TASIS England Upper School students are expected to bring a laptop computer to school. They should plan to bring their laptop to every class, every day.
During Student Orientation, students will be given a username and password to log in to the school’s website portal. This will give them access to the school’s learning platform, where they can communicate with teachers and students as well as check school calendars, submit academic assignments, and see current grade information. This login will also be used to connect the student’s laptop to our Wi-Fi system and will give students access to their school-supplied email account and their Google drive.
The BYOL Policy below will apply to Upper School students whenever they are using the school’s information resources. It should be read in conjunction with the school’s Responsible Use Policy and the Online Guidelines and Expectations document, which apply to all TASIS England students. A BYOL agreement form must be signed by each student and one or both parents.
1. General Information
For our purposes, a “laptop computer” is a wireless, Internet-capable, general purpose computing device with a physical keyboard. Computers that use the Macintosh or Windows operating system are recommended but not required, except as noted below. Chromebooks are acceptable, as are Apple iPads or Android or Microsoft tablets if they have a physical keyboard attached.
Please note: Students enrolled in the following courses should have laptops that use the Macintosh or Windows operating system:
Geometry
AP Calculus AB or BC
AP Physics 1
IB Physics Y2
Students must make sure that their devices are charged and in good working order and must bring them to every class. Please see section 4, Support, for further information.
Students should not leave their laptops unsupervised and out in the open. Laptops should be kept in cases or backpacks when not in use, and day students should store them in designated storage areas outside of class time. Boarders should store their laptops in their rooms.
Teachers at their discretion may choose not to have students use their laptops on certain days or may ask students to close them and put them away for certain assignments.
2. Managing Assignments and Files
Students will be shown by their teachers how to use the school’s learning platform to check their academic calendars, submit assignments, and see current grades. Students will be expected to use the learning platform daily to keep up with their assigned work.
Students will have access to their Google drive through their email account. They will be shown how to use Google drive to store files and resources. Keeping files in Google drive will ensure that students will not lose their work if something goes wrong with their laptop.
3. Security
Before allowing students’ laptops to access our Wi-Fi network, our system will check that any Microsoft Windows OS device has up-to-date anti-virus software installed. Students with Windows laptops or tablets should ensure that their devices are protected. Students needing anti-virus software should contact our IT service team.
4. Support
Students whose laptops are not working can bring them to the IT support centre. If our service team cannot get the laptop working within a few minutes, the student will be issued a “loaner.” Day students will need to return this loaner at the end of the school day to the IT support centre, where their personal laptop will be returned with suggestions on how to get it repaired. If day students are not able to bring a working laptop to school, they must bring an explanatory note signed by their parents to the IT support centre, where they will be issued a loaner if one is available. This loaner will need to be returned in an unchanged condition when the student’s laptop has been repaired.
The TASIS IT department will assist boarding students with keeping their laptops working correctly, for school use, but not necessarily for entertainment reasons. This may require assisting the student in sending the laptop away for repair; which may incur a transportation and repair cost, depending on the laptops current warranty status. If boarding students have been issued a loaner, they will need to return this loaner in an unchanged condition when the student’s laptop has been repaired.
Students who would like Microsoft Office or anti-virus software to be installed on their laptops should bring them to the IT support centre. This software can be installed free of charge, but there may be conditions for the software license, which will be explained to the students.
5. Responsibilities
TASIS England is responsible to provide software and network systems that will support students’ learning. TASIS England will repair students’ laptops if it can be done quickly; otherwise, we will help students to find the best way for their equipment to be repaired. TASIS England is not responsible for damage to or loss of students’ computer equipment.
Parents should ensure that their home Internet systems provide safe and secure access for their children. Parents are liable for the cost of off-campus repairs to laptops or for any damage to or loss of loaned equipment.
Students are responsible to maintain their laptops in good working order, to bring them to school every day, and to use them responsibly. Students who fail to bring a laptop to class or who leave their laptop unsupervised and out in the open will face a sanction from the Dean of Student Life. Students who violate the Responsible Use Policy or the Online Guidelines and Expectations will face further disciplinary action.