School Board Considering Google Chromebooks for All Manchester High Students

Manchester High School Principal Matthew Geary presented a plan to the Board of Education Monday night that would see all students at the high school equipped with a Google Chromebook. 

"Our goal with the Chromebooks is really to revolutionize teaching and learning at the high school," Geary said, noting that the Chromebooks would provide all students access to the Internet for research, class assignments and communicating remotely with teachers. 

"We want this interactive work to be happening every day in classrooms," Geary told the school board. 

"As far as getting actual schoolwork accomplished, the iPad wasn't the way to go there," Geary said, expressing concerns that students would be too focusing on using the iPad to play games or on other non-classroom related activities. 

Geary also presented the school board with a sample handbook that would be given to each student with their Chromebook that covers everything from acceptable use, maintenance and responsibilities in the event of damage. 

The cost for the Chromebook and an IT consultation fee would be about $270 for each device, Geary said. He said the high school anticipates purchasing about 1,700 Chromebooks, which would follow each student through their four years at the high school. 

The costs would be covered as part of Manchester's second Alliance Grant application, a grant from the Connecticut State Department of Education earmarked for the state's 30 lowest performing school districts, of which Manchester is one.