FAQ

The BRHS iPad and its related equipment and software is included in the General Fee – it is not a separate fee.

Students receive the following while enrolled at Brother Rice:

• Use of BRHS iPad – currently the iPad 128GB (5th Gen)
• A protective case (that must be used)
• Mobile Device Management software (see question, What is Mobile Device Management....?)
• All required apps (see question, Will students have to buy apps...?)
• 8am to 8pm Apple telephone support
• AppleCare+ Accidental Damage warranty (see question, What happens if the BRHS iPad is damaged?)
• In-school support and warranty replacement with loaner iPad if required

New students are eligible to receive their BRHS iPad if they are properly enrolled and have completed the Technology Use Agreement.

The iPad pickup days are typically a few days before the start of the academic year. Students who enroll at Brother Rice during the school year will typically receive their iPad on their first day attending classes.

BRHS iPads will be the only devices permitted to be used in the classroom and the only devices permitted to access the Internet on BRHS WiFi. Refer to the Parent Student Handbook for more information on cell phones and other personal devices.

Students are expected to take their iPads home each day to have access to their notes, eBooks, and other resources used for homework. Additionally, students are expected to charge their iPads for the next school day.

As outlined in the Technology Use Agreement, if iPads are left at school for any reason, they must be kept in the students' academic lockers (not gym lockers).

Any student properly enrolled for the upcoming school year will typically be allowed to keep their iPad during the summer.

BRHS iPads must be kept in the case that is provided by the school - students cannot switch to different cases. 

August 2017: BRHS has switched to the Logitech Rugged Combo case which includes a keyboard.

All new students participate in an iPad Training prior to the start of classes in August. In addition to this workshop, there are several in-school opportunities:

• Study hall and study lunch sessions for underclassmen.
• Assistance from iWarriors (student iPad club) in the ARC or during scheduled sessions before and after school.
• Assistance from Technology Staff in the Tech Office (ARC).

Also, as part of AppleCare+, students have 8am to 8pm access to Apple experts who can assist them with questions about using the iPads or Apple apps.

Each enrolled student will be assigned a BRHS iPad to use as a tool in support of their learning endeavors. As outlined in the Technology Use Agreement, students will bring the iPad to school each day, fully charged, just as is expected for all required materials.

Like any other learning tool, iPads will not be used 100% of the time. iPads are mobile devices used to enhance student learning. As with any instructional tool, teachers will use their content area knowledge and pedagogy to determine how to integrate the iPad into classroom instruction.

Students are expected to treat their BRHS iPad with care but accidents will happen!

Damaged BRHS iPads are already covered by AppleCare+ (see complete details). Under this warranty program, Brother Rice will facilitate up to two instances of damage to BRHS iPads by repairing or replacing the iPad. Depending on the circumstances of the damage, a deductible of $50 may be charged to the family's account. The AppleCare+ program does not cover lost or stolen iPads!

As an optional purchase, families can enroll in third party insurance through the Worth Avenue Group. This insurance program, available through the Bookstore, covers all damage, including lost or stolen iPads, while offering an unlimited number of incidents. The deductible varries by model iPad, please check with the Bookstore or Tech Office for more details.

The AppleCare+ warranty does not cover lost or stolen iPads. Brother Rice has made additional insurance available through the Worth Ave. Group. Additionally, parents can check with their homeowner's insurance carrier about the cost to add coverage for iPad loss or theft.

BRHS will assist students in attempting to locate their missing iPad using the Find my iPad feature of their Apple ID. This is usually only effective if the iPad is in the school building or at home.

In the event that the iPad cannot be found, families will be required to replace the BRHS iPad through the Business Office. The replacement cost will be determined based on the amount of time left in the iPad's useful life, but could be up to the full retail value of the iPad and case. BRHS iPads must be replaced through the school; they cannot be purchased at a retail location (Apple Store).

One of the goals of the iPad program is to cover all iPad related expenses including mandatory apps. These apps will automatically be loaded to each student's BRHS iPad as required, at no additional cost to the family. Examples include productivity apps that all students will be encouraged to use for note taking, presentations, and collaboration, a motion analysis app required for Honors Physics, or a vocabulary app for Latin. Mandatory apps will be referenced in each teacher's syllabus.

eBooks, iBooks, and textbooks are not included and must be purchased separately.

Students may be permitted to purchase other apps and content (music, video, etc.), but these purchases are not covered by Brother Rice.

Student will be limited to downloading apps from the official BRHS app store. This will help students avoid some of the more distracting apps that are available from the App Store.

Many courses, including all of Theology, most English, Math, and Science utilize eBooks. Other courses will offer a mix of resources that are both digital and traditional (text).

Apps and iBooks, whether provided by BRHS or purchased by the family, are assigned to a single Apple ID; for this reason, it is necessary for each student to have their own, personal Apple ID. This account should not be shared with other family members. To facilitate sharing, Apple has created Family Sharing which allows up to six Apple IDs to be grouped in a Family for the purposes of sharing and parental approval of purchases. See apple.com/icloud/family-sharing for more information.

Note: digital resources that are not provided by Apple typically do not permit sharing.

Each year, BRHS reviews the market value of the iPad assigned to BRHS Seniors. Approximately 45-days prior to graduation families will be informed about the cost, if any, to keep the iPad and case.

Any student properly enrolled for the upcoming school year will typically be allowed to keep their iPad during the summer.

Brother Rice students who attend classes at Marian will be able to request access to Marian's WiFi system and use their BRHS iPads in accordance with Marian classroom rules.

It is possible to accomplish all school related tasks on the BRHS iPad. Still, some students may find that having an additional computer at home will allow them to be more productive when it comes to longer word processing assignments and activities where the iPad is being used to view the eBook.

Also, students will greatly benefit by having Internet access at home, but it is still possible to complete assigned work by downloading materials at school and using applications at home in an offline mode.

Mobile Device Management (MDM) is software that is preloaded on BRHS iPads to facilitate the following:

• Automatic deployment of apps and iBooks
• Enhance collaboration between students and teachers
• Enable teachers to lock a student into an app during a lesson, quiz, or test
• Monitoring of iPad content (apps, music, etc.)