Education Technology

Summer 2019 TECH CHECK InFO Available

What do I have to do over the summer?

Two things: Tech Boot Camp (online, July) & Tech Check (August)

How do students access their online school resources?

Over the summer, students will receive the username/password information to access a variety of online tools they will use at De La Salle:

• PowerSchool- for grades and attendance info
• Schoology- our Learning Management System (LMS) for homework assignment & online course content
• Google Drive/Gmail- student email and content creating tools
• Office 365- another cloud storage for student work and content creation
• Tech Boot Camp- a self-paced, online course to orient students to their school technology tools (Available in July)

What is Tech Boot Camp?

To help students get ready for their high school experience, incoming students must complete Tech Boot Camp; a self-paced, online course {available to students in July) that orients them to using G-Suite (Google Apps for Education) PowerSchool, and the school’s Learning Management System(LMS): Schoology. In addition, topics concerning Digital Citizenship will be covered such as controlling your digital footprint, appropriate/fair use of online resources, and managing technology distractions. Upon completion of the course, students will receive a Certificate of Completion.

What is Tech Check?

Once a student completes the online Tech Boot Camp course and earns the Certificate of Completion, students must bring their laptop to school during one of our drop-in Tech Check days:

·      Thursday, August 8, 12:00-3:00pm, Library

·      Friday, August 9, 9:00am-3:00pm, Library

·      Monday, August 12, 9:00am-12:00pm, Library

·      Tuesday, August 13, 9:00am-12:00pm, Library

 Tech Check is mandatory for student laptops to pair with the DLS wireless network and be able to print wirelessly to campus printers. If you miss Tech Check, you will not be ready for the first day of school to access your online resources!

The Educational Technology Department works in conjunction with Information Technology to provide De La Salle students, faculty, and staff with a wide range of technology tools and access to collaboration and create whenever and wherever they are.

De La Salle's Bring Your Own Laptop (BYOL) Program

De La Salle High School believes in the use of technology to engage, expand, and supplement student learning across the curriculum. To this end, De La Salle operates in a Bring Your Own Laptop (BYOL) environment for all students.

Students in grades 9-12 grade students must have a laptop for daily academic use. These students are asked to bring a laptop each day, meeting the following minimum requirements:

•  

  • Windows laptop: Microsoft Windows 7 (service pack 1) or higher; Windows “hybrids” such as the Surface Pro 3 are acceptable. Mac laptop: Mac OS 10.8 (Mountain Lion) or higher.
  • De La Salle does not recommend a particular brand of laptop; roughly 50% of our students use Mac devices and 50% use Windows. Please consider a laptop that is a good value for durability. Lenovo and Dell make some very durable and price-conscious models.
  • No need to purchase Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or equivalent office suite (OpenOffice, Pages, Keynote, Numbers, etc.). De La Salle will provide a student license for the Microsoft Office/365 suite to ALL students at Tech Boot Camp.
  • Protective sleeve or case.
  • Headphones/earbuds.
  • It is highly recommended that families acquire an extended warranty that includes accidental damage protection (such as GeekSquad, HP CarePack Services, etc.), which covers against drops, breaks, and spills (the most common damage). Also note that AppleCare does NOT include accidental damage protection.

Please note: Chromebooks and/or tablets such as Apple iPads and Android devices, readers, and smartphones are NOT sufficient for day-to-day use in the 9th-grade year.

Students qualifying for financial aid will be considered
for assistance in securing laptops.

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FAQs about Educational Technology

Q
So for the incoming class of 2023, devices are mandated?

A

Yes. All incoming 9th-grade students must have a laptop. Laptops minimum requirements are as follows:

• Windows laptop: Microsoft Windows 7 (service pack 1) or higher; Windows “hybrids” such as the Surface Pro 3 are acceptable. Mac laptop: Mac OS 10.8 (Mountain Lion) or higher.
• DeLaSalle will provide a student license for the Microsoft Office/365 suite to all students.
• Protective sleeve or case.
• Headphones/earbuds.
• It is highly recommended that families acquire an extended warranty that includes accidental damage protection (such as GeekSquad, HP CarePack Services, etc.), which covers against drops, breaks, and spills (the most common damage). Also note that AppleCare does NOT include accidental damage protection.

Please note: Google Chromebooks, tablets such as Apple iPads, Android devices, readers, and smartphones are NOT sufficient for day-to-day use.

Q

I’m concerned about my son bringing an expensive device to school everyday -- what about damage or theft?

A

We are too! Trusting a ninth-grade boy with a device IS an exercise in trust. We know that 76 percent of our 9th through 11th-graders already primarily own and use a mobile device daily. We are dedicated to partnering with families to continue the conversation about and training around the responsibilities of owning, caring for, and using a device. We provide resources and tools for students and parents regarding safety and security. [See the Student Technology Page and Parent Technology Resource Page.] We strongly advise families to purchase device insurance and a repair plan to protect against damage/loss. Check out Prey (www.preyproject.com) for free device tracking software

Q

What will my son be doing each day on his laptop? What about distractions?

A

De La Salle teachers actively use technology to supplement their curriculum. Students use their devices daily for note-taking, collaborative writing and project production, data collection, and research. Beginning in Fall 2015, De La Salle and Carondelet will both use Schoology Learning Management System as the storehouse for course materials and resources. Beginning at Tech Boot Camp, we talk with students about managing distractions through honest discussion and showing them distraction-management tools/apps like SelfControl (for Macs) or Cold Turkey (for PCs). [Links to these are on the Student Technology Page and Parent Technology Page.] We encourage parents to have an ongoing discussion with their sons around device use and your expectations; you are empowered to regulate device use. Please take a look at our Parent Technology Page for more articles and resources for managing technology with your son.

 

Student LaptopsWhile De La Salle does not recommend a particular brand of laptop; roughly 50% of our students use Mac devices and 50% use Windows.

Because transitioning from middle school to high school is complicated in and of itself, have students bring a laptop they are currently using (if applicable); there is no need to go out and buy a new laptop if the existing laptop meets the standard. Perhaps a discussion and decision to purchase a newer device can be had after your son has experienced a semester of school at De La Salle and is in a better position to judge what type of laptop will complement his workload.

Please consider a laptop that is a good value for durability. Lenovo and Dell make some very durable and price-conscious models. We currently use the Dell Latitude Model 3340 for our teacher laptops.

De La Salle High School recognizes that not all students have the resources to acquire devices. Students qualifying for financial aid will be eligible for use of/access to a long-term loaned device.

Contact Mr. Jay Juarez, IT Director, if you qualify for a loaned device: juarezj@dlshs.org