Topic- iPad Costs? Where is the funding coming from for the iPads? For grades preK-6 students, the iPads used are older, used iPad 3s, and have been paid for by East Allen County Schools during the 2011-2015 school years.

What type of iPad are the students receiving? Students in grades preK-6 will receive a 32 gigabyte iPad 3, with new or slightly used case. All iPads have been updated to the most recent operating system available at the start of SY2016-2017 (iOS 9.3.2)

Are there any other costs associated with the iPad? Aside from damaging an iPad on purpose or in the schools where the principal chooses to send the iPad home, there are no costs for parents. If a child attends a grade 4-6 school where the principal chooses to send the iPad home, the $30 insurance deductible is an option for parents. Please contact your school’s principal or secretary for details.

What does a student do if the iPad breaks? If the iPad breaks, the district will pay for repairs, with the exception of grade 4-6 schools where the principal chooses to send the iPad home. In these schools, the $30 insurance deductible is an option for parents, and parents must pay for the repairs. In all schools, if the student intentionally damages the iPad, regardless of school or grade, parents must pay for repairs.

Can students and parents call Apple Care+ for preK-6 iPads? No: Apple Care+ was purchased only for the new grade 7-12 devices. If parents have further questions, they may contact Apple at https://support.apple.com/
Additionally, parents may contact the Director of Technology at kmadsen@eacs.k12.in.us.

What happens if the iPad is lost or stolen? If a child attends a grade 4-6 school where the principal chooses to send the iPad home, the $30 insurance deductible is an option for parents. If lost or stolen, parents must file a police report by the next school day, and will pay a $120 replacement fee. Please contact your school’s principal or secretary for details.

Topic- Textbooks

Is EACS going to replace textbooks with digital content? We are currently in a period of transition from sole dependency on textbooks to a digital environment that allows access to a much greater range of educational materials and experiences. Certain printed textbooks will still be available during this transition period. Over time, we will be adopting digital textbooks and resources to use on the iPad across all content areas. Currently, three core subject area textbooks are in digital form on the iPad: McGraw Hill Reading Wonders, and Pearson Math and Social Studies.

Will all books be available on the iPad? All major textbook publishers are transitioning to digital textbooks across the country.

What different types of textbooks exist for the iPad? There are e-textbooks (textbooks converted to be read digitally) and iTextbooks (textbooks that have interactive videos, content and widgets).

Topic- iPad Roll-Out

When will students be issued an iPad? EACS grade preK-6 iPads will be ready during the first week of school. Students will be assigned an iPad at a time as designated by the building principal and teachers.

May my child use their own personal device in school? No, due programming, management, and security issues, it is not possible for EACS to allow individually owned devices. This option may be explored in the future.

May students take the iPad home? Yes, if a child attends a grade 4-6 school where the principal chooses to send the iPad home, the iPads will begin coming home at a time designated by the principal and the teachers.

Have we studied other school systems that have implemented this long term? Have we asked the hard questions such as," What would you do differently? What has been a nightmare for you in this process?"
Yes, we have visited several school districts that are currently participating in a 1:1 initiative. The devices of these initiatives ranged from iPads, MacAirs, Microsoft Surface, Lenovo Tablet, and Windows laptops (Dell, HP). We have also had multiple conversations with technology directors across the state and country on the trials and tribulations of their 1:1 initiatives.

Will students keep the devices during breaks? Students in a grade 4-6 school where the principal chooses to send the iPad home will be able to keep the device throughout the entire school year. Devices will be collected during the two weeks prior to Summer Break. This decision may be revisited at a later date.

Where can I learn more about the iPad? You can learn about the iPad directly from Apple - visit http://www.apple.com/ipad. You can also have your student join EACS Student Tech Help, a help course inside Canvas, or use the free iTunes U course: EACS iParent/iStudent.

What happens when new iPad models come onto the market? EACS’s Technology Committee and Department will look at all new options of all technologies available at a later date.

Topic- Digital Citizenship

 What is the digital citizenship course that my child will be working on? The EACS digital citizenship course will continue to be content from the website CommonSense.org. The topics covered will range from technology basics to Internet safety. Any questions on completion of this requirement can be directed to our Director of Technology at kmadsen@eacs.k12.in.us or by visiting www.commonsense.org .

How much Digital Citizenship content will my student receive? Dependent upon grade level, students will receive between 1 and 9 hours of Digital Citizenship lessons from EACS teachers and the CommonSense.org content. Grades K-5 receive 1-5 hours of lessons and grades 6-8 receive 9 hours of lessons. Each lesson will be completed in semester 1.

Topic- iPad in the Classroom (Management/Accountability)

 Does my student have to use an iPad? Educational resources and content will be delivered via the iPad. This makes the iPad a necessity for your child’s education. The 1:1 program also brings individual learning to your student and provides your student the ability to “connect” with his/her peers, his/her teachers, and the world!

What are the benefits of bringing the device home? The iPad is a personal device allowing students to store notes, handouts, books, instructional videos, assignments and a large variety of other free applications that are designed to help students with mastery. The use of the device outside of school gives students access to all of their materials 24x7.

Do we have to have Internet access at home? No. This is often dependent on the application being used by the classroom teacher, but many Apps, such as Google Docs, can be used offline, and students will be able to complete homework assignments at home and turn in their work when they return to school the next day, reconnecting to the network instantly as they enter school. However, while not required, at home Internet will assist students in conducting research and collaborating with teachers and classmates outside of the classroom.

Is EACS providing an Internet carrier for home use? No, but in certain attendance areas, Comcast Essentials is available to EACS free or reduced lunch students for $9.95 a month. Please see building secretary regarding a flier about Comcast Essentials. EACS does not control the quality of service of local Internet providers.

If I already have an Internet provider at home, will my student be able to use our service with the school’s device? Yes. We will assist your student in setting up their device to switch from the school’s Internet access to your Internet provider. All that is needed is the network password.

Will my child use the iPad in every course? The iPad will be the student’s tool to use at school. We expect that how it is used will vary based on subject area. Each of our teachers is setting up an online classroom that will allow them to post class notes, assignments, etc. The expectation is that the iPad will be utilized across all disciplines.

What if a student forgets to bring the iPad to school? If a student fails to bring the device to school, he/she is responsible for completing course work as though he/she had the device with them.

Does the iPad battery last for the entire school day? Yes. One of the main reasons we chose the iPad is that unlike most laptop batteries, when fully charged, the iPad can run for up to 10 hours. As stated in the technology handbook, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure the device is fully charged when coming to school. Normally it takes two to three hours for the device to go from 0% to 100% charged.

Can Flash-based content be used on the iPad, such as Compass Odyssey? Yes. Students may use Puffin Academy to access sites that utilize Flash. Puffin Academy is a free, filtered, 3rd party browser, which allows Flash-based content on the iPad. Puffin also still allows EACS to stay CIPA (Child Internet Protection Act) compliant.

Topic- Device Management

 What app rating system will EACS use? Elementary school students will only access 4+ or 9+ rated Apps.

Will my child’s Internet traffic be filtered? While on school premises, all student internet traffic is logged and filtered through our proxy server. When off of school property, student internet traffic will also be filtered through a global proxy server.

Is there a remote find or "shut down" device on the iPad if it is lost or stolen? iPads can be located within the school via the wireless network. Remote wipe or “shut down” can be achieved in certain circumstances. All EACS iPads are in Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP) which means EACS can locate the iPad if it has been stolen, and if thieves try and “wipe” the iPad, it cannot be used again, and becomes worthless.

My child participates in an after-school club, activity, or sport. Who is responsible for the safe-keeping of the iPad? EACS highly recommends that students leave their iPad in their locked school-assigned locker when participating in home or away after-school events.

Will each building have its own tech support facility on site? Two Technology Coaches will be assigned to EACS schools to assist with iPad integration. In addition, tech support will come from technology department technicians, Instructional Coaches, CRT’s, media specialists and media paraprofessionals.
Topic- iTunes Store and App Store

Is a personal iTunes account required (Apple ID)? An iTunes account is only required in grades 4-6 of schools where the principal has chosen to send the iPad home. EACS “pushes” 90+ free educational apps, depending on grade level. In order to download other educational Apps, iBooks, or music, it is mandatory to have a personal Apple ID. This also allows your child to take ownership in the use of the iPad by being able to download apps, music, etc. that are of interest to them within EACS guidelines.

Is a credit card required to download and install software? No credit card is required; students will set up a free Apple ID which gives them the ability to download apps. Students or parents can buy iTunes gift cards and load money on a student’s account if they so choose. This does not require a credit card.

Can I load apps on my child’s device? Yes, for the grades 4-6 schools where the principal has chosen to send the iPad home. We are allowing parents to purchase apps for their child above and beyond what is offered by the school. You can do this by loading their iTunes account with a gift card. However, the iPad still follows the restrictions placed on it by EACS, so only 4+ and 9+ rated Apps can be downloaded.

Can a student install other apps or music? Yes, for the grades 4-6 schools where the principal has chosen to send the iPad home, students are permitted to use the device for personal use within certain guidelines. Refer to the EACS Technology Handbook for more information. Only 4+ and 9+ rated Apps can be downloaded.

Are there discounts available on app purchases? Other than teacher-specific purchased Apps, all educational apps used at EACS are free. Additional apps will be loaded on the iPads if found educationally beneficial.

Topic- Canvas (EACS’s Learning Management System)

 What is Canvas? Canvas is our district’s Learning Management System (LMS). We are entering our 2nd year with Canvas. An LMS manages a teacher’s digital classroom by giving the teacher the ability to send quizzes, assessments, assignments, discussions, to the students in a course, as well as organize a calendar, post an entire year’s curriculum, videos, web-links, images, and other content important in the teaching and learning process.

How do students log in to Canvas? Eacs.instructure.com is the district site for Canvas. Student logins to Canvas are the same as their computer logins. Username is Student number, and password is student first name(first letter capitalized), and last 4 digits of student number.

Can parents have access to Canvas? Yes, parents setup their own Canvas access if they prefer. Please ask your child’s teacher for instructions on how to access Canvas.