Fees and Policies

Parents and Caregivers,

Penn Manor is excited to continue providing Chromebook laptops to help our students learn and grow! By working together and following these guidelines, we can ensure your child has a positive and productive learning experience.

Students are reminded to treat all school property with care and respect. These guidelines apply to all student Chromebooks.

Damage to Chromebooks

Penn Manor selects education-focused Chromebooks designed for durability and longevity. With proper care, the Chromebooks can easily last 5 or more years of daily use. However, damage could occur by:

Dropping the Chromebook
Swinging a bag or backpack with the Chromebook inside
Shoving and compressing the Chromebook in a backpack (with or without the case)
Kicking, stepping, or stomping the Chromebook
Hitting another person or object with the Chromebook
Picking or poking at the Chromebook with pencils, pens, or other pointed objects
Tampering with the components of the Chromebook (Examples: USB port, headphone jack, disassembly, etc.)
Removing district asset tags, serial numbers, an other inventory identification
Other inappropriate care of the Chromebook, case, or charger

Note: If a student intentionally damages a peer’s device, the student will be held responsible for repair fees, not the peer.

Chromebook Part Descriptions

The figures show a Dell model. Some students may have a CTL model.
Parts on the Dell and CTL models are located in the same positions.

Fees and Charges

To protect the school's investment, fees are assessed when the student Chromebook requires a part(s) replacement to return the laptop to it's original condition. However, we understand that accidents happen. As such, our board policy balances accountability with understanding and leniency. The fee system works as follows:

The fee for the first instance of accidental damage or loss is capped at $100, no matter the additional repair or replacement cost incurred by the district.
The second instance is capped at $200. (Again, no matter the full cost of repair, loss, or replacement.)
For the third (and subsequent) instance of damage, the fee rises to $300 or the total cost of the loss or damage.

Students are responsible for all repair costs from intentional misuse or damage to PM technology devices.

Penn Manor does not issue a charge for everyday wear, tear, or scuffs. Fees are typically incurred for broken screens, damaged motherboards/ports, cracked casing, keyboard/trackpad damage, and other damage to or defacement of the Chromebook.

Fees reflect replacement prices that are typically at, or below, market rate for the certified components needed to return the laptop to it's original condition. There is no cost markup and the district purchases parts in bulk to keep costs low.

Parents are notified of fees in the Sapphire Parent Portal and by communication from the school main office. Fees may be paid online or via a check made out to: Penn Manor School District.

Chromebook Care - Best Practices

Here are tips to avoid damage and help keep the Chromebook in great condition:

Charging: Use the power adapter provided by the school. It is matched to the electrical specifications of the Chromebook. Charge nightly.

Cases: Always use the district provided case—it protects the Chromebook.

Carrying: Close the lid and use two hands when carrying and moving the laptop. Do not carry it by the lid.

Storage: Store the laptop in a safe place at home, away from food, drinks, pets, and extreme temperatures.

Screen Protection: Keep pencils, paperclips, and other objects off the keyboard to prevent both keyboard and screen damage.

Report Issues: If your laptop isn't working correctly, stop by the student help desk or email studentsupport@pennmanor.net. Elementary students should report the issue to their teacher.

Policies

For more information and policy documents see:

Policy 815: Access and Use of Technology Resources

Policy 815.2: District-Issued Laptops: Student Use, Rights, and Responsibilities
Attachment 2 includes the parent agreement; Attachment 3 includes more best practices.

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