Contents
- What device has been selected for personalized learning?
- Can my child bring their own Chromebook?
- What if a student forgets their device or forgets to charge their device?
- What if the battery dies during school hours?
- What about theft, accidental damage, and loss?
- Where do I find more information about the maintenance fee?
- Will students be provided cases for the device?
- Are students provided with a stylus?
- What happens if my child's device breaks or needs repair?
- What happens if my child damages or breaks the power adapter?
- How do I learn to use the Chromebook?
- What login will students use on their Chromebook?
- Can the Chromebook be used with another username or login?
- How do I connect the device to a home network?
- How do I print from the Chromebook?
- How can students submit work or assignments via their devices?
- Can student work be transferred from their Chromebook to another device?
- Will unsafe or inappropriate websites be filtered on the devices?
- What if I do not have Internet access at home?
- If my child is using a District-issued device, will their activity be monitored at home?
- How will issues of unacceptable use be handled?
- Are students allowed to install their own apps?
- Do students keep the Chromebook over the summer?
- What happens to the Chromebook upon graduation?
- What is the procedure if my student withdraws from school prior to graduation?
The district has chosen Chromebooks as the device for personalized Learning. Chromebooks support all of the software and services our students use and have access to including Google Workspace for Education and our learning management system: Canvas. They have many additional benefits such as long battery life, instant on and resume, and can be swapped out for repairs with minimal impact to instructional time.
Unfortunately no. Students are expected to receive a Chromebook issued by the District. This is for several reasons:
- We cannot manage personal devices. Devices purchased by the District are enrolled in our management system. This allows for quick and efficient distribution of content required by teachers.
- Google provides support for Chromebooks for a limited period of time. Devices purchased by the district are guaranteed to receive updates and support from Google through a student's graduation year and beyond.
- The Chromebook model and specific configuration chosen for students is determined by input from our teachers and Technology Department staff. All students are expected to have a Chromebook with the exact same feature set and functionality both inside and outside of school.
- Personal devices cannot be repaired or supported by the WMRHSD Technology Department
Students are expected to bring their device fully charged to school each and everyday. If a student leaves their device at home, they will be responsible for completing their coursework as if they had the device present. Charging stations are available for use before school, during lunch, and study hall periods.
If students charge the device fully before school each day as they are expected to, the battery will last throughout the entire school day. Students will not be using their devices in class everyday, or for the entire period in classes where they are asked to do so. For this reason, the number of hours a student has their device turned on will be less than the number of hours they are in school on a given day. If the device's battery dies during the school day, charging stations can be utilized in specific locations in the building.
Theft and loss are not covered by the maintenance fee. If a device is believed to be stolen, a parent or guardian must immediately file a police report. Within one school day of filing the report, a parent or guardian will be required to also fill out the District Device Loss Form and submit the completed loss form and a copy of the police report to the principal or designee. Students and their parent or legal guardian will have 7 calendar days from the reported loss or theft to retrieve the device. The parent or guardian and student will be charged the full cost of the device if it cannot be returned to the District. Accidental damage is covered by the maintenance fee. All students receive one accidental damage waiver per calendar year that covers damage from liquid spills, drops, falls, and general negligence. After the accidental damage waiver is used, students and their parent(s) or guardian(s) will be charged the full cost of the device for any additional accidental damage incidents that result in the device being damaged beyond reasonable repair within the same calendar year.
Click here for more information about the maintenance fee. Please direct any additional questions to the District Technology Department.
All students receive a case that protects the lid and bottom of the Chromebook. The case should remain on the Chromebook at all times and never be removed. Students may at their discretion, purchase a laptop sleeve or bag on their own. If a student loses their cover or would like a different color than the one they originally chose, they are available for purchase from the Tech Hub.
All students have been issued a Chromebook with a built-in stylus.
Normal wear and tear is covered by the maintenance fee. This includes but is not limited to: cracked screens, broken keyboards or trackpads, battery issues, and malfunctioning USB or headphone ports. Students are required to report any hardware or software issues within 24 hours to a teacher or member of the District Technology Department. Students must also fill out the Device Repair Form to expedite the process. Loaner devices will be available for those students who are having their Chromebook repaired.
Power adapters will be replaced if the equipment is faulty. However if a student accidentally or maliciously tampers with, damages, or misplaces the adapter, their parent(s) or guardian(s) will need to purchase a replacement adapter through the Tech Hub in the media center.
Materials are available online on the District Technology Support website.
All students are provided with a district-issued Google Workspace for Education account which includes their username and password. Passwords and usernames are preset and cannot be changed.
No. Students and staff cannot access a district owned Chromebook with another login other than their district-assigned email. For example, students will not be able to login to their Chromebook with a personal Gmail account. They can however use their school username and password to login to another device (Chromebook, tablet, PC, Mac) and all of their bookmarks, emails, and files will be available to them on that device.
Specific instructions on connecting to a home network can be found in the article linked here.
Please follow the directions in the the article linked here to connect a printer to your Chromebook at home. Students will have the ability to print from workstations in the Library Media Centers before school, during lunch, after school, and during study hall periods.
Canvas has features built-in that allow students to electronically submit assignments or work to their teachers. The teacher can then see the work or assignment on their device and review it for grading.
Student's files including documents, presentations, and spreadsheets can be accessed and shared from any device that has an Internet connection and the ability to access Google Drive via the website or an app.
Filtering will be provided both on and off campus. While the district will make every attempt to block materials that have little or no educational value, are obscene or profane, advocate illegal acts, or violence or unlawful discrimination, access to the Internet brings with it the possibility that inappropriate content may be accessible. It is therefore the parent(s) or guardian(s) responsibility to monitor use of the Chromebook outside of school.
Students will still be able to complete schoolwork using offline apps including Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Our Library Media Centers are also open throughout the week after school providing connectivity for students who require it.
Yes. The district will monitor all user activity in or outside of school and shall not use any of the capabilities in a manner that would violate the privacy rights of the student or any individual(s) residing with the student in accordance with the Anti-Big Brother Act.
In the same way they are now. Infractions of the Responsible Use Policy are considered a discipline violation and handled accordingly on a case by case basis. Most tech-related behavior violations are equivalent to "traditional" classroom violations:
- Leaving your device at home is equivalent to leaving your textbook or school supplies at home
- Cutting and pasting without citing sources or putting it into your own words is equivalent to plagiarism
- Cyber-bullying is equivalent to bullying or harassment
- Damaging or defacing the device, charger, or case is equivalent to vandalism or property damage
The discipline policies at each high school encompass use of the device. Please reference the student handbook and materials specific to each school or contact the school directly for more information.
The district will maintain a list of appropriate apps for students to install on an ongoing basis. These apps will be chosen based on recommendations from staff, students, and the Technology Department. Students will have the ability to choose which apps they install from a curated section of the Chrome Web Store and the Google Play Store.
Yes. Students keep the Chromebook over the summer. If their device requires repair, the Tech Hub is open Monday through Thursday 1pm until 3pm starting the day after graduation until the last Thursday before the start of school. Students can fill out the Device Repair Form on Mendham or Central's website, and drop the Chromebook off at the Tech Hub.
Students who have paid the annual maintenance fee each year during their tenure at West Morris (4 years in total), get to keep the Chromebook upon graduation. Students who have not paid the maintenance fee consecutively for four years must follow the guidelines outlined below:
- If the student has paid the maintenance fee consecutively for three years, they may keep the device for a nominal fee of $50.00
- If the student has paid the maintenance fee consecutively for two years, they may keep the device for a nominal fee of $100.00
- If the student paid the maintenance fee for one year only, they must return the device
- Those students who do not wish to keep their device for a nominal fee must return the Chromebook prior to graduation
The student should bring the device, charger, and case to the Library Media Center Tech Office. No refunds will be issued to either the student or the parents/legal guardians.