Frequently Asked Questions

What device will be issued?

The South Windsor Public School District is supplying students with a Chromebook. This device is property of South Windsor Public Schools. The Chromebook will provide each student access to required educational materials needed to be successful. The Chromebook allows student access to PowerSchool, G Suite for Education, educational web-based tools, and many other useful sites. The supplied device is an educational tool not intended for gaming, social networking, or high-end computing.

What is G Suite for Education?

G Suite for Education is a suite of products that includes mail, calendar, sites, word processing, presentations, drawings, spreadsheets, forms, etc., that lets users create different kinds of online documents, collaborate in real time with other people, and store documents and other files, in the cloud. With a wireless Internet connection, you can access your documents and files from any Internet-capable device, anywhere, at any time. All items will be stored online in the Google Cloud environment.

Who is responsible for the Chromebook?

Chromebooks are the responsibility of the student. Take good care of it! Insurance is available through the Worth Ave Group. The cost is $30 per Chromebook for each school calendar year. Private insurance is not permitted. Full replacement cost for a loaned Chromebook is $299. Do not take the Chromebook to an outside vendor for repair. All repairs are managed through the Help Desk. If you are a part of the free and reduced price meals program and wish to be a part of the insurance program, you will receive information from the Food Services department on the first day of school. Be sure to indicate "Yes" on Addendum A for the Chromebook insurance coverage.

Will students be bringing the Chromebook home?

Yes, the use of Chromebooks at home is encouraged.

Will Internet traffic on the Chromebooks be filtered?

The Internet is filtered when accessed through our network on school grounds. We encourage parents and guardians to monitor their child’s use of their Chromebook at home. We recommend establishing some common-sense guidelines to promote the responsible, safe of this device similar to those you might already have in place regarding cell phones.

Will students be given guidelines or expectations for the Chromebook?

All students and parents will sign the District’s Acceptable Use Policy and District Assigned Device Policy before receiving his or her Chromebook. Failure to adhere to this policy may result in disciplinary action. Students who are negligent with their device might be financially liable to replace the Chromebook.

What kind of software does a Chromebook run?

“Chromebooks run millions of web-based applications, or web apps, that open right in the browser. You can access web apps by typing their URL into the address bar or by installing them instantly from the Chrome Web Store” (Google).

How are these web-based applications managed?

Each Chromebook we provide to students will be a managed device. Members of South Windsor Public Schools’ Technology Department will maintain devices through our Google Apps for Education account. As such, the school can pre-install web-applications as well as block specific web-applications from a centralized management console.

What devices can I connect to a Chromebook?

Chromebooks can connect to:

• USB storage, mice, and keyboards (see supported file systems)
• SD cards
• External monitors and projectors
• Headsets, earsets, microphones
• Chromecast

Can the Chromebook be used anywhere at anytime?

Yes, as long as you have a WiFi signal to access the web. Chromebooks also offer users the ability to work in an "offline" mode when an Internet connection is not available.

Will our Chromebook have 4G?

No. The district Chromebooks will not have 4G.

Is there antivirus built into it?

It is not necessary to have antivirus software on Chromebooks because there are no running programs for viruses to infect.

What about battery life?

Chromebooks have a rated battery life of 6.5 hours; however, we do expect that students charge them each evening to ensure maximum performance during the school day.

Is it possible to opt out of the 1:1 DLE initiative?

No. Teachers expect that students will use the Chromebooks daily for classroom assignments as well as assigned homework. Many of our educational resources are now digital and require access to the Internet.

What if I do not have Internet at home?

There are discounted options for Internet access as well as free wifi at local libraries. Contact the Technology Department for further information.

Can the Chromebooks be used with a non-district username?

No. Students cannot access a district-owned Chromebook with any other login other than their district-assigned email. For example, students will not be able log using their personal Gmail account on a district-provided Chromebook.

However, if a student logs into another device (home computer’s Chrome browser, smartphone Google app, etc) with their school GSuite username all of their information (bookmarks, emails, documents, presentations, applications, etc.) will be available to them on that device when using a Chrome browser.

Will Chromebooks be kept by students over summer?

Yes. SWPS is allowing students to keep their devices over the summer to use with summer work. Please note, eighth grade and twelfth students will be turning in their Chromebooks at the end of the year.

What if my child is transferring out of SWPS?

Chromebooks are the property of SWPS. Should your child leave the district, the Chromebook must be returned to the school counseling office.