FAQ

Why are we doing this?

To be consistent with our Mission Statement, the School District of Upper Dublin has an obligation to prepare students for an ever-changing world, that sees technological advancements happening at a rapid rate. We believe that every student has a right to an education that prepares them for further education and/or future employment, and develops the skills that they must have as citizens of the 21st Century: creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. As our district moves towards 1:1, we will ensure that all students will have the opportunity to learn in an engaging environment reflective of the world that surrounds all of us.

What if the device is lost?

If the device is lost or stolen, families will be responsible for the replacement cost of a new device, just as they are responsible for lost or stolen textbooks. The district will assist in remote locking and locating missing devices if possible.

Will students be able to take the device home?

Yes. District filtering will remain in place.

Can a student bring in his/her own laptop or personal Chromebook?

For logistical, instructional, and practical reasons, students will use their district issued Chromebook as their primary academic device. When students bring a multitude of devices that operate differently and don't have a common set of applications, it becomes very difficult for classroom teachers to plan lessons and manage workflow (for example we issue touchscreen laptops, and use applications that require that functionality). In addition, one of the goals of going one-to-one is to ensure that all students have access to quality devices that last all day, and give him/her uninterrupted access to our academic tools and the internet. Using school-issued devices allows us to ensure that our systems are optimized to meet the needs on the Chromebook. While Google Apps for Education are available on devices running the full version of Chrome, district issued Chromebooks have integrated classroom management tools, allowing teachers and administrators to efficiently deploy apps and resources. This includes our Teacher Dashboard and various locked assessment applications (can be deployed on district enrolled chromebooks only) which allow for oversight during the school day and are especially useful during assessment and collaborative group work.

On occasion students may want to use a personal laptop to augment a project or assignment with specific software they own. In such cases the student may not want to bring two devices to class, and could bring their laptop to school instead of their chromebook as long as the laptop; has a battery that lasts 7 hours; can connect to our guest network; can run the full version of Chrome (tablet versions are not sufficient), and the student is signed into Chrome with their school account. Use of all technology is at the teacher's discretion, and this should occur only with a teacher's permission. We do not encourage student to make this their regular practice, since we cannot support/troubleshoot personal devices, and do not want students to put their personal device at risk of damage and theft.

What are the specs for the District Chromebook

The district selected the lenovo 500e which is internally ruggedized, has a fantastic processor, a 9-10hour continual use battery, and is optimized for educational environments. The Lenovo 500e has a touch screen, converts to a tablet, and has an integrated stylus for handwriting and annotation.

I’m concerned about my student accessing inappropriate information on the Internet.

Content filters apply to district Chromebooks on and off campus. The School District of Upper Dublin is in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and maintains a content filter and firewall for all Internet-enabled computers and equipment on the district's network. On district Chromebooks safe search is enforced, and age appropriate content filtering applies on and off campus (i.e. social media sites blocked for grades 8 and lower, etc). Securly - Free parental controls for your home Internet connection. Video tutorial linked here & more detailed demo on how to block sites here.

Do I need to have Internet service at home for this device to work?

Many Chromebook applications, including docs, presentations, spreadsheets, etc. will work offline. Regardless of device, Internet access is becoming more and more integral to the educational process. Teachers and students are continually finding and using information, resources, tools, and programs on the Web to enhance the learning environment. While some projects and assignments do not require Internet access, the district understands how important it is to connect our students to the "net" so they do not fall into the digital divide of not having access to the Internet at home.

Are there any low-cost Internet plans for our homes?

Comcast is currently offering an Internet Essentials plan for families that have students on the free and reduced lunch program. You can learn more here: http://www.internetessentials.com

What are the polices and procedures?

Use of District Chromebooks is governed by the UDSD Acceptable Use Policy and the UDSD Electronic Devices Policy

Will faculty or staff be able to access or control the webcam on the devices?

No. Faculty and staff will not have access to remote control the webcam in anyway. Administrators cannot control the webcam, but can disable it.