school network. Violations of the AUP result in a suspension of access to the
network. This filter will continue be in place for any school-owned device that is used off school
networks. That means that no matter where a student is using the device outside of school, the
student can only access internet that is filtered by the school preventing access to inappropriate
content. However, if a student uses their personal or parent provided laptop or tablet outside of
school, then the student can access internet not filtered by the school. It would be the parent’s
responsibility to set security and filtering features for devices provided to the student by the parent.
Are students more distracted by having their own devices in the classroom?
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It is still the teacher’s discretion as to when students can use their devices in the classroom. If
distraction becomes an issue, teachers handle it as if they would handle any other type of distraction
(ie – through the Code of Conduct).
Have you noticed an increase in student performance because of BYOD?
It can be difficult to prove causality in a complex system such as education (think of all the factors
that affect student performance). Here’s what we do know. Because of BYOD and other eLearning
initiatives:
 Students have access to their course materials and instruction anywhere and anytime
 Staff members are gaining efficiencies which allows them to provide more (and valuable)
feedback to their students
 Students have more opportunities to take courses (for example, online offerings and/or hybrid
courses).
 Students are gaining valuable real world experiences that will help them perform well in the
21st century.
 Taken as a whole, we believe BYOD and eLearning has a positive effect on student
performance.
FAQ about using school owned Chromebooks
What if a Chromebook breaks? Where do students turn them in?
If a school-owned Chromebook breaks accidentally or due to improper use/carelessness, the student
should turn in their device in areas designated for support at the school. The devices will be sent out
for repair and tested to ensure that the device is working properly before it is returned to the student.
Costs of repair will be invoiced to parents or guardians. Students will be issued a loaner device
while their chromebook is being repaired to ensure that they have the access they need to complete
class work.
What if a Chromebook is lost or stolen?
Chromebooks that are lost or stolen should be reported to the school office. In the event of theft, a
police report should be filed. Students will be provided with a replacement device and an invoice for
the lost or stolen device will be sent to the parent or guardian.
Will students have e-mail?
Yes. All students will have email accounts. We expect to have accounts for students by the start of
end semester. Many of the Google tools that are used in classrooms require students to have email
accounts.
Do students have passwords so that others cannot access their Chromebooks?
Yes. Students will receive instructions on how to login using their e-mail address and password. It is
very important that students do not share their passwords with others. Students will also be
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instructed not to loan their devices to anyone. Students are responsible to care for their
Chromebooks and will be accountable for any damage to the device.
Can students use external storage devices?
Yes, but it’s not necessary. All of their documents will be stored online through Google Drive and
can be accessed through the Chromebook. As long as offline access has been enabled on the device
(found on the left hand side of the Drive window) many documents will be available to students even
if they are not online.
How can I see what my child is doing on her Chromebook? Is there a way to see what time
the Chromebook is turned on and off? Is there a way to restrict what she does on the
Chromebook?
Parents can access the browsing history of their students by going to “Customize and control
Google Chrome” icon at the top left hand corner of the Chrome browser. This icon is three
horizontal parallel lines. On this page, the history of the account can
be accessed. Please note that students also have access to this button and to all of the functions
on the history page.
Also available on the Customize and control Google Chrome page is a listing of all the devices
used to access the current user’s account and the time of recent activity. Although this page does
not specifically indicate when a chromebook was turned off or on, there is detailed information
about the times when activities occurred.
How can I filter the internet access of my student when they are at home or off campus?
Understanding and monitoring the online behaviors of students is an important task that parents and
educators share. When students are using Jay School Corporation provided devices and connections
on campus, the Internet is filtered per board policy to “restrict access to pornography and other
material that is obscene, objectionable, inappropriate and/or harmful to minors.”
The school-owned Chromebooks that students take home will be filtered through Jay School
Corporation’s internet connection. Monitoring the internet access of students off campus is the
responsibility of parents and guardians. Depending on the network students are using to access the
internet at home, there may be filtering options provided by your private Internet Service Provider
(ISP).
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