Acceptable Use of Internet and Technology

Technology Procedures and Information

Student Chromebook Use

The School District of Philadelphia loans a Chromebook to every District K-12 student. The loaner program is free, however, all Chromebooks are to be brought to school each day to be used for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Students must be in accordance with the following policies and procedures, the district’s Acceptable Use Policy, and any applicable laws. Use of this Chromebook, as well as access to the Chromebook network, the Internet and email is a privilege and not a right. These items are provided for educational purposes only and are intended to support learning objectives at Harding Middle School.

Harding Middle School may choose to not send Chromebooks home each night and instead store them in computer carts to be made available each day for the students.

Students who leave a School District of Philadelphia school and enroll in a charter school, private school,  parochial school, or students who move out of Philadelphia and enroll in another district MUST return their device to Harding Middle School or a Family Technology Support Center.

Important Reminders

Students are expected to bring their District-issued Chromebook to school each day, unless the school chooses to keep them onsite.
All protective cases must remain on the Chromebook and should NOT be removed except by a repair technician or other designated District staff.
Families must immediately report any damage, loss, or theft to their child’s school.
A Chromebook can be asked to be returned at the school requests.

Chromebooks are for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.  All School District of Philadelphia students have been issued their own Chromebook to use throughout the school year. Students are responsible for the maintenance and care of their Chromebook.

The following should be enforced when using Chromebooks during daily instruction

Students must log on to the Chromebooks using their School District credentials only. (Student ID Number and Provided Password)
All work should be saved to a student’s Google Drive.
Students should come to school with their Chromebook charged and ready to be used in all content areas.
Students are NOT permitted to play games, browse shopping websites, or watch recreational YouTube videos during instructional time.
Teachers are responsible for monitoring student Chromebook use via GoGuardian.
Students should not be allowed to log-in under the Guest option as this does not track their internet usage.
Failure to meticulously monitor Chromebook maintenance and usage may result in disciplinary action being taken.

Tips to Keep a Chromebook Safe from Theft, Damage, or Loss

Chromebooks are a great learning tool that give both teachers and students access to a wide variety of tools to help students engage in learning inside and outside of the classroom.  It is important to do our best to keep them safe so that they are working and available when needed.  The following are best practices for keeping your Chromebook safe.

Do not remove any protective cases installed on a Chromebook.  These add extra protection in case it is dropped, bumped, etc. Only use the Chromebook when sitting or lying down to decrease the risk of it dropping. When walking with the Chromebook, make sure it is closed and hold it with two hands. When a Chromebook is in a backpack, do not throw, sit on, or step on the backpack. Backpacks with Chromebooks inside should be stored off of the floor or in an area where walking does not occur.  Students wearing backpacks should avoid abruptly backing up into walls or bumping hard items with their backpacks when possible. Do not place anything on a Chromebook’s keyboard. Closing a Chromebook with pencils, pens, or other hard objects on the keyboard can break the keyboard’s screen. Avoid eating or drinking near the Chromebooks.  Food and drink spills can damage a Chromebook or cause keys to stick and stop working.
Always use the closest available outlet when charging your Chromebook while in use.  Charging cables that cross areas where people walk can be tripped over and cause damage to the charger or cause the Chromebook to fall and break. Do not leave the Chromebook unattended when outside of your home or classroom. When traveling on buses or trains, make sure to have your Chromebook on you at all times. Make sure to take it with you when you depart the bus or train.

Carrying the Chromebook
The rubberized shell of the Chromebook will only provide basic protection from everyday use. It is not designed to prevent damage from drops or abusive handling. Carrying the Chromebook in a padded backpack or padded book bag is acceptable provided the backpack or book bag is handled with care. For example, you shouldn’t toss the bag or drop the bag if your Chromebook is inside.

Screen Care
The Chromebook screen can be damaged if subjected to rough treatment. The screens are particularly sensitive to damage from excessive pressure on the screen.

  • Do not lean on top of the Chromebook. Do not place anything near the Chromebook that could put pressure on the screen.
  • Do not place anything in the carrying case that will press against the cover.
  • Do not poke the screen. Do not leave the Chromebook in direct sunlight or near a heat source.
  • Do not place anything on the keyboard before closing the lid (e.g. pens, pencils, notebooks).

Cleaning

Clean the screen with a soft, dry anti-static, or micro-fiber cloth. Do not use window cleaner or any type of liquid or water on the Chromebook. You can also purchase individually packaged pre-moistened electronic/eyeglass lens cleaning tissues to clean the screen. These are very convenient and relatively inexpensive.

Close your Chromebook carefully-from the center of the screen—don’t slam it shut. Wipe surfaces lightly with a clean, soft cloth. Do NOT use water or other cleaning solutions on your Chromebook. To keep the screen clean, do not touch the screen with your fingers.

Power Cable

The Power Cable should be lined up straight with the connector when inserting and removing. Be careful not to jerk/pull/ twist your Chromebook around when the cables are attached. It is an expectation that the Chromebook will be fully charged every evening. Charging will not be allowed during the day due to fire code and the dangers of students tripping.

Wireless Internet

Your Chromebook is a wireless only device. A wireless network is required to use the device

Using Your Chromebook

At School

The Chromebook is intended for use at school each and every day. In addition to teacher expectations for Chromebook use, school messages, announcements, calendars, academic/student handbooks can be accessed using the Chromebook.

At Home

Once, the Chromebooks are distributed, all students are required to take their Chromebook home each night throughout the school year for charging, unless the school decides to store them in carts at the school. Chromebooks must be brought to school each day in a fully charged condition. If fully charged at home, the battery should last throughout the day. Students need to charge their Chromebooks each evening.

Managing Your Files and Saving Your Work

Students must save their documents to their Google Drive. Saving to Google Drive will make the file accessible from any computer with internet access. Students using Google Drive to work on their documents will not need to save their work, as Drive will save each keystroke as the work is being completed. It will be the responsibility of the student to maintain the integrity of their files and keep proper backups. Students will be trained on proper file management procedures.

Email
Students will be provided a email address for academic reasons ONLY. Students should only login to their  Chromebooks using the official login given to them. Students should not login or attempt to login to any other private Google account of their own on the school Chromebooks

General Guidelines

  • Always use appropriate language.
  • Do not transmit language/material that is profane, obscene, abusive, or offensive to others.
  • Do not send mass emails, chain letters, or spam.
  • No private chatting during class;
  • Email is subject to inspection at any time by school administration.
  • Personalizing the Chromebook
  • Chromebooks must remain free of any decorative writing, drawing, stickers, paint, tape, or labels that are not the property of School District of Philadelphia. Spot checks for compliance will be done by administration and staff.

Inspection:

Students Chromebook will be inspected monthly. The purpose for inspection will be to check for proper care and maintenance.  The Chromebook is the property of the school district and not to be considered privately held or possessed by the student.
Protecting & Storing Your Chromebook
Chromebook Identification:
Chromebooks will be labeled in the manner specified by Harding Middle School. Chromebooks can be identified in the following way:

Record of serial number

Under no circumstances are students to modify, remove, or destroy identification labels.

Storing Chromebooks at Extracurricular Events:
Students are responsible for securely storing their Chromebook during extra-curricular events.
Chromebooks Left in Unsupervised/Unsecured Areas:
Under no circumstance should a Chromebook be stored in unsupervised areas. Unsupervised areas include the school grounds,  the cafeteria, unlocked classrooms, locker rooms, hallways, bathrooms, extra-curricular activity,  bus, in a car, or any other entity that is not securely locked or in which there is not supervision. Unsupervised Chromebooks will be confiscated by staff and taken to Mr. Myrick. Disciplinary action may be taken for leaving a Chromebook in an unsupervised location on multiple occasions.

Repairing or Replacing Your Chromebook
Chromebooks Undergoing Repair: Loaner Chromebooks may be issued to students when they leave their Chromebook for repair at the
school media center. If repair is needed due to malicious damage, the school may refuse to provide a loaner Chromebook. Repaired Chromebooks will be restored with the original factory image as first received. It is important that students keep their school data synced to cloud drives so documents and class projects will not be lost. Personal information that cannot be replaced should be kept at home on an external storage device. Students and/or their parents will be charged for Chromebook damage that is a result of misuse or abusive handling. Such misuse includes major scratches and damage to the unit itself, etc. Parents will be billed for Dell parts and necessary labor required in such circumstances.

Accidental Damage or Loss Protection

If a theft happens then please report it to the school immediately. The district is capable of locking all devices and we can usually find the device if reported quickly. If unable to find the device, we will require a police report be submitted. A student making a false report will be subject to disciplinary action as outlined by the school discipline code.

Chromebook Technical Support

Actions Required in the Event of Damage or Loss

Report the problem immediately to the school. If the computer is stolen or vandalized while not at Harding Middle School the parent should file a police report. Services provided by tech services:

  • Password Identification
  • User account support
  • Coordination of warranty repair
  • Distribution of loaner Chromebooks
  • Hardware maintenance and repair
  • Operating System or software configuration support
  • Restoring Chromebook to factory default
  • System software updates

General Care

  • Do not attempt to remove or change the physical structure of the computer, including the keys, screen cover or plastic casing. Doing so will void the warranty. \
  • Do not remove or interfere with the serial number or any identification placed on the computer.
  • Do not do anything to the computer that will permanently alter it in any way.
  • Keep the equipment clean. For example, don’t eat or drink while using the computer.
  • Always completely close the lid before moving it, even for short distances.
  • Always store the computer in a bag/book bag. Note: do not store anything (e.g., cords, papers, or disks) in the area within the laptop case designed for the computer other than the computer itself as this may damage the screen.
  • Shut down the laptop if the student is closing the case for an extended period of time.
  • Do not grab and squeeze the computer, as this can damage the screen and other component

Disclaimer

Given the nature of technology use and applications, provisions are subject to change over the course of the school year. If such changes occur, students and parents will be notified via school publications and web postings.

If you have any questions about your child’s Chromebook or need to obtain a Chromebook for your child, please reach out to your child’s school. To have your Chromebook repaired, visit one of our Technology Support Centers listed below.

Parent & Family Technology Support Centers
Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Locations:

Fitzpatrick Annex Building

(rear of Fitzpatrick Elementary School)
4101 Chalfont Drive, Philadelphia PA 19154

Martin Luther King High School
(parking lot entrance on Haines Street)
6100 Stenton Avenue; Philadelphia, PA 19138

South Philadelphia High School
(entrance on 13th St.- press the buzzer)
2101 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148