From: Marescalchi, Alicia (DCF)
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2012 11:01 AM
To: DSS-DL - CapeAnn Users; Sabulis, Stephanie (DCF); Garcia, Yrene (DCF); McLaren, Natasha (DCF); Arrieta-Rodriguez, Christian (DCF)
Subject:
Importance: High
I am receiving numerous requests re: laptop fees. Please read the information below. If the school is giving the child a hard time for not "leasing" their laptop- Please let Stephanie or I know.
Thank you-
Q 5. Are students required to purchase/lease a laptop?
They are not required to purchase/lease a laptop. This program is optional for parents. However, we are offering a lease which in our judgement makes it very affordable to almost all students.
Q 8. Will teachers give homework that requires the use of these laptops at home? If so, isn’t this a problem for students who are borrowing one during the day because they can’t afford to purchase one?
Teachers have been giving assignments for years that require a computer, the use of the Internet, word processors, or spreadsheets etc. We have found that all students who do their homework manage to find access to complete these assignments whether it be during the school day, at the library, or at home. We will accommodate an any student does not have access outside of school either through a loaner program or after and before school programs. Many BHS teachers are also using free web-based “course management”. systems to post assignments and other course resources. Students can access course materials in this way and do not need a special computer to do so.
Q 21. We have an obligation to offer a “Free and Appropriate public education” to all students. How does this new financial burden factor into that?
We are offering, not requiring, parents the opportunity to lease a quality laptop computer for their students at what believe is a reasonable rate. This laptop can be used at schools and at home 12 months per year.
Q 22. What do you suggest, for example, if parents are struggling financially (been laid off for months, or just don’t have the extra money)? They may have an old computer at home that has out of date software, but works well enough for their child to do research and write a paper.
Their child can still use that computer at home for those types of assignments. As in the past, we have always accommodated the student who doesn’t have the resources and we will in the future. There will be reduced rates and a loaner program. No teacher will discriminate against a student who does not have his/her own laptop. The goal is to enhance teaching and learning.
Frequently Asked Questions - BHS 1-1 Laptop Program
These questions represent a compilation of what we have received from the community. We fully expect that this list will be updated over time and encourage readers to visit this site again and/or email questions they have that are not on this list to Judy Miller at jmiller@beverlyschools.org. We will only respond to emails that include the name, address, and phone number of the sender. Thanks!
Below are links to specific sections of this FAQ Click to return to home page BHS 1-to-1 Laptop Initiative
Why are we implementing a 1-1 laptop initiative at BHS?
Q 1. What is the overall reason(s) for implementing a 1:1 laptop initiative?
We believe that a 1-1 laptop learning environment is the model for technology in the new BHS that will best support 21st century teaching and learning. We also believe that personal computing devices will most likely be the norm in the near future and we should prepare students to make intelligent use of them.
Q 2. Is there any research to support the implementation of a 1-1 laptop learning program?
Conclusions drawn from available research** is that the 1-1 learning experience provides many positive outcomes for students, staff, and the community. Among the outcomes mentioned most are:
· Improved writing skills and depth of students research.
· Increased student interest in learning and ownership of the learning process.
· Improvement in student and staff attendance.
· Reductions in student behavior problems.
· Increased parental interest in school activities.
· Improved student and staff morale.
· Reductions in lecture/presentation instruction and an increase in project based learning activities.
(Click here for a white paper on 1-to-1 learning written by the Metiri group)
Q 3. What’s the main benefit of a 1-1 laptop program to the students and teachers?
We believe that technology is a tool that can greatly enhance teaching and learning. Computers are used by students to interact with their learning, solve problems, complete projects, demonstrate their learning, gain information, and learn how to be a literate user of the Internet. Currently BHS teachers and most high school teachers have access to technology via computer labs, rooms with usually 20 – 30 computers in them, or laptop carts, mobile carts that usually hold 20 -30 laptops. In both of these situations, teachers need to share the use of technology with other teachers making access to technology a planned event and not always there when needed, when it can have the most impact on instruction. With a 1-to-1 program, teachers will be able to respond to questions or discussions immediately instead of trying to anticipate the need and scheduling time to go to a lab. Laptops will be available as needed, where needed which also best resembles the computing environment our students will work in when they go to college and/or the workplace.
Q 4. Are there other benefits to students having their own laptop?
A student working on a research paper might typically need to use three different computers to complete the project, one at home, in the library and maybe in a classroom. They have to keep all the files associated with their project on a USB drive or other mobile storage device. With their own laptop, they can keep all the pieces of their project in one place making their work more productive and efficient, similar to the way college students and employees do their work. Also, students may take a course that requires specialty software such as Computer Aided Design (CAD). When the school uses desktop labs or laptop carts, the specialty software necessary for this course only resides on these computers. The student can only do work on projects when he/she has access to those computers. Now, put the software on the student’s personal laptop and he or she can work on projects anywhere and anytime.
Q 5. Are students required to purchase/lease a laptop?
They are not required to purchase/lease a laptop. This program is optional for parents. However, we are offering a lease which in our judgement makes it very affordable to almost all students.
Q 6. Does the computer take the place of the textbook?
While we are evaluating electronic textbooks that will be used in place of printed ones, we cannot at this time say if all textbooks will be replaced. We do believe that this is a future trend and with a 1-1 laptop learning program BHS will be well positioned to take advantage of the cost savings, flexibility, ability to customize, and other advantages to having electronic textbooks.
Q 7. Does this program replace the computer labs? What’s the benefit of having students buy laptops vs. using them during the day for class work?
Yes, this program will eventually replace computer labs and the benefits out outlined in questions 2 – 4 above.
Q 8. Will teachers give homework that requires the use of these laptops at home? If so, isn’t this a problem for students who are borrowing one during the day because they can’t afford to purchase one?
Teachers have been giving assignments for years that require a computer, the use of the Internet, word processors, or spreadsheets etc. We have found that all students who do their homework manage to find access to complete these assignments whether it be during the school day, at the library, or at home. We will accommodate an any student does not have access outside of school either through a loaner program or after and before school programs. Many BHS teachers are also using free web-based “course management”. systems to post assignments and other course resources. Students can access course materials in this way and do not need a special computer to do so.
Q 9. How does this program affect our special education students?
We believe that this program can have a very positive impact on all our students, especially our special education students because technology offers many programs and tools that will support their needs and give them better access to the curriculum. Most of these programs and tools are available for free and include the following...
· Web-based course management and other software that allows teachers to post class materials and assignments on-line which especially helps students with organizational issues. These resources also promote collaborative research and writing project.
· A vast number of free on-line resources that can be used to enhance learning such as virtual math manipulatives, virtual science labs, customized quiz and vocabulary building software, podcasts and numerous language learning resources, on-line primary documents from our national archives and much more.
· Easy to use multi media tools that give students another way to demonstrate and share their understanding of content, “show what they know”.
· Built in accessibility features, especially featured on the Macbook. For example, with the built-in text to speech capability, you can highlight a block of text and a clear and understandable voice reads it back to you. Students with literacy challenges now can listen to, enjoy and comprehend text that they struggle to read on their own. Students with visual needs can use the built-in screen zoom feature on the Macbook. There are other powerful built-in features on the macbook which aid students with hearing and physical motor needs.
· Multi-modal delivery methods are facilitated by the use of a computer for those students who have difficulty reading or those who have difficulty following then spoken word.
Technology can help meet the needs of different intelligences, different learning styles and different learning paces. Our 1-1 laptop learning will put these tools in the hands of every student for anywhere, anytime learning.
Training and Support
Q 10. How will we be able to support all those laptops?
Technology support will be extremely important to the success of our 1 to 1 learning program. We have visited districts who have successful 1 to 1 laptop programs to understand how they manage support and incorporated what we have learned into our plan. We have tech support center on the first floor of the new BHS designed to handle and process technical issues with laptops. We will maintain an inventory of at least 60 laptops that can be swapped out while equipment is being fixed. In addition to this, our very successful “Students As Technology Leaders” program, now in its eighth year at BHS, will continue to train and use our own BHS student interns to perform computer maintenance.
Q 11. Why Mac laptops vs. Windows-based laptops such as a Dell or Toshiba, which are used in most business environments and seemingly cost less per machine?
As part of our research over the past 5 years we spoke to many 1-1 laptop schools in our country. We were advised over and over to select one platform to ensure program success. The main reason for this was that in order to provide quality technical support with limited resources and maintain a secure computing environment we need a consistent computing platform. For example, it would be very difficult to maintain the expertise needed to troubleshoot problems on several different types of computers and also to budget for the supply of spare parts needed to support this type of environment. Classroom instruction could also be interrupted more often when a teacher needs to deal several different types of computers.
After evaluating various platforms, we chose Apple for three main reasons:
· Tech support and reliability: Macs require less tech support and are more reliable. We have experienced this first hand already with the Macs we have purchased which have proven to be very reliable while many PCs in the district are often not available due to virus or malware issues.
· Cost: We obtained quotes from two prominent PC laptop vendors using comparable specifications and were given prices only slightly higher/lower than our Mac quote.
· Track record with supporting 1-1 laptop schools: Apple has helped over 1,000 schools districts implement 1-1 programs all over the country. They are invested in our success and have already been as huge help to us in the planning stages.
Q 12. Are we being consistent district-wide with our use of computers?
We will continue to use and support PCs and Macs in our middle and elementary schools and even in some of our administrative offices at BHS. For example,
Q 13. Because technology becomes obsolete quickly (MacBooks after 5 years), how will these laptops stay current over four years at BHS? Can students upgrade Apple applications during a rent/lease period on their own, or is that forbidden under the service agreement?
Apple has a software maintenance agreement which will provide all updates to the operating system as well as the Apple application packages for all school computers. However the agreement does not cover computers not owned by the school.
Q 14. If a student is a senior with an extended 3-year lease agreement, and the Mac crashes, will the student receive the latest Mac as a replacement or a refurbished unit that was purchased during sophomore year? What if the student only had a 1-year warranty and it crashes in senior year?
All laptop leases will include a 3 year warranty. In their fourth year BHS tech support will handle issues typically covered under warranty. Most often, computers are fixed and not replaced.
Cost
Q 15. What is the detailed cost of each MacBook laptop – when purchased or leased?
Pricing for technology changes almost as rapidly as the technology itself, therefore it is hard to predict what a monthly lease or a purchase will cost in September of 2011. However, our most current quotes, which are subject to change, would result in a lease rate of about $25-$28 per month. Parents will make a first payment every May between $150 - $168 which is half the yearly cost. The remaining half can be paid all at once in November or in monthly installments from November through April each year.
At the end of the 4 year lease students can purchase the laptop for $1. If a student leaves before the 4th year of the lease they will have the option to buy the laptop for the remaining value of the lease (minus insurance, maintenance and lease processing) or return it to the school in good condition. If students decide to purchase the laptop, they can bring the laptop to an Apple Store or other authorized Apple repair facility for a repair. They will be charged for labor only and not the cost of the parts. Labor charges vary from place to place. There will be no insurance offered through BHS if they eave BHS. They will also need to pay the outstanding balance on the warranty, i.e. approx. $15 per year that is left on the lease.
Q 16. What does the cost outlined in Q.15 include? (software, warranty, etc)
A leased computer includes a Macbook Laptop, academic software, OS and Software Updates, Insurance, technical support, warranty, and a carrying case. A preliminary list of software to be included will be made available during program registration each year.
Q 17. If a student already has a Mac, can he/she use it rather than purchase or lease a new one?
We want to accommodate this scenario but, over time, we are hoping that parents of younger students will plan ahead to coordinate their computer purchases so that their student can lease a new laptop when they enter BHS. Meanwhile the guidelines for using your own laptop in BHS are as follows:
- Your laptop must meet minimum specifications to work @BHS e.g. Macbook with specified OS, RAM and storage.
- You must be willing to install BHS academic software programs each year.
- You may need to purchase software that was purchased by the district.
- You can purchase your own insurance if desired, school is not liable.
- There are no guarantees that any computer you purchase will remain compatible with the program .
Q 17B What if a student has a younger sibling who will enter BHS after he/she leaves. Can the sibling take over the lease?
Yes but please keep in mind that we can only provide support and maintenance for 4 years. If the two siblings comprise a combined total of 4 years at BHS then this would work out fairly well. However, if a student finds themselves with a laptop in its 5th year they will most likely need to begin a new lease on a new laptop that is in line with the laptops currently at BHS and that can be supported by BHS.
Q 18. What types of grants or corporate sponsors were pursued? Is there still an opportunity to go after any grants?
Over the past two years we have pursued and received two major grants that have helped us purchase hardware and provide professional development for BHS teachers, a critical aspect to the success of this program. We will continue to seek this type of funding to support this program. The Beverly Education Foundation is supporting the BHS 1-1 program with a major fundraising initiative.
Q 19. What kind of support can families who qualify for financial aid expect?
Leasing costs will be reduced for the families who qualify. Our current plan calls for a 60% or 40% discount depending on the extent of the need. We encourage all BHS families to apply for financial aid if they believe they might qualify.
Q 20. Where will students go for laptop support when there are issues?
There is a
Q 21. We have an obligation to offer a “Free and Appropriate public education” to all students. How does this new financial burden factor into that?
We are offering, not requiring, parents the opportunity to lease a quality laptop computer for their students at what believe is a reasonable rate. This laptop can be used at schools and at home 12 months per year.
Q 22. What do you suggest, for example, if parents are struggling financially (been laid off for months, or just don’t have the extra money)? They may have an old computer at home that has out of date software, but works well enough for their child to do research and write a paper.
Their child can still use that computer at home for those types of assignments. As in the past, we have always accommodated the student who doesn’t have the resources and we will in the future. There will be reduced rates and a loaner program. No teacher will discriminate against a student who does not have his/her own laptop. The goal is to enhance teaching and learning.
Q 27. Will students be penalized if they don’t have a laptop?
No, we will have a laptop loaner program so that students can use a laptop during the school day. They can save their work on a USB drive or other mobile storage device (aka flash drive, memory stick,travel drive,thumb drive) each day so they can work on it at home if needed.
Alicia Marescalchi, LMHC
Program Director
Family Networks-
Northeast Behavioral Health
330 Lynnway 2nd Floor Lynn, MA 01901
phone: 781-477-1633
cell: 978-473-4171
fax: 781-592-3380
Alicia.Marescalchi@State.MA.US
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