Educational Technology

Beginning with the 2015-16 school year, Luther Preparatory School integrated a 1:1 initiative to create a technology-rich environment for both teaching and learning. Every student at LPS is equipped with a Chromebook to use in classes and in the dorm. This allows LPS faculty to have additional options for presentation of information in classes along with access to current information in the classroom. 

 

All students will be given a Chromebook to use for the school year. These Chromebooks will be owned by LPS, but rented to the students on a rent to own basis. The technology portion of the tuition has built in the cost of a quarter of the cost of a chromebook each year. At the end of four years, the Chromebook can become the student’s.

 

The current alottment for technology from each student's tuition at LPS is $125. This fee covers the cost of internet access, computer lab upgrades, software licenses, and other technology upgrades and maintenance.  If we were to alot $150 per student per year, the $600 over 4 years would cover the cost of the Chromebook device, Google Management software for the device, insurance and basic maintenance fees and technology improvements.

 

A chromebook case will be necessary to protect the chromebook. Cases will be required to transport the Chromebooks. Cases will be given to the student to use with their chromebooks as part of the rent-to-own setup of the chromebooks. If a student wishes to buy his own case, it should be one that fits a 12 inch Chromebook and has a pocket for the charger.

 

If a student wishes to use a mouse instead of the Chromebook trackpad, they will have to provide their own USB wired or wireless mouse. The students will also have to provide their own earbuds to use with the Chromebook when listening to audio on the Chromebook.

 

Our plan is to create device uniformity across the school allowing for the technology to benefit the classroom rather than the technology impeding the education. For this reason, all students will be required to use their Chromebook in class.

 

A student can bring their own laptop to school. But for classsroom purposes, only the chromebook will be allowed in class for use. The Chromebook will be pre-configured to connect to the LPS wifi and be downloaded with the apps preselected by the faculty.

 

The Chromebook is for the student to use for the school year. They may use it in the dorm, the union and take it home on weekends and breaks. The use will be through the LPS management system. No logon will be permitted of people outside the lps.wels.net domain.

 

The devices will be insured by Luther Preparatory School. Students will have a deductible for each repair or replacement, billed to their account.
Deductible

• In the case of repairable damage the deductible will be $25.00 for each claim.
• In the case of loss, theft or irreparable damage the replacement deductible will be $75 for the first claim, $125 for the second claim, $175 for the third claim and $250 for all subsequent claims.
• Replacement of cases or power adapters will be $25.00.
• LPS reserves the right to charge for the entire replacement cost if negligence is determined on the handling of the device.
• If the device is stolen, students are responsible for obtaining a police report.

 

The Google management system of the Chromebook allows LPS to use a program called Go Guardian to monitor and block websites and suspicious activity while the students use the Chromebook. This protection will be in place whether the student is at LPS or at home.