Elementary classrooms have been equipped with student devices for several years, thanks to the 2014 school bond. The 2019 school bond allowed the district to purchase additional devices for elementary schools to comply with state requirements of online testing for 3rd - 5th-grade students. Those devices have been added to the existing inventory and may be used throughout the school for various projects, centers, rotations, and other times suiting the needs in the classroom to enhance the instruction being given. While students may use the same device each day in their classroom, they will not be used exclusively by the student and students will not take them home. 

Yes. All middle and high school students receive a MacBook Air.

The iPads and MacBooks are intended to enhance the instruction being given in the classroom. If you have questions or concerns regarding your child’s screen time during school, please see your child’s principal or teacher. You have control over how much time your child uses a device, if you wish to restrict usage for your child, please see your child’s principal.

All students will receive digital citizenship and digital safety appropriate to their level. Lessons will be age-appropriate and will include:

• Digital Safety - How to protect yourself, family, and friends: privacy, meeting people online, cyberbullying, spam, phishing, fraud, viruses, identity theft, cell phone safety, geolocation

• Digital Citizenship - How to be socially responsible: netiquette, acceptable use of networks/hardware/software, cyberbullying, copyright, plagiarism

• Digital Footprint - How to manage your reputation: social networks, email, chat, texting, posting online, uploading photos and videos, photo tagging, facial recognition

Click here for more information.

The school district does have the authority to monitor and review information on the devices. There is no expectation of privacy on those devices as they are owned by the district.  We may request access to the laptop based on circumstance, and in those circumstances, we will be able to view and search the contents of the laptop. This is similar to how we handle lockers at school, cubbies in band/orchestra, etc, we will not be constantly monitoring each device.

Yes, the district complies with the Children's Internet Protection Act. Filters will be applied regardless of where a student is located when they access the internet. Click here for more information about student filters and access. While we have filters in place to help protect your child from visiting unwanted sites, it is important to remember that there may be ways to work around our filters.  Because of this, it is important you speak with your child often about appropriate use with the technology, and set boundaries for them at home as you deem appropriate. 

You also have the ability to request additional restrictions on your child’s device. Please click here for information regarding our tiered levels of additional restrictions, and should you wish to implement some or all of these, contact your child’s teacher, administrator or the IT Help Desk.

Yes. District filters are compliant with the Children’s Internet Protection Act, which is a federal protection that addresses concerns about children’s online access to obscene or harmful content. As technology evolves, the district’s iTech team continues to monitor appropriate filters to ensure our protections exceed the federal requirements. 

Click here to view the standard levels of student access, or click here to view a more detailed list of various restriction options. We also encourage parents to report websites or programs they believe should be added or removed from internet filters. Additionally, parents may request custom filters for their child by contacting the iTech Help Desk.

For questions or to request customized filters for your child's school-issued computer, contact: 

iTech Help Desk 

Phone: 405.366.0536

Email: helpdesk@norman.k12.ok.us

Monday - Thursday: 7:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday: 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Students in grades 09-12 have the ability to send and receive emails to parents or others to help with their educational activities in addition to their instructors and fellow classmates. 

Currently, emails for younger grades are set to send and receive emails only to their instructors and fellow classmates.

Yes. All students are given access to Google Drive and Google Apps for educational purposes. In order to log in to these tools, a Gmail account is required. Email accounts assigned to elementary and middle school students are restricted to internal communications only, which means those students cannot send emails to or receive emails from anyone outside Norman Public Schools. Click here for login instructions.

We have implemented numerous safeguards and are compliant with all Federal regulations including FERPA, COPPA and CIPA.

No.

Each laptop has an asset tag embedded to identify the computer and issued using the existing instructional materials checkout system.

Yes. However, students who currently own a MacBook Air may choose to use their personal computer, rather than accept a district-issued device, provided the personal computer meets the district's requirements. 

High school students receive their computer at enrollment, while middle school students will receive them during the first few weeks of school.

No.

We expect students to care for their devices. If a computer is lost, stolen or damaged, it will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. You can learn more about an optional device protection plan here.

Students will be able to complete coursework at home without internet access. Additionally, we are discussing the possibility of partnering with local businesses and other organizations to offer free wi-fi for our students. Several low-cost home internet options are available as well. Please refer to the iTech Initiative page for more information.

NPS Technology Services Help Desk has been implemented and includes after-school hours support services to provide assistance where needed. Additionally, school-based Help Desks are available at all Middle School and High School sites to support student and staff needs during the school day. For more information, please visit the iTech Help Desk page. 

Click here to review regulations regarding NPS Acceptable Use For District-Owned Electronic Devices.

The district evaluated dozens of devices and ultimately chose Apple laptops and tablets primarily because of their unique ability to legally host multiple operating systems, which is critical for quality instruction. Additionally, Apple devices were chosen for their longevity and resale value, as the devices last longer, incur fewer damages, and we are able to realize a return on our investment at the end of the device’s lifespan.

Students will be issued a managed Apple ID, which is owned by the District and has no purchasing ability. Students will be able to download age-appropriate curriculum-related apps vetted by the District.

Apple Classroom is a powerful teaching assistant, helping teachers guide students with iPads or MacBooks through a lesson, see their progress, and keep them on track. With Apple Classroom, teachers can easily launch the same app on every student device at the same time, or launch a different app for each group of students. Apple Classroom helps teachers focus on teaching so students can focus on learning. For more information, visit https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206151.

AirDrop is a feature on Apple Devices that allow you to share and receive photos, documents, and more with other Apple devices that are nearby. To change settings, or restrict AirDrop, please visit https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204144.

Middle and high school students will receive a 13" MacBook Air and a power cord. The district will not provide a protective cover or case. Students may personalize their device with stickers, as well as a protective cover or case. Students will be issued a model number A14666 MacBook Air.

We will work with middle school and high school sites to develop solutions for after-school storage for the few students who cannot take the laptop home each night.

Yes. If you prefer to restrict access to your child’s usage during school or after school, please see your child’s administrator so they can work with you to find a suitable alternative.

Periodically, there will be opportunities to purchase the devices. Information will be shared when the opportunities arise.

Construction and infrastructure updates are ongoing and will be completed mid-summer 2017. This will ensure that wireless connectivity will be reliable and robust to ensure a successful teaching and learning environment as we return to school in August 2017.

Yes. Students will be permitted to keep their laptops over the summer so they can extend learning through the summer.

Per the Acceptable Use Agreement, students/parents are required to report damage to a device within one school day of the device being damaged. The devices are the property of Norman Public Schools and should only be repaired by NPS approved personnel.

No. Devices are the property of Norman Public Schools.

While state budgets have certainly impacted our district, we are fortunate to be in a community that supports public education. Norman voters overwhelmingly passed a bond issue in 2014 and 2019 that provided the district with the financial resources to improve our facilities and invest in instructional technology for our students and teachers. Bond funds, by law, cannot be used for general operations or teacher pay.