Every ninth-grade and 10th-grade student at Oak Ridge High School should have a new digital device, a convertible laptop, as of Wednesday, October 19. It’s a continuation of Oak Ridge Schools’Â digital initiative, Access Oak Ridge.
“Through our Access Oak Ridge digital one-to-one initiative, our vision is to empower all Oak Ridge students with equitable access to digital learning opportunities; to innovate, design, collaborate, and ultimately succeed in local and global communities of the future,” a press release said.
Here are the instructions for ninth- and 10th-graders and their parents/guardians to follow to receive their school-issued devices, according to the press release:
At your preferred arrival time on your grade-level designated day, come to the Wildcat Arena parking lot (on the Providence Road side of the building, across from the city outdoor pool.) Enter the building through the Wildcat Arena entrance.
October 17—9th-grade device roll-out
- There are two arrival times: 6:20 or 7:20 p.m.
- The full process should take approximately 45 minutes
October 18—10th-grade device roll-out
- There are two arrival times: 6:20 or 7:20 p.m.
- The full process should take approximately 45 minutes
Due to facility scheduling, there is currently no make-up day set, so please come on one of these two designated days, the press release said.
When families arrive in the Wildcat Arena, they will get in line alphabetically by last name. There will be eight tables. The parent or guardian who attends must show a photo identification to the school representative, who will verify the individual is listed in Skyward as the accompanying student’s parent or guardian. Parent and student will then receive a packet of information that includes the computer equipment loan agreement (CELA), acceptable use policy signature page, a checklist of tasks, student login information, and room assignment for device pick-up.
Families will then be directed to the second floor to report to one of 10 orientation rooms. In assigned rooms, parents will fill out paperwork while watching an orientation and acceptable use video that will be looping in the classroom. Upon viewing a full instance of the video, each family will take completed paperwork to a staff member in the room who will issue the assigned device.
Each student will use the assigned login information to ensure everything is working properly. The student will log in to the device, Skyward, Canvas, and Office 365. When it is determined that the machine is working properly, the new device can go home. If the device is not working properly, families can use this time to immediately report to the Media Center, where technology staff will be available to help to remedy problems right away.
Finally, families are free to take the devices home, where they will need to plug them in and ensure they are fully charged overnight. Students will bring the device back to school the next day, ready for a full day of learning. Students will need to be in the habit of doing this regularly, as we are committed to using our new devices daily.
“We believe that learning should be student-centered, where individuals have an increased dialogue in their own learning, and they are challenged with questions that sustain inquiry,” the press release said. “We see learners as creative, critical thinkers, problem solvers, and collaborators. In the classroom, we envision teachers creating an atmosphere in which participants are engaged in real-world problem solving. We want to energize their minds to be innovative, with the realization that the future of education and business exists in a digital world, and that today’s young people are being prepared for jobs that currently do not exist. We believe putting the right tools for technology in the hands of students enables them to explore content with greater depth and breadth, and allows for new learning tasks that were previously inconceivable. Providing a digital device for every student levels the playing field and offers opportunities to access a wealth of global information that is not locally accessible.”
This press release was submitted by Holly Cross.
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