Tablet Initiative

New York State in association with PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) has implemented a digital testing requirement for all schools in New York State by the 2014-2015 school year, with guaranteed IT requirements for year one. As a district this unfunded mandate, with limited system requirements, meant we needed to prepare a technology plan that could accommodate the daily activities of a digital world in the most efficient and cost effective manner as well as support the digital requirements based on PARCC standards for 2014-15 and beyond.

With this in mind the Tuckahoe Common School District has determined the most effective tool is the Windows 8 platform and the Surface line of tablets. During the 2013-2014 school year, Tuckahoe Common School District will begin to issue Microsoft Surface tablets to students and teachers for use as part of their educational curriculum. It is the Tuckahoe Common School District’s belief that these tablet devices will comply with the PARCC requirements as well as help students develop the skills they need to become digitally literate and become career ready with 21st century skills. These 21st century skills include:

♦ Critical and creating thinking
♦ Problem solving skills
♦ Information and computer skills
♦ Interpersonal and self-direction skills
♦ Collaboration and communication in a global business world
♦ Experience in an online learning community

The Microsoft Surface tablet devices will allow students to direct their own learning and have a greater reliance on active learning strategies, which will allow students, to be able to transfer knowledge across academic disciplines. The increased access to this technology will enhance instruction and provide more enrichment opportunities during the school day for students to further their academic accomplishments.

The Surface Tablets will be distributed each school year starting in 2013-2014, with grades 5-8 being able to take their tablet home each day, and grades 2-4 tablets will stay in school. Prior to the distribution event, there will be a mandatory meeting for both parents/guardians and students (grades 5-8) to attend. Both parents/guardians and students must attend this meeting and student training session prior to the student receiving his/her Tablet. The district will take into account individual parent/guardian and student situations while determining the date(s) for this meeting. Each subsequent year, parents/guardians and students will again be required to attend the meeting before receiving their Tablet for that school year. Once students receive their Surface tablet, it will stay with them for the remainder of the school year, or until they withdraw from school. Students will be RESPONSIBLE for bringing their tablet to school with them EVERYDAY, taking it home at the end of the day, and charging it for use before the next day.

Parents and Students must sign and return the Insurance Coverage Election Form, the Student Responsibilities for Tablet Use, Office 365 Agreement Form and the Microsoft SkyDrive and Network Storage Agreement Form documents before the Tablet will be issued to the student.

TCSD will also be able to partner with the local Microsoft Stores (White Plains, Walt Whitman Mall, Roosevelt Field Mall) in order to provide technical assistance and support. Having this resource close by can help provide immediate response to our students, parents, teachers and technology department on technical issues related to the Windows 8 environment and Surface Pro & RT tablet devices.

Distribution Event Dates:

Coming in August 2013

TCSD Tablet Forms:

Tuckahoe Student Tablet Procedures and Statement of Agreement

Tuckahoe Student Office 365, SkyDrive, District Network, Computer, Internet User Procedures and Statement of Agreement