1. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF BOGOTABOE CHROMEBOOK USE 

Chromebooks are intended for use each school day. Therefore, students are responsible for charging the Chromebook battery before the start of each school day, and bringing their Chromebooks to all of their classes, unless specifically instructed not to do so by their teacher. As a web-oriented device, Chromebooks can also access sites on the Internet to connect to all the resources and information available for student learning, online, anywhere, at any time. In addition to teacher expectations for Chromebook use, school messages, announcements, calendars, and schedules may be accessed using the Chromebook. 

1.1 Originally Installed Software - G SUITE FOR EDUCATION (GSFE) 

● All Chromebooks are supplied with the latest Google Chrome Operating System (OS), and many other applications useful in an educational environment. The Chrome OS will automatically install updates when the computer is shut down and restarted. There is no need for virus protection with the Chrome OS. Chrome provides multiple layers of protection against viruses and malware, including data encryption and verified boot. 

● Chromebooks seamlessly integrate with the G Suite for Education (GSFE) suite of productivity and collaboration tools. This suite includes Google Docs, Spreadsheets, Slides, and Classroom. The District will provide a Google account for all teachers, students, and support staff. Grade level extensions are installed remotely onto Chromebooks and managed by the District. 

● Students will create and save their school-related files to Google Drive, which is stored in the cloud. Students can access their Google Drive not only from their Chromebook, but from any computer that has Internet access. Students will understand that the Google Drive can be monitored by the district administration and should not contain personal files. 

● Students in grades PreK-12 are assigned a district email through GSFE that is managed by Bogota Board of Ed. Students will be able to communicate with other students and staff with the district issued email address, however, they will not be allowed to send an email outside the BogotaBOE domain unless permitted by the schools principal.  

● Email is monitored by the district and is subject to filtering of inappropriate content. Students are expected to adhere to the rules and regulations for email use.

1.2 Additional Software Apps and Extensions 

● Chrome Web Apps are advanced websites that are similar to other types of programs that are installed on a computer. The main difference from other types of programs is that apps can be used within the web browser rather than being installed on the Chromebook. Some Web Apps (for example, Google Docs) will be available to use when the Chromebook is not connected to the Internet. 

● Extensions and Add-Ons are custom features that you can add to Google Chrome to enhance the functionality of apps. The district will install additional apps, extensions and add-ons as they are recommended and approved by teachers and site administrators for a particular course. 

● Students will be able to install pre-approved apps on their Chromebooks for educational purposes. Any software app that is deemed inappropriate for use in school is not to be downloaded or installed on the Chromebooks and will be blocked.

1.3 Home Use 

● Students are allowed to set up access to home wireless networks on their Chromebooks. 

● Students are encouraged to use their Chromebooks at home and other locations outside of school. A Wi-Fi Internet connection will be required for the majority of Chromebook use; however, some applications can be used while not connected to the Internet.

● The District provides content filtering both on and off campus, however, parents are encouraged to provide a safe environment for students to use their Chromebooks at home for school assignments. 

2. GENERAL INFORMATION/GETTING STARTED 

2.1 Receiving Your Chromebook 

Chromebooks will be distributed during selected dates at the beginning of the school year. Each student will receive an AC charger with their Chromebook.

*Purchase of an additional protective sleeve or carrying case is highly recommended as it will protect the Chromebook from accidental damage. 

● Damages that result from abuse or neglect are the responsibility of the student and subject to fees. In the event of the device being stolen, the parent/guardian MUST file a report with the local police department, and submit a copy to the school. The fee for a lost Chromebook will be the full replacement cost of the device. A replacement device will not be issued until documentation is complete and fees are paid in full. See Section 7: Repairs & Fees 

2.2 Returning Your Chromebook 

● Students withdrawing from Bogota Board of Ed must return their Chromebook and all district-purchased accessories to the main office on their last day of attendance, or a date, place and me determined by school administration. 

● If upon inspection of the device, there is evidence of abuse, neglect or intentional damage, the student/parent/guardian will be charged a fee for needed repairs, not to exceed the replacement cost of the Chromebook. 

● Failure to turn in the Chromebook and accessories will result in the student/parent/guardian being charged the full replacement cost. Any Chromebook not returned will be considered stolen property and law enforcement agencies will be notified. 

3. CHROMEBOOK CARE: PROTECTING & STORING YOUR CHROMEBOOK 

Students are responsible for the general care of the district-owned Chromebook. Chromebooks that are broken, or fail to work properly, must be reported to the Technology Department through Helpdesk Incident IQ. If a loaner Chromebook is needed, one may be issued to the student until their Chromebook can be repaired (subject to availability). DO NOT TAKE DISTRICT-OWNED CHROMEBOOKS TO AN OUTSIDE COMPUTER SERVICE FOR ANY TYPE OF REPAIRS.

3.1 General Care and Precautions 

● Chromebook batteries must be fully charged before the start of each school day. 

● Do NOT remove the Bogota Board of Ed logo, identification tag or barcode from the Chromebook. 

● Vents should not be covered. 

● Cords, cables, and removable storage devices must be inserted carefully into the Chromebook. 

● Chromebooks should not be used with the power cord plugged in when the cord may be a tripping hazard. 

● Chromebooks and chargers should be kept away from food & drinks, small children, and pets. 

● Do not bump the Chromebook against lockers, walls, car doors, floors, etc. 

● Chromebooks must remain free of any writing, drawing, stickers, or labels that are not the property of the Bogota Board of Ed. 

● Chromebooks must never be left in an unlocked car or any unsupervised area in or outside of school.  Unsupervised areas include the school grounds, the lunchroom, vehicles, bathrooms, computer labs, library, unlocked classrooms, and hallways. If a Chromebook is found in an unsupervised area, it should be reported  IMMEDIATELY to the Main office in your school. 

3.2 Chromebook Screen Care 

The Chromebook screen is particularly sensitive and can be easily damaged if subjected to rough treatment and excessive pressure.  Protect the Chromebook screen by following the rules below: 

● Do not hold or lift Chromebooks by the screen.  When moving a Chromebook, support it from the bottom with the lid closed. 

● Clean the screen with a dry anti-static, or micro-fiber cloth.  Do not use window cleaner, water, or any type of liquid on the Chromebook. 

● Do not lean or place anything on top of the Chromebook. 

● Do not place anything on the keyboard before closing the lid (e.g., pens, pencils, notebooks). 

● Do not place anything near the Chromebook that could put pressure on the screen. 

● Do not wedge the Chromebook into a bookbag or place anything in the carrying case that will press against the cover as this will damage the screen. 

● Do not poke the screen. 

● For screen adjustment do not grasp screen by wrapping hand around screen; your thumbs can shatter the screen. 

3.3 Carrying Chromebooks 

● Carry your Chromebook in a secured carrying case for extra protection (i.e. padded sleeve secon of your backpack.) 

● Never carry the Chromebook while the screen is open. 

● Do not transport the Chromebook with the power cord inserted. 

3.4 Storing Your Chromebook 

● Chromebooks should never be in vehicles or a location that is not temperature controlled. 

● Chromebooks should be stored safely at all times, especially during extra-curricular events. 

● Chromebooks should never be shoved into a locker, placed on the boom of a pile or wedged into a book bag as this may break the screen. 

● Never store your Chromebook in your carry case or backpack with the power cord inserted. 

3.5 Asset Tags and Logos 

● All Chromebooks will be labeled with a school asset tag.  Chromebook asset tags are recorded and associated with student accounts. Chromebooks must have an asset tag on them at all times. 

● Asset tags and logos may not be modified or tampered with in any way.  Students may be charged or disciplined for tampering with a school asset tag logo or turning in a Chromebook without a school asset tag or logo.

4. USING YOUR CHROMEBOOK 

4.1 Student Responsibilities and Legal Propriety 

● Bring fully charged Chromebooks to school every day. 

● Bring your Chromebook to all of your classes, unless specifically instructed not to do so by your teacher. 

● Follow each teacher’s rules and expectations regarding Chromebook use in the classroom. 

● Do not loan your Chromebook to anyone or leave it unattended. 

● Do not remove District identification tags or barcodes from District issued devices. 

● Follow Internet safety guidelines.

● Do not use chat rooms other than those set up by teachers or mandated in other distance education courses. 

● Keep personal information and identity secure and private. Never reveal your full name, phone number, home address, Social Security number, credit card numbers, passwords, or those of other people. 

● Obey general school rules concerning behavior and communication that apply to technology use. Do NOT send harmful, anonymous or misleading communications for any purpose. 

● Comply with trademark and copyright laws and all license agreements. Ignorance of the law is not immunity. If you are unsure, ask a teacher or parent. 

● Plagiarism is a violation of the student policy. Give credit to all sources used, whether quoted or summarized. This includes all forms of media on the Internet, such as graphics, movies, and text. 

● Use BogotaBoe network, services, devices or equipment in a manner that is not disruptive to others, such as disseminating inappropriate content, spam/viruses, transferring large amounts of data across the network, or a program to hack into network/online systems. Do NOT attempt to bypass the BogotaBoe web filter, attempt to gain access, or use/change other students’ accounts, files, or data. 

● Use or possession of hacking software is strictly prohibited and violators will be subject to discipline. 

● Students must not use the school’s Internet/email accounts for financial or commercial gain, or for any illegal activity including , bullying, harassing, credit card fraud, electronic forgery or other forms of illegal behavior. 

4.2 Managing Your Files and Saving Your Work 

● Students will be logging into BogotaBoe’s G Suite for Education domain and saving documents to Google Drive via the Chromebook or any device that has Internet access. 

● Storage space will be available on the Chromebook, but since the device has storage limitations it is vital that the storage space be privileged for educational use only. 

● Chromebooks will NOT be backed up by the district in cases of reusing or re-imaging. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their work is backed up and therefore not lost due to mechanical failure or accidental deletion. 

● If technical difficulties occur and cannot be repaired, the Chromebook may need to be restored to factory defaults. All student created files stored on an external miniSD card, USB flash drive, or Google Drive will remain intact when the operating system is restored. However, all other data (documents, photos, music) stored on local internal memory of the Chromebook will not be restored. 

4.3 Chromebooks Left at Home 

● If students leave their Chromebook at home, they are allowed to pick up a loaner from their school's Main office, or Classroom. Loaners must be returned before the end of the school day.

● Please review Section 6 for more details on Loaner Chromebooks.

4.4 Chromebook Battery 

● Chromebooks must be charged each evening and brought to school each day in a fully charged condition. In cases where the use of the Chromebook has caused the battery to drain quickly, students may be able to connect their device to a power outlet in class (with permission by the teacher) or they can pick up a loaner from their school's Main office. Loaners must be returned to the main office at the end of the school day.

4.5 Photos, Screensavers, and Background photos 

● Inappropriate media may NOT be used as a screensaver or background.  Examples of inappropriate media are listed below and will result in disciplinary actions:

• Images of guns & weapons

• Pornographic materials

• Inappropriate language

• Alcohol

• Drugs

• Gang related symbols or pictures

● Photos/videos require a large amount of storage space on the device. Only photos that are for an educational purpose should be saved to the device. All other photos/videos should not be taken or stored. 

4.6 Sound, Music, Games, or Programs 

● Sound must be muted at all times unless permission is obtained from the teacher for instructional purposes. 

● Students should have their own personal set of headphones, which may be used in the classroom at the discretion of teachers. 

●Data Storage on the Chromebook is limited and should be managed by the students so that the full educational potential of the Chromebook is available. Any instance of downloading apps that have not been approved by the district is carefully monitored. Students may be directed by school personnel to remove apps, music, videos if the storage of instructional materials is compromised. 

5. SECURITY 

5.1 Chromebook Security & Inspection 

The district uses a centralized Chromebook management system, which is utilized to change security settings, update software, add or remove applications, and monitor usage. 

● Periodic checks of Chromebooks will be made to ensure that students have not removed required apps/extensions. 

● Any attempt to change the configuration of the Chromebook will result in an immediate disciplinary action. 

● All activity on the Chromebook and district-issued email account, whether conducted at school or off site, is subject to search as District property. 

● Reasons for Chromebook inspection may include but are not limited to the following: 

• Functionality

• Maintenance

• Serviceability

• Behavior 

• Various violations with Chromebook usage

5.2 Network Security 

The Bogota Board of Ed will be responsible for providing network access and content filtering at school. 

● The BogotaBoe District makes no guarantee that their network will be up and running 100% of the time. In the rare instances that the network is down, the District will not be responsible for lost or missing data. 

● Students will not be penalized if the network is down and a completed assignment cannot be accessed for class projects, presentations, etc., as this type of network outage will affect all students and staff in the school building. 

● The school utilizes an Internet content filter that is in compliance with the federally mandated Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). All Chromebooks will have all Internet activity protected and monitored by the District. If an educationally valuable site is blocked, students should contact their teachers to request the site be unblocked. 

● While the District provides Internet content filtering both on and off campus, parents/guardians are responsible for monitoring student internet use when off campus and at home (see Appendix B). 

● Any attempt to disable or bypass district Internet content filters, including using or aiming to use proxies to access sites that would otherwise be restricted, is NOT permitted and will result in disciplinary action. Student use of the Internet is monitored on school issued devices and while signed into their Bogotaboe email account. 

● Restrictions on the network and computers will block certain functions. Any attempt to bypass these restrictions will be seen as a violation and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. 

5.3 Privacy 

● As per the An-Big Brother Act (N.J.S.A. 18A:36-39 (P.L. 2013, c. 44)), school-issued electronic devices have the ability to record or collect information on user’s activity, both online and offline. The Bogota Board of Ed will not use any of these capabilities in a manner that would violate the privacy rights of a student or individual residing with the student. 

● All files stored on the Bogota Board of Ed GSFE accounts or network are the property of the district and are subject to regular review and monitoring for responsible use. Internet history and email checks may occur at the discretion of the District Administration. Students have no expectation of confidentiality or privacy with respect to the usage or content of a district-issued Chromebook, regardless of whether that use is for district-related or personal purposes, other than as specifically provided by law. 

6. LOANER CHROMEBOOKS - POLICY & PROCEDURE

  6.1 General use & Precautions 

● In the case your are unable to use your issued Chromebook for the school day, you may sign off to borrow a loaner Chromebook to continue your studies.

● Loaners are to be treated as if it were your own issued Chromebook.  

● Any damaged or missing loaners will be reported and followed up with disciplinary action.

● Loaner's are NOT a substitute for your issued Chromebook and must be returned before you leave school.  Please report any issues regarding your issued Chromebook IMMEDIATELY through Helpdesk Incident IQ.  Please ask a Parent/Guardian, or your teacher to assist you if you are unable to place a ticket.

6.2 Retrieving your Loaner Chromebook

● All Chromebooks loaned to students will be logged to observe their frequency of request and ensure accountability for usage.

● Students must provide a detailed reasons as to why they are in need of a loaner.

● If the reason for borrowing a loaner is due to a malfunctioning/damaged Chromebook, please report this issue IMMEDIATELY to the Tech Dept. in order to resolve the matter. 

● Under NO circumstances should a Loaner Chromebook be taken home from the student.

6.3 Returning your Loaner Chromebook

● Loaners must be returned to the main office, or respectful before the end of the day.

● Returned Chromebooks will be confirmed by the office daily to ensure we have a healthy supply ready for use if need be.

● Failure to return a loaner will be met with investigation and potential disciplinary action, including removal of privileges to borrow loaners.

APPENDIX A: ACTIONS REQUIRING DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS 

As mentioned throughout this document, misuse of Chromebooks has the potential to earn disciplinary consequences such as, but not limited to, lunch detentions, are school detentions, In School Suspensions, and Out of School Suspensions. 

Examples of conduct warranting disciplinary action include, but are not limited to the following: 

● Leaving Chromebook unattended or an unsupervised area 

● Failure to utilize protective case 

● Inadequate care for Chromebook, case, charger, and other peripherals 

● Multiple damage instances caused by abuse or neglect of Chromebooks and peripherals 

● Resetting Chromebook to factory defaults 

● Placing the Chromebook in developer mode 

● Removal of District Asset Tags 

● Downloading inappropriate apps and media 

● Using the device to engage in inappropriate behaviors 

● Adjusting songs on someone else's Chromebook 

● Deleting school-installed apps from a Chromebook 

● Adding a credit card to a Google Account (Google Wallet) to purchase music/unapproved apps 

● Leaving Chromebook at home; lack of preparation for classes 

● Repeatedly bringing uncharged Chromebooks to school 

● Bringing Chromebook to Phys. Ed. class, unless directed to by P.E. teacher 

● Loaning of student device to other students inside and outside of school 

● Using a personal Google account to download purchased apps for yourself or another student(s) 

● A Program to bypass BogotaBoe Network Security, including web and content filtering 

● A Program to gain access to other students accounts 

● Illegal installation of transmission of copyrighted materials 

● Transmission or accessing materials that are obscene, offensive, threatening or otherwise intended to harass or demean recipients 

● Non-compliance of District policies.

Failure to comply with the guidelines listed in this Handbook, or repeated occurrences of Chromebook damages caused by neglect or abuse, may result in the further disciplinary action, fees, and the loss of home use privileges. 

APPENDIX B: PARENT/GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITIES 

Before a device can be issued to students for school and home use, parents/students must: 

● Sign into classroom.google.com with their Bogotaboe issued Google account and accept all of the classes that they have been invited to. 

Note: The purchase of an additional protective carrying case is highly recommended as it will protect the Chromebook from accidental damage. Specially designed sleeves or bags may be available through your child’s school. 

The parent/guardian is responsible for the cost of repair or replacement of the Chromebook if it is intentionally damaged, lost because of negligence, or stolen but not reported to school and the police. 

Parents are encouraged to provide a safe environment for students to use their Chromebooks at home for school assignments. A WiFi Internet connection will be required for the majority of Chromebook use; however, some applications, such as Google Docs, can be used while not connected to the Internet. Parents/Guardians are also encouraged to: 

● Set rules for student use at home. 

● Allow use in common areas of the home where student use can easily be monitored. 

● Demonstrate a genuine interest in student’s use of devices. 

● Reinforce the idea that the device is a productivity tool to support learning, rather than used as a form of entertainment.