All students new to the laptop/Chromebook program will be issued a laptop or Chromebook as part of the registration process after a parent meeting is conducted and proper parent and student signatures are provided. The laptop/Chromebook will be assigned in the same manner as a textbook. The serial number of the laptop/Chromebook will be recorded. Once the laptop/Chromebook is issued to a student, it will stay with the student for the remainder of the school year, or until the student withdraws from school. Students will be reassigned their original laptop/Chromebook each year while enrolled in Wilkes County Schools. Students are responsible for bringing the laptops/Chromebooks to school, taking them home each day, and charging them for use the next day. The laptops/Chromebooks are not to be left unsupervised at school or at home in unsecured locations.
All students will be issued laptop computers to use for school-related assignments. All students will follow the guidelines published in the Laptop Handbook. The parent and student agreement are included in this section. The Acceptable Use Policy is included in the Policy Section of the Wilkes County Schools website and in the Laptop Handbook.
Parent and Student Agreement
We are excited to be able to provide your child with a laptop or Chromebook computer while they are enrolled in Wilkes County Schools. These laptops and Chromebooks are to be used by the student for learning purposes only. Please note the following conditions of the program:
I understand the laptop or Chromebook is property of Wilkes County Schools and is assigned to the student.
I understand the laptop or Chromebook and its contents may be inspected at any time because it is school
property.
The student will return the laptop, Chromebook, carrying case, power cord, and any other accessories in working condition.
The student will use the laptop or Chromebook appropriately for school purposes.
The student is responsible for securing and taking care of the laptop or Chromebook.
The student and parent(s) will be responsible for all damage or loss caused by neglect or abuse. A $50.00 insurance deductible will be charged to the parents or adult student* for any accidental damage or neglect to the laptop or Chromebook. The full replacement cost will be charged for lost or damaged cases, batteries, and power chargers or cords.
The student will leave the laptop or Chromebook in the carrying case provided by the school at all times.
The student will not remove the battery from the laptop or Chromebook for any reason.
The student will not store papers, pens, pencils, or other items under the laptop, Chromebook, or between the screen and the keyboard in the carrying case.
The student will not attempt to disable or circumvent Wilkes County Schools’ Internet content filter or firewall to access sites that would otherwise be blocked.
A $25.00 reimaging fee will be charged if students download software which requires the laptop or Chromebook software to be reinstalled.
The student will follow the policies, procedures, and guidelines outlined in the Laptop/Chromebook Handbook and the Acceptable Use Policy at all times.
The student will not loan the laptop or Chromebook to another individual.
The student will not use the laptop or Chromebook near food or drinks.
The student will not disassemble any part of the laptop or Chromebook or attempt any repairs.
The student will not place stickers, drawings, markers, etc. on the laptop, Chromebook, or carrying case. The student will not deface the serial number sticker on the laptop.
Parents or adult students* will file a police report in case of theft or vandalism that occurs away from the school campus.
If the laptop or Chromebook is not in a locked location and is lost, it is defined as a mysterious loss. Mysterious loss is not considered theft and is not covered by the laptop/Chromebook insurance coverage. The full price of the laptop, Chromebook, charger, and/or carrying case will be charged for replacements.
Consequences
1st Offense – The student will be contacted by the principal or principal’s designee.
2nd Offense - The student and their parent will conference with the principal or assistant principal.
The parent must sign that they have been notified of their child’s inappropriate use of the laptop.
Subsequent Offense – Other disciplinary action will be taken at the principal or assistant principal’s discretion.
*The principal or assistant principal has the discretion to permanently confiscate the laptop from the student at
any ti.
There should be no expectation of privacy regarding the contents of computer files or communication using any school owned computer or network. Wilkes County Schools reserves the right to investigate, review, monitor, and restrict information stored on or transmitted via Wilkes County Schools’ equipment. Parents, guardians, and students do not have the right or expectation of privacy for any use of school owned laptops, Chromebooks, computers, or other equipment.
School or district administrators or members of the Technology Department may conduct an individual search of the laptop,Chromebook, files, music, videos, emails or other related items. The district will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in investigations of suspected illegal activities conducted through district owned computer systems.
Gaggle has a specially trained, dedicated team to monitor student accounts. All email, blog posts, digital locker files, instant messages, and other communications are passed through Gaggle’s standard filtering lists. Any content that gets blocked by the filters is re-routed to Gaggle’s HMS team. If the activity was the result of inappropriate behavior, a Gaggle Cyber Security Agent will initiate an internal User Violation Report (UVR). Management of blocked communication is based upon the best-practices of Gaggle districts' discipline and escalation policies. Messages will be regularly monitored during the Standard Monitoring Coverage Period. Any blocked messages received outside of that period will be reviewed during the next scheduled Monitoring Coverage Period.