Your Device Protection Checklist for Winter Break: Your cheat sheet for safeguarding school tech during the holidays

As the winter holidays approach, students and staff look forward to the upcoming break. School IT administrators face the additional task of safeguarding their school’s ed tech investment before signing off for some well-deserved downtime. Here are a few steps schools can consider taking to protect their devices over the winter break.

For devices going home– be kind and remind

If students are allowed to take their school-provided devices home over the winter break, it’s an ideal time to reiterate the school’s expectations around device use for both students and their families. For instance, one expectation might be that students should put their Chromebook in a protective case whenever it’s not being used to protect it from getting damaged, for instance, in a hastily dropped backpack.

Consider including your school’s Acceptable Use Policy when emailing students and caregivers ahead of the winter break. Remind families that content filters employed by the school aren’t likely to work while the devices are home. If devices are only to be used for schoolwork, reiterate that students shouldn’t use their devices for gaming or streaming purposes.

Temper your temperatures

If you live in a climate that experiences extreme temperatures, it’s also worth reminding students and families that their devices should be kept inside a climate controlled environment. Devices shouldn’t be left in a parent’s car (even if it’s parked in a garage), as extreme temperatures can damage electronics.

Get charged up

As staff and students get ready to return to school in the new year, they might need a reminder to charge up their devices.

For devices staying at school

For devices that will stay at school over the break, winter break offers an opportunity to check on your school’s device inventory, install software updates and security patches, and send damaged devices out for repair.

Back It Up

Students and staff whose devices will stay at the school should be sure to backup important documents before leaving for the break.

Storing and Charging

After devices have been backed up and updates have been applied, they should be stored securely according to your school’s procedures. If your school’s policy is to unplug devices before an extended break, make sure you have a plan to charge the devices before school starts up again.

Take stock of your school’s device coverage

Whether or not you’re collecting and updating devices over the break, it can also be a good time to check in on your school’s device coverage. Is it adequately covering your school’s repair and replacement needs? If not, it might be worth setting up a JonesCare Needs Assessment. By looking at your district’s needs, budget and device lifecycle, we’ll work with you to design a protection plan that’s just right for your school’s unique needs, and ensures that when devices do need to be repaired or replaced, there’s minimal disruption to learning.

Now that you’ve taken care of your school’s technology, we hope you can take time over the winter break to rest and recharge before returning in January. 

How Chromebooks Benefit Classrooms, Plus Some New Updates

A look at how Chromebook partnerships can work for your school, and the latest updates to Chromebooks

Chromebooks have become a staple in many school districts; they’re known for being durable, powerful, and affordable, which makes them an excellent choice for many schools. Whether you’ve been using Chromebooks in your classroom for a while or your district is considering investing in them, we wanted to highlight a few of the reasons Chromebooks are such a popular choice in education, while also letting you in on some of the newest updates Google is making on Chromebooks.

Chromebooks are user-friendly

Chromebooks are simple to operate, which means less time is spent training both students and educators on how to use them. These devices boot up quickly, and their extended battery life is designed to endure the school day and beyond.

They’re secure

Chrome OS, the operating system that Chromebooks run on, isn’t prone to viruses. Chromebooks employ multiple levels of security; Chrome OS incorporates automatic updates, which run in the background so as not to interrupt learning. Data encryption keeps information secure, while "sandboxing" enables each website and application to run in isolation– if a website or app does become infected by malware, it won’t affect other open tabs or apps.

They’re budget-friendly

Chromebooks are more affordable than most PCs, making them a great option for schools. All Chromebooks come equipped with Google Apps for Education.

What’s new with Chromebooks?

Google is debuting 13 new Chromebooks, each designed to enhance the educational experience. These devices boast features like larger screens, upgraded storage capacity, and extended battery life.

Among the latest convertible devices – Chromebooks that can function as both laptop and tablet– are the HP Dragonfly Elite and the Dell Latitude 5430. These models will be equipped with touchscreens and styluses. Another focus is on sustainability. Many of the new Chromebooks are designed to be easier to repair than previous models. In addition, several models, like the Lenovo 100e Chromebook Gen 4, are constructed from recycled plastic.

Google is also updating features on Screencast, the Chromebook recording tool that enables students and teachers to record, edit and share lessons and projects. Screencast is expanding to support twelve more languages, including Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. In addition, they’re creating a web player that enables students and teachers to view screencasts from any device. Finally, new demo tools are being added to make it easier for those watching a screencast to follow.

Cast Moderator, a tool that lets students and teachers share their screens wirelessly and securely, is also announcing some upgrades. Most notably, presenters will be able to pause while screencasting, as well as change the tab they’re casting from without interrupting the screencast.

With 20% of U.S. children having a learning difference, Google is excited to launch Reading Mode on its Chromebooks. When engaged, Reading Mode limits distractions like videos and images on the screen, allowing students to focus on the material they’re reading. Users will also be able to customize elements like typeface, font size, background and text color to suit their individual needs and preferences.

Want to know more about Chromebooks? Reach out today for more information on how Chromebooks can support your students and staff.

The Next Crop of Chromebooks

Chromebooks are the go-to edtech tool for classrooms across the country. They are durable, rugged, ultra-portable, easy-to-use, have a long-life battery and, most importantly, affordable. Many Chromebook options land in the $200 to $300 price range with the next performance level up costingabout $500 to $600. 

With so many new options, school administrators should easily be able to find one to meet their students’ needs and budget just in time for fall semester. 

Dell Education Chromebook  

Dell’s Chromebooks 3000 series is dedicated to education by being designed to endure the entire school day. It features tamper- and spill-resistant keyboards and ports that are covered and secured with reinforced brackets so students can connect and disconnect over-and-over. The New Chromebook 3100 features an 11-inch screen and up to 14 hours of battery life and a low price of $249. The 3100 also comes in the 2-in-1 option for a bump in the price tag. The New Chromebook 3400 is a 14-inch laptop that offers an optional, expansive full HD display that boots up in less than 10 seconds. It starts at $329.  

HP Chromebook x2 

While at the top of Chromebook’s price range ($599), the HP Chromebook x2 is the first Chrome Detachable PC and comes with high-performance specs; it is HP’s most powerful Chromebook yet. It features a long-lasting, 12-hour battery life and dual-core Intel M3 processor. It features front and rear facing cameras, audio by B&O Play and the durable Corning Gorilla Glass display. 

Lenovo Chromebook 500e (2nd Gen) 

Lenovo offers several Chromebooks for classroom use, including the 500e, the brand’s top model. It blends on-the-go technology with powerful processing and a premium classroom experience. With a 360-degree hinge, it can be used in four ways and includes a digital pen for on-screen writing and notetaking. It also features two HD cameras and a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protective screen that resists chips and scratches. Depending on features, it costs anywhere from $279 to $329. 

Samsung Chromebook 2 & 3 

Samsung’s Chromebooks for education offer options in size and affordability. The Chromebook 3 features an 11.6-inch screen starts at $199. It offers schools a way to embrace 1:1 digital learning with a limited budget. This economical solution still delivers a rugged design, built-in education software and up to 11 hours of battery life. The Chromebook 2 offers a bigger screen, faster performance and a full HD 1080 display for $399. The increased lightning-fast performance reduces battery life to 8.5 hours. 

Questions about Chromebook? We can answer them. Contact us today. 

Follow These 7 Steps To Secure Your Chromebook

It is more common than ever to see Chromebooks dotting the desks, offices and libraries of schools around the country. These devices are changing the way students learn and teachers teach. Unfortunately, that also means there is a greater risk for Chromebooks to go missing, be accessed by unauthorized users or even stumble onto sketchy websites, so it’s essential to keep your Chromebook secure at all times and in all capacities. 

Here are 7 steps to take to keep your Chromebook secure.

1. Set a strong password. The longer it is, the harder it is to crack. Avoid names, places and dictionary words and mix up the capitalization and use special characters. Keep your password in a safe place. You can also use programs and apps, like LastPass, to help keep all your passwords secure.

2. Maximize your security settings. Go into your Chromebook settings and make sure to restrict sign-in to just your account and use Google’s two-factor authentication. This generates a text message or a code through the Google Authenticator app that is required for any new login. If you plan on loaning your Chromebook out, say to a teacher or another administrator, you can wipe the data quickly with the Powerwash feature. Go to s Settings > Show Advanced Settings >Powerwash.

3. Never leave your Chromebook unattended. Even if you are just heading to the bathroom, put it to sleep. Have a co-worker monitor your device or lock it up in your office.

1. Make copies of collaborative documents. Keep originals of documents. Chromebook does a great job of automatically storing data in the cloud and encrypting any remaining data using tamper-resistant hardware, but it’s still a good idea to store any important documents in a separate, secure place.

2. Mask your web browsing. Consider installing a VPN if you want to mask your browsing from your internet service provider or other prying eyes. TunnelBear is an excellent option for the Chromebook because it offers a Chrome extension and Chromebooks with the Google Play Store can install the TunnelBear Android app.

3. Change your search engine. If Chromebook’s existing security features, like the Sandbox or Verified Boot features (both keep a watch on malware an viruses), don’t offer enough piece of mind, you can change your search engine from Chrome to DuckDuckGo or Startpage to hide what you search from Google.

4. Turn off malicious extensions. If your Chromebook has acquired a malicious extension, turn off extension syncing in settings (Settings>People>Advanced Sync Settings) and reset your Chromebook (Show Advanced Settings>Reset Settings).

Keeping your Chromebook secure will help it last from year-to-year, semester-to-semester. Have other great security ideas? Share them below!