1:1 Chromebook Program for Grades 6-12 

Rationale:  Forsyth County Schools (FCS) provides a Chromebook to every student in grades 6–12 to support learning both in school and at home. In alignment with the FCS Strategic Plan and Learner Profile, students will interact daily with a variety of online and digital resources.  By providing each student with a Chromebook, we aim to intentionally integrate technology into the classroom, promote digital literacy, and ensure that all students have access to educational resources. Just as with textbooks and other assigned materials, this device is an essential instructional tool and must be brought to school daily, fully charged. 

 Questions:

• What type of content filtering is on the Chromebook to protect my child during online access?  ANSWER: Each Chromebook is filtered 24/7 using the district's content filtering engine, regardless of in school or at home. 
   
• What if I do not want my child to have a Chromebook? ANSWER: We highly recommend your child receiving a Chromebook due to the immersive and relevant digital access they encounter in most classes.  Students without a Chromebook will need to check one out each morning in the Media Center and return it at the end of the day, which will add unneeded complexities to their daily schedule.  If there are concerns around paying for damages or students having a device 24/7 at home, please view the Accidental Damage Coverage section below and also review the Device Monitoring with Qustodio section that gives parents the control for setting screen time hours and monitoring access.  

Chromebook Responsibility Guide: We believe that with great technology comes great responsibility. Please be sure to review the FCS Chromebook Responsibility Guide which outlines the student use expectations and financial responsibilities of parents/guardians to ensure the proper care and use of the devices.  Chromebooks will be distributed free of charge, but families may incur costs for lost or damaged devices.  Please review the Accidental Damage Coverage section below for information on how to minimize costs. 

Accidental Damage Coverage: To provide peace of mind, we offer an optional Accidental Damage Coverage plan for the Chromebooks for only $25.00. This coverage protects against unexpected incidents such as drops, spills, and other accidental damage. Details about the coverage plan, including how to enroll and what is covered, can be found here:  Accidental Damage Coverage

Parent/Guardian Device Monitoring with Qustodio: We understand the importance of keeping our students safe online. That's why we partnered with Linewize to provide the Qustodio app for parents and guardians free of charge. Qustodio allows you to monitor your child's device usage, set screen time limits, and filter content to ensure a safe and productive online experience.

Parent/guardians can visit https://www.qustodio.com/my-school and enter their email address on file with the school system to sign-up. Please note that setup and support are managed directly by Qustodio. Contact myschool@qustodio.com if you need assistance. More information about Qustodio can be found at https://www.qustodio.com/en/why-qustodio/.

Online Safety Hub: Our school district is committed to online safety. Our partnership with Linewize provides our district with an Online Safety Hub to provide resources and information to help parents and students navigate the digital world safely. The hub includes tips on cyberbullying prevention, internet safety, digital citizenship, and much more. Visit https://forsyth.onlinesafetyhub.io for more information. 

Chromebook Troubleshooting Guide: Users can refer to this Chromebook Troubleshooting Guide to assist with common Chromebook issues.

Summer Information: 

• Returning Students: Students remaining at the same school for the upcoming school year will keep their Chromebooks over the summer.
• Graduating Seniors: Seniors must return their Chromebooks to their high school. Please follow your specific school’s collection schedule and directions.
• Rising 9th Graders (Current 8th Graders): Students will return their current devices to their middle school at the end of this school year. New Chromebooks will be issued at their high school at the start of the 26-27 school year.
• Filtering & Safety: The district’s Chromebook filter remains active throughout the summer. Parents can continue to manage the device using Qustodio to set time limits, block specific websites, and monitor usage.
• Repairs: Should a Chromebook experience any hardware or software issues, please submit a support ticket via our Summer Chromebook Repair Form. Our Technology Services team will monitor requests throughout the summer and coordinate a repair or exchange.