Cardigan Mountain School A boarding and day school for boys in grades 6 through 9

Technology Policies

NO Cell Phones or Smartwatches

Upon arriving on campus for registration, all student cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, and any other device with internet browsing capability must be turned into dorm parents, who will pass them along to our travel coordinator. When a student is leaving campus for a school break he may sign out his device. Upon returning to campus, he must turn his device back into the travel coordinator or his dorm parent. Smartwatches are discouraged from being brought to campus. To help you and your son stay in touch with each other Cardigan offers student telephones within the dormitory residences.

One-to-One Laptop Program

At Cardigan Mountain School, we embrace technology as an important tool for learning. We see technology as a means to help promote creativity and understanding, support communication, and build important life skills. Instruction is done in the context of our curriculum and our lives at school, providing real-world learning opportunities to use technology to solve problems, interact with others, and discuss what it means to be a responsible digital citizen in today’s world. To aid us in this work, Cardigan has implemented a one-to-one laptop program.

Why a one-to-one program?

There are many models for using technology in schools, and Cardigan has embraced a one-to-one laptop program. Why did we choose this model? For us, it comes down to efficiency and effective management. Selecting a single computer platform across our program allows us to focus our attention on the lesson and on content, rather than on setup and troubleshooting. Faculty and students share a common platform for their work together, and our infrastructure and support are designed accordingly, helping us to be as effective and efficient as possible. 

With a common platform, we are also able to better manage student experiences as they learn to thoughtfully use this resource. By relying on Macintosh Remote Desktop, for instance, our faculty can easily demonstrate concepts directly on every student computer, and view their activities in real-time. 

How does the program work?

As students matriculate to Cardigan, we require that they purchase a new computer through their tuition account. This computer is delivered first to Cardigan, where we take care of upgrades and network setup, install academic software, and activate the appropriate security software. We also require that parents purchase a three-year warranty and accidental insurance policy and a basic protective case, allowing us to protect these machines and quickly respond if and when they fail or break. 

In the first days of the new school year, the computers are distributed to students in the context of a thoughtful introduction from our academic and student life leaders – i.e., how to take care of their computer, how to use the computer appropriately, how to set up email, how to check online class sites, and how to ask for help when they have questions. This computer will then become the property of the student during his time at Cardigan. During the school year, students carry their computers with them to class and use them at night to do their homework. With the exception of ninth graders working on secondary school applications, computers remain on campus. 

At the end of a student’s time at Cardigan, we turn off the security software and he leaves with his computer, ready for use at his next school.

Acceptable Use Policy    

Personal Responsibility: We expect our students to act responsibly and thoughtfully when it comes to using technology. Technology is a finite, shared resource offered by Cardigan Mountain School to its students. Students bear the burden of responsibility to inquire with the Technology Office or other school administrator when they are unsure of the permissibility of a particular use of technology prior to engaging in the use.  

Technology as a Privilege

The use of school technology on school property, at school events, or at home is a privilege, not a right. This privilege comes with personal responsibilities, and if a person violates the responsible use of any school technologies, that person’s privilege may be suspended and/or revoked.  

Our school provides sufficient information technology resources to each student for regular academic pursuits. If a particular research project requires additional resources, the Technology Office works with students on a case-by-case basis to provide those additional resources.  

A student’s technology privileges can and will be removed if the student does not use technology responsibly. 

Laptops

Cardigan students are issued laptops for academic use. Student laptops may only be used for non-academic purposes during specified times for the day. A general rule that Cardigan students follow is: Laptops can only be used for academic purposes during the academic day.

School-Provided Technology Resources 

All students are provided with a school email account. All emails sent from this account are representative of Cardigan Mountain School, and students should keep in mind school policies regarding appropriate language use, bullying, stalking, and other policies and laws. Student email accounts are subject to monitoring and have limited privacy.   

This institution has wireless internet throughout the campus. In order to ensure appropriate supervision of students while on our wireless system, only school-issued computers or other school-issued devices may be connected to the internet. Unauthorized access is a violation of this policy and cause for disciplinary action. Cardigan Mountain School provides individual technology accounts for students in order to keep track of their technology use. Users must log off when they are finished using a school computer. Failing to log off may allow others to use their account, and students are responsible for any activity that occurs through their personal account.


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