FAQs

1. What grades will have laptops in 2013-14?
   All Upper School students will use personally owned laptops this year, either Lenovo ThinkPads or Apple MacBooks.
2. What is the educational rationale for a one-to-one laptop program? Computers are a ubiquitous part of our environment these days, and colleges expect students to be proficient at using computing tools when they arrive. Moreover, more and more information is becoming available online, in the form of websites, online textbooks, and curriculum resources. As a college preparatory school, we accept that it is part of our educational responsibility to prepare students for the academic world they will become part of after they leave us. Students will become most proficient at the use of the computer and the information that the computer makes available if they have access to the laptop, anytime and anywhere.
3. How could this laptop program help students who have a learning difference? A laptop program can significantly address many learning style differences in the classroom. It can be a very effective personal organization tool. By providing audio, visual and kinesthetic reinforcement, a computer incorporates a variety of learning styles. Finally, a world of enrichment opportunities will be at each student's fingertips.
4. Will there be training for my child or me in how to work the laptop, and how to take care of it? Training will be provided for students when they receive the laptop; additional training will be incorporated into the academic curriculum. Other family members will be invited to participate in regularly scheduled training opportunities.
5. Will students be expected to bring their laptops to school every day? Yes.
6. Will the laptops be used in each class every day? Laptops in the classroom can help to improve students' writing as well as allow for spontaneous, student directed learning through Internet research, data collection and analysis, and multimedia presentations. We do not, however, promote the use of technology merely for its own sake. Use of the laptop in class will depend on the content area and the appropriateness of technology for the lesson being taught. It is expected that the type and frequency of use will vary according to the curriculum.
7. What type of laptop should I purchase for my child? Sayre School will recommend one Apple MacBook model  and one Lenovo ThinkPad model  for purchase. Only these models will qualify for support by the Technology Department.
8. What is the life expectancy of the laptop hardware and software? We have specified laptops with sufficient hardware resources to last four years. Additionally, annual software subscriptions provide us with upgrade protection for school-owned software, including McAfee VirusScan.
9. Do I have to purchase the laptop recommended by the school? We strongly recommend that families purchase the laptop recommended by the school. Classroom instruction using technology is more effective when all students work with the same tools; consistency and compatibility reduce the possibility of confusion and wasted class time. While it may seem that a comparable laptop could be purchased at a lower price on the outside, families should remember that laptops purchased through Sayre School come with features and services that are not always included in the laptop packages offered at retail stores. Purchasing these items separately almost always results in a higher total cost. The Sayre School laptops are bundled with software needed to operate in the Sayre School environment, at a savings not available through retail outlets. Non-standard laptops will be required to have Sayre software configuration in order to use the school network. Families who do not use a Sayre recommended laptop will still be required to pay the software fee. Additionally, we provide significant value-added services in the area of maintenance and support with the goal of minimizing down time should a problem arise. These services are not available to families who do not purchase their laptops through the school laptop program. Those students will not be able to use our repair services or laptop loaner pool. If families still decide not to participate in the Sayre School laptop purchase program, they must make certain that the laptop they purchase meets the hardware and software specifications established by the school.
10. How does the purchasing process work? Order forms are available in the spring via email, for pickup at school, and on the school's website; families  submit the order forms to the laptop vendor and make arrangements with the vendor for paying for the laptop.
11. What options do I have for paying for the laptop? Families may finance the purchase of the laptop in any way they choose, for example, by paying cash, paying with a credit card, or taking out a low interest home equity loan. If a family needs financial assistance in paying for the laptop or wishes to discuss other payment options they should contact the Headmaster.
12. What is the timeline for purchasing and receiving the laptop? To place an order for the 2013-14 school year you may order on-line starting in May.
    
13. What happens if the laptop does not work or is accidentally damaged? Some of the Sayre laptop models include a hardware warranty and accidental damage protection. If the laptop is one of the supported models, then the Technology Department will provide support for both hardware and software problems. The manufacturer's warranty will cover hardware defects; the accidental damage policy will cover any accidental damage. The Technology Department staff will expedite the repair process for families. In the event that a laptop needs to be shipped away for repair, the student will be able to use a "loaner" laptop.
14. What happens if the laptop is stolen or lost? Neither the manufacturer's warranty nor accidental damage coverage will pay for the replacement of a lost or stolen laptop. Families should check with their homeowner's or renter's insurance carrier to see if the laptop could be replaced through their personal coverage.Theft coverage for the first two years of the laptop's life is available as an option on the laptop order form.
15. What software should we have on the laptop for school? The laptop will come with the operating system, either Microsoft Seven or Mac OS X. The Technology Department will install other software required for the Upper School program.
16. Can we install other software on the laptop? The laptop belongs to the student and his/her family, therefore students may install any personal software which they have purchased. Sometimes, however, the installation of personal software may prevent the Sayre School technology staff from being able to troubleshoot or repair problems on the laptop. In these instances, it may be necessary to restore the laptop to its original configuration in order to return the machine to working condition. In this case, the personal software may have to be reinstalled by the student. Additionally, as explained in our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), students may be prohibited from using certain software applications during the school day.
17. In addition to software, what technology tools will be available to students? Students will be provided with campus email accounts. Through the school's Internet access students will have websites, online textbook resources, and online library resources available to them.
18. Will students be able to print from their laptops? Yes, both school and home printers may be installed on the laptop. The laptops will be configured to print to laser printers in the building. Students, however, will be encouraged to practice "responsible printing" to avoid unnecessary waste and expense. We will try to foster a paperless environment by creating drop boxes and relying on email. At some point it may be necessary to implement a printing quota. If a teacher requires that an assignment be printed, then the student is encouraged to print it at home before they come to school.
19. How will students back up data stored on their laptops? Each student will have network access to their network folder on their laptop. Students should save their work to their network folder daily. An additional backup method is to burn data onto a CD.
20. How will students keep their laptops charged during the school day? Students will be expected to bring their laptops to school fully charged; they should consider this to be equivalent to a nightly homework assignment. Fully charged batteries in laptops using the new Mobile processors will be able to last approximately twice as long as those with the predecessor processors. For supplemental charging during the day, there are plenty of electrical outlets in the upper school building, both in the hallways and in the classrooms.
21. Will students need to get online at home? Although it will be possible for a student to complete the Upper School curriculum successfully without Internet access at home, it is not recommended. Sayre School can only provide Internet access to student laptops when the student is at school. Access to the Internet at home is the responsibility of the individual family through an account with an Internet Service Provider. Home access is available locally through broadband cable access through the cable company and dial-up modem or DSL service through the telephone company.
22. Can I use my laptop on my home network and the school network? Access to multiple networks at home and at school is available through the creation of individual profiles on the student laptop.
23. Why does my laptop have an administrator account? The Sayre School Technology Department creates an administrator account on each laptop so that we can work on it in the event of a hardware or software problem. That account should not be altered by the family.
24. Will my child be able to use this laptop at college? More and more colleges are requiring that students come to school equipped with some sort of personal computer. The specifications of the Sayre School laptop exceed the minimum requirements at most colleges. If a student has owned the laptop since the 9^th grade, though, it will probably be time to replace the laptop before going away to college. A few colleges have their own laptop requirement; in these cases a student may be provided with or may have to purchase the laptop required by the school. Most colleges have a Technology section on their website that outlines their recommendations or requirements for student computers.