Technology Integration – 6 to 8

Technology Integration – 6 to 8

Technology Integration – 6 to 8

 
Students in grade 6, 7 & 8 are required to bring an Apple MacBook with Mac OS X version 10.10 or later to school as part of their everyday school supplies.
 

Purchasing a new MacBook

Please note that any of the notebook models  currently offered by Apple is perfectly acceptable for use by students in Grade 6 to 8. Our current recommendation is the 13-inch MacBook Air, as this is the device with the best price, weight, performance and battery life.

Click here to see a comparison of all current Mac notebooks.
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To facilitate quick and easy purchasing of Apple devices, the school has made an agreement with SystemConnect GmbH, an Apple Authorised Reseller. Please use the button at the bottom of this page to order a new MacBook and required accessories with educational discount.
 
 

Used MacBooks

Your child does not necessarily need a brand-new MacBook. If you already own a MacBook or would like to purchase one pre-owned, you are welcome to do so as long as it meets the minimum requirements for running macOS Sierra (on the right)
Minimum Requirements for macOS Sierra

  • MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
  • MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
  • MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
 
 

Setting up the laptop

When setting up the laptop, parents need to decide how much control to give students over their own laptops. We prefer that students be given full administrative rights since they are then able to install new software, install updates and diagnose technical issues themselves. If parents decide not to give the student administrative rights, and the student needs to install software or diagnose technical issues, the tech support technician will create an ISD controlled admin account on the student’s machine.

We recommend using Parental Control features only as a last resort as these place significant restrictions on what students can do with their machines. Parental Controls very often get in the way of what students need to do in class.

Please use the buttons below for more information about setting up user accounts on student laptops.

Installing Software

The school will provide students with the software they need for their classes, including Microsoft Office and an Anti-Virus package. We try to use free and web applications where possible. Please be aware that the Apple Creative Applications, iMovie and Garageband must be installed on all student computers. These applications are pre-installed on all new Macs, but need to be re-downloaded if the OS has been re-installed at any time.

 

Required Accessories

 
 
In addition to a laptop, students are also required to have the following:

  1. An always-on cover or sleeve to protect the laptop against bumps and scratches. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
  2. A set of in-ear headphones for use in class. Sometimes, students will watch instructional videos or listen to recordings made by their classmates. This can’t be done in a classroom setting using the built-in speakers.
  3. A 32 GB or bigger USB  thumb drive for transferring large files from the school’s computers to the student’s laptop.
  4. A 500GB or larger external hard drive. We can’t emphasize enough the importance of backing up the work on your computer. Students should have an external hard drive which they keep at home on which their computer is backed up regularly.