Frequently Asked Questions

Why BYOD?

We want to provide more opportunities for authentic learning that reflects the “real world."  For most of us, our work days have a variety of interpersonal, individual, hands-on, and technology-based interactions, and we look forward to our students being able to experience this same environment. Having a device at all times will allow for every child to reach for that tool when appropriate.

Not only will this access strengthen our students’ technology, academic, and “real world” skills, but the access will also allow students experiences deciding the right tool for their own learning style and applying their learning in new ways.


Which students are implementing the BYOD program?  

Our 5th grade classrooms throughout the district will be implementing the program during 2023-2024 school year. This continues through to grade 12.

When are students to have a device?  

Students may bring their devices on the first day of school.


Does BYOD mean that my child will be using a device all day?  

Absolutely not.  Winchester Public Schools greatly values the use of technology while at the same time recognizing that it is ONE tool that is available to staff and students.  As always, we will continue to emphasize that authentic learning and life-long skills include choosing the appropriate tools for the job.  There will be whole chunks of days (or in fact whole days) where students may not use their device.  


What kind of device should my child bring?

The district highly recommends the use of Chromebooks as a BYOD device.  Chromebooks are lightweight, inexpensive (in relation to other devices), quick, and are capable of doing everything that students will need to do. 

Having said that, this is Bring Your Own Device , and if your child has an existing laptop or iPad, your child is welcome to bring and use that device in school. However, based upon data from our full implementation of BYOD at the middle school and the student experiences in 5th grade , Chromebooks are the preferred device.

Many of our families have asked which Chromebook we would recommend.

Any Chromebook that you select will work fine as long as it has a minimum of 4GB RAM (8GB is better) with a screen size of 11"-15" (e.g.  Dell Chromebook 3110). Your selection may also depend on what is currently in stock, as this varies widely due to recent increase in remote learning.

Please also note, based upon feedback, we do recommend students have a protective case for their device. Some examples of protective cases for Chromebooks may be found  on this page at Amazon.com.

If you are unable to provide a device for your child, you can choose to fill out this form to request one to be loaned from the district.


What network will the student be using in school?  

It is our expectation that students will only use the district network.  Students are not to use non-district networks ( eg. cellular service) and must comply with our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and Electronic Device Policy (see both here: AUP- EDP).  This allows us to ensure our students are working within our secure firewall.


What are some examples of inappropriate use?


What should I know about batteries and power?

One concern related to mobile devices is the length of battery life. Students will learn to plan their device usage so they may use their device throughout the day without plugging the device in during class. There are a number of considerations that go into this planning:


Who is responsible if the device is damaged, stolen, or lost?

Students bring electronic communication devices to school at their own risk, just like any other personal items. The district will not be held responsible if an electronic device or other item is lost, stolen, or misplaced. Some devices have a device locator; families may want to enable this feature if possible.


What about viruses?

No computer is immune to viruses or spam. Winchester recommends that all students protect themselves through virus protection programs or apps (available even for smartphones). Winchester assists all users by providing additional protection “at the gates” of the network, but no single solution is foolproof and devices are certainly vulnerable off the school network (such as home, coffee shops, or on a cellular network).