As usual, another school year is quickly coming to a close. Something entirely new at LM is also about to end, although only for the summer. Students of all grades will be required to hand in their District-owned laptops to the technology department i n J u n e , t h e r e b y c o n c l u d ing the first year of the one-to-one district initiative at LM.
B e g i n n i n g o n M o n d a y June 14th, the first day of finals week, students may turn in their laptops. Throughout the rest of week, any student whose finals do not require their laptop may submit their MacBook computer in the Tech Center from 7:00 am to 2:15 pm. To help ease the process, a special advisory period will be held immediately after the first final exam testing period of Friday June 18th to accommodate students whose final exams require their laptops. Before this particular laptop collection, advisory teachers will run through a checklist of items with each student; the checklist includes the laptop, the laptop case, its charger, and both plug adapters. All laptop collection during the special advisory period will take place in advisory homerooms.
Following their senior project presentations, all seniors will have to return their laptops to the school. Students are encouraged to save any files or data they would like to keep on another computer, because most student files and settings on the laptops will be deleted.
In the weeks prior to laptop collection, students should prepare themselves to turn in their computers.
“Students with any laptops that require repair should be reporting to the Tech Center now to have these repairs made,” said Building Level Technnical support person Dave Feight. “When their laptop is turned in, the machine will be given an inspection to check to make sure the machine is operating and free of any accidental damage.”
In addition to damaged laptops, another important laptop issue has recently arisen, and has even been addressed in advisory and over the loudspeaker. The problem is the removal of the LMSD bar-coded stickers from school-issued laptops.
“As students enter the Tech Center, and as I see the laptops in use in classrooms, I have noticed many students missing their district issued labels,” said Feight. “The labels are vital to ensuring the students have the correct machines and avoiding confusion for those students that may privately own Macintosh Computers at the home. The machines are district property and the labels contain a barcode scan of the serial number and the District assigned computer name.” The Technology Department later issued a statement saying that students can replace their LMSD stickers at the Tech Center.
Feight offered additional resources for anyone seeking further explanation of procedures as well. “All information regarding the collection of laptops and returning procedures has been sent out to families via a letter by the Lower Merion High School Administration,” said Feight. “Information regarding the one-to-one district initiative is available on our website.”
So, after ten months of using their laptops for work, social networking, and consuming media among other things, students will have to part with their beloved loaned laptops.
By Aziz Kamoun
Class of 2012
