Other Stuff

What is the best way to clean the screen?

Use a soft, dry, lint-free cloth when cleaning the computer. If necessary, the cloth may be dampened slightly to assist in the cleaning areas that do not appear to be coming clean with the dry cloth.

Where should students store their Chromebooks when they are not in class (PE, lunch, practice, etc.)?

Students need to keep their devices in a secured location at all times when unsupervised. The best choice for secondary students is to lock their Chromebook in their locker. In most instances, the classroom door will be locked if devices have been left unattended, but students should check with their classroom teacher prior to leaving a device unattended.

If on an athletic team or with an activity group, never leave the Chromebooks in school vehicles, in the gym, in a locker room, on a playing field or in other areas where it could be damaged or stolen, unless directed to do so by district staff. Coaches and teachers will advise students on where they can safely store their devices.

Are textbooks being replaced with online textbooks?

The district continues to evaluate updated resources each year, and is working to provide the best materials available, including online textbooks. Several courses have access to online materials from textbook companies and will be used where appropriate. Having a Chromebook will allow the teacher to utilize a broad range of online resources and materials. Our goal is to incorporate online resources and fully utilize ChromeBooks whenever possible, however many classes (especially advanced classes and specialized electives) do not currently have an option for an electronic textbook.

Can I purchase my Chromebook when I graduate?

No, you will not be able to purchase the device when you graduate. It will be used for another student.

Do Chromebooks support Microsoft Office products?

Chromebooks are designed to work seamlessly with Google Apps for Education products rather than Microsoft Office products. The district adopted Google Apps for Education in 2012 as an instructional platform and students and staff have had great success using Google Apps for Education. Work in the Google Apps for Education Suite can be downloaded for use in Microsoft Office, if needed.

Google Apps for Education provides students with anytime, anywhere access. Google products are available from any machine at any time. Because Google Docs are cloud-based, students will have access to their work even if they do not have access to their Chromebook.

At this time, Microsoft Office products will not disappear from business labs and staff machines. If a specific course requires the use of Microsoft Office, then students will have access to the needed software in school. Microsoft Office is available as a Web App through the Chrome Store for students in a business class to access if they need it for an assignment.

Will students be able to download and install software on their Chromebook?

No. At this time, Chromebooks do not support software installation. Rather than running traditional software, Chromebooks rely on web applications. Fort Zumwalt School District will make available various educational applications from the Chrome web store.

Will students be able to keep their Chromebooks over the summer?

6th and 7th Grade students in the Middle Schools, and 9th thru 11th Grade students in the High Schools will have the opportunity to keep their assigned Chromebook each summer. Seniors must turn in their Chromebook prior to graduation or risk not receiving their diploma. Your student's school will reach out near the end of the school year with details regarding the use and storage of Chromebooks over the summer, along with options to store Chromebooks with the school rather than taking them home.

Can students print from their Chromebook?

The use of Google Apps for Education encourages an environment of sharing information electronically instead of printing on paper. This is a cost savings as well as an eco-friendly move for the environment.

The District recognizes there will be times when a student might need to print. Students will be able to print to a specific copier/printer designated within each building. FZSD will be unable to troubleshoot any difficulties that might be encountered when interacting with home printers if a student chooses to print something at home.

What about curriculum software that will not work on a Chromebook?

The district will not be removing certain curriculum labs. We know there are some courses that require a specific curriculum software (i.e. CAD, Adobe Creative Suite, or Visual Studio) which currently do not run on Chromebooks. In those instances, students would continue to work on the software in the curriculum lab. We do know that software vendors continue to develop web based versions of their program which, when released, are available in the Chrome web store. For example, AutoCad 360 is an available which might not be as feature rich, but could be used by many students if needed on the Chromebook, especially for assignments to be done outside of class.