Chromebooks at home

After working with both parents and students to explore whether or not Chromebooks should go home with students, it has been determined that, on the whole, the benefits of students taking home their Chromebooks outweighs the drawbacks that may also exist. By taking home their Chromebooks, all students will be able to continue meaningful learning that is a direct extension of the school day. Learning and student work need not be confined to a single place and time.

For the 84% of School District 21 middle school students who have Internet access at home, students will have significant opportunities to collaborate with their peers outside of the school day in natural ways on important work. For those students who do not have Internet access at home, the Chromebook is still a powerful tool to support continued learning in reading, writing, and mathematics. Additionally, School District 21 remains committed to working to help direct families to appropriate places in which one can access the Internet as well as to those programs available to families to make Internet access achievable for all, such as Comcast’s Internet Essentials.

While at home each night, students will be expected to fully charge the Chromebook for school the next day. Additionally, when students access the Internet from outside District 21 school buildings on their Chromebook, they will continue to be guided through the same filter that is in use within School District 21. At the same time, parents are, of course, encouraged to develop their own family rules and guidelines for the time, place, and duration of using the Chromebooks.

The students’ Chromebooks are their assignment notebook, source for notes from class (including ones taken collaboratively with peers to ensure that they are most complete and most accurate), their graphing calculator, their writing journal, and so much more–and the Chromebooks can fulfill these roles at school and at home.