Dear Parents and Guardians,
At Holy Cross, we continually strive to offer the best educational experience to our students. Today, we are reaching out to inform you of a slight shift in our approach to technology integration within our curriculum for grades 5-10.
Since the inception of our laptop program in 2007, Holy Cross has been a pioneer in integrating technology into our curriculum, recognizing the immense benefits it brings to our students’ learning experience. While we have supported the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program over the years to help acclimate our students to the digital world, we have decided to transition for the 2024-25 school year to a 1:1 school-furnished device program for grades 5-10 after careful evaluation of our current program.
Please allow us to share the reasons behind this transition:
Optimized for Education: Our school-furnished devices will be specifically chosen and configured for educational purposes, ensuring all necessary tools and resources are readily available for our students.
Focused Learning Environment: Standardized devices will enable us to manage application usage more effectively during class, minimizing distractions and maximizing the learning experience.
Standardization of Devices: Uniform devices will guarantee a consistent and equitable learning experience for all students, eliminating disparities that may arise from a variety of personal devices.
Professional Support and Maintenance: The Technology department will provide timely support, maintenance, and updates for school-owned devices, ensuring optimal conditions for learning. Parents will be sent a link to make payment for repairs that are not covered under the standard warranty.
Enhanced Cyber Security: With a global increase in cyber security threats across various sectors, we aim to provide a secure and controlled digital environment by transitioning to school-furnished devices, ensuring the safety and privacy of our students both on and off campus.
For grades 11 & 12 (current 10th & 11th grade), parents will have two options:
1. Students can continue to use their BYOD device.
OR
2. Parents can sign up for a school furnished device and pay the annual fee. Deadline to sign up for a school furnished device is January 12, 2024. Online form to be posted in December.
An annual fee is being finalized but should range from $500 to $600 and will be billed to each student’s tuition account which will cover the cost for the school furnished laptop, applications, and most repairs. Additional information will be provided in our tuition letter in January.
Our Technology department is ready to support our students and their families to ensure a smooth transition. Questions regarding this transition can be directed to our Director of Technology, Jerry Arnone via email at [email protected].
We are excited about this new chapter at Holy Cross and confident that this transition will enhance our students' educational experience, providing the tools and resources they need to excel in the digital age.
Thank you for your understanding and support.