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1. Are iPads going to be pre-loaded with textbooks?
Answer: iPads will be pre-loaded with textbooks for which the District has permission to distribute to students in a digital format. Students will receive pre-loaded textbooks for the following: English 7, English 7 Accelerated, Rhetorical Readers; Math 7, Math 7 Accelerated, Math Fundamentals; Algebra, Algebra Bilingual; Gen Science 1 Health, Gen Science 1 Health Accelerated, Gen Science 1 Health Bilingual.
2. Will students still need traditional textbooks?
Answer: Students will need traditional textbooks for the following subjects: Health, Health Bilingual; World Cultures 7, World Cultures 7 Accelerated, World Cultures 7 Fundamentals; English 7, English 7 Accelerated.
3. Will APPS come preloaded on the iPad for students and teachers?
Answer: A pre-loaded set of APPS will come with students and teachers iPads.
4. What if a student or teacher has a personal iTunes account with their own apps, music, videos, etc.?
Answer: Students may have personal iTunes accounts on their home desktop and mobile devices (e.g. iPhones, computers, iPads, etc). Students' school provided iPads are enrolled under a District provided iTunes account. This account can be used to add Apps, update iPads, etc but must be done by IT personnel at the school site or District. The App store will not be open to students. Students are not permitted to overwrite their school provided iPad apps by synching their iPad with their personal iTunes apps. Students are advised that their District issued iPad should have appropriate content as determined by the Student Acceptable Use Policy.
5. Do parents have to give permission for students to have access to the Internet?
Answer: Parents must sign an Internet and iPad Acceptable Use Agreement, iPad Pact, and iPad Usage and Care Agreement.
6. How will students submit electronic work?
Answer: Students will submit electronic work via a learning management system where documents and work can be uploaded, graded, returned, and archived.
7. Will students get additional equipment with their iPad?
Answer: Students will receive a heavy duty iPad cover which must be used at all times.
8. Will parents/students receive a packet that includes an acceptable use policy and other information about the iPad?
Answer: Parents will receive a letter from the school principal about their child's iPad. This letter will include the date(s) when iPads will be distributed to students plus copies of the Acceptable Use Policy, iPad Parent/Student Agreement, and iPad Usage and Care Instructions.
9. Will students be allowed to use social networks like Facebook?
Answer: The District blocks access to social networking sites like Facebook when students are accessing the Internet at school. Students who have Internet access at home will be able to use the Internet without District filtering. Therefore, parents are encouraged to closely monitor student iPad activities and usage.
10. Will YouTube be accessible via the iPad?
Answer: The District blocks access to video sharing sites like YouTube when students are accessing the Internet at school. Students who have Internet access at home will be able to use the Internet without District filtering. Therefore, parents are encouraged to closely monitor student iPad activities and usage. The District has disabled the YouTube App on student iPads; however students would still be able to access YouTube through the Safari Internet browser on their iPads.
11. Are students allowed to take pictures and videos of teachers and other students?
Answer: Students may not take pictures or video without the express permission of the classroom teacher. Students may not upload pictures or video to video sharing sites without the express permission of the classroom teacher. The camera on student iPads is (by default) disabled by the District.
12. Is there a way for teachers to monitor on task behavior?
Answer: There is no current electronic tool for monitoring on-task behavior.
13. Will teachers and students have access to Google docs for student collaboration?
Answer: Teachers and students will have access to Microsoft.edu cloud-based office applications for student and teacher productivity and collaboration.
14. How will students who do not have wireless access at home open textbooks or complete assignments using the iPad?
Answer: Students will have access to electronic textbooks (iBooks, eBooks, and PDF files) stored on their iPad devices so that they do not need wireless access at home in order to complete assignments.
15. Can students take AR tests on the iPad?
Answer: Students can use the iPad for any subscription based product e.g. AR, Achieve 3000 which is accessed through an Internet browser. Students may use these products at home if they have Internet access at home. Students who do not have Internet access at home will not be able to access these products.
16. What will the District do for students who lose or damage iPads?
Answer: Apple provides a warranty program with the iPads allowing for repair or replacement of damaged iPads at a cost of $49/incident (two incident limit). The $49 cost is the responsibility of the student/parent. A student who exceeds the two incident limit would be responsible for the full cost of repair or replacement. The District will provide students with textbooks should they be without an iPad for any reason. Loaner iPads will not be provided.
17. What if a student/family cannot replace or repair a broken iPad because they cannot afford the deductible?
Answer: If a student/family cannot replace a broken iPad because they cannot afford the $49 repair cost, the student will be issued textbooks in order to ensure full access to curriculum. The iPad will not be replaced by the District.
18. Are iPads kept in the classroom or do students get to take them home?
Answer: Students are expected to take iPads home daily. Students will be responsible for bringing their iPad to school each day fully charged and ready to use.
19. Will the District block apps that are purchased for home use when students are in class?
Answer: All Games Apps have been disabled. The YouTube App has also been disabled but a student could still access YouTube at home through the iPad installed Safari browser. The iPad camera is also (by default) disabled on the student issued iPad.
20. Will students be able to use a stylus for writing?
Answer: A student may elect to use a writing stylus with their iPad. The District will not provide a writing stylus but school sites may purchase class sets which can be loaned to students for classwork. Students/Parents may also purchase a writing stylus for iPad use.
21. Are there going to be a list of agreed upon apps for use District wide?
Answer: The iPads will come pre-loaded with a set of Applications for use by students and teachers.
22. How will students be able to recharge their iPads during the day?
Answer: Students are expected to bring iPads to school daily, fully charged. There will be charging stations at each school site (locations to be determined) in the event a student forgets or is unable to charge his/her iPad.
23. Will an iPad user community be created to support teachers?
Answer: An iPad user community will be created and maintained in order to encourage collaboration, address questions, share ideas, and access support.
24. Can students do homework and submit it via their iPad?
Answer: Students will be able to complete and submit homework via their iPad using a web-based learning management system (LMS). The LMS will allow students to work "offline" and submit work when they get to school should they have limited or no Internet access at home.
25. Will students get district-issued e-mail accounts?
Answer: Students will receive district-issued e-mail accounts via Microsoft Outlook Web Account (OWA)
26. Will students get district-issued iTunes accounts?
Answer: The District has a District-wide purchasing plan for iPad Apps via a common account but students will encouraged to create their own iTunes accounts with parent permission.
27. Will parent training be provided?
Answer: Parent events will be held to train, inform, and discuss digital and 21st century learning. Some events will be district sponsored, others will be school specific.
28. Are there costs associated with digital content?
Answer: Not all digital content is free and not all free content is good. There are costs associated with digital content but costs vary. Costs associated with using the iPad for classroom purposes will be borne by the District/School.
29. Can iBooks and eBooks be delivered to all students simultaneously via IT deployment?
Answer: iPads will be deployed to students fully equipped and loaded with books and Apps they will need to learn. Students may not overwrite the school created iPad configuration with their home or personal iTunes account configuration. In other words, students should never synchronize their home account to their school iPad.
30. If a student buys an accessory for their iPad, can they bring the accessory to school?
Answer: Students may purchase iPad accessories i.e. stylus, blue tooth keyboard. Students are responsible for care and use of any accessory they bring to school. Students are responsible for replacing lost/stolen or damaged accessories regardless of circumstances. Students MAY NOT use their own iPad case - they must use the District provided heavy duty rubber case that comes with their District-issued iPad.
31. What is the process for purchasing and downloading apps?
Answer: All school provided Apps will be maintained, paid for and updated via the District's IT department. The App Store is not available to students on an iPad. Students are not allowed to overwrite the pre-loaded applications and iPad "image" with their personal iTunes account Apps, movies, music, etc.
32. Can students put their name or other personal information on their iPad or iPad case?
Answer: Students may not "personalize" iPads with stickers, markings, or other methods that cannot be easily and permanently removed without damage to the iPad or iPad case.
33. Will there be filtering software on iPads accessing the Internet when using wireless networks away from school? e.g. home wireless
Answer: Filtering software is only available when students are using the Internet at school. Parents are responsible for monitoring a student's use of the iPad, including Internet browsing, at all times (at home or in any other location where a student is able to access a wireless network).