What is BYOD?
BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Device. BYOD is a program where students will be able to bring and use their own device; be it a chromebook, tablet, laptop or other approved device at school, in order to access the school’s filtered Internet service for learning.
What types of devices can my child bring to school?
Students may bring devices such as chromebooks, laptops, netbooks, and tablets. The exact specifications can be found in the JEHS BYOD – Device Specifications Checklist (705KB PDF). Please be aware devices such as gaming devices are not part of the BYOD program.
Will any device do?
BYOD is just that. It is your device. Students can use a device brand and operating system of their choice as long as they meet the JEHS BYOD Device Specifications.
Can my child use their Smartphone or iPod touch as a BYOD device?
No. Smartphones or iPod touch devices do not provide an acceptable screen size for effective learning support. These devices are also generally equipped with SIM cards. These devices are unacceptable devices under the BYOD program.
When can my child bring and use their own device at school?
Before students can use the device within the school, parents and students will need to sign and return to school the BYOD User Agreement (319KB PDF), after reading and accepting the terms of the JEHS BYOD Policy (578KB PDF), JEHS Technology Acceptable Use Policy (412KB PDF) and the DEC Online Communication: Acceptable Usage for School Students.
Do students have to bring the device to school every day?
Yes. This device will be required at school every day. Teachers will be preparing activities which may require use of this device. Students must ensure that their device is fully charged.
Who maintains and pays for these devices brought to school?
These devices will be purchased by and remain the property of the student/family. Any maintenance and warranty of devices are also the student’s responsibility. The Internet service provided by the school is free for students to use on their devices.
How do I acquire a new device?
New devices can be purchased from any reputable retailer, just take along the JEHS BYOD – Device Specifications Checklist (705KB PDF) The school has negotiated with a company called ‘Learning with Technologies’
who has setup up a BYOD parent portal to assist you in choosing a device. However, you are under no obligation to purchase the device using this service.
Can my child customise or individualise their device?
The device is owned by the family. As such, students are allowed to install whatever they wish on their devices. However, students must remember that their teachers will be given full access to the device for learning support purposes under the user agreement. If a student would not want a teacher to see something, then it should not be on the device.
I don't have or can’t afford a device that my child can bring to school
There will be available a small quantity of “pool” devices maintained by the school for short term loan only. To ensure access and equity for all students, the school has established procedures for families to apply for assistance in obtaining access to a device. If you are unable to provide a device that meets the specification you may make an application in writing to the principal, or make an appointment to speak with the Principal, to outline your case.
Can the device be charged at school?
There are no charging facilities provided at school. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure the device has enough charge to last the whole school day. Under the user agreement, students are responsible to bring their device fully charged for use every day. Generally, a fully charged Chromebook will last for up to 9 hours without charging.
What services for backup and printing will be provided by the school?
It is the student’s responsibility to save and backup their own work. Backup facilities are only carried out on the files that the student has uploaded to the school server. No backup of personal files will be provided. No printing services will be provided by the school from these devices. Any work requiring printing will be processed through school-based desktop computers or at home.
What do I, as a parent, need to do to accommodate the device at home?
You need to ensure that the device is fully charged for the next day and is updated with the latest operating software, antivirus programs, and apps. It is also important that the student’s work is backed up in case of accidental loss of data.
Will students be completing homework using the device?
Yes. Teachers may set homework where the device will need to be used to complete it. It is advised that parents employ normal monitoring methods when using the device.
How will my child access the school wireless network/Internet? Can they use their own Internet?
Internet is provided by the school’s 5 GHz secure wireless network. DEVICES WITH SIM CARDS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. All sim cards should be removed. Any student who connects or ‘tethers’ their device to their mobile phone in order to gain access to the Internet will be breaching the BYOD User Agreement (319KB PDF) and as such school discipline consequences for the breach will apply. The school’s internet is filtered and monitored and blocks unacceptable or banned internet sites including some social media sites such as Facebook. This filtering is only applied when the student is at school.
Can my child access blocked or inappropriate sites at school?
The school’s wireless Internet access available to students will be filtered in the same way that access is managed at present. However, if students connect using their 3G or 4G connections, then this will bypass the filtered Internet access, allowing them to access blocked, unacceptable or banned Internet sites including some social media sites such as Facebook. This will be in breach of the BYOD Policy (578KB PDF)
Will I need to have Internet access at home?
It would be helpful to have some form of Internet access (wired or wireless) in order for a child to make full use of school resources from home, as well as the multitude of resources available on the Internet. But, as such it is not a requirement. In addition, there are many providers of free Wi-Fi in the community that students could use to access the internet outside of school hours. Please be aware that these connections do not provide access to filtered internet as experienced on the school’s network.
Will there be technical support provided at school?
Yes. However, considering that there will be hundreds of devices that could be brought to school as part of the BYOD program, the extent of technical support will be limited to support connecting to the school’s wireless network as well as minor standard application support. There will be no support provided for repairs of any kind.
As a parent, am I required to add additional software (virus protection, filter, tracking device etc.) to my child's technology device?
Yes. All applicable devices that connect to the internet will need to have antivirus software installed. However, no antivirus software is needed for the Chromebooks. They come with built-in malware and virus protection, with multiple layers of security. It automatically updates the system and the Virus protection, so you are always running the latest and most secure version. Chrome manages your updates silently in the background. Installing latest updates for software, tracking software and apps is your responsibility.
Will parents need to purchase apps or applications to support learning?
There may be a small cost associated for downloading required applications. There are many applications and apps that are available for free. Students will also have access to Adobe Creative Cloud applications, Microsoft applications and Google Apps for Education at no cost.
How should I protect the device from damage?
A range of protective covers are available online or in stores. It is recommended that students protect all devices while in use or stored in their school bags.
What happens if the device is stolen, lost or damaged?
The device is the sole responsibility of the student. The guidelines for the BYOD program specifically address the risk of students bringing their own devices to school. We recommend taking out warranty and insurance to cover these eventualities. Most manufacturers will not cover theft, loss or deliberate damage under their warranty. It is recommended that parents discuss options with their home & contents insurance provider for details and cover. The school will not be responsible for loss, damage or theft. However, you might also consider using a device locator service or an application to track your lost device. These services/applications include the "Find my iPad" service built in to Apple iOS devices, "Prey" for Windows or "LoJack for Laptops" and many more.
What suggestions does the school have for dealing with damage?
No matter how much care is taken with devices, there is always the chance of accidental or unintended damage. For this reason we strongly recommend that families investigate warranty and insurance options at the time of purchase or with their current insurance provider. Many insurance providers will provide options for ensuring these types of devices against theft and accidental or intentional breakage/damage. The school is unable to provide any reimbursements for the damage to the device.
What if my own device is broken or being repaired, can I borrow a device?
If you purchase your device from a retailer, you must consider the warranty options. You must check if the retailer will provide you with a loan device until your device gets repaired or replaced? However, if you purchase your device from the parent portal setup by Learning with Technologies, they will provide you with a pool device that can be used at school while the device is being repaired or replaced.
Can I store my device at school?
No. There are no facilities to store devices securely at JEHS. Students are advised to place a lock code or security measure on the device to disallow access and be vigilant at all times.
Some classes will have very specific requirements that may not be met by the vast majority of BYOD devices – classes like technology, photography, arts etc. How will those classes work?
JEHS will continue to maintain computing labs for higher order tasks and specialised software. Students will have access to these specialised software and computers at school.
How will the school deal with students who use their devices for non-educational purposes (such as games) during school times?
Students have always found ways to be off task in a classroom environment. We understand that having a device creates distraction from in-class tasks much more tempting. JEHS expects students to stay on task while in class. Students failing to do so will be dealt with in accordance with the school’s discipline policy in conjunction with the BYOD and Technology policies.
Can students use another student's device?
Because of the inherent nature of personally owned devices, devices should only be used by the owner of the device. It is the student’s responsibility to take care of their device. Usually, having physical access to someone’s personal device also provides the ability to email or text message from their accounts.