Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Program

The College is committed to providing the highest standard of education for our students. Digital learning is a critical component of contemporary education with a growing need to equip our students with a skill set that befits the emerging technological future. As technology integration in classrooms continues to evolve it has become an essential tool that is regularly relied upon for school work set in class and at home.

What is our current BYOD program?

All students attending Trinity Catholic College Lismore are required to bring their own laptop device to school each day.

What type of device can students bring?

The table below sets out the minimum specifications required in Chromebook, Windows and MacBook devices.

We prefer Year 7 and 8 students to have a Chromebook. There are many reasons for choosing the Chromebook as our preferred device for Junior students including:

● Low cost

● Educationally sound

● Robust and light casing

● Secure and easy to use

● Long battery life

● No installations required as browser-based

Across all subjects we are committed to teaching students the skills of collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity in learning. We use the Google Suite for Education tools and our Lighthouse learning platform for online learning activities and to develop foundational ICT capabilities as they relate to internet access and cloud computing.

This means the Chromebook is more than adequate to meet the demands of our early high school learning environment.

As students develop more advanced ICT capabilities and start to choose more specialised subjects in their later years of schooling, a device with higher specifications may become preferable. A Chromebook will not meet the needs of more specialist users, particularly students with multimedia skills who require the use of Adobe and Microsoft Office programs. Students in Years 9 – 12 with elective subjects including Multimedia, Digital Photography, Music, IST and IPT should consult with their teachers about requirements.

Minimum Specifications

Additional Requirements

All students must have headphones or earphones for their device.

To safeguard the physical condition of the device, a protective case and/or cover are desirable.

Windows devices must have an up-to-date anti-virus application installed before they can be connected to the network.

Accidental Damage Protection (ADP) is highly recommended if you think the device is in danger of being lost or damaged. This could be provided by your home insurer or purchased separately.

Extended 3-year Warranty, preferably onsite, is also recommended to avoid high additional costs and delays. Most devices come with a standard 12-month warranty which does not adequately match the life of the device.

Software Requirements

There are no additional software purchases required beyond anti-virus protection for Windows devices. All required software applications for specialist subjects will be available via the College.

Where can I get a suitable device?

A range of devices in a range of price categories meet the minimum device specifications. Families may purchase a suitable device from any supplier they choose.

We have partnered with The School Locker who offer a selection of suitable devices. School approved devices can be viewed on the web portal, ordered online for home delivery or viewed and purchased in their Ballina store.
The web portal can be accessed at
https://theschoollocker.com.au/schools/trinity-catholiccollege/technology

You will need to log in to receive the special education prices being offered.

The purchase of a device is a major decision and a significant expense. The School Locker are also able to offer finance and leasing options. Please speak to one of their staff in store for additional information.

Families are not required to purchase a new device if students have an existing device that meets our minimum specifications. We strongly recommend that Warranty agreements and Accidental Damage Protection are carefully considered.

What is expected of you?

Students are expected to:

● Bring their device to school every day

● Charge their device at home each night

● Take care of the physical condition of their device

● Have earphones or headphones for class

● Back-up their files - Google Drive is provided

Students are expected to adhere to the ‘Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Student Agreement’ at the end of this document. It should be signed and returned to the College before or at commencement. We encourage parents to discuss the expected code of conduct with their child.

The parents’ role is to supervise their child on the device at home to prevent students from viewing or downloading content or applications that are age restricted and may not be suitable for them. We encourage parents to educate their child about the dangers of social media and the Internet. The eSafety Commissioner’s website provides up-to-date information and advice for parents and the College provides parent and student access to various internet safety initiatives throughout the year.

What does the College provide?

We provide:

● Connection to the College WiFi

● High speed Internet access while at the College

● A safe and secure network

● Training and support for students

● Our virtual learning environment - Lighthouse

● Google Suite for Education

● Access to Microsoft Office applications

● Access to Adobe Creative Cloud applications (dependent on Year level)

● ClickView Educational Video Resources

● Subject-specific online learning resources

While the College will provide reasonable support to ensure students are connected to the network, the College does not manage, support, own or warrant the device - it’s your device.

How does the device get connected to the College network?

Year 7 Student devices will be onboarded to the College network on the first day of term with the assistance of College IT Staff. All students with current Trinity credentials and an associated account on the College system can onboard their devices by navigating to https://cloudpath.trinitylismore.nsw.edu.au and following the relevant guide on the Lighthouse ICT Team page at: https://lighthouse.trinitylismore.nsw.edu.au/homepage/23/ and selecting the “Connect Windows,” “Connect MacBook” or “Connect Chromebook” underneath the ICT Solutions section. If onboarding a MacBook outside the College, follow the “Profile Installation” section.

What happens in the event of a broken or lost device?

The College is not able to provide long-term ‘loaner’ devices to students. It is the family’s responsibility to provide an alternative device if there is a delay in obtaining a replacement for a lost or broken device. For this reason, we highly recommend that Accidental Damage Protection and Onsite Warranty agreements are seriously considered.

For short-term issues, students can apply to their Leader of Year for permission to borrow a College Chromebook (subject to availability) from the Library for one lesson at a time if their teacher requires it. Chromebooks are also available in libraries at break times for schoolwork use but they may not be taken home.

If you are experiencing financial hardship please contact the Principal, Mr Jesse Smith, to confidentially discuss solutions.

BYOD Student Responsibilities

Operating system and anti-virus:

Students must ensure they have a legal and licensed version of a supported operating system and of software. If applicable, students’ devices must be equipped with anti-virus software

Trinity Catholic College’s Wi-Fi network connection only:

Student devices are only permitted to connect to the College’s Wi-Fi network while at school. There is no cost for this service.

Battery life and charging:

Students must ensure they bring their device to school fully charged for the entire school day. No charging equipment will be supplied by the College.

Theft and damage:

Students are responsible for securing and protecting their devices at school. Any loss or damage to a device is not the responsibility of the College.

Confiscation:

Students’ devices may be confiscated if the College has reasonable grounds to suspect that a device contains data which breaches the BYOD Student Agreement.

Maintenance and support:

Students are solely responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their devices.

Ergonomics:

Students should ensure they are comfortable using their device during the school day particularly in relation to screen size, sturdy keyboard etc.

Data back-up:

Students are responsible for backing-up their own data and should ensure this is done regularly.

Insurance/warranty:

Students and their parents/caregivers are responsible for arranging their own insurance and should be aware of the warranty conditions for the device.