• Use of Technology at Acalanes

    To help build 21st century skills, teachers at Acalanes High School have incorporated technology into their daily routine. Whether to manage aspects of their class or to engage and inspire students, technology has been embraced as an educational tool. Acalanes is a wireless campus providing staff and students instant access to the Internet campus-wide. Acalanes students have access to many forms of technology, including PCs, Mac computers and iPads, as well as 1:1 chromebooks. Our campus offers classroom computer labs for students studying Digital Design, Photography, and Computer Programming. In addition, the Acalanes High School library offers the ability for students to use computers in a classroom-like setting, as well as 24/7 access to the library's online databases. 


    Student Devices - BYOD

    Acalanes High School is a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) campus.  Students can choose to bring their personal computer (laptop, Chromebook, iPad, etc) to school for educational use.  Students also have the option to check out a Chromebook from the school.  Regardless of the device, all students are expected to follow school and district policies and expectations around digital citizenship and adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy.  Students wanting to check out a school Chromebook can request one during the Fall Registration process or after the school year starts.  

    Newer Chromebooks, iPads or Laptops are ideal.  Smartphones and E-Readers are not recommended.  
     
    The device should:
    • connect to the internet via Wi-Fi
    • have at least 5 hours of battery life
    • have a headphone jack (students should bring their own headphones as well)
    • be able to run all google apps like docs, sheets, slides, etc
     
    Most daily class activities will be based online using Google apps - so a newer chromebook is a great option. However, some students prefer the more powerful options that a laptop can provide like larger storage capacity, video editing, photoshop, etc - While other students prefer iPads for the portability and the wide variety of apps that can be accessed from the iTunes app store. All three devices are great options at different price points.
     
    Students will be expected to bring a fully charged device to school every day in order to access class material.
     
    Students will use the device to enhance learning throughout their High School experience.  Purchasing a device for classes at Acalanes can be seen as a long-term investment in student productivity and learning.


    Digital Citizenship

    With the increasing use of technology in education, Acalanes is focused on making sure our students are safe while navigating the digital environment. It is important for our students to understand the responsibilities that come along with today's technology and their participation in making good ethical decisions while online. See our digital citizenship resources.