Introduction
Welcome to the Mendon-Upton Regional School District 1:1 Learning iOrientation. This will take you approximately 20-25 minutes to complete. In this iOrientation, you will view a video with an overview of 1:1 Learning in the MURSD, as well as acknowledge receipt of several documents, forms and other information. At the end of this iOrientation, you will have the opportunity to submit general questions or concerns about 1:1 Learning and the iPads which will be answered in various upcoming blog posts on the 1:1 Learning website.
Information & Help Desk
For up to date information regarding 1:1 Learning in MURSD, please visit the 1:1 Learning website at:
http://www.mursd1to1.com
At this site, you will find the 1:1 Learning Blog which will provide updated information throughout the year, as well as various documents and other information related to 1:1 Learning in the MURSD.
At both Miscoe Hill School and Nipmuc Regional High School, students have the opportunity to visit he help desk to receive assistance on their iPads. If your child needs any help with their iPad including broken iPads, cracked screens, setting up or changing accounts, or other general iPad questions or issues, they can make a help desk appointment by going to the 1:1 Learning website and scheduling an appointment.
Meet the Staff
- Joe Leacu, Director of Technology Operations
- Anthony Amitrano, Director of Technology Integration
- Bernie Curtis, Data Administrator
- Lisa Appell, Network Technician
- Felipe Angel, Network Technician
- David Taube-Perrotta, iPad Technician
Overview of 1:1 Learning in the MURSD
Download Presentation Slides & Notes
Acceptable Use Policy
Please read through the document below and continue scrolling to proceed to the next section when you are finished.
Procedures & Expectations
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Device Options
Option 1 – Bring Your Own iPad
Students and families who already own an iPad are welcome to bring their iPad to school for academic purposes. Students selecting this option are responsible for the appropriate use and protection of their iPad. iPads brought from home should have a protective case on them and be kept under the student’s supervision at all times.
Option 2 – School Loaner
Students and families may elect to use a school-owned iPad for academic purposes. School owned iPads may be used throughout the school year, and should be brought to and from school on a daily basis. The school will provide protective cases, USB cord, and charger for each device. Only apps for academic purposes will be allowed on school owned iPads, and a student may not enter a personal Apple ID on their school owned device; the school-assigned Apple ID must stay signed in on the device. Certain restrictions will be enforced on school-owned iPads to prevent inappropriate use of the iPad and encourage a focus on the iPad as an academic tool throughout the school year.
Option 3 – Current students who are enrolled in the “Rent-to-Own” program from previous years.
In previous years, the district has offered a “Rent-to-Own” program for families to make payments over the course of three years to pay off their iPad. (This option is no longer available for new students to select) Families that have elected to participate in this program should continue making payments until the iPad is paid off in full. The first payment of the 2015-16 school year is due September 15, and families in this program should receive invoices twice per year until the device is paid in full. Please contact Jay Byer if you have any questions about the current status of your account.
Device Protection
Direct Download Links for Information:
School Owned Devices
Personal (BYOD) Devices
The Mendon-Upton Regional School District is pleased to announce an arrangement that has recently been made with “Securranty”, a company that offers extended warranties on devices like iPads. Plans are available for both School Owned devices, and personally owned devices (“BYOD”) and cover a wide variety of issues such as:
- Cracked Screens
- Touchscreen Malfunction
- Battery Failure
- W-Fi Failure
- Bluetooth Failure
- Liquid Damage
- Camera Malfunction
- Headphone Jack Failure
- Button Failure
- Loose Charging Port
- Theft Coverage
- Cracked iPad
If you are interested in learning more, or purchasing a plan through Securranty, please visit one of the informational links below:
- For School Owned Devices: https://www.securranty.com/mursd-warranty
- For Personal (BYOD) Devices: https://www.securranty.com/mursd-byod-warranty
Cyberbullying & Internet Safety
With the increased use of technology to support the curriculum, students will have greater opportunity to access a variety of common functions available on modern technology. This includes the ability to communicate with other students and faculty. Staff members incorporate digital citizenship as a routine part of their curriculum which includes aspects such as effective online research, how to properly cite material found online and avoid plagiarism, posting appropriate text, pictures, and other media online, as well as various other important aspects of this topic. Follow-up and regular monitoring of students’ online behavior is strongly encouraged at home.
Cyberbullying falls under the same general guidelines outlined by the state for Bullying. Often, however, cyberbullying takes place off of school property and outside of the school day, making the school’s involvement much less clear. Parents are encouraged to follow the steps below if they believe their child is a victim of cyberbullying.
Steps to Address Cyberbullying and Inappropriate Online Behavior
- Report offending post(s) directly to social media – All social media outlets (facebook, twitter, snapchat, instagram) have procedures in place to flag and report offensive or inappropriate posts. Reporting these posts to social media will alert them to inappropriate users and may result in the user being restricted from using the service, or having their account deleted entirely.
- Contact the other party’s parents – If it can be clearly determined who is posting the inappropriate material, reaching out directly to their parents can be highly effective. Direct parent-to-parent communication has been found to be effective in addressing many student issues including cyberbullying, and helps ensure that student’s online behaviors are appropriately addressed in a timely manner.
- Alert the guidance department at school – If there is cyberbullying occurring, generally it can be assumed that there are other issues going on at school. Alerting your child’s guidance counselor, and encouraging your child to reach out to guidance with social issues, can help work these situations out. It also lets the school know that something is going on, and that we should be on heightened alert for any troublesome behavior.
- Report cyberbullying to the police – The school does not have the ability to request social media outlets for offending posts that have been deleted or removed. With serious incidents of cyberbullying that are ongoing, it may be appropriate to involve the police in investigating offensive or inappropriate online material. The school will work with the police departments of Mendon and Upton in addressing these issues and ensuring the safety of all students at school.