Dear families,

This is a super exciting time. We are anticipating a shipment of Chromebooks (laptops) this week. The goal is to send home laptops with K-3 students on Friday, November 20, 2020.

This email is to give you some information regarding the laptops that students will be able to bring home.

We understand the learning curve will be steep and we will use the remote day on Monday, November 23, 2020 as a day to iron out the wrinkles we will encounter. We have reviewed some basics with students during the school day in the classroom and Technology room. Teachers will be available via email during the day to help families become more comfortable using the laptop. When students return to school we will continue to build up the skills needed to use the laptop as an instructional tool.

Students have been practicing in a limited fashion how to access Google Classroom which will be the main platform for accessing work and the zoom links for video conferencing.

Here is some basic information for you...

Loan Agreement

A signed Student/Parent Loan Agreement will be required for all students participating in the 1:1 program. This program started with all 5th grade students in the 2019-2020 school year. This year, 2020-2021 it has continued with Grade 4 and Grade 5 students. We are now pleased to announce that all students K-3 will be issued a Chromebook, charger and a protective sleeve.

Device Damage and Charges

Students are responsible for caring for the device checked out to them. If an accident occurs, costs may be incurred as outlined in the handbook (see link below) in accordance with School Board policy JQ.

Protecting Students at School

Student safety remains a priority for the District. We feel the best way to keep students safe online is to teach them to be safe consumers of technology. The District uses curriculum to teach digital citizenship and online safety to all students. In addition, each building employs content filters that are set to CIPA (Children’s Internet Protection Act) standards. These filters are updated nightly to block inappropriate sites and content. Because of the nature of the Internet, no content filter is foolproof. Although the content filter will provide a degree of protection to the user and the device, the user assumes responsibility for accessing content that is not school related, whether blocked by the filter at that particular time or not.

Protecting Students at Home

We believe that online safety and digital citizenship should not end when a student leaves school. It is an expectation that students follow all District guidelines for technology usage when accessing the District technology resources away from school. We encourage families to discuss online safety and District expectations at home as described earlier in this handbook.

Device Guidelines

• You are solely responsible for your device, keep it safe at all times.You should be the only person logging in to your device.

• Carry your device with both hands or in the provided sleeve.

• Always set your device on a flat surface to use it.

• Keep food and drinks away. Do not eat or drink while using your device. Instead of having food or drink at your computer, take a study break.

• You are only allowed to download or install any apps, extensions, or other materials approved by the District.

• Keep your device clean; use a cleaning cloth to wipe your screen.

• Charge your device every night; look for the charging light.

• Keep your device away from pets.

• Save all your work to Google Drive.

• Please do not:

  • share passwords.

  • swap or share with another student.

  • record video, audio or photos on school property without District permission.

  • leave items, such as headphones or pencils, inside the laptop when closing.

  • leave your device in a car.

  • store your device with the lid open.

  • remove District asset tags or stickers.

  • place heavy objects on your device since this can cause your screen to crack over time.

Click here for a more detailed description (and troubleshooting tips) of the above can be found here.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xGMitEFzaNLxD-eidzxbNOh5-EZ__SqfOVxC-PQO_sY/edit?usp=sharing

This is an exciting time, please reach out to the classroom teacher if you are having any difficulties accessing Google Classroom.

NOTE: We require a completed Loan Agreement in order to send home the Chromebook. These were sent home with your child. Here is a copy of the agreement.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gU_JA5NpKDQj7xuCxRBw9G7d_cNpJix7/view?usp=sharing