HIT> Laptop computer checkout

[CAROL SHERER <je2271lb@INK.ORG>]

LM_NETTERS:

Since I've received more requests for the information than I did replies
to my posting, I am posting a HIT to the group.
Checking out laptops must be a relatively new idea, esp. checking them out
to students since I did not get much feedback.  I have 3 laptops that I
check out: 2 to students and 1 to teachers.  (We are a very small high
school with only 88 students and 15 teachers).  This is my third year for
checking them out. Now I'm finally able to have a policy in place that I'm
happy with.

Following are the responses I received:

I've had to go to a sign up sheet and check out of only a few days at a
time because of a few teachers hogging the Powerbooks for months without
end.  Other teachers were getting really ticked!  And the ones who were
asked to return the Powerbooks for this new system asked me, "Do I really
need to turn in MY Powerbook??!!"  Funny how fast it becomes THEIRS.
Staff get priority over part timers, and certified staff over the
non-certified aides.
Virjean Griensewic            vgrien1@dakota.isd77.k12.mn.us
Dakota Meadows Middle School
North Mankato, Mn
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We have four laptops in our high school that are available for checkout.
We had no set policy until this fall, and we're still fairly flexible
depending on need.  Generally we are now saying that one may check out a
laptop for a three-day period.  We may have to amend this as there is a
home study student who needs access so the home school teacher takes a
laptop to work with this student.  (The laptop is NOT left at the
student's home.)  Another consideration that is beginning to be problem is
that the laptops were purchased for teacher use and we are finding that
certain administrators feel that their need is greater.  If this begins to
get awkward, I feel that the head principal will support a policy
authorizing teacher use as priority 1.  We have been checking out laptops
for three years now and have had no significant problems.

Margaret D. Sloan      madsloan@tenet.edu
Missouri City, TX
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Well, this isn't exactly what you asked for, but we have AlphaSmart
"smart" keyboards that we check out to students for a day or two for
typing reports.  They "plug into" a MAC and can easily dump text into an
open word processor for editing/printing.  Basically, we treat them like
books, etc.  The kid gets a "lose it or damage it and you pay for it,"
before they check it out.

Larry Parsons                     booker@guest.nwnet.net
Ocean Beach School District
Ilwaco, WA
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We have three laptops for checkout in our school.  Parents must sign for
and return the computers.  Students are not allowed to walk home or carry
these on public transportation.
Parents must have a short "inservice" on care and use of the computer.
Checkout is usually restricted to 24 hours.
We found that these stringent guidelines protected the computers quite
adequately.  So much so that no one ever checked them out.
Now we allow checkout over the weekend for teachers as well.  Parents
still don't take advantage(we are inner city low income population), but
the teachers are on a waiting list for checkout.
These are our guidelines.

Carol Brown                     cabrown1@ualr.edu
Franklin Incentive School
Little Rock
**********************************************************************

We have students and their parents sign a form saying they will pay for
negligent damages or loss.  Since students use those laptops to dial into
the library's network and then into the other labs in our building, we
also have them agree that if they do anything that is not allowed by our
computer policy, they will lose all computer privileges in our building
for the  year.  We have made examples of a couple of kids for messing
around in the network, and that was all it took.  We haven't had any major
problems so far.

Jackie Carrigan                carrigan@ideanet.doe.state.in.us
Plainfield High School
Plainfield, IN
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We have 2, they go out to teachers only...for 2 nights and teachers sign
up for them in the LRC..first come first serve.  So far it's working out
fine but we might have some problems when more and more teachers get
proficent and want it..right now the only really computer literate
teachers are the ones who already have one at home (like me!)

Guusje Moore                     guusje@tenet.edu
Housman Elementary School
Houston, TX
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Hope those interested in laptop checkout will find this information
useful.

Many thanks to those who replied to my request.

Carol Sherer
Library Media Specialist
Jetmore H.S. KS
je2271lb@ink.org