Rules, rules as iPads roll out
As devices go out K-12, students should be aware of the regulations
Ms. Forshey assists Bella Kies at a grade-level iPad launch meeting.
October 20, 2016
A long-awaited iPad initiative went district-wide Monday through Thursday when the Bellwood-Antis School District distributed devices to every student from K through 12. Juniors received their iPads first on Monday, and sophomores received their iPads last on Wednesday. Myers students received the devices on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Bellwood-Antis student body is very excited for the technological change; however, there are limits that come with this large responsibility.
For example, students are not allowed to download apps onto the iPads, although there are several unique ones already built in. Those are the ones that have been approved by administrators for educational purposes. Therefore, there is no app store, iMessaging option, or iTunes located on these new devices.
However, apps that are requested by teachers may be pushed out to student iPads if they are approved by district administrators following a submission and vetting process.
Director of Instructional Technology & Media Ms. Jamie Forshey wanted to stress the importance of keeping the technology in good condition.
“We need every student in the district to be responsible with the expensive equipment,” said Mrs. Forshey.
All of the supplies that students receive will be returned to the school at the end of the year. However, the iPad students receive will be the iPad they have until they graduate. If the supplies, power brick, and cord are lost or damaged, they will need to be replaced in the same brand in good shape.
Along with these simple requests, there are a list of rules that need to be followed by the student body, expressed on a permission form signed by every student. Some rules include usage. Students are not allowed to delete apps or download apps to their iPads. Students also must abide by the Bellwood-Antis School District Acceptable Use Policy. This essentially means that the students have to act appropriately on the iPads when using district internet.
There are also rules for care. Students must protect their iPads from falling or getting wet. Students cannot loan their device or do anything to physically harm it. Students must also have their iPads charged and in school every day. They are now an essential part of the classroom and if they are not present then the student will be unprepared for class. The student body is also not allowed to mark up the cases or the device with pencil or stickers.
Junior Lexi Gerwert sees the good and the bad in these rules.
“The rules are good ones, but I think there will be a lot of students that break them,” Gerwert said. “For me, the rules are simple and easy to follow. I understand them. But for other students it might not be as easy.”
Sophomores Mya Decker and Gwen Dougherty seem to be frustrated with the rules.
“I find it frustrating that we cannot download our own apps, even if they are for educational purposes,” said Mya.
“I don’t think the rules will be disobeyed because we can’t really do anything bad on them anyways,” said Gwen.
If the rules are violated by any student, it may result in the suspension of iPad privileges. Also, the administration and teaching staff has the power to inspect iPads at any time.
With all of these rules and regulations in mind, Bellwood-Antis School District is very excited and ready for this big technological change.
Marilyn Broadbent • Oct 22, 2016 at 2:26 pm
I think this was plendid idea! The world is about technology. Why wouldn’t we want our kids to have the same ? Are kids are going to greatly benefit from these iPads. The kids are excited and so are my daughter and her husband! They attended the meeting and asked the questions that they needed answered. Everything was answered to their satisfaction.
My grandson sat and explained everything to me and I even has me excited. All I can say is talk to the parents that were at the meetings too! It’s a win win situation and one that the students are happy and once everyone has the handle on what’s going on they will be happy too!
One more thing I might add. These iPods are made available to children who thought they would never see an iPad. Now they have one just like everyone else and that is a blessing!
Joseph Stuby • Oct 21, 2016 at 6:50 pm
I feel it was a horrible idea and a great waste of money! I completely understand the need to use technology in the classrooms, but I feel that making parents buy “insurance” is a way to make up more money. We had taxes raised every year for close to 10 years…give or take a few years….I feel parents pay a deposit and get it back at the end of the year when kids turn in their device. I have been told kids will be allowed to take them home over the summer? That’s asking for them to be lost or broken. So will the 40 or 45 dollars have to be paid every year or is it a one time payment? Some families have extra money and this won’t be too big of an impact on them..but what about the families that live week to week paycheck to paycheck? You now force them to pay money they can’t afford or risk buying a broken device if something were to accidentally happen? And if a child already has this same device, as long as it’s “cleaned” why not allow them to use it? You can’t use yours you have to use ours kind of mentality sounds like a giant money grab! I really hope this works out for the good of the kids..but I see too much wrong with this that I feel this will fail. I hope I’m wrong…..
adviser • Oct 22, 2016 at 12:46 am
Excellent concerns that deserve attention. While the BluePrint may not be the source for all of your answers, we can address at least two based on stories we have run. In terms of affordability, those families on free and reduced lunch plans do not have to pay the insurance. In regards to using one’s own device, the district has gone through a pretty painstaking process of setting the devices up with apps that are appropriate and very specific to BA’s learning needs and an overall vision for technology in the district. It was a very long process. As the story says, even now teachers cannot simply push apps out to students. This is done only at the end of a vetting process after apps have been reviewed and approved. We’ll continue to run stories on the district’s iPad initiative and hopefully provide more answers to some of your questions.