| IT Department |
| Will there be a help desk for students to access technical support? |
Yes,. An online help desk will operate. When students wish to access technical support they will use any computer to log their problem online. The school IT Department will ascertain how to fix the problem and reply to the online ticket. In some cases the IT Department will ask the student to print out the support docket and bring it with them to the IT office for repair. |
| Can students ‘walk up’ to the IT office for assistance? |
We are considering the best possible assistance program that we can provide. Our current research of best practice indicates online technical support as the most effective method of computer support – however we need to finalise this decision at a later date. |
| Will a replacement laptop be available for students if theirs is taken for repair? |
Yes. Students can borrow one from the library. Using the borrowed laptop, students can still access their school files as they are copied to the server from their last logon to the network. Students can work with their files as they would normally. When their laptop is fixed, the student can return the borrowed laptop to the library and then collect their laptop from the IT Department. |
| What is the expected repair time period? |
Generally it will be one to seven days. Repair times will depend on the job complexity and the current workload of the IT Department. Our current rollout of 250 laptops has only seen 4 hardware requests in 6 months; we do not anticipate significant laptop hardware issues with future batches. |
| Will the students who receive laptops in 2011 have different laptops than those in the 2010 rollout? |
Yes. As computers get faster, lighter, smaller and more powerful every 6 months, the model rolled out to the 2011 group could be different. Another factor in determining if a model will change is the pricing available on the Government contract. Computers are subject to world wide price pressures such as the value of the Australian dollar and prices vary accordingly. |
| Can my child hand back his/her laptop after one year and receive a new model for the following year? |
No. The model selected for that year will stay with that group of students for 3 years. Normally students would receive their laptop at the beginning of their new sub school year ie Year 1, Year 4, Year 7 and Year 10. |
| The Varsity 1 to 1 Program |
| Hasn’t the Federal Government supplied each school with $1000 for each student enrolled in Years 9 to 12? Isn’t that enough funding to purchase a computer for every student without a parent contribution? |
Currently the Federal Government has only supplied approximately a quarter of the funding required to reach a 1-to-1 ratio. The Digital Revolution funding when paid in full will only be enough to make a computer available in a 1-to-1 ratio for computers at school only. The Varsity College 1-to-1 program will allow students access to a laptop in and out of school hours supporting the College’s ‘learning anytime, anyplace’ vision. Students will be issued with a commercial grade, high spec laptop for only a fraction of the retail cost. |
| I had intended to purchase a laptop for my child who starts Year 10 in 2010. Should I proceed? |
In February next year your child will have access to a high quality, high performance laptop that can be used both at home and on the Education Queensland Managed Operating Environment. We encourage you to take advantage of Varsity College’s 1-to-1 program, so that your child can maximize the use of this learning environment at home and at school. |
| My child will be in Year 8 in 2010. I understand the rollout begins with Years 10 and 11. When can other year levels expect to be included in the Varsity College 1-to-1 program? |
The rollout for 2010 will be for Year 10 and 11 students. In 2011, students starting Years 7,8,9 and 10 will be issued with laptops. |
| My child is not in the rollout group in 2010. Should I purchase a laptop for him/her before next year starts? |
It is your decision. The successful Middle School ‘Laptops in the Classroom’ program, where the ratio is 1:4 will still continue. Year 12 students in 2010 will not be issued with laptops. Instead they will have access to a greater number of existing computers since Year 10 and 11 students will no longer require them. |
| Will students in Prep and Junior be included in the Varsity College 1-to-1 program? |
Yes. Plans for a 2012 rollout to Junior and Prep school students are being drawn up. With the advent of new technologies between now and the introduction of this program, we will wait until closer to this date before outlining this program. |
| My child is in Year 11 in 2010 and will only be in the program for two years. Can I purchase the laptop outright from Varsity College when he/she finishes Year 12? |
No. Laptops in the Varsity 1 to 1 program will stay in the program for 3 years. The year 2010 year 11 laptops will be cycled into another part of the college. |
| If I am given the opportunity to purchase the laptop outright, after my child has used it for three years, will it be refreshed to factory state? |
Yes. Students will take a copy of their personal documents. All school software will be removed via an ultra low level format and the Vista or Windows 7 image will be re-installed. Education Queensland will no longer have an interest in the laptop. |
| Daily Operation |
| Will my child be expected to bring his/her laptop to school everyday? |
Varsity College teachers are transforming the way they teach to take advantage of students having unlimited use of laptops. Students taking practical subjects may elect to leave their laptops at home on certain days of the week, but the new digital platform for the curriculum program will ensure that laptops will be essential tools in each classroom |
| Is there a secure area where my child can leave his/her laptop during sport, lunch or assembly? |
It is anticipated that students will have their laptops with them at all times except under special circumstances. A number of solutions is being investigated at this time. Some solutions under consideration are personal lockers and special laptop cages (A fee may apply for this service). |
| Connectivity |
| Is wireless or wired connectivity to the network available at the College? |
Limited wired points are available in each room for connection. A wireless solution is being considered by Education Queensland and is expected to be rolled out to Varsity College in the middle of 2010. In the meantime, a limited number of hot spots will be available for students to download network files, antivirus updates and software patches. |
| Where can students plug their laptops into wired network points to access the Internet? |
Each classroom will have limited points for connection. A concentration of network outlets will be available to students in locations such as the Resource Centre. |
| Will a Internet filter be installed on both partitions of the laptop? |
Yes. All internet access at school is via the filtered Education Qld network and an Internet filter will be installed on the ‘at home’ partition. |
| Can I purchase USB mobile internet for my child to use at school? |
Yes. However, a policy on the use of private internet access is yet to be finalised. It is proposed that the special ‘acceptable use’ document detailing non– Education Queensland filtered internet use at school be signed by both students and parents. Strict adherence to the rules outlined in this document is paramount and any violation of the policy will result in removal of network access . |
| The Varsity College Laptop |
| Can I buy my child their own laptop from a local retail store and connect it to the school network? |
No. Only Education Queensland computers are licensed and equipped with the Education Queensland Managed Operating Environment (MOE) to connect to the school network. The MOE offers students access to: the secure filtered school internet, school licensed software, school printers and connection to network software resources such as Clickview, Alice, SharePoint and a number of other software resources. |
| Is the Varsity College laptop regarded as a Netbook? |
No. While Netbooks are smaller, lighter and cheaper, the current models are not powerful enough to run multimedia authoring software and graphics design software. Also, the current Netbook models available are not robust enough for the school environment. Netbooks are not available on the Government contract list, therefore Varsity College cannot take advantage of the conditions that are provided through Education Queensland. |
| What features are available to the school when laptops are purchased through the Government contract? |
All laptops purchased through the Government contract automatically come with a 3 year onsite full service or replacement warranty, including a 3 year warranty for batteries. (Note: laptop batteries always fail within 3 years – 3 year battery warranties are not available on retail computers. Batteries can often cost over $200 to replace.) Contract computers enjoy the protection of a ‘lemon clause’ where if a computer is returned three times during the three years, it is replaced. |
| Can I buy exactly the same brand laptop at the same or lower price from a retail outlet? |
Education Queensland has enormous buying power. It can negotiate an ultra low price for 50 000 units at a time, directly from the manufacturer. Taking in consideration the installed software, Full 3 year warranty, Extended battery, and technical support, It is highly unlikely you could match this pricing even on run-out or so called ‘specials’. |
| I can buy a different brand laptop with the same specifications for $100 less than the laptop on offer from school. Is the school price negotiable? |
No. To properly compare the specifications, ensure warranty, software and service are taken into account. Computers available via the government contract are tough ‘commercial grade’ models with extra built in shock absorption features, aluminum chassis and hardened outer casing. The Varsity College model also offers the three year extended warranty including the battery. The Microsoft Office suite amongst other software packages comes standard and an online help desk ensures minimal downtime. One important feature of the Varsity College laptop is the extended cell ‘all day’ battery which gives students an extra 2 to 4 hours of daily battery life. This will be far more useful at school and home as the need for a charging point is minimised. |
| Can my child choose an Apple Mac laptop instead of the PC based laptop on offer? |
The PC based laptop that the College will purchase will be the only laptop available in the Varsity 1-to-1 program. |
| What other advantages are there in signing up to the Varsity College 1-to-1 program? |
Like the current school system, the software build on the laptops will be robust and reliable. The laptop selected will be a model especially designed to handle a school environment. In addition, the IT Department will be available to assist with any technical difficulties via an online trouble shooting support system. |
| Laptop Function |
| I understand that the laptop has dual functionality: an ‘at school’ mode and ‘at home’ mode. Can you explain this please? |
On start up, the student is able to select from one of two modes—the MOE (at school) mode or the Vista (at home) mode. The MOE mode is like every other Education Queensland computer build where students connect to the school network and Ed Qld internet. The Vista mode is like having your own computer. Students can connect laptops to their own internet and printers and store personal files such as music, pictures and videos in the ‘My Documents’ folder. |
| In Vista mode, can my child install their own computer games and other personal software ? |
Yes. Provided they own the software, there is no restriction on what they put on the Vista partition. However, the laptop is still school owned and students must not store inappropriate material on the hard drive, as per Varsity College Computer Acceptable Use Agreement. |
| What material is deemed inappropriate? |
Illegal pirated software, music, pictures or videos, any software not purchased by the student and any content that is not suitable to be viewed by persons under the age of 18. |
| What software is installed on the main build of the school laptop? |
The ‘at school’ partition will have the XP Professional operating system, the Office Professional suite, antivirus programs and a host of utilities. A full list is available on the website www.VarsityCollege.com/1to1. The ‘at home” partition will have MS Vista Home Basic edition installed and any other student owned software. |
| If a student installs a virus on their laptop, can it spread to the network? |
Each laptop will have Education Qld owned Antivirus software installed. This will ensure that most intrusions will be removed from the laptop. The school network also has an antivirus network system to protect against possible attacks. All precautions are taken against malicious software on the network but 100% protection cannot be guaranteed. |
| I understand a recovery option is available as an option on startup of the laptop. What is this used for? |
If the MOE or Vista partition fails or needs a refresh, then students have the option to do a self refresh of the system without contacting the IT Department. |
| Will restoring the MOE partition delete all files? |
No. Student files written when in the MOE partition are held in a safe location and copied on the network server for safe keeping. While all care is taken to protect student school files, students must assume ultimate responsibility for their own data files and should back them up everyday onto a personal USB drive. |
| Will restoring the Vista partition result in the loss of all printer settings, internet settings, data files, games and programs installed on that partition? |
Yes. The partition will be restored to a factory state where only the operating system and the original software will be restored. Students assume all responsibility of re-installing their software, re-configuring their internet settings and all printer drivers. |
| Will the IT Department re-install my child’s personal games and other software? |
No. The IT Department will only restore the Vista partition if self restoration fails. |
| Will the IT Department assist me with home internet settings and connectivity problems? |
No. Direct all enquiries to a local private computer technician or to your home Internet Service Provider. |
| Will Varsity College take any responsibility for data ‘lost’ on the Vista (at home) partition due to remote deployment of updates or a computer refresh? |
No. Software patches and upgrades will be remotely deployed periodically by the school server. In the event of a failure, the entire laptop may be re-imaged to a ‘factory’ state. Students assume ultimate responsibility for their own data files and should back them up everyday onto a personal USB drive. |
| Will the IT Department require the laptops for maintenance periods? |
Yes. There will be times when laptops need to be connected to the network for deployment of software upgrades. |
| How will my child know when his/her laptop is required for a maintenance period? |
Via the new dedicated Varsity 1-to-1 website. A notification message will be posted to students via their school email address. Parents can also elect to receive these notifications by email. |
| Payment Tax Option |
| What happens if I cannot afford to take part in the program? |
Success of the program relies on maximum participation. To assist families to take part in the program for their children, the cost of each laptop has been kept to a bare minimum. Also, a restructure of annual school fees for students enrolling in Years 10 and 11 in 2010 is under review. If you are eligible for the Federal Government’s Education Tax Rebate, you will be able to claim the annual fee as an expense, further reducing the cost of the program. If you have difficulties , please contact the College for further advice. |
| Are the Varsity College 1-to-1 laptops eligible for the $1500 Education Tax Rebate? |
Yes, provided that those paying for the annual 1-to-1 laptop fee are eligible for the Education Tax Rebate. To find out who is eligible please check the Australian Tax Office website on the link below or consult an accountant. http://www.educationtaxrefund.gov.au/home/ |
| How much can a person expect to claim via the Education Tax Rebate? |
Please examine the enclosed ATO Education Tax Refund Information Fact Sheet. You will receive an invoice to support you should you make a claim. |
| I have two children. Can I get a group discount? |
The annual fee is already set as low as possible. However, you may be able to claim for each child via the Education Tax Rebate. Please refer to the enclosed ATO ETR Fact Sheet |
| What happens if my child leaves Varsity College during the year and no longer wishes to keep the laptop? Will there be a partial refund? |
Yes. A pro-rata refund will be negotiated with the Business Manager. |
| What other computer related costs can I expect to pay in the Varsity College 1-to-1 program? |
Printing credit top up. Students are allocated $5.00 annually and will need to add credit once their balance falls below $0.00. |
| Security and Laptop Care |
| Will there be a place where my child can leave the laptop unattended during a school day? |
Yes. A number of solutions is being investigated at this time. Some security solutions under consideration are personal lockers and special laptop cages. |
| What happens if my child’s laptop is stolen? |
A component of the first year’s fee is the insurance policy premium. The insurance policy will cover you against theft and accidental damage of the laptop. The following conditions must be met; if the laptop is stolen from home or in transit, a police report must be filed. If the laptop is stolen while at school, the school will conduct an investigation and may call in the police. The claim can only proceed once the $200 excess is paid |
| What happens if the laptop is accidentally damaged? That is, it falls off a desk? |
Another benefit of the Varsity College 1-to-1 laptop program is that laptops are covered by the Accidental Damage Program. If accidental damage occurs to a laptop, the student needs to log the damage or situation via the online help desk and a resolution will be reached. |
| Can my child take their laptop with them on holidays? |
Students are permitted to keep their laptops over the holidays unless the IT Department recalls them for a maintenance period. Varsity College laptops are not permitted interstate or overseas at anytime. |
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