1:1 Initiative

  • Students with laptops in classOne-to-one (1:1) computing offers students and teachers continuous access to a wide range of software, electronic documents, the Internet, and other digital resources for teaching and learning. Technology in schools today is as basic as pencils and books. By providing students an electronic device to access the Internet, digital course materials and digital textbooks, students have access to information, are engaged in learning, and take responsibility for their own learning. 

    Why Chromebooks?

    Chromebooks represent a new space in technology between tablets and laptops. As a web-­based device, the Chromebook reduces technical issues that arise with regular laptops. The work the student complete automatically saves to the cloud. This expands collaboration between teacher to students, and student to student. The issue of usable battery life is reduced since a Chromebook usually last the whole school day.

    Our Chromebooks are different than the consumer version available to the public. As a GoogleApps for Education school, we are able to set-up and control the Chromebooks through a web-based "management" page. This means we can apply specific policies to groups of students such as allowing only certain apps to be installed or differentiating apps based on individual student needs!

    How has the District prepared for this initiative?

    For several years we have focused on create a robust infrastructure (increase equipment and internet bandwidth, along with new wireless access points) as we build more capacity with mobile devices. We have moved the majority of our services to be web-based, including our email system, file storage, assessment, and learning systems. We will be offering ongoing professional development opportunities to our staff to effectively build upon 1:1 technology and resources.

    How did the District receive funds for this initiative?

    We were able to start with a 3rd/4th grade pilot using capital funding leftover from our construction projects. We obtained a voter-approved technology levy to support expanding Chromebooks to all student grades 3rd - 12th by 2017.
     
    Students issued a Chromebook by the school district will have access to that device 24/7 during the school year. Students will have to adhere to the Sumner-Bonney Lake’s policies governing the use of technology. This also includes potential damage that specifies a fair-market replacement policy.

    Who owns these Chromebooks -- the students or the school? What happens if my child breaks or loses his or her Chromebook?

    The Sumner-Bonney Lake School District believes that an Internet connected device will be a required resource for our students as they enroll in college and or enter the professional arena. With this belief in mind, the District believes that students should learn how to effectively manage a device. Students are responsible for the Chromebook’s general care and content accessed through the device.

    Who is responsible for updating the device (software and applications)?

    The Chromebook operating system, Chrome OS, updates itself automatically. Students do not need to manually update their Chromebooks. Chromebooks provide multiple layers of protection against viruses and malware. By logging in with their school email account Chromebooks seamlessly integrate with the Google Apps for Education suite of productivity and collaboration tools. This suite includes Google Docs (word processing), Spreadsheets, Presentations, Drawings, and Forms. Students are allowed to install appropriate Chrome web apps and extensions from the Chrome Web Store. Students are responsible for the web apps and extensions they install on their Chromebooks. Inappropriate material will result in disciplinary action.

    Will the district supply students with Chromebook accessories, such as a protective case?

    The school will provide protective sleeves for all students along with a charger.

    In what ways will Chromebooks be used in the classroom?

    It will be up to each member of the each school’s faculty to determine how to incorporate Chromebooks into his or her curriculum. All teachers will have the opportunity to participate in an initial Chromebook orientation session and will receive ongoing training. Even though each instructor has discretion over the ways in which they will implement Chromebooks there are a core set of outcomes connected to the Chromebook initiative posted on the school’s website.

    What training and/or support will students receive?

    During the roll­out, students will receive training on appropriate use and technical capabilities, along with their Chromebook. In particular, there will be training on how to access the Google Apps suite and Chrome web store.

    As a parent, what kinds of limits should I set on my child’s “screen time”? How does the Chromebook affect my rules at home? 
    We hope that our 1:1 Chromebook program will help students learn and maintain good digital habits that will last a lifetime. Any rules that you have about computer use or Internet access should apply equally to your child’s Chromebook use. However, please keep in mind that more class content will be digitized accessed via the Chromebook. This may require students to extend their screen time to meet course requirements.

    Will there be internet filters on the chromebooks? How will these work when my child has to do research for projects or assignments on the internet at home?

    The Chromebook initiative is a joint partnership between the school, students, and their parents. The devices will be subject to the same Acceptable Use Policy restrictions and discipline procedures applied to all other technology infractions. The school’s wifi filters inappropriate content, likewise Sumner-Bonney Lake schools will extend these filters to the home and wherever these Chromebooks connect to the Internet. At home, we encourage parents to work together with their children to monitor the access to inappropriate content.

    What if I still have questions?

    If you still have questions...
    • Visit the Chromebooks page for further information such as announcements, FAQs, tutorials, etc.
    • Attend one of our Chromebook meetings
    • Maintain communication with your child or children about what they are currently working on in their classes.