Washington Latin provides basic laptops (Chromebooks) for academic use by students.
Chromebook Program – 2nd Street Campus
- 5-6th graders will have access to Chromebooks in every classroom to use as needed for the lesson in each class, returning it to the cart when that class period ends.
- 7th and 8th graders will have assigned personal devices for both at school and at home.
- Upper School students will also use their assigned personal devices, which travel between school and home for classwork and homework.
Chromebook Program – Cooper Campus
- 5-6th graders will have access to Chromebooks in every classroom to use as needed for the lesson in each class, returning it to the cart when that class period ends.
- 7-8th graders will each be assigned a personal device which will stay at school.
Teachers in middle school grades may assign some computer-based homework, including in grades that do not bring home their Chromebooks. Many of our families have a home computer that their children can access for this limited number of assignments. If not, families can apply for a loaner Chromebook for the school year for homework purposes; there is a fee for this loaner device. The device must be returned to Latin at the end of the academic year. Please note that our supply is limited, however. If a student receives a loaner device, it is subject to our tech use and repair/replacement policies. Contact techsupport@latinpcs.org for details.
GoGuardian Content Filtering Program on Chromebooks
We use GoGuardian tools to help ensure that our students are accessing appropriate content on school-issued Chromebooks while using school Google accounts. We use both GoGuardian Admin and Teacher products, which will filter content and monitor student computer use.
Chromebooks – Device Management
The Chromebooks issued to students are the property of the Washington Latin, regardless of whether they are used in the school building or at home. Students are entrusted to use these computers for academic purposes (classwork, homework, communication with teachers, etc.) Please see below for our Technology Use Policy.
We are committed to addressing any issues with these Chromebooks as quickly as possible, because we want all students to be able to learn at home without interruption. We encourage students or their parents/guardians to let us know whenever there is a problem so that we can keep the students engaged and learning. That said, we know that things happen, including both defective technology and device damage caused by accidents, mishaps, and other real-life moments.
Washington Latin Chromebook Replacement Policy
- Washington Latin will replace a student’s device (either the Chromebook or its charger) if it is lost, damaged, or malfunctioning and therefore cannot be used for school (including doing schoolwork, homework, or communicating with teachers).
- The replacement cost may be charged to the student’s parent/guardian(s), depending on the cause of the issue (manufacturer defect v. damage caused by user error or misadventure).
Costs will be regularly updated and shared via an announcement post on this website.
Technology Mission Statement
We aim to use technology in ways that foster authentic communication, collaboration, creativity, and discussion. In the classroom, teachers thoughtfully select specific applications and features for student use from a range of pedagogical techniques that support our mission to offer a classical education for the modern world.
It can be helpful to think of technology as one important tool used in pursuit of our goals for students. Our goal is to build up students into people of character who will serve their communities, trust courageously, and value conversation and the study of enduring ideas. Our selection of technology tools must thoughtfully reflect what we hope to achieve.
One metaphor for this process is to think of classroom technology as we do tools in other trades and fields. As one carefully selects materials when building a house, sewing a quilt, or painting a masterpiece, so do we work with the best tools in the classroom. We would not join boards with a paintbrush or paint the Mona Lisa with a sewing needle. In the same way, some uses of technology in the classroom are more appropriate and effective than others. Sometimes the best teaching tool for a particular skill is decidedly not on an electronic device, app, or screen, but rather through memorization, manipulatives, role play, Socratic seminar, etc. Other times, technology allows us to engage, enhance, and enrich our academic experience through simulations, long-distance guest speakers, and creative expression of learning.
We believe that the management policies below help us to carry out our mission with students and staff. If you have questions, please reach out to Carl Lyon (clyon@latinpcs.org), Managing Director of Information Services for Washington Latin LEA and Cooper Campus or Sereena Hamm (shamm@latinpcs.org) Director of Information Services for Washington Latin 2nd St Campus.
Technology Program Goals
- Enrichment – Teachers can make use of a rich array of online resources and be creative when they can rely on the same level of technology for all.
- Equity – We need to ensure that all our students have access to a basic level of technology, so that each can be academically successful.
- Security – Using school-owned devices allows us to manage and secure student data while ensuring student safety when using online resources.
- Maintenance – The same platform allows us to easily perform maintenance, install updates, etc.
- Assessment – As state and national assessments have moved to online platforms, our Chromebook program makes the administration of these tests more efficient and allows for a better testing experience for our students.
