Procedures & Policies

District Procedures and Policies for the Responsible Use of District Technology and 1:1 Student Devices

 

Responsible Use and Digital Citizenship
 

The Responsible Use Agreement is signed by all families to cover student use of district technologies including; but not limited to wifi, iPads, Chromebooks and hotspots. The expectations below are the responsibility for all Princeton Public School students using district technologies. These expectations will be taught at the beginning of the school year to all students with content appropriate to age and grade level of the students.  Expectations will be reviewed on a regular basis and individually as needed.

Responsible Use Agreement is available and will be signed during yearly registration on Skyward. 

The district will provide parent information sessions at the beginning of the school year to review digital citizenship expectations, filtering options, social media, and best practices for school and home regarding students and their devices.

The district will provide information on digital safety throughout the school year on the district’s facebook page and through other communication channels.

Securly Internet Filter

Our district uses Securly content filtering to block access to inappropriate websites and material on school-owned devices.  In addition to blocking inappropriate content, Securly alerts the district when they detect activity such as searches, sites visited, or emails sent/received that indicate a student may be considering self-harm, harming others, or are involved in cyber-bullying.  District administrators and counselors monitor alerts during school hours, on school days. This service was implemented so that school administrators are able to partner with you to provide a safer online experience for your child.

Securly Home App

The Securly Home App allows parents to partner with the district in helping to guide student choices on the internet on the their school issued devices while at home. Parents can filter student internet use and access to websites on school devices during non-school hours.  Parents can also receive weekly or daily updates on student device usage.

Service and Protection Plans

The district will provide an optional service and protection plan covering repairs and accidental damage. This optional plan does not cover a lost/stolen device or damages caused by misuse and abuse. All repairs on any school device must be completed by a school technician or sent out by the district to an approved service vendor. Service and Protection plan options must be made by October 1, 2022.

Option 1: Service and Device Protection Plan (District) $30
Choose the nonrefundable annual service and protection plan for each K-12 student you have in the district (payment is capped at $60). This annual plan covers cost of repairs for up to two incidents of accidental damage. This plan does not cover lost or stolen devices. Chargers and cases are also not covered under the service and protection plan. 
*Family annual maximum is $60
*No cost to families who qualify for free/reduced lunch. However, families must still sign up for the protection plan in Skyward. 
*Go to Fee Management in Skyward to pay for this option. Directions for adding the fee through Fee Management can be found here. 

Option 2: Personal Insurance 
Families carry their own personal insurance to protect the device in cases of theft, loss, or accidental damages. Please consult with your insurance agent for details about your personal coverage of the student device and the deductible amount. The deductible may be higher than the cost of the device. 

Option 3: No Insurance (Individual Liability )
Families agree to pay the full amount for repairs or replacement due to damage, theft and all losses.
Common billing costs:
Chromebook or iPad screen replacement: $70
Chromebook touchpad: $30
Chromebook Case replacement $50
Chromebook Replacement $250
*iPad Replacement $350
**Lost/Replacement Chromebook Cord $40
*iPads will not be sent home for student use without administration approval for special circumstances only. 
**Charging cords are not covered under the optional protection plan, students can purchase a replacement charger from their school media center. 

Device Distribution

All parents and students are required to read and sign the Responsible Use Policy Agreement and Chromebook Protection Plan form before a device will be distributed to the student.

• Forms will be completed online through Skyward.
• A paper copy will be made available by request.
• Students will not receive a device until forms are signed by a parent or guardian in Skyward.
• Extra devices will be set up during Intermediate, Middle School, High School, and Student Services open houses for parents to fill out forms if they are unable to fill out forms at home.

Device Distribution

• Students in K-2 will be assigned an iPad to use from their classroom set. Devices stay at school
• Students in grades 3-5 will be assigned a Chromeboook to use from the classroom set. Chromebooks may be sent home as needed for school work, chargers will remain at school.
  6-12 students will be given a chargers that is expected to stay at home for daily charging of their school issued device. If this is not possible for your family, please connect with your child's advisor or counselor to make alternative arrangements.
• Students in grade 6 will receive their device and charger on WEB day.
• Students in grades 7-8 will receive their device and charger at open house.
• Students in grade 9 will receive their device and charger on LINK day.
• Students in grades 10-12 will receive their device and charger the first week of school.
• Students attending Princeton ALC will receive their device from the ALC secretary the first week of school.
• Princeton Online Academy will pick up devices in the high school media center.
• New students will be able to pick up their device in the media center once their form has been signed in Skyward.

Device Collection

At the conclusion of the school year, students will return their device and charger to be redistributed in the fall.
Students will get the same chromebook back in the fall while they are in the same building. For example a 6th grader will have the same chromebook in 7th and 8th grade but will receive a different chromebook to use for 9th-12th.

Chromebooks will not follow students to new buildings.

• In grades 3-5 teachers will collect chromebooks in the classroom cart. Students will not receive the same chromebook the following school year.
• In grades 6-12 students will return their chromebook and charger on the assigned collection day.

Any damages found or reported when the chromebook is returned will be billed and will need to be paid before the student receives their chromebook in the fall.

The full replacement fee of $250 will be charged for a chromebook that is not returned.

• The district will place a lost notification on the device, rendering it unusable. The district may also file a report of stolen property with the Princeton Police Department.
• The replacement cost of $40 will be charged if the school-issued charger is not returned.

Transferring/Withdrawing Students

Students who transfer out of Princeton Public Schools must turn in their device and charger to the media center or main office by the last day of attendance.

Failure to return the device will result in the full replacement cost being charged and the district will place a lost notification on the device, rendering it unusable. The district may also file a report of stolen property with the Princeton Police Department.

Student Expectations
 

Students in 6-12 will be given a charger with their device and are expected to bring their device to school fully charged every day. Students will bring their device to every class unless directed differently by their teacher.

Students in 3-5 will charge their devices in classroom carts and keep their devices at school unless given permission by the teacher to bring the device home for instructional purposes. When devices are transported between school and home, students will keep device protected in backpack or tote. Liquids and food will not be kept in the same area as the device.

Beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, most chromebooks will come with a protective clamshell case. These cases are not to be removed by students and can only be removed by district technicians or staff when completing repairs on the device.

If a student does not bring their device to school:

• In the event a student forgets their device, students should call home and have it brought to school.
• If it cannot be brought to school, a limited amount of devices may be available for students to borrow for the day from the media center.
• The media center staff will document the number of times a loaner is issued to each student for not having their device at school, and communicate that information to the building principal.

Device Support and Repairs

Device repairs are to only be completed by district technicians and staff.

Basic chromebook troubleshooting will be taught to students at the beginning of the school year, and posters will be placed in every classroom. Students are expected to do basic troubleshooting first if there is an issue.

• If basic troubleshooting does not help, students in 6-12 will bring the device to the media center for further help or repairs.
• If basic troubleshooting does not help for students in 3-5, their teachers will complete a tech work order to have the device checked by a district technician.

• Loaner devices may be issued to students if their device is being repaired.
• A student borrowing a device must sign a loaner agreement and will be responsible for any damage to, or loss of, the loaned device.
• Students will be contacted when their device is repaired. Students must return the loaner device before receiving the repaired device.
• If a device needs to be repaired by a district technician, sent out for repairs, is lost or intentionally damaged a student may be charged fees according to the Tech Fee Schedule. **Note that the optional insurance plan does cover two instances of accidental damage only, and does not cover lost devices, chargers or intentional damage**

Charging Devices

• Students in grades 6-12 will charge their devices at home each evening and bring their device to school each day fully charged.
• Students in grades 3-5 will charge devices at school in classroom carts. Chargers will stay at school, even when devices are sent home. **exception during 2020-21 school year due to COVID** Charged devices can last 1-2 days without a charge.

Chargers will not be available for check out from the media center. Teachers may have extra chargers in their classrooms that they will allow students to use at their discretion.

Replacement chargers can be purchased in the media center for $40 and are not covered by the optional insurance plan.

Device Maintenance

• Devices must remain free of any writing drawing, stickers, or labels (other than labels placed on device by district)
• Devices should be shut down when not in use to conserve battery life.
• No food or drink should be next to devices.
• Devices in cases should not be removed from their case, except for repairs by a district technician or technology staff member.
• Cords and cables can be fragile and must be inserted carefully into the device. Do not wrap cords too tightly as this can cause them to fray.
• Do not stack books or other heavy items on top of devices; this can damage the screen.
• Do not expose the device to extreme temperatures or direct sunlight for extended periods of time.

Personalizing Student Device

• Devices are to remain free of any decorative writing, drawing, stickers, paint, tape, or labels that are not the property of Princeton Public Schools.
• Students may add appropriate music, photos, and videos to their device.

Sound

• Sound must be muted at all times unless permitted by teacher or other staff member.
• Headphones may be used only at teacher discretion.

Printing

• Chromebooks will not be set up for printing at school.
• Students are encouraged to digitally publish and share their work with their teachers and peers when assigned and appropriate.