Bring Your Own Device
Our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy is governed by three simple expectations:
- technology is a tool for learning, not the tool of learning
- the right device for the right setting
- digital citizenship is as important as digital literacy
Technology is a tool for learning, not the tool of learning. While your student will utilise their BYOD technology at school most days, it must be understood that the device will not be used in all lessons every day. Technology is a tool used to enrich and widen learning opportunities and to supplement strong, established pedagogy in the classroom. The use of your student’s BYOD device will be supported through the implementation of our new unified Learning Management System (LMS), Canvas. We will be working in the coming months to launch our new LMS to support students, staff and caregivers in the strengthened integration of technology and learning.
The right device for the right setting. It is not recommended to purchase an Apple device. Apple systems and infrastructure do not always work seamlessly with the Department’s Microsoft Windows environment or have easy access to the applications and drivers needed to operate with other devices.
Students who currently own and utilise BYOD technology at school will not be required to purchase a new device as long as it meets the recommendations below.
STANDARD MODEL > Y7 Y8 Y9 Y10
Intended Use:
For students undertaking standard ICT processes such as web applications and internet research, word processing and viewing media.
Minimum Specifications
- Operating System: Windows 10 or newer
- RAM: 8GB+
- Storage: 256Gb+ SSD
- Processor: Intel i3/AMD Ryzen3 or better
General Specifications
- inbuilt or attachable full-size keyboard
- stylus for mathematics
- extended battery life
- light weight
- ability to utilise headphones for examinations
- accidental loss and breakage insurance
ADVANCE MODEL > Y9 Y10 Y11 Y12
Intended Use:
For students undertaking advanced ICT processes such as video editing, image manipulation, animation, sound editing and recording, most closely linked to elective subjects.
Minimum Specifications
- Operating System: Windows 10 or newer
- RAM: 16GB+
- Storage: 512Gb+ SSD
- Processor: Intel i5/AMD Ryzen5 or better
- Graphics card: AMD Vegas or Nvidia Geforce
General Specifications
- inbuilt or attachable full-size keyboard
- stylus for mathematics
- extended battery life
- light weight
- ability to utilise headphones for examinations
- accidental loss and breakage insurance
General Software Requirements
- web browser such as Google Chrome or Windows Edge
- NAPLAN/Minimum Standards Lockdown Browser
- ICAS testing browser
For specialist software in specialist subjects, the software vendor’s website should be considered for minimum and recommended system requirements before the purchase of any new learning device.
Our Digital Platforms
We use a range of digital platforms to support teaching, learning, administration, wellbeing and communication activities.
Moodle is used for online learning.
Sentral is used for student administration by both staff and parents, such as timetables, wellbeing, attendance, markbook and reports.
The Sentral for Parents app provides key communication between the school and parents, search for it in your app store.
Our Website provides vital information about our policies, rules, enrolment, faculties, wellbeing, parent leanring groups, daily routine and extra-curricular activities.
Email is used to communicate directly to parents.
SchoolBytes is for finance, invoices, payments and organizing excursions.
Facebook showcases our learning, sporting and cultural activites through photos and videos.
CLICK AN IMAGE BELOW TO LOGIN TO THAT PLATFORM
Visit Sentral Parent Portal for instructions on how to setup your account.
The Parent Portal allows you to monitor your child’s school journey simply and efficiently from any device. The portal is browser-based so will work on any device that has an internet browser.
Parents can use Sentral to monitor attendance and submit variations of attendance, check wellbeing information, provide accurate contact details and receive emails or text messages about school activities and issues.
Teachers use Sentral to evaluate student learning, aid development and help differentiate teaching to address student needs. It’s simple to create assessments and reports, it’s quick to track attendance, monitor student wellbeing and keep the communication line open with parents - which helps to create more time for teaching.
Digital Citizenship
Digital Citizenship is as important as Digital Literacy. While BYOD technology remains the property of the student and family, the network and resources that it accesses remain the property of the Department of Education. As such, stringent rules govern the content accessed, stored and manipulated but its users and the technology they utilise to interact with systems.
In general terms, Students must adhere to the ‘Merewether High School - Technology Code of Conduct’ distributed to parents and caregivers at the beginning of each school year. Students should be aware that:
- they are held responsible for their actions while using internet and online communication services
- they are held responsible for any breaches caused by them allowing any other person to use their e-learning account to access internet and online communication services
- the misuse of internet and online communication services may result in disciplinary action which includes, but is not limited to, the withdrawal of access to services - this includes all hardware, software and network infrastructure connected to or associated with the Merewether High School technology network
A serious breach of the Technology Code of Conduct may result in suspension from school. Students will undertake learning in Digital Citizenship throughout their time at MHS, best suited to each year group at a specific time. This will cover online safety, bullying, screen time and effective use of digital technologies.