iPads
So Much to Learn...
People talk about kids knowing more than us adults do about technology. We hope this will help tips the scales a bit, especially when it comes to the iPad.
Only 5th through 7th grade students are required to bring an iPad to school. Elementary school classrooms have sets of them to use on a daily basis in the class setting, so they should not bring iPads or other electronic devices to school.
Rule #1: The iPad your child brings to school belongs to you, not him or her. Rules are yours to make.
The iPad is considered an integral part of the CBS experience. It is one of many tools used by today's student in an ever-changing atmosphere of technology.
Expect the iPad to be used about 50% of the time in the classroom setting. At home, expect about the same amount of usage, if not a little more.
Some suggestions:
Set specific time limits for iPad usage outside of homework time.
Expect your child to schedule his or her homework time, so he or she set goals for accomplishing his or her tasks on a timely basis.
Do not allow the iPad to make its way into your child's bedroom. With this always connected to the Internet technology, there are too many temptations.
First Some Pointers
iPad Specific Info
iPad Minimum Specifications
Please go to the school website to find out what the latest requirements are. You'll find a downloadable PDF to take with you when getting an iPad for your child.
Apps...Apps...Who's Got the Apps?
At the end of the first week of school, teachers will be sharing through Canvas which apps they require for download to the iPad.
To get ready, though, we have listed the apps most requested by teachers here on this site: Middle School Apps to Download. You can get a head-start by getting these downloaded to the iPad your child will be using in middle school
Middle school boys and girls can be hard on electronics. That is why we strongly suggest a Griffin Survivor or the Brenthaven. The links provided are to the manufacturer's websites. However, purchases may be made through third-party vendors, such as Amazon.com, Best Buy, etc.
For more in depth information, please go to our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Which Case to Get...
Backing Up the iPad
It is imperative the iPad your child uses is backed up regularly, once a month is best. Though there are two ways, the one that is the most efficient and cost-effective is using the program iTunes on a computer. You can also use iCloud, but that can cost money. Here are the step-by-steps on how to backup to both. Click here.
Notability Backup
Because the app Notability is the official note-taking app at Christian Brothers School, it is equally imperative to make sure all notes are backed up on a regular basis. The app will do it automatically, if it's set up. Since every middle school child at CBS gets a free Google Drive account when they first arrive in the Fall, we recommend backing up to Google Drive. Here are the instructions for that.
Can the iPad be 4G or 5G?
The short, definitive answer is no. Here's the explanation:
The Internet access at Christian Brothers School is placed behind the Archdiocese of New Orleans firewall: a software that accomplishes two specific tasks: 1) helps to prevent any "hacker" attacks on any equipment using the Internet on our campus, and 2) prevents any accidental (or intentional) access of inappropriate materials on the Internet. The Wi-Fi here at CBS is connected through that same firewall.
An iPad can have 4G or 5G capabilities, meaning it can go onto the Internet without using a Wi-Fi signal by accessing a data plan for a cell phone carrier, such as AT &T, Verizon or Sprint. An iPad that has 4G or 5G capabilities uses what the carriers call a SIM card, very similar to what is in some cell phones. This SIM card "activates" the iPad, making it part of whatever data plan is assigned to that SIM card. Thus, an iPad with a 4G or 5G antenna and a SIM card will be able to bypass our firewall protection. Not being able to protect the students entrusted to our care to the best of our ability is not acceptable.
The question crops up that a parent's 4G/5G iPad doesn't have a SIM card, so everything should be alright, right? However, after doing research into this, our City Park IT expert, Mr. Constant, tells us the 4G and 5G capabilities on the iPad can be turned on just by inserting a SIM card from an iPhone into the iPad and changing a few settings. So, even though the iPad has not been officially activated, the SIM card makes it think that it is.
Apple, AT&T, and others will tell you that it can't be done, but there are articles galore on the Internet that tell us otherwise, along with the advice of our IT. Thus, a 4G or 5G iPad will not be acceptable.
For more in depth information, please go to our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Though not required, insurance is strongly suggested the length of time your child will be in middle school at CBS. Most insurance groups require the policy to be purchased within a specified number of days after the actual purchase.
Apple offers various policies called Apple Care. Pick the one that's right for you and your child.
Two others of note are SquareTrade and Worth Ave Group. You may also want to consider a policy through the vendor through which you bought the iPad. We have heard great stories about Best Buy's return policy.
For more in depth information, please go to our Frequently Asked Questions page.
What about Insurance?
Borrow an iPad?
If you have insurance on the iPad your child is using, and the iPad needs repair, you can see Mr. Joubert or Ms. Constant and we can lend you one while the iPad your child uses is shipped off for fixing.
However, if you do not have insurance on your child's iPad, you can still borrow a school one. It'll cost $10.00 per day.
There are so many ways to work these iPads. Here is an entire list of How to... that will help.
You can always check out the iPad Initiative page on our school website for even more information.