Parent Guides
A Parent Guide to Student Chromebooks & the Digital Learning Environment in NPS
Parents are right to want more information about the devices their students are using at school and bringing into the home. The links below offer information that should answer most of the questions we have received from parents over the years.
About the Chromebook
Learning with Chromebooks
Other Important Considerations
Parent Acknowledgement
Legally, parent permission is required before any device may be assigned to, or used by an NPS student. This includes all building technology and all access to online systems, with the exception of required NPS and state assessments. This is accomplished by asking parents to complete a “Parent Acknowledgement" once, for each student in elementary, middle, and high school. This typically happens during the enrollment or online registration process.
The Parental Acknowledgement document serves some important purposes for NPS:
- This acknowledgement is part of our agreement with the parents of the minors in our care regarding digital identity, data privacy, and information security at NPS.
- It clearly indicates to parents that their child will be using devices in the school building that can access the internet.
- The acknowledgement serves as the parent’s consent to allow NPS to manage which technology tools and may gather PII (Personally Identifiable Information) about their child, per COPPA, FERPA, PPRA, and other Federal and State laws.
- Establishes that use of the devices is a privilege and students must demonstrate appropriate caution and responsibility when using them.
Digital Citizenship
NPS has a list of Key Concepts that are taught to all K-12 students from within the existing courses. Teachers use lessons, digital games, and other materials to help students tackle cyberbullying, internet safety, and other digital dilemmas head-on within common NPS classes. It includes materials from a number of sources, including Common Sense Media.
Common Sense Media for Parents
eBooks and Digital Learning
In addition to checking out physical books and other materials, NPS offers students access to a wide range of eBooks, audiobooks, and databases at school and home. Whether reading for class or fun, they can access a vast library of reading material anytime, anywhere!
eBook Spotlight: Sora
Sora offers students thousands of high-interest and popular fiction and nonfiction eBooks. These eBooks can be checked out and enjoyed on Chromebooks or any device, whether at school or home.
Click on the eBooks tab on your student's school library home page to explore more options!
Things to Know
- Your Student's ID number and password
- Students log into most NPS devices* and operational software (Google Classroom, PowerStudent, Chromebooks, etc.), with their Student ID number (as a username) and their personalized NPS password.
Students in Grades 6-12 use these credentials daily and should already know them. Elementary students learn their password through regular use at school. Ask your student if they know it. If not, you can contact the school office for their homeroom teacher for that information.
If a student believes that another person knows their password, it needs it to be changed as soon as possible. They can perform this reset by using their ClassLink account under settings.
- ClassLink
- Classlink is the staring point for most students accessing NPS approved digital tools. Their dashboard includes "tiles", or icons, that students can click on and gain immediate access to most of these tools, without having to enter a second set of credentials.
* Our Kindegarten students use iPads, but also have access to ClassLink on these devices.
- Google Classrom
- Google Classroom is a tool used by teachers to create and collect assignments, distribute materials, post announcements and more. Students can keep tracke of what is due across multiple classrooms and teachers can monitor activity and provide feedback on assignements.
Have your student show their NPS Google Classrooms!
- Gmail (Student Email)
- Every NPS student has access to a NPS Gmail account that is monitored and managed by the Technology department.
- NPS student email accounts are not on the @gmail.com domain; students use a Google EDU account, ending in @students.norwalkps.org.
- Student email accounts cannot send messages to email addresses outside of NPS, unless the email address is on our pre-approved list.
- Student email accounts cannot receive messages sent to them from outside of NPS, unless the email address is on our pre-approved list.
- Every NPS student has access to a NPS Gmail account that is monitored and managed by the Technology department.