Please carefully read each section for a complete understanding of the MSAD#60 laptop computer program and your specific responsibilities.

 

• Chromebook Information

• Damage

  • Lockdown & Penalty Box​

• Chromebook Use and Care Guide for Students​

• Students

• Parents

• Teachers

 

Chromebook Information

The MSAD #60 Chromebook program provides one-to-one computer access for all MSAD #60 students in grades 4 - 12. The intent of this program is to provide students equal access to technology, resources, and to be used as a tool for differentiation and the creation of professional-quality products. MSAD#60 administration wants our students to be able to have this tool both in school and at home. 

 

A Chromebook owned by MSAD #60 is being provided to your child. Students in grades 8 - 12 will be permitted and expected to bring their Chromebook home.  The computer that your child is being issued is an educational tool and should only be used in that capacity.  MSAD #60 reserves the right to demand the immediate return of the device at any time. Students transferring schools or exiting MSAD #60 are expected to turn in the Chromebook immediately.  The Chromebooks are on loan to students during the school year and during summers. MSAD #60 reserves the right to conduct periodic checks of the equipment. Making changes in the configuration of the Chromebooks is prohibited.

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Damage/Loss

Students/parents assume responsibility for loss, theft and/or damages to school-issued Chromebooks and also for preventing damage by others. 

 

Damage charges will be assessed on a case by case basis by Technology Staff.

 

Liquid spills are considered preventable/negligent and will incur a charge of 100% of the repair. Preventing spills is simple and requires that drinks are never placed on or near the same surface as the Chromebook. 

 

Unreported laptop damages may result in the loss of take-home privileges and/or other disciplinary consequences as determined by building administrators.

 

All labels must remain on equipment. If a label is coming off please notify the tech department for replacement. 

 

Damage to chargers is not covered under the preventable / non-preventable agreement. A damaged charger, unless warrantied by the manufacturer, must be replaced by MSAD #60. Students/Parents will be 100% responsible for the replacement cost of chargers. 

 

When a Chromebook is damaged, a tech staff member will evaluate the repair and if necessary, generate an invoice through My School Bucks (MSB). Parents should pay invoices through their MSB account. Library staff will work with students and families to make arrangements in cases where financial hardships prevent the student from paying outstanding bills. Payment plans are available and are designed to accommodate the needs of all families and can be as low as a couple of dollars a week or month.

 

The Chromebook must be cleaned before it is returned to the school. All personal labels/stickers must be removed along with the glue residue. (If your student wishes to personalize their machine the low-tack adhesive stickers are the easiest to remove) . A $10 cleaning fee will be incurred if returned in poor condition. Please visit the Library for proper cleaning techniques.

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Lockdown & Penalty Box

Both Lockdown & Penalty Box are used to restrict web traffic on student accounts. Penalty Box blocks access to a few sites and is less restrictive. Lockdown only allows access to necessary school content while blocking all other web traffic. Students are placed in Penalty Box & Lockdown at administrator (AP) discretion based on individual student behavior. All students who owe the school money for laptop damage are also placed in lockdown. Students can earn normal access back by paying their bill or by making payments towards their bill on a payment plan. (See damage section above for more info).

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Chromebook Use and Care Guide for Students

This guide will help you understand how to best use and care for your laptop so that it can be a valuable aid to your learning.

 

Keep your computer in top shape

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Avoid damages

1. Store your computer in its case (zipped!) when you aren’t using it.

2. Use two hands. Always pick up your laptop in a secure manner and never pick your laptop up by the screen.

3. Keep water, soda, and other drinks away from your computer.

4. Chromebooks should not be taken into locker rooms, onto playing fields, basketball courts, etc.

Security

1. Do not leave your laptop in any unlocked, unsecured area such as the athletic fields, locker rooms, bus, etc.

2. If you do lose track of your computer, report it immediately! Don’t be embarrassed or think that you will find it later. The sooner it is reported, the sooner it can be found.

3. Your computer, charger, case, and account credentials are for you and your parents, not for friends or siblings. Sharing is great but is not appropriate for the computer you are issued or for your accounts.

4. Federal law requires every school district to filter the internet for staff and students. Installing software that gets around the filter is a violation of school policy. This software often results in malware infecting your computer and causes heavy traffic on our network which prevents staff and students from doing their work. Don’t install proxies or use any technique to get around the filter.

Clean it

1. Use a soft dry or slightly moist cloth (not paper towels because they are too scratchy) to wipe the cover and keyboard.  Magic Erasers work well on plastics. Microfiber cloths or soft cloths should be used on screens.

Charge it

1. Charge at home and leave charger stowed away from pets, chair legs and siblings when you are at school.

2. Use only the charger that came with the laptop.

3. Bring it into school fully charged every day.

Use it

1. Yes, it’s called a laptop, but don’t use it on your lap! Use it only on a desk or table.

2. Don’t use it on a soft surface such as a cushion or blanket because it may overheat.

3. Keep liquids away from your Chromebook.

4. Wash your hands before using it. 

5. Any time your laptop is exposed to cold air for more than a minute or two allow the device to return to room temperature before use.

Maintain it

1. We understand that things happen. Report issues requiring repairs immediately. Reporting issues immediately will prevent small problems from becoming big problems.

2. Don’t kick the can down the road! Waiting to take care of problems may result in additional damage.

 

Students

You are responsible for understanding that being issued a laptop computer by your school is an enormous privilege that few students in our country and the world have. What will you do with this advantage? You are responsible for:

1. Taking care of the computer physically: keep it clean (gently! no water!); don’t drop it; protect it from temperature extremes; don’t lose it. 

2. Reporting any loss or damage to the library staff no later than the next school day after the incident. This avoids further damage.

3. Using the computer to understand yourself, your culture, your history. Use it to understand science and math. Use it to compose emails and music. 

4. Showing your teachers what you have learned and how you learned it. 

5. Reserving your computer, charger, case and account credentials for yourself! Sharing is great but is not appropriate for the computer you are issued or for your accounts.

6. Bringing your computer to school fully charged and ready to use. Avoid theft, loss, and wear and tear on your charger by keeping it in a safe place at home.

 

Parents

Parents are responsible for:

1. Talking with their children about their use of technology and inspiring them to use it to learn more about our world.

2. Providing for the safe, careful and responsible use of technology.

3. Assuming full financial responsibility for the Chromebook while the Chromebook is on and off school premises, including transport to and from school. If the Chromebook is lost or stolen while in the student’s possession, a report must be filed immediately with the local police authorities and school personnel. 

4. Paying the annual user fee outlined in the Chromebook Information section above.

5. Helping their children become good “digital citizens.” The school’s internet is filtered to reduce distractions, but not many other internet connections are filtered. Some internet sites are totally inappropriate for anyone, especially young people. We recommend the excellent website, Common Sense Media (commonsensemedia.org), to help you help your children become good “digital citizens.” The site suggests strategies for monitoring screen time and computer use, helps with understanding the impact of social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.) on teens, and provides resources for having good conversations about the impact of inappropriate content on the web. Cyberbullying, body image, violence, drugs and more are discussed with insight. There are some great movie and book reviews, too!

6. Staying informed. Parents/Guardians have the right to know their child’s login password. This can be requested from your student or at your student’s school.

7. Installing an internet filtering system for home use. Please visit www.opendns.com for information about how to filter your home internet connection. 

 

Teachers

Teachers are responsible for:

1. Using the SAMR model to improve their technology integration strategies.

2. Monitoring student progress and individualizing the learning process.

3. Coaching students through the technical skills needed to complete assignments.

4. Modeling appropriate use.

5. Being receptive to students’ ideas for innovative uses of technology that can help with any of the above.

6. Helping students develop appropriate responses to online pressures like cyberbullying.

7. Alerting the technology staff to technical or repair issues.

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