TAKE HOME COMPUTER PROGRAM
Information for Parents
Parents must attend sessions to collect computers
Year 11 & 12 – Thursday 9th February 6:00pm to 8:00 pm
Year 10 – Tuesday 14th February 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Further Information available from the Gleneagles website
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Your child is invited to participate in Gleneagles Secondary College’s netbook program. This program allows students enrolled in the College in Years 10, 11 and 12 to have exclusive use of a school-owned computer. This will provide them with access to current learning resources. It will also allow teachers to engage students in quality e-learning activities in class and ensure they are well prepared to enter a technology-rich world.
This booklet contains a range of information that will hopefully answer many of the questions you may have about this program. Please do not hesitate to contact the College if you would like more information.
Kind regards
Sue Peddlesden
College Principal
UNDERSTANDING THE TAKE HOME COMPUTER PROGRAM
Why is this program being implemented?
Gleneagles Secondary College aims to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to be engaged and capable 21st Century citizens. A key component of this is technology, which most students will regularly use in their future careers.
When every student has access to a computer, they can also participate in unique educational tasks which would otherwise be impossible. These tasks will enable greater collaboration between students, and improve their learning outcomes.
Furthermore, a personal computer gives students access to learning resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is particularly valuable for senior students.
Do families have to pay anything?
This program is mostly funded by the federal government’s National Secondary School Computer Fund, and does not require parents/guardians to contribute any money (unless the device is lost, stolen or damaged – see below).
However, some funding is taken from the annual Essential Education Item Contributions, and parents are encouraged to pay these fees to ensure the program can continue to be adequately funded.
What do students receive?
Each student will receive the following:
-A Dell Inspiron M102z–AMD Dual core E – 450 Accelerated processor / 4GB RAM / 320GB HDD / 11.6” HDWLED Display, WLAN (802.11 a/b/g/n)
-Power adapter
-A Contego Armoured Slipcase to store the computer
-Pre-installed EduStar software (including Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Office)
-An ID tag which attaches to the hard case.
-An ID skin, which sticks to the top of the computer. This skin identifies the school and the student, and allows students to identify their own computer.
All equipment remains the property of Gleneagles Secondary College, and is only being loaned to students while they are eligible for the program. When students leave the College, or become ineligible for the program, the equipment must be returned immediately (see ‘What happens if I leave the school?’).
Which students participate in the program?
Only Year 10, 11 and 12 students whose primary enrolment is at Gleneagles Secondary College, including part-time students.
Students whose primary enrolment is at another school in the Eumemmerring Alliance will not be eligible, although they may receive a computer from their own school. These students should see the Gleneagles IT Technicians to arrange wireless access while at our College.
What must students/parents do before they can receive their computer?
Before they can receive their computer, each student and parent must sign an acceptance of this document, and the ‘Acceptable Use Agreement for the Take Home Computer Program’.The parent/guardian’s signed acceptance of these documents must be returned to the school.
A parent/guardian should attend an information session about the 1:1 Computing program to be held early in February 2012. At this session, the parent/guardian will receive this document and the ‘Take Home Computer Program Acceptable Use Agreement’ as well as useful information regarding the program and cyber safety.
Is participation in the program compulsory?
Gleneagles Secondary College has made a decision to implement 1:1 learning at Years 10, 11 and 12. As such, all eligible students must bring their computer to class.
A student or their family may choose not to take the computer home. In these situations, arrangements must be made with the school to collect/return the computer before/after school each day. The student will still be responsible for loss or damage to the notebook while it is in their possession.
Will students be able to install their own software?
No. For security and legal reasons, students may not install additional software on their computer.
Can students use the computer to access the Internet at home?
Students may use a wireless or Ethernet connection to access their home Internet connection. However, students are not able to use USB modems. When using the device at home, the student and parent agreements still apply. If a student uses their device to access or store inappropriate content at home, this will be treated as a violation of the agreement. Parents are reminded that the school cannot directly control or filter the content which students may access using their home Internet connection.
What happens if a student violates the agreement?
Violation of the student agreement will be treated as a student management issue under the College’s Code of Conduct. In extreme cases, the matter may be referred to police.
Gleneagles Secondary College is implementing this program because mobile computers are an important educational tool. Therefore, violation of the agreement will generally not cause a student to lose access to their computer. However, students who have violated the agreement may have restrictions placed on their usage, or be forbidden to take the computer home.
Can parents install Internet filtering software on the computer?
If parents would like to install Internet filtering software on the Take Home computer, they should contact the school technicians to make suitable arrangements.
Can a student bring their own computer instead?
No. For security and legal reasons, the only devices allowed under this program are the netbook computers provided by the school.
Will students still use pen and paper in class? Will they still require textbooks?
As VCE exams are still completed using pen and paper, it is important that students don’t lose their handwriting skills. Teachers will be encouraged to have students complete some writing tasks by hand in class. The computers are not intended to be a replacement for students writing notes, but rather as an additional tool to enable new ways of learning.
Textbooks may be available electronically in the near future, but at this stage, students are still required to purchase all relevant books from the booklist.
How will students keep the computers safe from theft and damage?
Students should take their computer to every class, except some technology or practical classes where this may not be appropriate. At lunchtime/recess, and when the student does not take the computer to class, it must be kept in the student’s locker and inside its hard case. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their lockers are securely locked, and nobody else knows their combination.
When travelling to and from school, students should put the computer in its hard case, and put this case inside their school-bag.
Students should avoid using the computer in public places, as this may make them a target for theft. Students must keep the computers in their hard-case at all times when they are not being used.
What happens if a computer is lost or damaged?
The devices are covered by an insurance policy. In the event of any damage which might give rise to a claim under this Policy you shall need to notify Dell Technical Support as soon as possible on the following number:
Home User Support: 1300 655 533; or Pro Support: 1800 634 560
- Take all reasonable steps to minimize the extent of any damage;
- Isolate damaged parts and make them available for inspection by Dell;
Upon notification of a claim being given, you must give Dell an opportunity to inspect the loss or damage before any repairs or alternations are effected. This may involve bringing the netbook to school.
When you call Dell, a Technical Support person will ask for the Service Tag number located on your netbook. Once the technical support has verified your purchase of Accidental Damage Protection, they will ask you a series of questions to assess the extent and cause of damage to the netbook. You must cooperate with the technical support to ensure that the netbook is properly serviced.
The technical support person will either send you a replacement part for you to install on the netbook (this can be done at school) or dispatch a service engineer to your location or give you directions to ship the netbook to the Dell repair facility.
What does the insurance policy cover?
The following events are covered by the insurance policy:
-Accidental damage (e.g. dropped, stepped on)
-Liquid spills
-Drops or falls
-Electrical surge
The following events are not covered by the insurance policy:
-Theft or damage while left in an unlocked and unoccupied building or vehicle
-The computer is stolen or damaged by an immediate family member, or someone whom the student has allowed to use it
-The computer is stolen or damaged while left unattended in the open air (e.g. at a park). However, you will be covered if this occurs on the way to or from school.
-Damage caused by acts of God or natural disasters, animals, pets, pests, intentional acts or fire.
Please note that the cover only applies within Australia, and some claims may require the student and/or their parents to lodge a police report or statutory declaration. Please refer to the PDS on the Gleneagles website.
What if the ID skinor ID tag is damaged or lost?
It is a requirement of the program that all computers have their ID skin attached at all times. Students may not use a computer with a missing, damaged or defaced ID skin. If a student loses or damages their ID skin, they must purchase a replacement at a cost of $20. Until the replacement is purchased, the student must not take the computer home, and may be required to use a loan device.
All computer bags must also have ID tags attached at all times. If ID tags are missing, damaged or defaced, the student must purchase a replacement at a cost of $3. Until the replacement is purchased, the student may not take the computer home.
Do the parent/student agreements still apply when using a Loan Computer?
Yes. When taking a Loan Computer, the student signs an additional agreement to take responsibility for this computer. Loan Computers are clearly identified as they have a different ID Skin to other computers.
Can I charge my computer at school?
Students must charge their computer overnight at home. If their charge runs low during the day, they may charge it at lunchtime in the VCE Study Hall or some classrooms, however they must ensure their power cables are not a tripping hazard.
Students should not charge their computers in class, as the cables can cause a safety hazard.
What happens if I leave the school?
The device and all associated equipment (charger, case, skin, tag, etc) remains the property of Gleneagles Secondary College and must be returned when a student leaves the College or becomes ineligible for the program.
Students who exit the school before the end of Year 12 will be required to return the equipment before their last day. Students who are graduating at the end of Year 12 may return the equipment on the day after their final exam.
If a student fails to return the equipment, the College will attempt to contact their family by phone and mail. If the equipment has not been returned after 28 days, this will be treated as theft and theCollege will take action to recover the equipment up to and including taking legal action through the police or courts.
What if the computer is damaged or faulty when I return it?
Every computer will be checked and signed-off by a technician when they take possession of it, and any visible damage is recorded. It is possible that there may be non-visible damage which only becomes clear at a later stage – if such damage is noted, the student will be notified immediately.
Can I remove the battery from the computer, or open the cover?
No. Students must not attempt to remove the battery or open the cover of the computer to access the components inside. The battery latch and cover screws are secured with tamper-evident stickers. The technicians will check for removal or interference with these stickers when a device is returned or serviced. If the stickers have been interfered with, the student may be required to pay for any damages to the laptop, or for any parts which have been removed.
If a student notices a problem with the tamper-evident stickers on their device, they should take it to the technicians to have the stickers replaced.
What if someone else damages my computer, or uses my computer to access/store inappropriate content?
Each student is responsible for their own computer. However, in situations where a student’s computer has been deliberately damaged by another GleneaglesSecondary College student, and the student who caused the damage can be clearly identified, the College will hold the student who did the damage responsible.
In all other situations, including damage by other people outside the school, the student who is allocated the computer will be held responsible for the damage, and expected to pay any applicable insurance excess or replacement costs.
A student should not allow anyone else to use their computer, as the registered recipient of the computer will be held responsible if their computer is found to have accessed or stored inappropriate content.
What about viruses, spyware and malware?
All computers come with Microsoft Security Essentials installed. Students must update this software and run scheduled scans whenever prompted, and ‘Clean’ any viruses, spyware or malware which it identifies.
What if I lose my data?
Each student is responsible for backing up their own data. Every student is expected to have a USB drive, and they must use this to regularly backup important files. The College takes no responsibility for the loss or corruption of student data, even when the computer is being worked on by IT Technicians.
Students must save their data within their user account folder, to ensure it can be easily identified and backed-up if a technician is working on the computer.
What should I do if my computer doesn’t work properly?
If their computer is having problems, the student should take it to the IT Technicians. If the problem will take some time to resolve, the student may be allocated a Loan Computer.
During school holidays, technicians may be available at the school. However, students will need to arrange an appointment with the technician by email. This will ensure there will be a technician available when you attend school. Emails should be sent to
Dell provides a hotline for student support 24/7.
Home User Support: 1300 655 533; or Pro Support: 1800 634 560
TOP TIPS FOR PARENTS
- Computers should be used in a central, communal area of the house – not a private place like a bedroom.
- Ask your child to show you the places they use online. Make this a regular, ongoing conversation.
- Discuss strategies your child could use if they were upset by something sent or posted online.
- Set time limits around mobile computer usage. Even during the busiest periods of studying, students should take regular breaks away from the computer.
- Reach an agreement with your child about the levels of personal information they can share online. It is important that private information such as their full name, address and images is kept private.
- Encourage your child to think before they post information online. They should be aware that once information is posted online it can be difficult to retrieve it.
- Reinforce ‘stranger danger’ messages and encourage your child to question who they trust online, as there is a chance that people may not be who they say they are. This can at times be difficult, as the concept of friends online can include people your child does not actually know offline.
- Remind your child about the importance of keeping their password a secret. More often than not, accounts are ‘hacked’ by someone known to the account holder using a password they have obtained from the account holder.
- Make sure you child’s online profiles are set to private so that their personal information is kept secret.
- Try not to use the removal of technology is a solution if your child has problems online. Research shows that the main reason young people don’t report online problems such as cyberbullying is because they believe their parents will take their access away.
The College website and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) website further cyber-safety information for parents.