Laptop Program

RATIONAL
At SSIS, we believe technology is integral to our students' learning journey. Our approach enables students to interact with technology naturally, using it to enhance their learning experiences whenever necessary in all courses.

The SSIS Laptop Program provides efficient access to our curriculum and is an integral part of the educational experience at SSIS. Its purpose is to enhance learning, promote collaboration, and facilitate the creation and sharing of knowledge.
 The SSIS Laptop Program provides the school community with a tool to expand its members' learning opportunities. It opens limitless possibilities; users may go virtually anywhere and interact with anyone. With such opportunity comes responsibility. All members of the SSIS community must understand that this tool should be used with good judgment, common sense, and integrity. Use of the SSIS network and its related computer facilities is a privilege afforded to members of the school community.
 
The requirement of a common platform enables students and teachers to easily get support from one another, allowing teachers to quickly move beyond instruction in the technical aspects of technology use to the actual content and creative areas of learning.
 
LAPTOP REQUIREMENT
All grade 4-12 students are required to bring an Apple MacBook to school each day.
Any new Apple MacBook laptop will satisfy SSIS network and classroom requirements. You can purchase an Apple MacBook laptop at Futureworld Vietnam or any other reputable retailer (purchasing from an Apple Authorized retailer is highly recommended).
A used Apple MacBook laptop must run the latest macOS 14.x operating system.
SSIS recommends 512 GB SSD storage (256GB minimum).
A separate carrying case or hardcover is strongly recommended to prevent damage.
 In order to support students whose laptops stop working during the school day, SSIS may loan a student a laptop for use at school for up to 10 days. This temporary support is designed to assist a student in getting through the school day and is not meant to support a student during a long-term repair or as a replacement. More information can be found here
 
SOFTWARE LICENSING
Saigon South International School has made a commitment to use legal software. Software piracy is illegal. It is expected that all software programs used for school-related activities are fully licensed. 

LAPTOP READINESS
Students should arrive with their laptops fully charged and ready to use. The primary use of the laptop is for school use, it should be clean of anything that may hinder the ability to use it in class. Anything that reduces the laptop's use in the classroom should be removed (this includes games, applications, filters, parental monitoring, settings to connect to your home gaming system, etc.), and any software required for class must be accessible on the laptop.
 
The student is ultimately responsible for the laptop being ready for school. If, for whatever reason, there is a problem with the laptop conforming to the needs of the class, it is the student's responsibility to become compliant with those requirements.  If software is missing, then it is the student's responsibility to ensure that software is installed and accessible from their laptop in such a way that it does not hinder the class's ability to progress forward. This also applies to any mechanical or physical problems with the laptop - it is the student's responsibility to ensure the laptop is in working condition.

LAPTOP SECURITY
Students are responsible for their computers. They must keep their laptops with them or locked in their lockers at all times. Students must notify the school immediately if a computer is missing. Unattended computers in the halls will be picked up and taken to the division-level office for safekeeping. Only the owner may retrieve a computer from that office.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT
The SSIS Technical support team is available to help students connect to the school network and troubleshoot basic computer software problems. Hardware issues must be taken to the computer vendor.
 
PRIVACY

Laptop
The laptops are the students' personal property. However, the school reserves the right to examine a student's hard drive if it suspects that the computer is being used for an inappropriate or dishonorable purpose.

Communication
When users are connected to the network, all activities are logged. School officials can and will be able to view any such log. Honor or harassment issues resulting from misuse will be addressed by the administrators and carry strong disciplinary consequences.

Monitoring
Since the school is, to a certain extent, responsible for the actions that take place during school hours, the school will monitor online actions, including logging website access, bandwidth, and network on the School network.