Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Care of iPads in 2014-15

As the first year of our 1-to-1 iPad Initiative draws to a close, the division is busy reviewing many aspects of the project to date. Throughout the year, IBM Professional Services consultants have been meeting with staff and most recently students to gather feedback on the project and assist the Division in evaluating its effectiveness. We are looking forward to receiving this feedback to inform our instructional decisions going forward.

One aspect of our project that has become a real concern is the continued level of breakage the division isexperiencing. Even with the added protection that the upgraded cases provide, the division is still troubled by the number of damaged iPads the IT Department deals with each week. Although, staff have repeatedly reviewed with their students the proper care and feeding required for their iPads, the breakage numbers continue unabated.

Following a review of the current breakage statistics and the projected high costs for ongoing repairs it was the decision of the Senior Administration of the SJASD in consultation with Middle Years Administrators that as of next September, Students will no longer be permitted to take the iPads home. The iPads will remain at school at the end of the school day.

Next fall, each middle years classroom will be provided with charging lockers similar to those in Early Years classrooms. Students will pick up their assigned iPad each morning in their homeroom and will be responsible for their iPad for the duration of the school day. At the end of each day, students will return to their homerooms where their iPads will be stored, secured and charged so that they will be ready for the next school day.

Next fall, the caution fee program will no longer be in effect as the iPads will remain at school. We do appreciate that we are dealing with children and accidents will likely continue to happen. With that understanding, the Division is prepared to assume the costs of in-school accidental damage, not unlike any other asset entrusted to the student. Parents will continue to be financially responsible for negligent or malicious damage to the iPad. School administrators will review these situations and assess responsibility on a case-by-case basis.

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