A) Rationale and Device Purpose:
Highroad Academy will provide grade 4-12 students with the use of a school-owned Chromebook as a digital and educational resource. The Chromebook is not intended for social networking or gaming. By signing the attached agreement, students and their parents take on responsibility for the proper use and care of the device as specified.
Students connect to the internet through our filtered student network. This applies to any Wi-Fi to which the Chromebook is connected. All students are expected to follow the standards for appropriate usage. Students are responsible for the care of the Chromebook assigned to them.
A) General care
● The Highroad label and asset tag must be left unaltered on the Chromebook/charger.
● Food or drink should be kept away from the Chromebook/charger.
● The Chromebook should not be carried while open, nor should the screen be subject to pressure or cleaned with anything other than an appropriate cloth.
● Chromebooks must remain free of any writing, drawing, or stickers, and vents left uncovered.
● Chromebooks should never be left unsupervised or in an unlocked locker.
● If a Chromebook or charger is not working properly, or goes missing, the student must submit a help ticket with the IT Department. (help.hra.school) so that repairs can be made.
● In the case of significant damage or the loss of a Chromebook/Charger, follow up will be required and replacement charges may be assigned if necessary.
B) Account Access:
● Students may only login using their school-provided account access.
● Google Apps for Education accounts (including Gmail) will be provided to high school students in the private HRA domain. The only identifiable information provided to Google will be the student’s name and the school provided email address.
C) Accountability:
● Email, network usage, and files may be checked by designated school staff as necessary.
● Online activity is logged and saved under the student’s profile and any items of concern will be followed up if required.
● Students must comply with trademark/copyright laws and agreements. Sources must be properly referenced. Plagiarism is a violation of the student code of conduct.
D) Classroom usage:
● Grade 9-10-11-12 students will receive their Chromebook and charger during the first week of school. The Chromebook and charger will be on loan to the student for the school year and must be properly maintained and brought to classes. The asset number of the charger will be allocated to the student and the same asset number must be returned at the end of the school year
● At grade 7-8, teachers will make Chromebook carts available for use as needed. Students will be assigned a specific Chromebook from the cart(s). Chromebooks may only be used under staff supervision including during lunchbreaks under staff supervision for students in grades 7-8, including during lunch breaks.
● At grade 4-6, teachers will make Chromebooks available for use as needed. They will be used under staff supervision.
● Teachers will use the relay system to support student learning on Chromebook.
● The responsibility of having a charged and operational Chromebook remains with the student.
E) Managing digital work:
● Each Chromebook includes protection against malware and security attacks.
● All items are stored online in the Google cloud environment; additional backups are the responsibility of the student.
● Students need to transfer any work they want to keep to their personal accounts before leaving Highroad Academy. Student accounts will be deleted by July 1 following their graduation/transfer.
F) Passwords and backgrounds:
● In grades 9-12, password resets can be requested from teachers.
● Grade 7-8, passwords are preset for students and the teacher has access to an excel list of them.
● Inappropriate media may not be used as a screensaver/background.
G) Returning Chromebook:
● Every Chromebook and charger is asset tagged, at the end of the year the Student must return the Chromebook and charger that was assigned to them at the beginning of the year. Even if the student returns a Chromebook or Charger, if it wasn't the one assigned to them they will be responsible for paying for the lost Chromebook that they were orginally assigned.
● At the end of the school year, all Chromebooks must be returned, and a detailed evaluation will take place during the summer. Fees may be assigned if damage is found beyond normal wear and tear and the device cannot be reused.
● Students who lose or significantly damage a school-issued Chromebook may be required to pay for its replacement and the relicensing fee to re-connect the Chromebook to the school’s Google network.
B) Expectations for appropriate usage:
Dear Parents:
The rapid growth of technology has touched nearly every facet of our lives, and education has been greatly impacted. The Internet provides an almost inexhaustible source of free and low-cost teaching materials. Conversely, we know that on the Internet, our students can potentially be exposed to damaging material. Our student network is equipped with a web filtering system to block inappropriate content and social media sites. Highroad Academy policy is that parents agree to uphold the terms listed below. These rules developed by the Highroad Academy School Board cannot be successfully carried out without the support of our parent community. Please follow up with me or with Mrs. Lade if you have questions. We appreciate your support.
Stuart Morris, Principal
● According to FOIPPA (FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PROTECTION OF PRIVACY ACT) standards, students are not permitted to take or post pictures or video of other students/staff members without the subject’s permission. Students are not to publish pictures taken of Highroad Academy or Highroad Academy students on social media (including apps like Snap Chat). This is considered a violation of privacy policy.
Kindergarten to Grade 6
● Any internet access needed for educational purposes will be through the school devices under the supervision of their teacher.
● Students in these grades are not permitted to bring any personal electronic devices (phones, etc.) to school.
Grades 7-8
● Students may bring electronic devices to school, but they must be kept in their LOCKED lockers during the school day.
● Any devices used in class will be confiscated by the teacher and returned at the end of the day.
● Students are only permitted to use their devices if a staff member grants permission, for a specific purpose/project. Students in Grades 7 and 8 do not have access to the student Wi-Fi network.
● Personal devices are the responsibility of the owner. The school cannot be held responsible for the loss or damage of any electronic devices brought to school.
Grades 9 to 12
● Students will be given access to a temporary student network for a week. They will be emailed details on how to connect to our Wi-Fi system. Our Wi-Fi system is completely password less and students will be required to download a Wi-Fi Certificate to connect to the Student BYOD network. This will give them access to the network for 1 complete year.
● The student Wi-Fi network limits access to social media platforms; however, if students choose to use their own data to bypass the student network, this access and content is the responsibility of the parents. School staff have the authority to confiscate devices for off task or inappropriate activities.
● At grade 9-12, expectations for device usage in the classroom will be set by the teacher.
● Devices must be submitted to the teacher during quizzes, tests, and exams. Devices must be set to silent during the school day and students should NOT make/receive calls during class times.
● Students should refrain from using electronic devices or wearing ear buds / headphones in the hallways during the school day.
● Parents are reminded that important messages for their students should be communicated to the school office or staff. We request that parents limit communication with their students during the school day to help them stay on task in their classes.
● Personal devices are the responsibility of the owner. The school cannot be held responsible for the loss or damage of any electronic devices brought to school. Students are reminded to keep their lockers always locked and activate their ‘find my device’ settings as those strategies may assist in locating missing devices.
● Students with their own laptops may access the student Wi-Fi on a case-by-case basis, if deemed necessary by high school admin. However, the Chromebook should be used during class unless the teacher allows otherwise.
*Any exceptions to these guidelines will be at the discretion of the supervising teacher, department head, or administration. Teachers, the ICT department, and school administration will follow up on a case-by-case basis.
* Recommended parent resource:
Raising Digitally Responsible Youth: A Parent Guide https://saferschoolstogether.com/news-events/raising-digitally-responsible-youth-a-parents-guide