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Parkland Ready, our district's personalized learning program, takes stock of best practices for incorporating technology to support the curriculum, allowing students to have voice and agency within their learning paths. Parkland Ready represents our goal to make the classroom a learner-driven environment, where students have opportunities to work on authentic projects and learn to be upstanding digital citizens. The result are students who build collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking skills that prepare them for success on the way to and after graduation.

Parkland provides every student in grades K through 12 with a personal learning device as a resource to more fully engage with this evolving digital ecosystem. Students will use their device to access digital content from our curriculum providers, complete assignments, collaborate with peers, create projects, and more. 

The organizational hub all teachers and students will use K-12 to facilitate learning is Schoology. All students and parents/guardians will have accounts created for them automatically, as this is our standardized Learning Management System and will be key to get a view into their child's learning.

We offer continuous professional development to help staff leverage devices, applications, and content fully, and understand how they can facilitate transformative learning experiences for our students. Our teachers and students receive excellent technical support from our team, and instructional support from instructional coaches and tech mentors. 

For comments and questions, please contact Tom Derhammer, Director of Technology, at derhammert@parklandsd.org,  Ed Kobus, Assistant Director of Technology, at kobuse@parklandsd.org or JR Renna, Coordinator of Educational Technology, at rennaj@parklandsd.org.

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TOOLS

Every student will have accounts created for them in our core instructional tools such as Clever Portal, Schoology, and Google Workspace for Education. Additionally, teachers may use supplemental resources that students access with a class code or the “Sign in with Google” Button such as Nearpod, Edpuzzle, or WeVideo. A list of district approved applications can be found at here. (Note: Applications may be updated or changed throughout the school year.) The district reviews applications teachers use with students to ensure appropriate terms of use, student data privacy, and security requirements are met. 

Google Workspace for Education is a set of education productivity tools from Google including Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and more used by tens of millions of students and teachers around the world. At Parkland, students will use their Google Workspace for Education accounts to sign into their Chromebooks, complete assignments, communicate with their teachers, and learn 21st century digital citizenship skills. Google does not use any user personal information (or any information associated with a Google Workspace for Education Account) to target ads for K-12 users. Here is more information on Google’s Educational Privacy & Security considerations
 

CHROMEBOOKS

Beginning in the elementary media center, we educate students on The Care and Feeding of their Chromebook to set them up for success. 

STUDENT GUIDELINES/EXPECTATIONS:

  • Come to school with the device fully charged every day.
  • Use reasonable care not to cause intentional damage or deface the Chromebook or its accessories.
  • No permanent decals to be applied. Removal of decal should in no way damage or scratch the device.
  • Students should have headphones or earbuds to listen to personalized content, which is included on teacher supply lists.
  • Students are reminded that the acceptable use policy applies both on and off school property.

LOST/ABUSE/NEGLIGENCE PROTOCOL 

For Chromebook issues at the middle or high school level students should submit a support ticket to initiate the replacement or repair process. In the elementary, students should notify their teacher who will place a support ticket for them.

In the case where a Chromebook or accessory is damaged by means other than normal use, wear and tear (i.e. abuse, neglect, intentional damage, horseplay) the student/parent/guardian will be charged a fee for needed repairs, not to exceed the replacement cost of the Chromebook. Parkland Administration will make the final determination of any fees associated. 

Incidents will be documented and will result in an invoice being sent to parents/guardians. 

Students who lose an issued Chromebook charger may purchase a replacement from the Student Store (PHS) or Media Center (K-8).  We highly recommend purchasing replacement chargers via the Student Store to ensure compatibility.  These items are provided at discounted educational pricing from our vendor.

How Do Today's Students Learn?

Reflection: Orefield and Springhouse MS

Student Agency: Celebrating Student Voice and Choice

Student Centered Learning: Nothing New for Parkland Classrooms