Back to school time….and boy has that time changed for so many!!! Back to school used to mean new shoes, new crayons (sometimes the big box if you were lucky), new rulers, new folders and new pencils!  Now kids our students have new computers! The districts have been offering the Bring Your Own Device or Rental in the school systems now for the Jr. High and High School levels for a few years now. And in all classrooms we are touched with technology such as Google Classroom where students turn in their papers online! No more “dog at my homework” excuses.

So what does all that technology and hardware bring? MORE RESPONSIBILITY!

Here in Bloomington/Normal, IL Unit 5 have a “care sheet” for their technology. https://www.unit5.org/Page/3228 but we wanted to highlight a few essentials!!!

  • Always carry the laptop in a case, even when at home. Use two hands at all times and do not carry the laptop by it’s screen. And we would like to add, when you open the screen please do it from the middle so the balance of force is centrally located.
  • Monthly checks of your child’s laptop can help prevent misuse. Make sure you are paying attention to how your child is using the laptop at home. Remember it is a school tool. 
  • One of the most common causes of laptop problems occurs when students attempt to download/install/load 3rd party software onto the machine. The more of these “extra” programs that a student installs, the slower and more unreliable the laptop becomes. Please take note of new icons that appear on the desktop (main screen) of the laptop and start a conversation about what these programs are and why your child decided to install them. This is an awareness for you as a parent! Your child may be installing things that are not needed on the machine. Please remember again this is a school tool. And many “free” downloads for games and 3rd party software are likely to carry a virus. 

Technology is making our education system and process easier but also more responsible.

Enjoy the  new school year!!