Handbook for 1:1 Learning

Student Chromebooks

Classroom teachers assign Chromebooks to students. Chromebooks are housed in their classrooms and not taken home.  

Special Accommodations 

Holt Public Schools is committed to providing all students the tools needed to access the curriculum. We are committed to ensuring IEP, 504, and EL accommodations are provided, including the use of appropriate technology. 

Students are responsible for the general care of the Chromebook issued to them at school. If a Chromebook is physically damaged or experiencing a mechanical problem, students in grades K-6 should immediately alert their teacher, and students in grades 7-12 should take it to their school’s library for assistance. Please visit our Technology Support Page for troubleshooting tips and video tutorials. 

General Precautions

• Never leave your Chromebook unattended unless it is secured in a locked location.
• Keep food and drinks away from your Chromebook to help prevent accidental damage.
• Gently and carefully insert charging cables, accessories, and removable storage devices
• Do not place heavy objects on top of your Chromebook.
• Use care when connecting and disconnecting chargers or other accessories. Students and families are responsible for the care of all district-issued accessories.
• Do not lend your Chromebook to others. Each device is assigned to an individual student, and that student and their parent/guardian are responsible for its care and proper use.

Carrying Chromebooks

• Chromebooks should be handled carefully. 
• Chromebooks should be carried with both hands.
• Always hold the Chromebook by its base, never by the screen.
• Only carry the Chromebook when it is closed.
• Never throw, slide, or toss your Chromebook.

Opening and Closing the Chromebook

Handle your Chromebook carefully to help prevent damage to the screen and hinges.

• Open and close your Chromebook only when it is resting on a flat, stable surface.
• To open the device, hold the keyboard with one hand and gently lift the screen from the center of the top edge with the other.
• Avoid using excessive force when opening the screen, as the hinges and display can be damaged.
• Before closing the Chromebook, make sure nothing is left on the keyboard that could damage the screen or hinges.
• Close the screen gently using both hands, one at each corner of the display.

Screen Care

• The Chromebook screen can be damaged if subjected to heavy objects, rough treatment, some cleaning solvents, and other liquids. The screens are particularly sensitive to damage from excessive pressure.
• Do not put pressure on the top of a Chromebook when it is closed.
• Do not store a Chromebook with the screen open.
• Make sure there is nothing on the keyboard before closing the lid (e.g., pens, pencils, or papers).

Logging In

• Students will log into their Chromebooks using their school-issued email account.
• Students should never share their account passwords with others.

Asset Tags/Serial Number/Barcodes

• All Chromebooks are labeled with a District asset tag. 
• The asset tag should not be modified, tampered with or removed. 
• The asset tag will be documented when the Chromebook is checked out to the student. 

Repairing Your Chromebook

• All Chromebooks in need of repair must be reported to their teachers (grades K-6) or to the library (grades 7-12) so that a help desk ticket can be submitted and a loaner device, when appropriate, can be issued as soon as possible.
• Loss or theft of the Chromebook and/or power cable and charger is the student’s responsibility and may result in the student being charged.
• Individual students are responsible for taking proper care of their District-issued devices. In the cases of accidental damage, the student will be charged for repairs. 
• Holt Public Schools Chromebooks should never be taken to an outside computer service for any type of repairs or maintenance as this could invalidate the warranty. Students in grades K-6 should take their broken device to their teacher. Students in grades 7-12 should take their broken device to their school library.

Chromebook Fees

Chromebooks are issued to individual students who are responsible for taking proper care of their devices. In the cases of accidental damage and if a student’s family did not purchase insurance, the student will be charged for repairs.

Hardware replacement expense estimates for intentional damage or loss:

District-issued Chromebooks are provided to support teaching and learning and must be used in accordance with the Holt Public Schools Technology Acceptable Use Policy and this Chromebook Handbook. Students are responsible for the care, security, and appropriate use of their assigned device at all times.

Failure to follow District policies, procedures, or the expectations outlined in this handbook may result in the loss of Chromebook privileges, including the ability to use or take home a device, and may also result in disciplinary action consistent with the Student Code of Conduct.

Holt Public Schools uses Google Workspace for Education to support teaching and learning. Students and staff have access to tools such as Google Classroom, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Meet, Calendar, and other educational applications.

Google Workspace for Education is designed to protect student and staff data. Under Google's terms, Google does not claim ownership of educational content created or stored by schools. For more information, visit Google's Privacy & Security Center.

Restoring the Chrome Operating System 

If technical difficulties occur, it is at the discretion of a district computer technician to factory reset the Chromebook, especially if repairs are substantial. Factory resetting will restore the Chromebook to its original factory settings; if this happens, any files stored on the hard drive will be erased. For this reason, it is the student's responsibility to utilize Google Drive or removable storage for backup of important files. 

Operating System Updates 

The Chromebook operating system, ChromeOS, updates itself automatically. Students do not need to manually update their Chromebooks. 

Students may not use or install any operating system on their Chromebook other than the current version of ChromeOS that is supported and managed by the District. 

Malware Protection 

Chromebooks use the principle of “defense in depth” to provide multiple layers of protection against malware, including data encryption and verified boot. There is no need for additional malware protection. 

Usage 

Students are bound by the Holt Public Schools Acceptable Use Policy, administrative procedures, board policies, and accessed content is filtered both while in-school and away. Searches deemed destructive or could potentially cause harm are flagged. Building administrators will then be notified so they can alert the parents/guardians of the student with flagged searches. 

The District utilizes an Internet content filter that is in compliance with the federally mandated Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). 

• All Chromebooks, regardless of physical location, will have all Internet activity protected and monitored by the District. 
• If a website is blocked at school, then it will also be blocked when a student is out of school. 
• If an educationally valuable website is blocked, students should contact their teachers to request the site be unblocked.

Google Workspace for Education 

Chromebooks seamlessly integrate with the Google Workspace for Education's suite of productivity and collaboration tools. This suite includes Google Drive, Docs, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Drawings, Forms, etc. 

All student work is stored in the cloud. 

Chrome Web Apps and Extensions 

Students are allowed to install appropriate educational Chrome web apps and extensions. The Holt Public Schools Acceptable Use Policy applies to all Chrome web apps and extensions individually added by the student.

If a student has questions about whether an application is appropriate for school, he/she may ask a teacher or an administrator in the building. 

The District maintains an inventory of all assigned Chromebooks, including each device's serial number, HPS asset tag, and the student to whom it is assigned.

District-issued Chromebooks, equipment, and network resources are the property of Holt Public Schools. Users should have no expectation of privacy when using these resources. The District reserves the right to monitor, access, and review the use of District-owned devices, accounts, and network systems in accordance with applicable laws and Board policy.

Backgrounds & Themes

• Students may personalize their Chromebook with school-appropriate backgrounds and themes.
• Inappropriate images or content must be removed and may result in disciplinary action.

Content Filtering

• All district-issued Chromebooks use the District's internet content filter, whether on or off campus.
• Internet activity on district-issued Chromebooks may be monitored and recorded in accordance with District policy.

Sound

• Sound should remain muted unless otherwise directed by a teacher.
• The use of headphones or earbuds is at the teacher's discretion.
• Students are encouraged to use their own headphones or earbuds for hygiene purposes.

Camera

• Chromebooks include a built-in camera that may be used for instructional purposes, including virtual learning, Google Meet sessions, video assignments, and other teacher-directed educational activities.

Printing

• Students are not able to print directly from Chromebooks at this time.

Saving Your Work

• Most student work is automatically saved in Google Drive and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.
• Teachers may also use other district-approved cloud services, such as Microsoft 365, and will provide instructions for saving work when appropriate.
• Although cloud storage greatly reduces the risk of data loss, students are responsible for saving and backing up important files. Holt Public Schools is not responsible for lost or deleted student work.

Students may bring personally owned electronic devices, such as laptops, Chromebooks, or tablets, to school. The use of these devices for educational purposes is subject to the approval of the classroom teacher and/or building principal.

Students who use personal devices on school property or the District network must comply with the Holt Public Schools Technology Acceptable Use Policy. Holt Public Schools is not responsible for the loss, theft, damage, or misuse of personally owned electronic devices.

Students are expected to log into the RamNet Wi-Fi using their HPS username and password.

If you have questions about your student's Chromebook, technology resources, or any information in this handbook, please contact the Holt Public Schools Technology Department. We are happy to assist and look forward to partnering with you to support your student's success.