Who May Pickup?

We prefer the student or parent.  One family member may pickup for the entire family.

What are rules regarding like cases, sleeves, stickers, and keyboard coverings?

Cases, sleeves and keyboard covers are at the student's discretion.  A variety will be available in the Roncalli Spirit Wear Store during their normal hours.

Students will be allowed to place stickers on the Chromebook.  Stickers may NOT cover the official Roncalli asset tag that is on the Chromebook bottom.  Stickers must be appropriate, similar to what is allowable on clothing.

Updated Information Regarding Pickup

The Roncalli Media Center is the location for pickup.  Enter the school via the Main Entrance.  The main hallway is on your right.  The Media Center is at the end of that hallway.

Either a parent or student will need to pickup the Chromebook.  An acknowledgment of receipt is required, however, there will be no paper form to sign.  We will ask each person to enter their name electronically.

Printing

Chromebook based printing is available in the Roncalli Media Center.  Four printers have been installed organized by graduation year.  Students will be allowed to retrieve printouts before and after school each day.

A home based printer "may" be configured for printing at home.  There are instructions available online.  Please do NOT contact the IT Department regarding home based printing.

 

Are parents required to be present for Chromebook pick-up?

Original Questions:  Are parents required to be present when students pick up chromebooks prior to school starting? Is there any paperwork the parents must sign?

Either the student or parent must pick up the Chromebook.  There will be a form to sign acknowledging receipt of the device and basic terms and conditions that either may sign.

Our goal is to complete the form and make it available for completion prior to arriving, but the summer is short and the task large.  If we complete the form in time, it will be posted on this blog.

Will/would math assignments be online?

Assignments and Chromebook utilization will depend on each teacher.  Increasingly all our teachers are moving lesson plans, instructions and assessments online.

Googe Apps vs. Microsoft Office

Original question: Roncalli is a 'Life Prep school'. The majority of business uses MS Office as the standard office productivity software.   Having MS Office on their resume is a defiantly plus.  Was the selection of GAFE due to cost?

Reply:  Yes.  

Google Apps for Education (GAFE) is much more cost effective than Microsoft (MS) Office.  Additionally the hardware and on-going maintenance are significantly lower with GAFE as opposed to MS Office.  A quick comparison.  GAFE including all 70 software applications (docs, spreadsheet, mail, sketch-up, blogger, etc.) are free to Roncalli.  The current CDW price for a MS Office Academic license is $76.99 per license.  

GAFE also allowed us to purchase Chromebooks instead of Microsoft based laptops.  The estimated cost for hardware, warranty, and ongoing support would be double the investment made in Chromebooks.  

Roncalli continues to teach utilizing MS Office in our College and Career semester long class.  This continues a tradition of utilizing a market leading tool so our students understand word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications.  These have changed over the 50 plus years the school has been opened.  Originally it was manual typewriters, then electric typewriters, perhaps Word Star and Word Perfect, and now MS Office.  With that in mind, more Chromebooks were purchased for US schools last year then laptops and iPads combined.