EdTECH (Chromebooks)

Student & Family Expectations and Commitments

FAQs

Where can I get a district Chromebook for my child? 

Contact your school to get a Chromebook and charger checked out to your child. Every student will be provided with one device and one charger.  

What should we know about caring for the Chromebook? 

Your school will provide expectations for caring for your Chromebook, but here are some important things to keep in mind: 

• Students in grades 3-12 should come to school prepared to learn with a charged Chromebook 
• Keep food and drinks away from your device
• Keep device out of extreme heat or cold
• Keep heavy items, like books, off of your Chromebook 
• Keep your device and charger out of reach of pets
• Handle your device gently and carry it with care
• Plug and unplug cords from your device carefully
• Place your device on safe, flat surfaces where it won’t fall
• Be aware of charger placement and walking paths; someone might trip on your charger and pull your device off of a table or desk
• Carry and store your device with the lid closed 
• Before gently closing the lid, make sure nothing is on the keyboard
• Avoid using chemicals and cleaners on your Chromebook. These can damage the screen and keyboard.
• Keep track of your device at all times
• Keep your username and password private
• Shut down or reboot your device weekly to load updates
• Keep the Adams 12 Five Star Schools stickers and barcodes on the Chromebook. Make sure your student’s name is on the sticker.
• Keep your device clean and easy to repair by not adding any stickers or personalization 

What do I do if the Chromebook or charger gets lost? 

• If the Chromebook is lost, please notify your student’s school as soon as possible.
• To receive a replacement for a lost Chromebook or charger, please contact your school’s Library to check out a new device or receive a new charger.  
• A charge will be assessed for lost Chromebooks and chargers, per District Policy 3800.

What do I do if the Chromebook gets damaged? 

• You may trade your broken Chromebook in for a replacement at your school’s library.
• For help troubleshooting a device, you can send a help request to Adams 12 Family Tech Support.

What do I do if the Chromebook gets stolen?

• If your Chromebook is stolen, please file a police report with your local police authority and share that report with the district through Family Tech Support.
• To receive a replacement for a stolen Chromebook, please contact your school’s library to check out a new device.
• A charge will not be assessed for stolen Chromebooks.

Do I need to purchase anything for my district Chromebook?

• Adams 12 Five Star Schools provides each student with a Chromebook and charger.  Families are not required to purchase additional technology.
• Optionally, families may choose to purchase a headset, case, or carrying bag for the Chromebook

My student is transferring to another school within the Five Star District. Can they keep their Chromebook? 

Yes, if your student is transferring to another school within Adams 12 Five Star Schools (non-charter), they should keep the Chromebook that is currently checked out to them. If your student leaves the district, they must return their Chromebook and charger to your district school. 

Where do families go for technical support? 

• If you are a Five Star family and need technical assistance related to district-provided technology, please submit a service request at our Family Support Website: https://familytechsupport.adams12.org/hc/en-us (fastest response) or call (720) 972-4118

• School staff can help troubleshoot technology issues during the school day. If you're at home and need help, please contact Family Tech Support.

I don’t have internet connectivity at home.  Are there programs to support at-home online learning?

Please contact Family Tech Support to learn about connectivity programs and options.

Am I required to check out an district Chromebook?

Yes. Beginning in August 2021, the district will provide all Five Star students in grades K-12 with a district-managed Chromebook for immediate use.

When will my child’s devices come home? When will they stay at school? 

Students in grades Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade will store their Chromebooks and chargers at school. Students in 3rd through 12th grade are expected to bring their device to and from school each day, charged and ready to go. 

Every Five Star student will be issued a Chromebook for the following reasons:  

• The digital resources and curricular materials are designed to work with the district-provided Chromebooks, thus ensuring that students have equitable access to the tools, applications, and resources that best support learning.
• There are safety and security systems in place to keep students and their data safe on district-managed devices.
• Students are able to borrow, replace, or charge devices as needed to minimize disruptions to learning.
• The student learning experience is consistent, allowing teachers to focus on instruction rather than troubleshooting a variety of device types. 
• Students will have access to their district-managed Chromebook at home if they are completing any schoolwork that has a digital component.
• The cost and complexity of administering state-mandated tests is reduced as district-managed devices will be test-ready and approved.

May I use my own device at school?

Personal devices can be used by students, however they are expected to have their district-managed Chromebook with them at school.

• Some digital tools may not be compatible with some personal devices.

• Teachers/staff are not expected to troubleshoot problems on personal devices.

• Students may find it challenging to manage/transport multiple devices and chargers.

• The personal device will be confined to the guest network, therefore limiting access to some sites.

• If the student is using their personal device at home for school work, district safety and security systems may not be available to protect the student. 

• If the district-provided device breaks, is forgotten, or not charged, students can immediately receive a new one, gain access to a compatible charger, etc. Personal devices will not be supported in this way.

Information about GoGuardian and Web Filtering on personal devices and district-owned Chromebooks.

• The district uses GoGuardian, which includes multiple services and tools schools and teachers can use to support student learning. 

• One service, called GoGuardian Admin, provides behind-the-scenes filtering on all devices, district and personal, whenever a student is logged in with their district account. This filtering prevents the user from accessing potentially harmful content when they are logged into their student email address. If families do not want GoGuardian to filter Chrome browser web content on their personal devices, they should instruct their student not to log into their district Google account on that device.

• If you have any additional questions, you can submit a request here for additional information. 

• Teachers who elect to use another service called GoGuardian Teacher (enables teachers to chat with students as they work, view their screens, quickly share links, etc., during class time.) will tell their principals of their plans. This is just so you have an idea of who in your building is using this feature. No other action is needed on your part.