Frequently Asked Questions

How is one student’s Chromebook identified from another student’s?


All the Chromebooks are the same in appearance, so they look very much alike. However, each Chromebook will be tagged with an individual asset code to identify the user and includes a serial number. The district maintains that information, so if a Chromebook is misplaced, we can determine who it is assigned to and return it to the student user. Any ID stickers that are on the Chromebook when issued must stay on the Chromebook. No additional permanent markings of any kind (stickers, engraving, permanent ink pen, tape, etc.) shall be placed on the Chromebook or its carrying case at any time. While the devices are issued to students, they are still district-owned property. Additional permanent markings on the device or its case will be considered vandalism. Students can add non-permanent identifying items to the case such as ribbon, key chains or other removable items.



My child forgot to charge his/her Chromebook before school. Now what?

 Students are expected to charge their Chromebooks nightly at home and bring them to school fully charged. If one is available, students who do not bring a charged Chromebook back to school may be issued a loaner device for the day, which cannot be taken home. Loaners may not be available, and your student may be without the Chromebook for the day.  Charging stations will be available in hallways, cafeteria, and the Media Center.

 


Where can you get an Internet connection if the building’s wireless connection is not working?

The devices will only connect to the Web wirelessly. If the district’s Wi-Fi network is down during school, the Chromebooks will not have connectivity to the Web. However, some features, such as access to the student’s Google Drive, will still work on a limited basis. The work that is done off-line will not be backed up until a wireless Internet connection is restored.


The Hazlet public library provides public Wi-Fi access, as do numerous local businesses.

 


What login will students use to get into the device operating system?


Students will each have an email address that is their primary login and username. Students can change their password, but they cannot change their username. The district cannot recover passwords, and students should remember them to ensure successful logins.

 


Can the Chromebooks be used with another username?


No. Students and staff cannot access a district-owned Chromebook with any other login other than their district-assigned email. For example, students will not be able log-in to their personal Gmail account on a district-provided Chromebook. However, if a student logs into another device with his/her school username (a PC laptop, a school lab computer, a loaner Chromebook, etc.) all of their information (bookmarks, emails, documents, applications, etc.) will be available to them on that device when using a Chrome browser.

 


Will unsafe or inappropriate websites be filtered on the devices?


We do our best to ensure our child’s online experience is safe. Before each Chromebook device connects to the Internet, it must pass through district network firewalls and filters. This happens whether the device is browsing on campus on school-owned networks, or off campus using another WiFi router that is providing an Internet connection. Because of security settings built into the device, it must first route its Internet connection back through our district security settings (firewalls and filters) before any website or online resource is accessible. If your child is using the Chromebook at school, at home or at a public library, the device will always pass through our web filtering and network firewall system before accessing web content. Our web filters are programmed to block inappropriate content as much as possible.

 

 


What happens if students have been visiting inappropriate websites?


While we do our best to update security settings, some websites are not blocked or are able to bypass our filters. Teachers and parents are encouraged to check the browsing history of student Chromebooks on a regular basis. Browsing histories cannot be deleted by the students. The district will also conduct random checks of student browsing histories. If you discover any inappropriate web activity, please contact your child’s teacher, building principal or assistant principal. Inappropriate web browsing is a violation of the district Acceptable Use Policy and may result in disciplinary action.

 


What happens if the device is damaged or lost?


Here is what the Certificate of Coverage offers in our Chromebook warranty:


1) Includes 3 years of Accidental Damage Protection that starts with the Manufacturer's Warranty


2) Only one repair per year per device is allowed due to accidental damage


2a) One replacement unit (if needed) is allowed over the lifetime of the Extended Warranty Period


3) District insurance does not cover damage as a result of misuse or abuse of the device


4) Premium Battery Support includes one replacement of a defective battery per year of warranty

 


Can you print from the devices?


Digital online file sharing between staff and students is one of the great advantages of the Chromebooks and is an easy and efficient way to distribute and turn in assignments without printing. It also saves on paper, ink and toner use, thereby saving the district money. There are methods of printing from the Chromebooks, but it’s not encouraged or particularly easy. Most printing of schoolwork should be done at school. However, we are encouraging staff to try and limit printing of assignments.

 


What if another student damages my student’s device?


Incidents of damage will be investigated on a case-by-case basis. School administration will investigate cases of vandalism and intentional damage or irresponsible handling.

 


How would you go about repairing a Chromebook that is not functioning?


Damaged or non-functioning devices should be turned in to the Technology Department so a repair can be started. District technology staff members can repair many problems in-house, which may take a day or two. Other problems may require the devices being sent out for repair, which can take a several days or perhaps longer.

Students who are without their device due to repairs will be issued a loaner to use during the school day. Loaner devices must be returned to the Main Office at the end of the school day.

 


What are the replacement/repair costs of the Chromebook and accessories?


Below you will find a list of common repairs and their costs.   Prices are subject to change.


Replacement Costs:

  • Acer C740 - $312

  • LCD Panel - $46

  • Battery - $39

  • Motherboard - $79

  • Keyboard - $69

  • Charger - $29

  • Bezel [the outside frame of the Chromebook] - $19

  • LCD Back Cover - $25

  • Bottom Cover - $29

 

 

 

How much storage do students have?


Students using Chromebooks in the Hazlet domain have unlimited online “cloud” storage that is attached to their email and accessible via the Google Drive application.

 


What kind of applications (Chrome Apps) are on the devices


There are thousands of Apps available for Chromebooks covering a wide variety of topics. The apps, which run in the Chrome browser, are downloadable through the Chrome Web Store.

 


Can students download apps?


No. Student access to the web store is limited.

 


What applications will be available on my child’s device?


Different applications will appear on student devices depending on what grade the student is in or what classes he/she is enrolled in. For instance, a student in Science class may have different applications on his/her homescreen than a student who is not in the class. The same goes for online textbooks.

 


What devices can be connected to a Chromebook?


A Chromebook can connect to:

 

  • USB storage devices, mice and keyboards

  • SIM cards

  • SD cards

  • External monitors and projectors (via HDMI)

  • Headphones, earbuds, microphones

 

 

How can students submit work or assignments via their devices?


Google Drive and Google Classroom have features built in that allow work to be “shared” between teachers and even classmates. Students can create documents, spreadsheets, drawings, photos, presentations and even videos. Each item can be “shared” with a teacher prior to its due date. The teacher can then see the work on his or her own computer to review it or grade it for the student.

 


What if a student is out of school for an extended period (illness, travel, family emergency, etc.)?


Chromebooks will make it even easier for students to receive work from their teachers. Assignments, readings, and other resources can be placed online and shared with the student who is absent. The student can do the work online from home and share it back with the teacher.

 


Will class lessons ever be recorded so students can review material?


Possibly. Some teachers are looking at different applications to video/audio record specific course lessons and make them available via the web. This would allow students to view recorded lessons and access related materials (handouts, presentations, etc.) online for review or for students who are out of school to not miss a thing. There may even be options for having courses streamed live. At this point though, we’re still exploring.

 


Personalizing Your Chromebook


Students may add appropriate applications, music, photos, and videos to their Chromebook. Personalized media are subject to inspection and must follow the Hazlet Township Area School District Acceptable Use Policy.

Students are permitted to decorate the exterior of their Chromebooks with hardcover shell cases or skins.  The cases or skins must be school appropriate, removable, and may not affect the working condition of the Chromebook, and may not cover district asset tags or labels.

 


Will devices be kept by students over summer?


Yes. The district will collect the Chromebooks at the end of 12th grade.

 


How long should Chromebooks last?


Chromebooks have very few moving parts in them and generate very little heat. Therefore the life expectancy — so long as they are treated appropriately — is fairly significant. Five years or more is not an unrealistic life expectancy. Additionally, the devices have powerful processors, adequate memory, and automatically update the latest software and security features without anything needing to be done by the student.

 


Can the district track web history?


Yes. The district can track information on what sites students were on, when they were on them, and how long they were on those sites. Students should only visit sites that are approved by the district and those that are not in violation of the Acceptable Use Policy. Violations of the policy can result in disciplinary action, including the student being suspended from using the school network and device use.

 


Are other districts doing this?


Yes. We’ve been in contact with other districts around the state that have done one-to-one technology rollouts for students, including using Chromebook devices. Shore Regional is one such district. Before our Chromebook launch, we’ve sought advice on how to move forward from other one-to-one districts, learning from them what’s worked well and how to avoid certain problems.  There are also online resources about one-to-one programs in K-12 schools and we are using tips and advice from those sources, as well.

 


How can you prevent student copying and/or plagiarism?


There are ways within the software systems installed to identify if work is copied between students.

 


Will paper assignments become obsolete?


We can’t say we’ll never have paper or printed projects or work, but it will become less used as time goes on. This can add up to significant cost savings for the district by using less ink, toner and paper. That’s good for the environment, too.

 


Can parents use the Chromebooks?


When a student is logged into the Chromebook, parents can use them to check on student work, view their browsing history or connect with teachers through our Realtime parent portal or via the student’s email. The Chromebooks are not intended for personal use for the student or their parents.

 


Can student work be transferred from their Chromebook to another device?


Student applications, emails, bookmarks, documents, presentations and just anything done in the Chrome browser while a student is logged in is available on another Chrome browser on another device when the student logs in with his or her district email address. The content will be the same on the Chromebook as it is, say, on a PC desktop computer, so long as students are using a Chrome browser and their email login.


Data can also be saved to a USB drive and transported between devices.

 


What about computer viruses getting onto the Chromebook?


Since the applications run through the browser and online, there is little worry about having viruses infect the Chromebook’s software or hardware.