Chromebooks

Student & Family Expectations and Commitments

What does technology use look like for students at different grade levels?

The district has guidance on how much screen time is recommended for students by grade level. This is designed to ensure that students have device-free time daily for focus, relationships, social skills and movement, while still giving them opportunities to develop digital skills and literacy. Students in elementary and middle school use devices at school, but do not take them home. High school students check out a district Chromebook that they can use at home and at school for the duration of the school year.

• Preschool - 2nd grade: 
  • The district recommends that screen time is limited to 15 minutes during the school day, unless needed for specific projects, accessibility accommodations or district assessment purposes. 
  • Students may experience additional tech use in their IDEAS lab class. This is not included in the 15 minutes of classroom instruction recommendation.
• 3rd-5th grade
  • The district recommends less than 45 minutes of  direct device usage during the school day unless required for specific projects or accommodations/accessibility or for district assessment purposes. 
  • Students may experience additional tech use in their IDEAS lab class. This is not included in the 45 minutes of classroom instruction recommendation.
• Middle school (6th-8th grade)
  • Blend digital and non-digital learning. Have an equal balance of digital and non-digital learning. 
• High school (9th-12th grade)
  • Screen time should ​​​​prepare students for college/career demands, emphasize productive use: writing, design, creating, research, data analysis, collaboration, and teach self-management, attention habits, and responsible technology use.

What should we know about caring for the Chromebook? 

Your school will provide expectations for caring for your Chromebook, but here are some important things to keep in mind: 

• Students in grades 9-12 should come to school prepared to learn with a charged Chromebook 
• Keep food and drinks away from your device
• Keep device out of extreme heat or cold
• Keep heavy items, like books, off of your Chromebook 
• Keep your device and charger out of reach of pets
• Handle your device gently and carry it with care
• Plug and unplug cords from your device carefully
• Place your device on safe, flat surfaces where it won’t fall
• Be aware of charger placement and walking paths; someone might trip on your charger and pull your device off of a table or desk
• Carry and store your device with the lid closed 
• Before gently closing the lid, make sure nothing is on the keyboard
• Avoid using chemicals and cleaners on your Chromebook. These can damage the screen and keyboard.
• Keep track of your device at all times
• Keep your username and password private
• Shut down or reboot your device weekly to load updates
• Keep the Adams 12 Five Star Schools stickers and barcodes on the Chromebook. Make sure your student’s name is on the sticker.
• Keep your device clean and easy to repair by not adding any stickers or personalization 

What do I do if the Chromebook or charger gets lost? 

• If the Chromebook is lost, please notify your student’s school as soon as possible.
• To receive a replacement for a lost Chromebook or charger, please contact your school’s Library to check out a new device or receive a new charger.  
• A charge will be assessed for lost Chromebooks and chargers, per District Policy 3800.

What do I do if the Chromebook gets damaged? 

You may trade your broken Chromebook in for a replacement at your school’s library. For help troubleshooting a device, you can send a help request to Adams 12 Family Tech Support.

What do I do if the Chromebook gets stolen?

• If your Chromebook is stolen, please file a police report with your local police authority and share that report with the district through Family Tech Support.
• To receive a replacement for a stolen Chromebook, please contact your school’s library to check out a new device.
• A charge will not be assessed for stolen Chromebooks.

My student is transferring to another school within the Five Star District. Can they keep their Chromebook? 

Yes, if your student is transferring to another school within Adams 12 Five Star Schools (non-charter), they should keep the Chromebook that is currently checked out to them. If your student leaves the district, they must return their Chromebook and charger to your district school. 

Where do families go for technical support? 

• If you are a Five Star family and need technical assistance related to district-provided technology, please submit a service request at our Family Support Website (fastest response) or call (720) 972-4118

• School staff can help troubleshoot technology issues during the school day. If you're at home and need help, please contact Family Tech Support.

I don’t have internet connectivity at home. Are there programs to support at-home online learning?

Please contact Family Tech Support to learn about connectivity programs and options.

Why does the district use Chromebooks?  

• The digital resources and curricular materials are designed to work with the district-provided Chromebooks, thus ensuring that students have equitable access to the tools, applications, and resources that best support learning.
• There are safety and security systems in place to keep students and their data safe on district-managed devices.
• The student learning experience is consistent, allowing teachers to focus on instruction rather than troubleshooting a variety of device types. 
• The cost and complexity of administering state-mandated tests is reduced as district-managed devices will be test-ready and approved.

May I use my own device at school?

Personal devices can be used by students.

• Some digital tools may not be compatible with some personal devices.

• Teachers/staff are not expected to troubleshoot problems on personal devices.

• The personal device will be confined to the guest network, therefore limiting access to some sites.

• If the student is using their personal device at home for school work, district safety and security systems may not be available to protect the student. 

When will my child’s devices come home? When will they stay at school? 

Students in kindergarten through 8th grade will not take devices home. High school students are expected to bring their device to and from school each day, charged and ready to go. 

As students engage in digital learning and build their digital literacy skills, we are committed to ensuring a safe learning environment. As part of this, the District uses a suite of tools called GoGuardian to provide web filtering services and tools for teachers to use as they support digital learning. Here is an overview of the services we use and how they work:

GoGuardian Web Filtering (provided by GoGuardian Admin)

This tool is automatically enabled any time a student logs into their school Google Account, whether that is on a personal device or a district-owned Chromebook. Families who do not want this extension on their personal devices should instruct their child NOT to log in to their school Google account on their personal device. This tool is only active when students are logged into their school Google account.

GoGuardian web filtering filters students’ internet browsing, YouTube searches and Google documents, much like students would expect to experience when using a school desktop computer. The filtering is designed to prevent students from encountering web content that might be harmful or inappropriate.

GoGuardian Teacher

Teachers who use this tool will notify families ahead of time. GoGuardian Teacher is active during a GoGuardian class when students are logged into Google Chrome using their district Google account during the course of the school day from 7 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

• GoGuardian Teacher will activate during class whether students are logged into their school account on a personal computer or a school-owned Chromebook. If you do not want GoGuardian Teacher to activate on your child’s personal device, please instruct them to use their district-issued Chromebook rather than their personal device. It’s encouraged that students leave personal devices at home, and use their district-provided Chromebook for school.

• Teachers can see student Chrome browser tabs and the schoolwork they’re doing in order to easily identify students who are struggling or may need more guidance. 

• Teachers can support student learning by blocking sites, closing tabs, or locking students to a specific website in their browser; sending links to websites they want students to view; or using chat to help students complete an assignment. 

• Teachers can use this tool to chat directly with individual students without disturbing the rest of the class, increasing participation and engagement. 

• Teachers can quickly and easily share links and information with students, helping everyone make the most of their class time together.

• A teacher is not able to take control of students’ computers, camera or access information or files stored on the computer. 

How does GoGuardian help protect my child’s privacy?

To help your child remain safe online, GoGuardian collects certain personally identifiable information about your child.  GoGuardian has consulted with privacy experts, participates in privacy organizations, is a proud signatory of the Student Privacy Pledge, and has been awarded certifications by iKeepSafe for complying with both Family Education Rights and Privacy Act and Colorado student privacy laws.  For more detailed information about GoGuardian, you may visit GoGuardian’s website, Trust & Privacy Center, GoGuardian’s Product Privacy Policy, and the COPPA Notice and Disclosure Form.