Laptop Best Practices

Student Best Practices for Use of District Laptops
Board Policy 815.2 • Attachment 3
Updated September 2025

Chromebook laptops are a vital component of education and learning at Penn Manor. Students are entrusted with these essential tools, and responsible for the care and use of the Penn Manor Chromebook laptop both at school and at home. Students are expected to arrive at school every day with the laptop battery fully charged and with the power adapter. 

Student laptops are for educational purposes only. All commercial, illegal, unethical, and inappropriate use of the laptops is expressly prohibited.

Students, parents, and caregivers should review the following best practices together.

1. Copyright and Unlicensed Software

Copyright is the set of exclusive rights granted to the author or creator of an original work, including the right to copy, distribute and adapt the work. Copyrighted materials include books, musical compositions, dramatic works, photographs, drawings, motion pictures, computer software, sound recordings, choreography, and other creative works. 

Please respect copyright laws. You may not copy or duplicate protected material, including music, movies, or software. Downloading or installing unlicensed applications, games, or software you haven't purchased is illegal and prohibited.

2. Personal Files and Legally Purchased Music

You are responsible for any personal files or legally purchased music you store on your laptop. Penn Manor is not responsible for this content. Be sure to back up your personal files at home, as we cannot help recover them if they are lost.

3. Laptop Ownership 

The laptop is the property of Penn Manor School District and is assigned to you as a learning tool. Do not loan it to or share it with anyone. To avoid fees, please return it to the district if you withdraw from school.

Do not personalize the laptop, case, or accessories with stickers or markings. This is considered vandalism and may result in disciplinary action and repair costs.

4. Laptop Care - Daily Tips

• Avoid extreme temperatures (below 35° or above 90° F).

• Keep food, drinks, and pets away from your laptop.

• Protect it from rain and moisture.

• Never leave your laptop in a vehicle.

• Keep your laptop secure at all times. Use your locker and never leave it unattended.

• Always use the provided case for transport.

• Handle the laptop and case with care at all times. Remember, you are responsible for paying for laptop repair! You can read the details in our laptop fee policy.

• You are responsible for any damage caused by personal devices you connect to the laptop. We do not provide technical support for personal devices.

5. Getting Help with Tech Problems

If your laptop is not working properly report it to the building Technology Center or email the IT Team: studentsupport@pennmanor.net. IT staff will normally respond to your request within two school days. 

6. Internet Safety and Avoiding Scams

Parents: Read more about internet safety at Penn Manor. 

a. Don’t open, forward, or reply to suspicious e-mails, chats, or messages. If you have a question about a particular message, check with your teacher or the IT Team.

b. Be wary of attachments from people you don't know and critically review online offers. Many scams attempt to trick you into installing or forwarding a virus or malicious program. 

c. Never respond to emails or websites that ask for personal information such as your username, password, date-of-birth, or social security number. 

d. Do not share your network user name or password with others.

e. Do not tamper with the laptop filters; they help to block scam sites. The use of anonymous proxies or other technologies to bypass filtering programs is prohibited.

7. Cyber Citizenship and Digital Ethics

Students are trusted to be civil and courteous when using the laptop both on and off the school network. Bullying creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, detracts from the safe environment necessary for student learning, and may lead to more serious violence. Therefore, the School Board will not tolerate bullying by students. See Penn Manor Policy 249: Bullying/Cyberbullying. 

The District also trusts that students will act ethically and responsibly with technology and when online. Please review Policy 815: Access and Use of Technology Resources.

a. Be polite and courteous. Leave offensive text (i.e. curse words, insults, etc.) out of chat and comment postings. Think before you write; be kind at all times. 

b. There are no online take-backs. Text or photos posted online are completely out of your control, regardless of whether you attempt to limit access. Anything posted online is available to anyone in the world. Will your words embarrass you, your family, or your friends?

c. Do not post your personal information: addresses, phone number(s), date of birth, class schedules, your whereabouts, or daily activities. Keep your private details off the Internet.

d. Employers, colleges and universities, and scholarship committees routinely search the Internet to screen applicants. What does your online history say about you?

e. If you have reason to believe that another student is using the district laptop in a manner that violates school rules or policies, you are encouraged to report this activity to a school staff member. 

f. Profile pictures should be school-appropriate. Please use a picture of yourself and do not misrepresent your identity

8. Athletic Policy

Students are responsible for damage or theft of the laptop if left unsecured. Laptops should not be left on the field before, during, or after practice or games. Please use a locker or designated storage area at both home and away games. Students may store laptops on Penn Manor busses during away games.

9. Saving and Backup 

No technology is perfect, so please back up your work. Files saved to your Google Drive are safe, but documents and projects stored on your Chromebook's desktop or in your Downloads folder are not automatically backed up. 

10. End of Year Procedures

Elementary and middle school laptops will be returned at the end of the school year for summer maintenance and upgrades. Please backup any important personal information; your files and projects may not be on the laptop when you return to school in the fall. Seniors should make backup copies of important files prior to graduation. Note that graduates will no longer have access to their PM Gmail accounts after June 30.

11. Laptop Habits 

a. Protect your laptop from spills and bumps; use the case.

b. Close the laptop lid before moving to your next class. 

c. Keep pencils and other objects off the keyboard; you might break the screen.

d. Center the laptop on your desk at home or school. 

e. Store your laptop in a safe place at home. Do not leave it on the floor or on a heater.

f. If you pile things on your laptop, it will break.

g. Protect the laptop from food, drink, animals and small children.

h. Have fun, learn new things, build something amazing… be awesome!