New Chromebooks Have Arrived
The school is beginning to distribute 120 new Chromebooks to students.
In-school students in grades 1, 2, and 4 are coming home with new Chromebooks today (Monday, 2/22).
A New Chromebooks page has been added to the Parents section of the SJB website under Parents.
The new page has dates and times for Chromebook pickup for parents of distance learners in grades K-4.
It also has Chromebook guidance for parents and students receiving new Chromebooks in grades K-4.
The school's plan is to distribute the Chromebooks to students in K-4. Fifth-grade students have already been provided school-issued laptops.
School-issued Chromebooks or laptops will be available on request to students in grades 6-8. The school's priority is to ensure that distance learners have the technology needed for online learning.
The school's technology director, Mrs. Irwin, is providing training to lower-grade classes in coordination with each classroom teacher.
Mrs. Irwin has set up the Chromebooks so that they automatically log in the student when a student Clever Badge is held up to the Chromebook camera.
What Took So Long?
The Chromebooks were ordered last summer through Montgomery County Public Schools with federal money approved by Congress in the Cares Act. In late June, the school was informed that per-pupil funding for Chromebooks was denied. In late September, the denial was overturned and Chromebook funding was restored.
The school was able to place an order for 120 Lenovo Chromebooks with MCPS on Sept. 25. Over the next several months, the order was repeatedly delayed. The school was told the delays were caused by overseas supply shortages brought on by worldwide distance-learning demands.
In January, the school took advantage of an opportunity to switch its order from Lenovo Chromebooks to Dell Chromebooks. The switch-order suggestion came from a friendly contact at the MCPS supply warehouse and was quickly carried out by Mrs. Irwin and Mrs. Pifer, our resource and ELL director who helped place and coordinate the orders.
Wednesday is Black History Movie Day at SJB
Movies will be streamed to students in class and at home from the late morning through lunch. Here are the movies the classes will be watching:
Thank you to the parent and faculty members of the Diversity Panel who screened, selected, and provided the movies for Black History Movie Day.
Each movie provides a teacher-guided discussion prompt for the class. Teachers are encouraged to follow the movie with a student discussion.
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