iPad Program

The beginning of 2020 showed us clearly that as educators, we need to be nimble and able to pivot quickly and efficiently between delivery models if necessary.  Getting standardized devices into each student’s hands ensures that all children have the tools they need for efficient instruction and learning. Further, there are benefits to all students, even the very young, in using technology for learning and demonstrating their learning in meaningful ways. Learning Management System tools like Seesaw and Schoology create efficiencies for teachers and students to share assignments and class work instantly in seamless and paper-free ways.  High quality, educational apps enhance and support instructional goals for teachers, and provide students with support and reinforcement of activities and concepts learned in class.

Students must use school-provided iPads. These iPads are curated, updated, and tracked by the MA Technology Department.  Specific apps used by classroom teachers are added to your child’s device, and other apps that are not appropriate or necessary are blocked.  There is also an extensive filtering system on websites and public spaces.  Teachers also have the ability to use class management tools like Apple Classroom to monitor student devices and/or focus them on a specific app, thereby reducing classroom distractions and ensuring that all students are on task. In addition, all of the devices perform in the same way so teachers do not need to spend valuable instructional time troubleshooting personally owned devices.

In addition to the iPad, students in grades 9–12 may bring a personal device that best meets their educational needs. Personal devices used for school purposes are also expected to abide by our Acceptable Use Policy. 

Each grade level has their own expectations for whether iPads should travel between home and school.

Grades K-2 store the iPads at school, with the exception of special circumstances/potential inclement weather days, etc.

Grade 3-12 teachers expect students to bring iPads home and return them to school on a daily basis.  If your student’s iPad is coming home regularly, an expectation is that the iPad is charged at home and comes to school the next day with a battery sufficient to get through the following day’s work.

The student brings the damaged device to the Tech Office and it is immediately replaced with another device. Students are encouraged to backup their information frequently so that we can help them to restore their data back onto the iPad — that means they might not have to do their homework twice! Parents are notified via email of the damage and are billed for the cost of the repair or replacement according to the iPad Lease Agreement. Damage to devices may be covered by our Universal iPad Protection Plan based on a first-incident basis.

Students are encouraged to first search for their device in the last location they remember using it. Specialized software enables us to track the location of the device and prevent tampering from unauthorized users. We notify parents via email of the missing iPad and students may receive a loaner until their iPad has been found or replaced. If the device has not been found within seven days, then you will receive a replacement device and the loaner must be returned. Parents and students will be billed for a replacement device according to the iPad Lease Agreement.

Loaner iPads may be available upon request from the Tech Office to use for up to a week, depending on availability at each school.

The iPad and associated costs (i.e., case, the management software, and subscription and app-related costs) are built into the tuition and fee structure. Additional costs may be incurred for damaged or lost iPads. Students who are not enrolled for the following semester must return their iPad during their last week at school while still enrolled or will be billed for the cost of a replacement device.

A school-wide network filter is in place on all school iPads which which blocks all websites regardless of whether the device is on or off campus. It should be noted that no filter is 100% accurate, which is why we partner with parents in instructing their kids about potential dangers on the web, and what to do if inappropriate content is ever encountered. 

Beginning in the '22-'23 school year, iPads for all students will not have the Apple App Store available. Instead, students download apps from our faculty-curated app catalog, Self Service. Messages, FaceTime, and a number of other apps are also disabled depending on grade level.

Grades K–2 have nearly identical, drop-safe rubber cases which are sufficient for durable use by our younger students.  There is no need for a different case for the iPads that remain in the classrooms full time.

Grades 3-12 use cases with keyboards and stylus holders.  This is usually enough for student success with the device.  

However, if you would like to use a different case than the one provided, you can absolutely purchase one.  Be sure to check the model number of the iPad to ensure the case will fit and work with your student’s device, and we recommend choosing a case with Apple’s official “Made for iPad” logo to ensure maximum protection.  If desired, you could also purchase a bluetooth-enabled stylus like an Apple Pencil or other stylus device. Please note that you will be responsible for keeping track of the school-issued case and returning the iPad with that case when it needs to be collected.

All families in our iPad Program are automatically enrolled in our Universal iPad Protection Plan, which waives the first incident of accidental damage.

Students use their Minnehaha Google Apps school account and use Google Docs (educational version) for cloud storage with their iPad.

Minnehaha teachers have the discretion of allowing or not allowing the use of electronic devices during instructional time. The versatility of the iPad's touch screen and built in keyboard make it an ideal tool for all subjects, from art to Spanish to music to history.

When teachers permit the use of electronic devices, students must adhere to MA Technology Policies, use the devices for educational purposes only, and must not cause a distraction or disruption to the learning environment.

Academic integrity is a top priority at Minnehaha Academy. Therefore, all faculty are concerned about students doing their own work and regularly talk about strategies to prevent cheating in classes.

Some faculty administer formative assessments (homework and practices quizzes) that require use of the iPad. However, summative assessments, such as tests that often account for a higher percentage of the class grade, are mostly administered on paper and pencil.  Faculty strive for assessments that maintain integrity and show true measures of student learning and achievement.  

If students choose to cheat on any assessments, they could face disciplinary action by the school and will hurt themselves because their teachers will not know where to provide support or more challenge. Like an athlete who slacks off in practice yet still wants to play the game, if the skills needed haven’t been developed, the athlete will end up on the bench and need to learn to take practice more seriously.

All Minnehaha iPads have built-in filtering software blocking access to inappropriate sites regardless of whether the device is at school or off campus. This built-in filter overrides any filtering you may have at home. Many home routers do allow for time limits to be set for network traffic, so parents may choose to do this.

Apple's Screen Time tool makes it much easier to understand your use of technology. This feature enables the user (or parent) to set time limits and block apps, create downtimes for homework/sleep/dinner etc., set up password protection if necessary and more. It also totals time spent in apps, number of times the device is turned on and number of notifications received. (Note that Apple Screen Time can be used on school iPads, but remote monitoring of it will not work from your personal iPhone through Family Sharing like it does to monitor a child's iPhone from a parent's iPhone.)

Parents can set up additional site blocking, such as blocking YouTube if desired, through the iPad's Guided Access and Restrictions.  We also offer an optional parental oversight feature called Jamf Parent.  Click the link to learn more about how to use this tool to monitor your child’s iPad use at home.

Children often have complete, unrestricted access to inappropriate sites on other devices such as home computers and personal cell phones. Experts strongly suggest installing software to filter and block inappropriate content on your wireless home network. Read more about filters on our Digital Health & Wellness page.