Poll: Nanuet Students Bringing Their Own Device to School?

In response to a new initiative by the Clarkstown School District, Nanuet Board Member Sarah Chauncey asked if the board could start looking into the possibility of Nanuet high school students bringing in their own technology (BYOT). 

"Can we at some point talk about bringing a device into school? This is just for the future and perhaps positioning ourselves to be prepared," she said at a board meeting earlier this week. "They’re starting it at Clarkstown so maybe we can have a little workshop and get an idea of how feasible this is." 

Last week, on Monday, March 12, Clarkstown North and South High School students and teachers could start bringing their own technology devices with them to class.

John Krouskoff, the Clarkstown district’s director of instructional technology, said they have already seen how technology can increase student engagement in the classroom and BYOT goes one step further in getting students more involved in learning. It allows students and staff to use the district’s wireless Internet connection for access to the district’s web based resources on their own devices.

Here's a summary of how Clarkstown's BYOT will work:

• Students can bring in laptops, netbooks, iPads, tablets and smartphones. It's not required though
• It is believed to be the first of its kind in Rockland County 
• Students don't have to rely on the library or computer lab to access the district’s web based resources
• The district prepared by increasing Internet bandwidth and anticipates expanding it again by June.
• The district will keep tabs on usage and a password will be required to access the public side of the district’s wireless network.
• By using the district's network, all internet content is filtered as it is on school sponsored devices.
• High school and middle school students get district email accounts through school-sponsored G-mail allowing them to only email their peers and teachers within the district. 

The Clarkstown Board of Education’s policies and regulation are available on the district’s website at District Offices - Instructional Technology - Forms and Policies andhttp://blogs.ccsd.edu/jkrouskoff/acceptable-use.