Bring Your Own Device
When students at Nagel Middle School, Anderson High School and Turpin High School head to school each year, their book bags are be filled with something other than books: they also pack tablets, laptops and Chromebooks as part of Forest Hills’ Bring Your Own Device program that works to individualize and differentiate student learning. Through technology, students not only learn their daily lessons, but also how to communicate, collaborate and create.
Since 2014, students in grades seven through 12 have been required to bring a device to school, but the district also provides rental devices, as needed. For kindergarten through grade six, the district provides a device for every student to use while at school.
To ensure students are safe and can learn in a global, technological world, Forest Hills has enhanced its wireless infrastructure and updated its bandwidth, within budget parameters, to support the large usage of devices in schools. FHSD also focuses on cyber responsibility.
Students and parents must also sign an Acceptable Use Agreement regarding appropriate student usage of the internet and complete a series of online modules that show students and parents how to view grades, access homework assignments and use online apps and textbooks. Schoology (announcements, assignments, course content) and Progress Book Login (grades) information is emailed directly to parents.
Forest Hills also partners with Cincinnati Bell Technology Services to provide parents with cyber education opportunities and trains teachers on how to effectively use technology to engage students in learning.
For assistance, contact Steve Meece, Technology Director, at 231-3600, ext. 2957 or email@example.com.
- Chromebook: 2GB RAM or greater
- Laptop: Core i5 + is optimal but most laptops sold today will work for FHSD student needs. For engineering, art or physics: 8GB RAM
- If a student has an interest in engineering, science or art, a laptop is not required, but is recommended versus a Chromebook.
*Note: There is no requirement or endorsement to purchase a laptop/Chromebook through any specific vendor. Purchases can be made from any vendor.
A Chromebook or a laptop can be rented from the district by any student in grades 7-12 for $50 per semester. If a student begins the year bringing their own device, but then decides to rent a device from FHSD, a fee will be added to the student’s account after 60 days.
All Forest Hills schools have a dedicated technician to assist students and teachers with technology-related issues. The support process is as follows:
- Students will tell a teacher they need assistance.
- A teacher will put in a tech ticket.
- A FHSD technician will come to the classroom to assist the student.
- Students will go to the Learning Commons where a Tech Squad representative will help them. Tech Squad is comprised of a technician and student technical helpers.
- Technical support for Progress Book, Schoology and more is available by emailing firstname.lastname@example.org.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 81% of FHSD high school students bring their own device to school
- 71% of FHSD middle school students bring their own device to school
- 1 computer for every student (1:1) in grades 2-6
- 100% of teachers are using mobile devices in classrooms
- 1 million files created by FHSD students in Google Apps for Education