Chromebooks

It is imperative to keep the devices clean and in working order. Below are some tips for responsible Chromebook care:

•  Be cautious about what is placed on the screen that could cause pressure, water and/or heat damage
•  No food or drink is allowed near your device.
•  Never carry your Chromebook while the screen is open and do not carry the Chromebook by the screen.
•  Do not place the device between large books or in binders in a backpack.
•  Clean the screen with a soft, dry cloth. Do not use Windex or harsh chemicals on screens.
•  Do not leave a device in an environment with extreme temperatures such as outdoors in the sun or in a car.
•  Do not place anything on the keyboard before closing the lid. This can damage the screen.
•  Do not leave your Chromebook unsupervised at anytime or anywhere.
•  It is important to keep your passwords private and not to share with others.  
•  Each device comes with a power adapter which should be used to charge it each evening at home. The charge should last throughout the school day.

The district also created a video, linked below, that discusses proper care of Chromebooks.

Students are expected to bring their device to school fully charged every day. Students who do not bring their device will still be responsible for the completion of their classwork, even without the use of the device. These are the same expectations that would apply if a student forgot a textbook or other class resource.

It is an expectation that the Chromebook is charged and ready for every class. Coming to class with an uncharged device is the same as coming without needed assignments or materials. Teachers may allow students to charge devices as needed, subject to availability of power sources and campus or classroom procedures. 

Online work will vary per classroom and per campus. Denton ISD is leveraging systems such as Google Apps for Education and Canvas LMS that allow students to work both on and offline.

A campus or classroom teacher may elect to have designated times and locations where students are not allowed to access District or personal technology. 

On elementary campuses, devices will remain on campus.

On secondary campuses, the device will not need to be turned in at the end of the school year. Once issued, the Chromebook will reside in the possession of the student until they graduate or withdraw from Denton ISD.

All students are required to abide by the district's student code of conduct at all times. Misuse of district property or the district's network will follow appropriate discipline procedures.

Should any student withdraw from DISD, the Chromebook should be returned to the campus the student attended. Campus administrators can direct you to the process they have in place for the return of the Chromebook.

During summer, Chromebooks can be returned to:

200 W. Congress
Denton, TX 76201

Students will receive an 11" convertible Chromebook that functions as a laptop and a tablet along with the charger.

A Chromebook is a laptop that runs on the cloud-based Chrome operating system (OS). The Chromebook uses cloud-based storage, web applications and Google Apps for Education. Since Chromebooks operate using Chrome OS, they boot in seconds, unlike computers running a Windows or Mac operating system. Additionally, they are by design not vulnerable to viruses and most malware that impacts other operating systems.

After researching various devices and current District usage, it was determined that a Chromebook would best serve student needs while being the most cost efficient. The Chromebooks the District currently uses have proven to have a long lifespan, while requiring less troubleshooting and maintenance than other computers. The administration of the devices is extremely streamlined, which saves significantly on personnel costs.

The Chromebook is a rugged laptop built to withstand everyday school activities. When a student needs additional local storage capacity, the Chromebook has an SD card slot or may use an external USB drive. It is recommended that students save their work in their Denton ISD Google Drive where there is unlimited space available.

Students will receive the device at the beginning of the school year, or shortly after the student's first day on campus. 

Chromebooks are assigned to students in an inventory system based on a Denton ISD asset tag and the serial number of the Chromebook in addition to an attached label with the students name.

On the elementary campuses, each classroom has a Chromebook cabinet with slots for each student to safely secure their Chromebook when not in use. 

Elementary students (grades K-5) will have access to Chromebooks in their classrooms and to take home, depending on individual campus procedures

Once a student has transitioned to middle school, the goal of this initiative is to connect all seconary students with learning resources outside the four walls of the classroom. The Chromebook will go home each night and back to school the following day charged and ready for learning. 

No, only Denton ISD Google accounts are able to log into a school issued Chromebook. 

Yes, a student’s District-issued Chromebook may be selected at random at any time during the school year for inspection to check for restricted images, settings, etc. Guardians should also feel comfortable checking their child’s Chromebook for inappropriate content at any time.

Chromebooks use internet access to access most tools. However, if a family does not have wifi access home, the student can still use Google Drive and Canvas offline, without internet, albeit in a very limited capacity that may prevent completion of assignment. There are numerous public spaces that offer free wifi including the public library. 

Is your Chromebook running slow? Odd errors appearing? Things just not running right? Your Chromebook may need a powerwash.

Powerwashing a Chromebook

1. Sign out of your Chromebook.
2. Press and hold Ctrl + Alt + Shift + r on the keyboard and release.
3. Select Restart.
4. Select Powerwash from the box that appears.
5. Your Chromebook will restart and powerwash to factory settings.

After your Chromebook restarts, select Get Started.

1. Select your desired network and enter the network key if applicable.
2. Your Chromebook will enterprise enroll to the district.
3. Sign into your Chromebook and see if the issue has been resolved.

*These instructions are for Dell Chromebook 3100, 3100 TEA, 3110, and 5190*

Items you will need:

• A solution of 70 percent rubbing alcohol and 30 percent distilled water
• Microfiber cloths or any cleaning cloths that are linen free
• A can of compressed air (optional)

Cleaning Steps:

Step 1 – Completely power down your Chromebook

Step 2 – Disconnect any cables or peripherals that are plugged into your Chromebook

Step 3 – Use the compressed air to remove larger pieces of dirt or dust that might be in your keyboard and ports. When using compressed air, only give it a few short bursts and never turn the can upside-down.

Step 4 – Apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol solution to the cloth and completely wipe down the entire Chromebook, including the screen and around each key of the keyboard

Items to AVOID:

• Do NOT use bleach-free disinfectant wipes
• Harsh cleaning supplies like bleach should NEVER be used on your electronics since they can also damage the screen and other parts of your Chromebook
• Also, NEVER use any abrasive cleaning brushes or cleaning pads that might scratch the surfaces of your Chromebook
• NEVER spray any cleaning solution directly onto your Chromebook or any electronic for that matter

Note: You should always apply the cleaning solution to a microfiber cloth and then apply it to the device to avoid any liquid getting into the device and causing damage.