Frequently Asked Questions

Information on Issuing Chromebooks

All Hughes Academy students will be issued a Dell 11 Model 3180 Chromebook

All of the Chromebooks being issued to students appear the same; however, each Chromebook has a unique serial number.

If a Chromebook is misplaced, we can determine who the Chromebook belongs to. Any stickers or labels that are on the Chromebook when issued must stay on the Chromebook.

No additional permanent markings of any kind (stickers, engraving, permanent ink pen, tape, etc.) should be placed on the Chromebook.. While the devices are issued to students, they are still district-owned property.

Chromebook Technology Fee

Students will be charged a $25 technology fee to help cover the cost of one cracked screen repair and an additional minor repair (cracked hinge covering or a non-functioning touchpad). Students who qualify for reduced lunch will have a reduced technology fee of $15 and a $5 fee will be charged for students qualifying for free lunch.

A fee will be charged to the student’s account if he or she has not paid the annual Chromebook technology fee before distribution. Additionally, students who owe fees will not be able to participate in some of our student activities.

One accidental damage or one screen repair is covered by the yearly technology fee. Any additional repairs per year are not covered. Students will be required to pay for additional damages. A new Chromebook will not be issued unless the charge of the repair or the full price of the Chromebook is paid.

Please note accidental damage also does not cover the replacement for a lost or missing Chromebook or Chromebook charger.

Chromebook Repair Procedures, Damage, and Loss

What happens if the device is damaged?

Students are responsible for the general care of the Chromebook issued to them by the District. Chromebooks that are broken or fail to work properly must be taken to the Technology Assistance Room with Mrs. Dendy-Jones (outside the library) between 8:15 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. each school day. A repair form must be filled put before bringing in the Chromebook.

Many issues with Chromebooks can be resolved with simple troubleshooting steps. Students and parents can refer to the Chromebook Troubleshooting Guide for a list of suggestions and simple steps that will resolve the majority of issues not relating to damage.

Damage should be reported immediately. Students should not attempt repairs themselves or take the Chromebook to a third party vendor for repair.

What should students do if they lose their Chromebooks?

Students should report the lost Chromebook to Mrs. Dendy-Jones. The student must complete and return a missing Chromebook form. Once the form is returned, Mrs. Dendy-Jones will review replacement options with the student and his or her parents.

Students who obtain a timely police report from the local police may be eligible for a free Chromebook replacement in certain limited circumstances.

The technology fee does not cover the cost of replacing a missing or lost Chromebook or Chromebook charger. Students who are issued a replacement will be responsible for paying Hughes Academy the $307.00 replacement cost prior to receiving a replacement.

General Care

Chromebooks are particularly sensitive to damage from excessive pressure on the screen. The Chromebook screen can be damaged if subjected to rough treatment. Protect the Chromebook screen by following the rules below:

Close the Chromebook screen before moving it. Do not lean on the top of the Chromebook when it is closed.

Do not place anything near the Chromebook that could put pressure on the screen. Do not poke the screen. Be careful about placing books and other items against the Chromebook in your book bag as it may be damaged.

Do not place anything on the keyboard before closing the lid (e.g. pens, pencils, or flash drives).

Clean the screen with a soft, dry cloth or an anti-static cloth.

Do not bump the Chromebook against lockers, walls, car doors, floors, etc. as it will eventually break the screen.

No food or drink is allowed next to your Chromebook while it is in use.

To conserve battery life, Chromebooks should be shut down before moving them.

Chromebooks must remain free of any writing, drawing, stickers, or labels that are not the property of Hughes Academy.

Chromebooks must never be left in a car or any unsupervised area.

Chromebook Cases:

Cases are not provided with the Chromebooks. Parents and students are encouraged to purchase a padded case in order to further protect Chromebooks from damage. The option to purchase a personalized Hughes Academy Chromebook case may be available soon through our school store and PTSA.

Cases for the Dell Chromebook 11 (Non-touch screen) Model Number 3180 can be purchased from a variety of vendors, including Amazon.

Charging Chromebooks:

Each student is expected to bring his/her Chromebook to school every day fully charged. A fully charged Chromebook has an average battery life of 8-10 hours. Students should leave their chargers at home. We will be unable to charge students' Chromebooks for them if students do forget to charge. It is essential that students include charging their Chromebooks at home as part of their daily routine. Having an uncharged Chromebook is being unprepared for class.

Chromebook AC Power Adapter or Chromebook Chargers:

If a student loses his or her charger or wishes to buy an additional charger for the Chromebook, the AC power adapter should be compatible with our Chromebook model - Dell 11, Model 3180. Most standard laptop 65 W AC power adapters are compatible and can be purchased locally at Best Buy or Office Depot for an average cost of $20.00-$30.00. Please see the sample Chromebook chargers (or AC power adapters) below:

Wifi Access

Parents should contact their Internet provider on instructions for how to add the Chromebook to their wifi-network. You may also find helpful suggestions on the Google Wifi Support Page.

Will unsafe or inappropriate websites be filtered on the devices?

We do our best to ensure each student's online experience is safe. Before each Chromebook device connects to the Internet, it must pass through district network firewalls and filters. This happens whether the device is browsing on campus on school-owned networks, or off campus using another WiFi router that is providing the Internet connection. Because of security settings built into the device, it must first route its Internet connection back through our district security settings (firewalls and filters) before any website or online resource is accessible. If your child is using the Chromebook at school, at home or at a public library, it will always pass through our web filtering and network firewall system before they can see or access web content. Our web filters are programmed to block inappropriate content as much as possible.

What happens if students have been visiting inappropriate websites?

The district has access to student browsing history whether sites accessed are at school or occur at another location. Inappropriate web browsing is a violation of the district Authorized Use Policy and may result in disciplinary action.


Accessories and Features

A Chromebook can connect to: USB storage devices, mice and keyboards, SIM cards, SD cards, External monitors and projectors (via HDMI), Headphones, earbuds, microphones

Submitting and Saving Work on Chromebooks

How can students submit work or assignments via their devices?

Google Drive has features built into it that allow work to be “shared” between teachers and even classmates. Students can create documents, spreadsheets, drawings, photos, presentations and even videos. Each item can be “shared” with a teacher prior to its due date. The teacher can then see the work on his or her own computer to review it or grade it for the student.

Additional questions?

Please contact Mrs. Dendy-Jones at saljones@greenvilleschools.us