TO: Incoming 9th Grade Students and Parents
RE: BYOD+ (Bring Your Own Device) for Incoming 9th Grade Students
Beginning with the 2018/19 school year, it will be a District expectation for all 9th grade students to bring their own device (Chromebook / Laptop / Etc.) with a keyboard to school on a daily basis.
WHY?
- A device is now an everyday tool that students need in order to support their learning.
- It will allow for more consistent programming and integration of technology for our students.
- There will be more investment and responsibility on the students’ behalf when they have their own device.
- This will allow the District to divert other funds to support classroom learning and technology infrastructure instead of consistently replacing devices year after year at the high school level.
A VERY GOOD OPTION FOR OBTAINING A DEVICE:
SAS has contracted with InaComp for a low-cost Chromebook to be purchased at a wholesale cost of $199. The District believes this device is all that will be needed for a student’s 4 year career at Saline High School and is the best option available. Thus, it is not necessary to purchase an expensive device such as an Apple laptop computer. However, it is perfectly fine to send a student into school with another device (Chromebook, Laptop, Other) that is not purchased through InaComp.
Click HERE to learn more about the pricing structure (and associated options) of this model of Chromebook
Click HERE to create a log-in to browse or purchase a Chromebook for your student.
NOTE: You DO NOT need to purchase Google Console as listed as one of the options at the InaComp site
Click HERE for a tip sheet on step-by-step instructions on purchasing a Chromebook through InaComp
For those of you who choose to purchase a Chromebook from InaComp, the lead time on orders is running around 12-15 days. Thus, devices purchased by August 10th will arrive before the first day of school (September 4th).
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
We are committed to helping all 9th graders obtain a device. For any family who needs financial support to obtain a Chromebook, please click this FORM to provide the necessary information. The information will be directed only to Steve Laatsch, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, who will help process the request. If you prefer to contact Steve directly, please do so at laatschs@salineschools.org OR (734) 401-4002.
MORE INFORMATION
We had an excellent Community Forum on Monday, April 30th at Saline High School where we discussed and answered questions about the new BYOD+ plan for the 2018/19 school year.
Here is a recap of that Forum:
On April 30th, an actively involved group of over 30 community members gathered at Saline High School for a presentation and discussion about the" 2018/19 Saline HS 1:1 9th Grade Device Plan."
We discussed our partnership with InaComp which will offer parents and students a low-cost $161 Chromebook option that will be fully capable of supporting our students' experiences for their 4 years at Saline High School.
There were excellent follow-up questions from our community including:
* How will this plan be equitable for families who can't afford a device?
* How will we handle security of the devices?
* Will these devices hold up from the daily wear and tear?
* Will this alleviate the need to always carry around the heavy set of textbooks?
We provided answers for the questions that were asked at the event. Next, we have put together an FAQ list and have listed it below:
Link to the Community Forum Presentation
List of FAQs for BYOD+ 2018/19 Saline HS 1:1 9th Grade Device Plan
NEXT STEPS
Incoming 9th grade students will be provided with some technology training to support these devices during Freshmen orientation on August 23rd.
There will be other reminders (and follow-up information) sent out regarding this BYOD+ plan over the course of the next several months.
The first day of school for the 2018/19 school year is September 4th. Thus, this would be the expected day for all incoming 9th grade students to have access to a device.
In the meantime, please feel free to direct questions about this BYOD+ plan to any of the following SAS staff:
Steve Laatsch, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction
laatschs@salineschools.org OR (734) 401-4002
Troy Wissink, Director of Technology
wissinkt@salineschools.org OR (734) 401-4751
Theresa Stager, Saline High School Assistant Principal
stagert@salineschools.org OR (734) 401-4203
Last Updated: May 11, 2018