Technology Questions

Grass Lake Community Schools was awarded a grant from Robert and Ellen Thompson which allowed the district to upgrade the infrastructure, purchase the devices (Chromebooks and iPads), and provide other classroom technology that will enhance the student learning opportunities.

No the district could not use these funds for any other purpose than the integration of a one-to-one initiative. The purpose of the grant from the Thompsons was to make technology available to the students to strengthen the educational opportunities the district is currently offering to the students. General Funds for this initiative were only used to supplement the grant and to support the initiative.

All students in grades 2 through 12 will be assigned a Chromebook. The 2nd through 12th grade students will receive an 11” Dell Chromebook. Dependent on the grade level, the students will be allowed to take the Chromebook home for use on school related work or projects.

All students in grades K through 1 will be assigned an iPad. .A determination will be made in the future as to the amount of time the iPads may be used at home.

The answer to this question is yes. Today’s students learn differently than the students did even ten years ago. Technology, which some are completely amazed by, is taken for granted by today’s student population. We are in the midst of a change on how material should be presented to the students. There are new learning approaches that are being introduced into the classrooms across the nation such as blended classrooms, virtual classrooms, and flipped classrooms just to name a few. Teachers are constantly being challenged to devise new strategies that will present their content in a manner that connects to the students. Digital instruction is progressing faster and faster each year. Devices that are capable of connecting to the internet in order to deliver instruction in today’s learning environment are essential. They provide learners with more control over the manner in which they learn such as time, place, and pace for studying

The school district has prepared an insurance plan/program to enable students to take the computer devices off campus. Students/Parents need to enroll in this insurance program on the device roll-out days before taking a Chromebook or iPad off of campus. The insurance is for the device only. Any cost for damage to the case or to the power cord that requires repair or replacement will be the responsibility of the student.
(Verification of homeowners insurance coverage or verification of insurance for loss , theft, or damage through another provider may be presented as an alternative to purchasing insurance through the school district.)

Staff and students are responsible for returning the equipment in good working condition following the Grass Lake Community Schools Acceptable Use Policy for Electronic Use. The options for insurance coverage are as follows:

1. Purchase the insurance agreement through the Grass Lake Community School District.  
2. Provide proof of personal insurance by bringing in a copy of their homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, or some other form of insurance.
3. Choose to use keep the computer at school in which case insurance will not be required.

Insurance is $25 per device per year with a $75 total cap per family per year. Families who are eligible for the free and reduced food services programs need to contact the building offices for further information.

The technology device is the responsibility of the student. Each Chromebook and Ipad comes with a limited warranty program. Should a Chromebook or Ipad be damaged, lost, or stolen the student and parent/guardian should immediately notify the school administration. The filing of a police report may be required to complete the “One-To-One Device Insurance Claim Form”.

If the Chromebook or Ipad is damaged intentionally, the student will be charged for the total amount needed to repair or replace the device, case, and software that has been purchased by the school. The filing of a police report may be completed if vandalism is suspected.

If the Chromebook or Ipad is stolen, the filing of a police report by the parent/guardian will be required. The Grass Lake Community School District may deploy software that may aid in the recovery of the device.

All Chromebooks and Ipads are being issued with a protective case to help prevent damage, but need to be handled with care

Parents and students must sign an Acceptable Use Agreement, a Parent Responsibiilty Agreement, and an Insurance Form.

Your student will not be issued a device

While movement to digital textbooks is in our plans, we are not ready to totally replace student textbooks with digital textbooks at this time.

The teachers in the district will continue to utilize hard copy material as needed.

Grass Lake Community Schools belongs to the Jackson Intermediate School District Technology Consortium. The consortium has invested in Securly which is a filter that is provided both on campus and off campus including the home.

Passcodes/words will be required at the time of the setup for all Chromebooks and Ipads to protect the security of the students and their work.

All requests for additional software and or apps should be requested through the student’s teacher. Applications to be installed will be provided by the District Technology Team.

The Grass Lake Community Schools staff and the Jackson Intermediate School District staff will be responsible for scheduling any repairs for the devices. The school district has hired an employee to assist with device repair for both the students and the staff. When devices are sent out for repair, another device will be provided on loan for the student until repairs are completed.

Each school building will provide an area where students can store and charge their Chromebook/Ipad overnight. However, students will be encouraged to use the devices at home as they will be an integral part of student instruction homework and will be needed to understand the material and complete work.

Parents will have the option of having their student use a personal device at home, but all students will be expected to use the district assigned Chromebooks/Ipads at school to allow teacher to plan for uniform and consistent instruction.

No. Students will have to turn in their Chromebooks by the end of the school year so the IT staff can service and update them for the following school year. High School students taking summer classes can request permission from their principal to keep their devices over the summer. 

Grass Lake Community Schools will be open from 7:30am - 4:00pm Monday through Friday and additional times as posted. Students are welcome and encouraged to use the libraries in the morning and afternoon. Wifi can also be accessed from the parking lots closest to each school. Students may also save files to their devices prior to leaving in order to work on student work at home. Jackson District Library also has wifi hotspots available for checkout by patrons to be used at home.