Ordering a Laptop

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Dates for placing a laptop order for start of 2019-20 school year

Laptops can be purchased at anytime during the year, however, for Grade 5 parents, we recommend you do not purchase your child's laptop until the dates scheduled for next year's orders.

Secondary School students in all other grades can purchase and place a laptop order at any time.

  • April 2019 - the 2019-20 order schedule is released.
  • 24th April - 5:30pm - 7:00 pm, Grade 5 Parent Laptop Purchasing Information Evening.
  • May 31st - email sent to parents with purchase details.
  • May 31st - order process begins.
  • May - June - place orders for laptop - PLEASE do not place orders before this date.
  • June 28th - deadline for placing laptop orders - NOTE: if you place your order after this date, your child's laptop might not be ready to be distributed at the start of the school year
  • August - laptops are organized and prepared for delivery to school
  • August, Week 0 - Laptops are distributed to students.

Laptop Models

Apple has several laptop models available. We have reviewed each model for performance and functionality and have determined the best fit models for our students. Below is a brief summary of which laptops we recommend and those we do not recommend.

For most students the 13" (thirteen inch) MacBook Pro or 13" MacBook Air laptop is perfect. The screen and laptop performance will last students three years; the expected life span of a laptop. Middle School students do not need a larger screen. Each laptop has 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB hard drive. Please visit Senco-Masslink's purchasing portal or Apple's website for the most up to date specs. Laptops do not need additional RAM.

Recommended Models

MacBook Pro 13" WITHOUT Touch-Bar and Touch ID

This is a good model for students. The screen & CPU performance will meet student's learning needs for the next three years.

It comes with the 3 year extended AppleCare if you purchase it through Senco-Masslink.

The laptop model without Touch-Bar and Touch ID is only slightly heavier than the MacBook Air model.

If you purchase this model laptop you will need to purchase a USB-C to USB adapter. This is included in the laptop bundle.

Additional details and specifications can be seen on the purchasing portal.

MacBook Pro 13" WITH Touch-Bar and Touch ID

This is a good model for students. The screen & CPU performance will meet student's learning needs for the next three years.

It comes with the 3 year extended AppleCare if you purchase it through Senco-Masslink.

The TouchBar and Touch ID model laptop is slightly faster than the MacBook Pro 13 model without Touch-Bar and Touch ID and is only slightly heavier than the MacBook Air model.

The TouchBar is a new feature Apple introduced in 2017. It is a digital screen next to the keyboard that changes its function depending on the program you are using.

If you purchase this model laptop you will need to purchase a USB-C to USB adapter. This is included in the laptop bundle.

Additional details and specifications can be seen on the purchasing portal.

MacBook Pro 15" (512GB；Touch Bar with integrated Touch ID sensor)

This is a good model for students who are in their final year and are interested in media and arts. The extra screen space is useful when working on graphics and media. It comes with the 3 year extended AppleCare if you purchase it through Senco-Masslink.

This model is NOT recommended for Middle School students.

Additional details and specifications can be seen on the purchasing portal.

MacBook Air 13"(Not available at this time)

The MacBook Air 13" laptop is a good laptop. The Air is functional and light but is not as powerful as the MacBook Pro. The MacBook Air is a great laptop however, due the differences in performance (faster CPU & higher resolution) of the MacBook Pro we do recommend the Pro over the Air.

MacBook 12" - NOT recommended

The MacBook laptop is a great entry level laptop for students however, the CPU, 12" screen size and performance specs for the MacBook model are not robust enough to last three years.

A student can use this model at school but anticipate that the laptop will need to be replaced in one year.

Purchasing a laptop

How to purchase a laptop

2019 G5 Parent 1:1 Laptop Purchase Presentation

There are two methods for purchasing a laptop for your child: through Senco-Masslink Technology Ltd., our school partner, or directly from an Apple store.

We recommend you purchase the laptop through Senco-Masslink.

  • Laptops purchased through Senco-Masslink include the 3 year extended AppleCare warranty, come pre-configured with The ISF school WiFi, and have additional resources pre-loaded.
  • Laptops purchased directly from an Apple store only include 1 year AppleCare warranty, and do NOT come pre-configured for use at The ISF. Your child's laptop will need to be dropped off a the school's IT Department to be configured for use at the school. Due to the number of computers being supported, this can take up to two days. Regretfully this cannot be done early or over the summer.

We have partnered with Senco-Masslink Technology Ltd. to manage laptop orders. We are confident with their ability to deliver the level of support we expect. Orders are placed through Senco-Masslink's school laptop purchasing program website, a link is provided below. The content on this page is regularly updated therefore we recommend you review all information before placing an order.

If you have any problems with your order, please contact Senco-Masslink directly.

Placing your order with Senco-Masslink

Orders are placed through Senco-Masslink's school laptop purchasing program website.

First time purchasers:

When purchasing your child's first laptop you will need to create a new user account on the website. Please use your ISF Academy parent email address for your account.

  • This is required to verify you are a member of our school and can enjoy the education discount.
  • This will also allow you to purchase additional Apple products (limit 1 per child) at the education discount price.

Optional Purchases

Microsoft Office

The ISF Academy uses a combination of Google Docs and Microsoft Office. It is important all students have a copy of Microsoft Office on their laptop to ensure they can open documents shared with them.

The ISF Academy has a Microsoft education license which allows students to install Microsoft Office on one of their laptop devices.

You are not required to purchase Microsoft Office for your child though some families do find it useful to do so. Purchasing your own copy of Microsoft Office can allow you to install it on up to 5 separate computers.

Adobe Software (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premier, and more...)

Adobe has a rich set of creative software such as Photoshop - for editing photos, Illustrator - for creating graphics, Premier - for editing movies, and more. Not all students will need this software therefore students are encouraged but are NOT required to purchase Adobe's software.

It is important to note that students who have purchased an Apple computer already have Photos (great for editing photos),

iMovie (great for editing videos), and Garageband (great for editing audio).

These programs are great for most people.

Adobe has two packages available for students:

    • Creative Cloud Complete - an annual subscription of their entire software suite at an education discounted price. This is great for creative students who want to develop their skills
    • Creative Cloud Photography - an annual subscription to Photoshop and Lightroom. This is great for creative students who focus on photography.

Click on the link below to visit Adobe's website and learn more.

Mini Display Port to VGA Adapter

A Mini Display Port to VGA adapter allows a MacBook laptop to connect to external monitors and projectors which can be useful if your child has an extra monitor or wants to connect their laptop to a home TV or LCD projector. Click here for additional information.

This is available for purchase through the Senco-Masslink order website.

USB-C to USB Adapter

From Summer 2017, MacBook Pro laptops begin to come with a new type of USB connector called USB-C. This new connector does not fit traditional USB ports. If you have a USB cable or device you want to plug into your laptop you will need to purchase a USB-C to USB Adapter. Click here for additional information.

This is available for purchase through the Senco-Masslink order website.

Backpack

We recommend you purchase a backpack that has a protective space for your child's laptop. This is usually a space in the backpack that allows the laptop to slip in and be protected from books and from falling out of the backpack.

Anti-Virus

Apple computers are well known for not having as many viruses as Windows computers however, in today's world viruses are not just limited to operating systems, many are Internet based and can infect your child's laptop simply by visiting a webpage.

Anti-virus software on a computer is a good idea. There are several good brands on the market such as Kaspersky Lab and Symantec Anti-Virus. Please search for these to find out additional information.

Backing Up Your Laptop

The most important rule for backing up a laptop or computer is, 'that you do it!' Most people think about backing their computer up but never get around to doing it. There are many methods for backing up a computer. You can use:

  • An Online Backup Service - this is the most convenient method for backing up your laptop. Most online backup services work in the background meaning they back your laptop up continuously. Click here for a list comparing online backup solutions.
  • An external hard drive - this is an easy way to backup your laptop. Connect the external drive and copy all the content of your computer to it. This requires you to remember to do this. Truth be told, most people forget to do this.
  • Time Machine by Apple - Time Machine is a backup solution built in to the OS X operating system of Apple computers. It is easy to use but requires an external hard drive. Make sure you read the instructions carefully before using this solution. Click here for information on Time Machine