Dear Middle and High School Families,
We hope you had a great weekend. We are writing to share with you an important update regarding your student’s Chromebook and the end of the school year.
Since we began providing all students with devices during the 2020-21 school year, Chromebooks were issued for the school year only – they were distributed during the first week of school and returned at the end of the school year, allowing school division staff to update the devices as needed. With the advancement of technology and with an increase in requests for students to keep their devices during the summer for learning opportunities, this process is no longer necessary for our operations.
Accordingly,
beginning this school year, middle and high school student devices will no longer be collected at the end of the school year. Students will be assigned one device for four years (the expected life of the Chromebook) and will keep their assigned device until we replace it. Current middle and high school devices were issued at the start of this school year (2023-24) and we expect they will need to be replaced ahead of the 2027-28 school year.
Please know that while students will not return their Chromebooks for the summer,
content filtering and monitoring by our Technology Services Department will continue to be in place both at school and at home. For more information on misuse of the Hanover Academic Network, please read
our April message to families.
Please note that
devices will be collected from students who are leaving the school division and from our seniors prior to graduation.
Please also note the following:
Student Responsibility
Students agree to the following responsibilities before, during, and after school as well as school breaks, whether they are on or off-campus:
- Use responsibly and ethically to support learning and school-appropriate functions.
- Protect/secure the Chromebook with its division-issued case.
- Bring to school daily, fully-charged.
- Abide by all rules and regulations established in
the Acceptable Use Policy.
Cleaning
To clean your Chromebook, use a disinfecting wipe or spray cleaner onto a cloth and wipe the surfaces. Do not use bleach on the Chromebook screen and do not spray cleaner directly onto the Chromebook.
Device Loss and Damage
We recognize that accidents can happen. In an effort to minimize expenses to the school division and families, the table on
our website explains the potential costs to families in the event of intentional damage, negligence, loss or theft of a student device.
Automatic Updates
Chromebooks will continue to receive automatic updates when they are connected to the Internet and will remain current on any revisions to software when they return for the coming school year. In short, while they will not be returned at the end of the school year, the devices will remain current.
Support
During summer months, HCPS Technology Services can provide limited technical support for issues with Chromebooks. Support hours will be scheduled in various locations throughout the summer, and a schedule will be posted on
our website in early June.
Students should turn their devices on periodically throughout the summer to ensure they receive the necessary updates.
Priority support will be given for students who are participating in HCPS summer programs, Virtual Virginia, International Baccalaureate, and Advance College Academy programs that rely on the Chromebook. If your student is experiencing issues with their device during the summer, please attend one of our sessions or complete
this Google Form for assistance.
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We appreciate your support and partnership in providing students access to devices that will help prepare them for the world in which they will live and work. We hope you have a great last few weeks of school.
Thank you.
Hanover County Public Schools