No, the College has negotiated a competitive price for our families but we receive no commission on the devices.

Yes, Students will be able to install their own software, providing that software has been legally purchased and does not impact any software that has been installed by the College. Any software that facilitates illegal sharing and download of music and videos using peer to peer networking (eg LimeWire), will not be allowed. If there are any problems with the operation of the computer as a result of software that has been personally installed, the computer will be re-imaged to its original state and any student installed software will be lost (but could be reinstalled).

The laptops are intended for use at school on a daily basis, although it will not replace the use of all the tools we currently use in class, such as all books, pen and paper.

Each Year 10 student and teacher will have a personal laptop with which to access the College’s online learning tools. Access to interne­­t, intranet/portal, software and hardware is required by all. These senior school students, working at a more independent level, will have individual anywhere, anytime access to their own personal device, with software such as the Office suite, email, multimedia tools and so on provided by the College. 

After purchase through the Seymour website, the laptops will be delivered directly to the College. At this time, our ICT staff will image all machines to ensure software is consistent. Access to the College wireless network will also be organised, and  serial numbers for the computer and power supply will also be recorded for security purposes.

Students will then be issued with thier laptops when classes commence in the new academnic year.

No. All students will have the same number of classes and the same class sizes as before. The laptop will enhance personal contact and communication between teachers and students, not reduce personal contact.

The Toshiba Portégé R830 (PT320A-03N007) can be purchased via the College weblink.

The cost is $1 208 exc GST ($1 328.80 inc GST).

Please note that prices listed on the purchasing portal include GST and 2% Administration Fee.

Parents can choose a leasing option, details of which are available on the weblink.

In addition to the laptop, we require students to purchase either a laptop bag or a computer sleeve to protect their laptop.

(Various options are provided on the College’s weblink.)

All software required by the College (including Office, Adobe etc) will be provided free of charge by the College.

The College’s purchase portal will be open from Friday, 18 November 2011 until Friday, 9 December 2011.

The laptops will be delivered to the College so that our ICT staff can be imaging the devices prior to the new academic year.

Access to the purchase portal is available via the College website from Friday, 18 November.

Purchase portal

College teaching staff will issue the laptops to students during class in the new academic year.

Yes, it is recommended that you speak to your insurance company about this. (See below for further information about the Portege’s warranty.)

We consider the laptop to be a three-year device. However, with a parent-purchased model comes some flexibility for parents who wish to get more time out of their child’s laptop.

No. The Toshiba Portege Laptop that has been imaged with the Seymour software image is the authorised model.

Eligible parents, carers and legal guardians and independent students may be entitled to get 50% back on the cost of some education expenses, including such items as computers. Recipients of Family Tax Benefit Part A are generally eligible. This is not professional advice but if you think you may be eligible please consult your tax adviser or follow the link to the Australian Taxation Office for frequently asked questions.
www.ato.gov.au/individuals

Our Helpdesk personnel will be available to support laptop users. We will provide assistance with technical issues, such as ensuring that the student’s laptop connects to the wireless network and all available services such as email. While our ICT Department will not undertake mechanical repairs, all laptops will be under warranty, so any technical faults will be addressed under this warranty.

The purchase price of the Toshiba Portege includes a 3 year warranty. This covers repairs and replacement of the laptop in the event of any hardware failure (excludes theft, loss and accidental damage).

In addition, you may choose to cover the device for accidental damage (this does not include theft or loss). You may find that this is already covered by your current personal insurance policy.

The ICT department will manage the warranty claims and have the laptops serviced and/or picked up from Seymour.

When the device is not in use, it is the students’ responsibility to keep their laptops securely locked in their lockers, while at school. Students should keep their laptops in a safe and secure place, as determined by their parents, while at home.

As with any tool or textbook, if students leave their laptop at home they are responsible for getting the work completed as if they had their laptop present.

Laptops must be brought to school each day, fully charged. (Students will not be permitted to bring electrical cords to class.) Students therefore need to charge their laptops each evening, and  we ask that your daughter take responsibility for placing her laptop (along with her mobile phone) on charge in her parents’ bedroom, overnight..

The laptop is a wireless device that is most effective when connected to the internet. We have wireless access for all students across the campus at Seymour. If you already have wireless internet at home, the laptop will easily connect to this. Wireless routers are not overly expensive; you might consider talking to your internet service provider about options.

It is very important to check what type of internet plan you are on. Some plans charge you if you go over your monthly download allowance, others give unlimited downloads and slow your connection down if you go over your monthly limit. The unlimited plans are the safest and best value. We suggest you check with your ISP (Internet Service Provider): if they cannot offer you a competitive price, it is worth making inquiries to change to another provider.

We advise against any other members of your family using your daughter’s laptop. We believe that ownership of the device is an important aspect of any one-to-one program. As part of her growing responsibility as a ‘digital citizen’, it is important that each student is aware of the fact that she is responsible for the device and for the contents of that device.

Our ultimate goal is that the laptop will replace the need for students to carry textbooks. However, with textbook publishers still working hard to catch up with technology, we see 2012 as a transition year: certainly, some textbooks will be available on the laptop, while others will still be in the traditional textbook form.

No, the laptop will be equipped with a pointing pad which should be sufficient. If the student prefers using a mouse, they will need to purchase one for their own use.

Yes, all students in Year 10 are required to have a Toshiba Portege Laptop for the commencement of the 2012 academic year. The students keep the computer for at least three years.

Students will be given some introductory lessons on how to use the Toshiba Portege at the start of the year. Students will then be shown how to use subject specific programs and skills within their various subject areas.

Yes, we are offering parent information sessions.

While using the College wireless network, online content will be filtered to prevent students accessing inappropriate content. Provision of internet security and appropriate use at home will continue to be the responsibility of families. The College encourages parents to discuss expectations with their child regarding appropriate use of the device.

Many parents (and our Boarding House) already require girls to ‘surrender’ their mobile phones during homework and at bedtime, and a similar approach with the laptop is recommended at bedtime.

Further, the College will advise parents of software that can assist with the monitoring and filtering of content.

Yes, this is an ongoing responsibility for schools and families. All students and parents will be asked to sign an Acceptable Use Agreement, and are invited to attend an information session prior to taking ownership of the laptop. The College’s personal development programs will continue to focus on the appropriate use of technology, supporting our students in the development of their digital citizenship skills.

Your child will not be using the laptop in every class so there will be ample downtime in which your child’s eyes will be able to rest. In order to avoid eye strain, the College will include instruction in proper use of the laptop including the proper distance to best view the screen and the setting up of the proper screen resolution and viewing angle.