In the event that a family is unable to provide their child a device, New Canaan Public Schools has a program where a Long-Term (one school year) rental can be secured for a modest fee.
Below is information about this long-term rental process that you may find helpful. If you have any questions about this process, please do not hesitate to contact your grade-level administrator for assistance.
If a student cannot purchase their own device, they can rent a device for the duration of the school year for a $50 fee. Scholarship opportunities are available for families in need; please contact your child's guidance counselor or grade level administrator for more information. The grade level administrator's approval is required for BYOD scholarships.
Students who need a Medium-Term (1 month or less) or Long-Term (more than 1 month) rental device must sign and submit a copy of the NCPS Student and Parent Device Loan Agreement. Please drop off a signed hard copy of the Device Loan Agreement at the NCHS Library Circulation Desk, or email a signed copy to Innovation Specialist Dr. Gruzdev at Nikolai.Gruzdev@ncps-k12.org. Arrangements will then be made to provide the student with a device.
The annual fee for a Long-Term rental laptop and charger is $50. Payment may be in cash, or in a check made out to New Canaan Public Schools. Scholarship opportunities are available for families in need; please contact your child's guidance counselor or grade level administrator for more information. The grade level administrator's approval is required for BYOD scholarships.
The annual fee for a loaned laptop and charger is $50. Payment may be in cash, or in a check made out to New Canaan Public Schools. Scholarship opportunities are available for families in need; please contact your child's guidance counselor or grade level administrator for more information. The grade level administrator's approval is required for BYOD scholarships.
There are several ways that a student can get support if they experience technical issues with their device:
All students, whether they are using a personal device or a rental device, may contact Technology Support Specialist Mr. Loomis at Charles.Loomis@ncps-k12.org, or visit Mr. Loomis in the Tech Support office. The Tech Support office is located on the left as you enter the NCHS Library.
For problems related to rental hardware (e.g. the camera or keyboard is not working), students may contact Innovation Specialist Dr. Gruzdev (Nikolai.Gruzdev@ncps-k12.org) for support. The NCHS Innovation Specialist desk is located in the NCHS Library Workshop.
If the rental device needs to be repaired, the Innovation Specialist will make that determination and make arrangements with the student for a backup device (see below for details).
We have both short-term and medium-term rental devices available for student use:
Short Term: These are devices that can be used if a student forgets their laptop at home and are intended for 1 day loans only. Students may check out a district-managed Chromebook from the NCHS Library Circulation Desk at the beginning of the school day. There is no fee for Short-Term loan. Devices must be returned by the end of the academic day.
Medium Term: On occasion, students have legitimate reasons for not having their regular device for an extended period of time (e.g. repairs). In these cases, the student should notify Innovation Specialist Dr. Gruzdev at Nikolai.Gruzdev@ncps-k12.org. Dr. Gruzdev will make arrangements for a Medium-Term rental and secure a signed NCPS Student and Parent Device Loan Agreement. The student will be responsible for returning the device to the Innovation Specialist within one month of the start of the rental. There is no fee for a Medium-Term rental.
Medium Term: On occasion, students have legitimate reasons for not having their regular device for an extended period of time (e.g. repairs). In these cases, the student should notify Innovation Specialist Dr. Gruzdev at Nikolai.Gruzdev@ncps-k12.org. Dr. Gruzdev will make arrangements for a Medium-Term rental and secure a signed NCPS Student and Parent Device Loan Agreement. The student will be responsible for returning the device to the Innovation Specialist within one month of the start of the rental. There is no fee for a Medium-Term rental.
Students are responsible for bringing a fully charged device to school each day. However, there will be times when students need to charge a device. We strongly recommend that students purchase an extra charger to keep in their backpack. Charging stations are available for student use in several high-traffic areas in the school. We have power strips available in classrooms, a charging station in the Library, and a series of power and USB charging ports are located at the base of the wood bench seats throughout the cafeteria.
Students are encouraged to store their devices in a secure location (locker) when they are not in use.
Students should only access the NCHSBYOD network. This network has been specifically designed for student use, and is needed for activities such as printing. Student access to video streaming (i.e. Netflix, Hulu) is restricted on this network.
There are numerous resources available to students, including:
A Tech & Research Boot Camp which includes learning modules for all things tech, basic research skills, and digital citizenship. Freshmen and new students are automatically enrolled in this Schoology course. If you are not a freshman or are new to NCHS, you can request access to the course by emailing NCHS Technology Integrator Ms. Hernberg at Emily.Hernberg@ncps-k12.org.
Basic tech tips are available in the Resources section of the NCHS Students Group in Schoology.
All students, whether they are using a personal device or a loaned device, may email Technology Support Specialist Mr. Loomis at Charles.Loomis@ncps-k12.org or visit the Tech Support office for technical support. The Tech Support office is located on the left as you enter the NCHS Library. Students may also complete this Student Helpdesk form (also available on the ClassLink Launchpad) or email studenthelpdesk@ncps-k12.org.