St. Vincent Pallotti High School's 1:1 Laptop Program
St. Vincent Pallotti High School has been developing their Technology in the Classroom Program for over two years and officially launched it in August of 2009. Our goals of this program are to teach students how to use the technological tools available to them to broaden their learning horizons, use Web 2.0 tools and the Internet effectively, and prepare them for the workplace of tomorrow. We will also help teach students how to use the large amount of research tools available on the World Wide Web, thus increasing their ability to do research on their own. We will teach organizational and study skills, from organizing lecture notes to completing homework and submitting it electronically, using school provided software on the notebook computers.
This year you will be ordering your Lenovo products through DSR Inc. They have been providing us with service for three years and we are pleased to have them as our new sales representatives. Click here to place your order. Please pay attention to your choices. Although the Accidental Damage is not mandatory, Pallotti highly recommends it as it has come in handy for many students this past year. Any questions please feel free to contact Jerry Shipman - jshipman@pallottihs.org - or Jonathan Jacobs - jjacobs@pallottihs.org.
Below are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) we have received from parents concerning our 1-1 Notebook Computer Program. Please read through them to help guide your decision.
Q) Does my son or daughter have to participate in the program?
A) Yes. In order for the teachers to use technology effectivly in the classroom, each student must have a laptop.
Q) Why do I have to buy the notebook computer from Pallotti when I found a similar one at the local box store for less?
A) There are several advantages for having a common hardware and software platform, the foremost is having a stable platform that is compatible with the software packages that will be used in the classroom. Distributing this software to a known hardware configuration will make the use of technology easier for the students, the teachers, and especially the tech support department. Can you imagine the nightmare of having a classroom of 25 different models of computers? Now expand that to 30 classrooms in the same situation, each with different versions and patch levels of their operating systems and application software. With a common platform, training is simplified, tech support is simplified, and each student has a level playing field (not envious of their peers’ faster and better notebook computer).
Q) What advantage does my student have if he/she has a notebook computer?
A) As we are sure you are aware, most colleges now require some form of portable computing device. We feel that introducing them to this technology prior to college will ease the transition into the next phase of their education and give them an advantage by putting them a step ahead of other students and preparing them for the future jobs they will have.
Q) How has Pallotti researched other 1-1 Programs?
A) Please be assured the decision to bring the technology into the Pallotti classroom has been well researched. We have been preparing for several years. We have been in contact with other schools that have made the transition to a 1-to-1 notebook computer program many years ago. We have listened to their experiences and have already avoided some of the problems and pitfalls they experienced. Our Technology Department has attended national and state conferences in order to prepare for the program.
Q) How much does it cost and what is included in that price?
A) For current pricing, please go to our DSR order form. The student will receive a notebook with necessary school software (incl. Office 2007).
Q) When do I have to order/purchase the notebook computer by?
A) You must order the laptop by July 1, 2010 in order for the school to be able to load our software by the start of school.
Q) What happens if the computer is not working correctly or is broken accidently?
A) The student should bring the notebook computer back to the Technology Department and they will assess the damage. If it cannot be repaired, it will be sent out to be repaired or replaced, which is covered under the accidental damage coverage and/or the manufacturer’s warranty. Do not bring it to the local repair shop or try and repair it yourself, as this may void the warranty. We send the computers to DSR, and they are an authorized Lenovo repair facility.
Q) What happens if the notebook computer is lost or stolen?
A) If the notebook computer is damaged due to negligence, lost, or stolen, it is the responsibility of the parent/student to purchase a replacement notebook computer through the school.
Q) Will my student be able to use the computer at home and have access to the internet?
A) Your son or daughter will have complete access to the Internet when they are at home. While in the building certain web sites will be blocked and the teachers will have complete control over when and if the computer can access the Internet during the class period. Outside of class, only certain web sites will be blocked by the Content Filtering service we subscribe to. This Content Filtering is a requirement by the Federal government in order for Pallotti to accept Federal grant monies. The Content filter has 50 categories of filtering available and we control the selection of those categories. We mainly have pornographic & violence types of sites being filtered.
Q) Will the software on the computer be limited to only what the school installs?
A) Yes, we will restrict the student from loading software onto the computer, for two main reasons:
1. Security: the loading of unknown software could pose a security risk to the other computers in the building if not controlled;
2. The only way we can even attempt to guarantee the computer will be working in the classroom is if we control the software that is on the computer. Many programs cause conflicts with other programs. Once the student graduates and takes the computer with them they are free to load whatever software they choose, but as long as they are connecting to our network at Pallotti we will have restrictions on software loading.
We really want to stress to the parents and the students that this computer is for use in their education while here at Pallotti, not for their entertainment at home. If there is a program needed for school or a class, it must be approved by the Technology Department prior to installation.
Q) Will I need to purchase any additional software for individual classes?
A) There will be no software you will need to purchase in addition to what will be provided by Pallotti. We hope that more of the textbooks will become available in electronic form. Once they are available, you would be required to buy either the book or the electronic version.
Q) Do I get to keep the notebook computer when I graduate? A) Yes.
Q) Do I get to keep the school software when I graduate?
A) You are able to keep the operating system and the Microsoft Office Suite, but all other software will be removed.
For more information please contact a member of our Technology Team.
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