FAQS

When will the chromebooks be issued?

Beginning in the fall of 2018, all Travelers Rest High students will be issued a Dell 11 Model 3180 Chromebook.

All 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. No 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.

What's the Chromebook Technology Fee?

Students will be charged a $25 technology fee to help cover the cost of repairs.

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.

If the fee is not paid, students will be placed on the debt list. Students on the debt list will not be able to participate in our student activities (such as prom, homecoming dance, purchase a parking pass, etc.).

Damaged Chromebooks

The TRHS Administration understands that with any technology device, honest accidents can happen. Our procedures include protections for students who incur damages to their chromebook (broken screen, keyboard malfunction, etc.).

Any student that unintentionally damages their chromebook will not incur any additional expense for the first accident. In addition, the student will not go without the use of a chromebook as it will either be repaired on site by Ms. Gordon or a replacement will be checked out to the student immediately.

Students are responsible for the chromebook assigned to them. Therefore, students should not loan their chromebook to other students or other family members. Ultimately, the student is responsible for the chromebook assigned to them regardless of whether they were the individual in possession of the chromebook at the time the damage occurred.

Procedure For Accidental Damage:

● 1st Offense of Accidental Damage:

Parent Contact, Warning, Replacement At No Cost To Student

● 2nd Offense of Accidental Damage:

Parent Contact, full replacement cost of $286 will be charged to student if applicable or replacement costs of parts.

A new chromebook will be issued upon replacement cost payment

Note: TRHS reserves the right to revoke use of chromebook for students at any time.

Procedure For Deliberate Damage:

Students who deliberately damage a chromebook (or have their chromebook deliberately damaged by a family member or peer) will not fall under the accidental damage procedure listed above.

● Consequence for Deliberate Damage:

Disciplinary Referral, Parent Conference, Pay cost of chromebook repair or replacement cost ($286.00)

What should students do if they lose their chromebook?

The chromebooks have software installed that enable the capability for Dell's Security Team to help track any lost or stolen devices. It is essential that any loss or theft be reported immediately to a teacher, admin, school resource officer, or to Ms. Gordon. The Dell security team cannot guarantee that the chromebook will be located or recovered. Timely reporting by the student or parent is crucial.

How should students care for their chromebook?

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).
  • Do not charge your phone with chromebook.
  • 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 the Travelers Rest High School.
  • Chromebooks must never be left in a car or any unsupervised area.

Where can students purchase 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.

Cases for the Dell Chromebook 11 (Non-touch screen) Model Number 3180 can be purchased from a variety of vendors, including Amazon. Please ensure any case that is purchased will fit an 11.6 in. chromebook screen. Students can put stickers on the case to personalize it for easy recognition.

Examples:

  • iPearl mCover Hard Shell Case for 2017 11.6" Dell Chromebook 11 3180 series Laptop (available on Amazon or eBay)
  • Gumdrop DropTech Dell 3180 Case for 11-inch Chromebook and Latitude Models
  • Volume Case Dell Chromebook 11 3180 Zip™ Case & Cover

What are the expectations for chromebooks being charged?

Each student is expected to bring their chromebook to school every day fully charged. A fully charged chromebook has at least 10 hours of battery life. Students should leave their chargers at home. We will be unable to charge students' chromebooks for them and cannot issue temporary loaners if students do forget to charge. It is essential that students include charging their Chromebooks at home as part of their daily routine.

What if the Chromebook AC Power Adapter or Chromebook Chargers is lost?

If a student loses his or her charger or wishes to buy an additional charger for the chromebook then a replacement or extra charger can be purchased in the Media Center.

Can students print from chromebooks at school?

Yes. Students will be able to print from their chromebooks to the Media Center printers. The default printer for black/white prints is the Media01 printer. Students will receive 20 copies after that each copy will be priced as stated below:

Black/white prints are $0.10/page (Media01).

Our school printers are for educational use only.

Can students print from chromebooks at home?

If your printer is connected to your WiFi network and supports the Google CloudPrint protocol, you should be able to print from your chromebook to your home printer. Unfortunately, connecting your printer via a USB cable to your chromebook will not work. Chromebooks print wirelessly.

Setting up CloudPrint differs by manufacturer and model, so you will need your printer's documentation (usually available via the manufacturer's web site if you no longer have the manual). Before attempting CloudPrint setup it is important to ensure that your printer's firmware is up to date. Refer to your user manual or the manufacturer's website for instructions on updating your printer.

Can the chromebooks be connected to Wi-Fi at home?

Parents should contact their Internet provider on instructions for how to add the chromebook to their Wi-Fi-network. You may also find helpful suggestions on the Google Wi-Fi 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 Wi-Fi 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.

What steps need to be taken to change or reset my student login password?

Find specific directions and information here.

What devices can be connected to a chromebook?

A chromebook can connect to:

  • USB storage devices, mice and keyboards
  • SIM cards
  • SD cards
  • External monitors and projectors (via HDMI)
  • Headphones, earbuds, microphones

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 Ms. Gordon at agordon@greenville.k12.sc.us