MLTI Laptop Home Use Policy

Transcription

1 MLTI Laptop Home Use Policy General Information The Apple ibook is being provided to your child as part of the Maine Learning & Technology Initiative (MLTI). This initiative provides one-to-one computer access for students and teachers. The intent of this initiative is to provide student access to this technology at home as well as at school. While the school board and SAD8 administration recognize the value of laptops accompanying students home, we must also be aware of the potential for non-warranty damages and losses as a result of this action. As each laptop is valued at approximately $1000 ($34,000 collectively) we feel that the potential monetary risks are too great for the school and town of Vinalhaven to absorb. Accordingly, SAD8 has established an insurance policy with Maine School Management Association to cover these potential costs. Parents who desire for the laptop to go home are asked to help pay the insurance premium. The annual premium for a single laptop is $45 (at this time). In that the school year is already underway, we are asking parents to reimburse the school $25, which is the prorated amount to cover insurance costs until the end of the school year. When school starts in September 2007, we will ask parents to pay the full premium to cover both semesters. In addition to the premium, this insurance policy has a deductible of $100, meaning that you are responsible for the first $100 of loss/damage to any machine. Parents must agree to pay the deductible on any non-warranty damages or loss to all or part of the laptop package (laptop, case, and charger). Finally, to bring the laptop home, the student and parent must attend a Laptop Orientation meeting offered by the school. In subsequent years, parents and students will not be required to attend another Laptop Orientation meeting but must annually sign the MLTI Laptop Home Use Procedures agreement. Responsibility It is the responsibility of the student and parents to know and follow the school s laptop use guidelines and Student Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). Both documents are provided during the Laptop Orientation meeting. The Student Acceptable Use Policy outlines and defines appropriate, inappropriate and illegal activities with regard to school computing resources and the Internet. The contents of the AUP apply to the home use of MLTI laptops as well as at school. Please read this document thoroughly.

2 It should be noted that while at school, filters and monitoring software are in place to prevent students from being exposed to or accessing inappropriate material. Additionally, students are supervised by adults throughout the day. The software that allows school personnel to accomplish these tasks is a part of the larger local and wide area network and is not a component installed on individual computing devices. Thus, while a laptop is being used away from the school, it is not possible for the school to monitor student activity or filter content. This responsibility lies with parents/guardians. When a student brings a laptop home, it is with the expectation that it will be used in a common family location so that adult supervision can be maintained. Passwords and Privacy Students should have no expectations of privacy in their use of the laptop computer. Students will provide their parents/guardians with their passwords, and parents are encouraged to log on to the laptops occasionally or as needed to monitor the students use. The default student account password on all laptops is mlti, however, most students have changed this. As part of the Laptop Orientation process, students will share their passwords with parents. Laptops will be inspected periodically by faculty members for inappropriate content. Care and Maintenance Taking care of laptops is an exercise in common sense. As an electro/mechanical device, with sensitive and fragile components, you must always be careful. Below are some basic rules to follow. However, when in doubt, always err on the side of caution. Keep all food and drinks away from the laptop. Accidents happen, so please plan for them. Make sure your hands are clean before working with the laptop. Keep the laptop clean. You can use a lightly moistened paper towel (water or window cleaner) to clean the white surfaces of the laptop. Moisten the paper towel before attempting to clean the laptop. Never apply liquid directly onto an electronic device. To clean the LCD screen, mix isopropyl alcohol and an equal amount of water (1:1). Dampen a soft towelette and gently wipe the screen. Do not use paper towels, Windex or any ammonia based cleaners on the screen. There are many commercial products available as well. DO NOT physically mark or etch on the laptop or its storage case.

3 DO NOT place stickers on the laptop or case. Laptops should be kept in storage cases at all times when not in use. Use the laptop on a flat table surface, not your lap or while standing. You are less likely to drop the laptop than if it is in your lap or a soft flexible surface, such as a couch, mattress or pillow. Downloading of anything without teacher permission is prohibited. Peer to Peer (P2P) software, such as Kazaa, BearShare, LimeWire, BitTorrent, etc is strictly prohibited. First, file sharing through such programs is illegal. Second, P2P networks are littered with malicious software, such as viruses and mal-ware. Students may not load games or any extraneous software on the laptops. Use of unauthorized programs greatly increases the risk of software conflicts, viruses, and other incompatibilities, which could result in permanent damage and loss of data. Students are to use only their assigned computer. Computers, or any subcomponents, are never to be shared or swapped. Each component is marked and assigned to an individual student. Under no circumstance is the ibook to be used by other siblings or friends. The laptop should never be left unattended (during lunch, in the locker room, after school, before-during or after extra-curricular activities, etc.). The laptop will either be in the student s possession or stored in the appropriate space. While at school, when the laptop is not in use it is to be stored in the laptop cart in the student s homeroom. While at home, the laptop should be stored in a safe, flat, and elevated place, such as a shelving unit or dresser. Laptops should NEVER be used on the bus, while in transit, or before/during/after practices, games, and other extracurricular activities. The laptop battery should be charged daily. If a laptop remains at school overnight, students will ensure that the laptop is plugged into the power strip on the laptop cart. If the laptop is taken home, students will ensure that the battery has been fully charged before coming to school. NEVER attempt to repair the computer, regardless of the problem or your understanding of the technology. Any entry into the computer case by nonauthorized Apple personnel will void the warranty.

4 If you take the laptop home, it must be brought back to school on the next school day. Laptops will not remain at home for extended periods. Check Out/In Procedures It is the student s responsibility to know where their assigned laptop is at all times, whether at school or at home. Basically, the laptop will be in one of three locations: (1) in the laptop storage cart at school while not in use, (2) on the student s desk while in use at school, (3) at home when properly checked out from the homeroom teacher. Homeroom teachers will maintain a sign-out/sign-in form to keep track of laptops leaving school property. The below procedures will be followed: Students must sign out with their homeroom teacher before taking a laptop home or off school property. If this teacher is unavailable, arrangements may be made for another middle-school teacher to substitute in that teachers place. Under no circumstances will a laptop leave school property without being signed out properly. Sign out times for the ibooks and carrying case will take place immediately after school unless alternative arrangements have been made with the homeroom teacher. Upon return the next school day, students will check their laptops back in with their homeroom teacher. The homeroom teacher will ensure all laptops are accounted for at the start of the school day. Parents will be contacted promptly if a student returns to school without their computer. The parent will be expected to immediately bring the laptop to school. Students will be allowed to sign-out their laptops over school vacations in December, February and April. If a laptop is stolen while signed out by a student, it must be reported immediately to the Knox Country Sheriff s Department and then to SAD8 administration. In the event that a laptop has not been returned within twenty-four hours of an expected return, the SAD8 administration will contact the Knox Country Sheriff s Department to investigate.

5 Consequences Our goal is for students to have access to their laptops, at home and school throughout the school year. However, we cannot ignore the possibility that some students will use their laptop and/or Internet irresponsibly or maliciously. For these reasons, we have established a three strike system to deal with violations of the AUP and Laptop Home Use guidelines. Strike 1 - Lose take-home privileges for a week Strike 2 - Lose take-home privileges for a month Strike 3 Lose take-home privileges for school year */** *Depending on the severity of the infraction, Strike 3 may be imposed immediately and combined with the loss of laptop use during school hours **The insurance premium paid is not reimbursable if privileges are lost