News : Students, teachers preparing 500 VSHS laptops for 1:1 roll-out

VSHS Byte Squad volunteer Grace Milroy holds the laptop she will use during its software download.

Members of the Byte Squad, students at Vinton-Shellsburg High School who volunteer to help with computer-related programs, are helping V-S IT team members Kristi Storey and Kim Meyer prepare the 500 Airbook laptop computers for use by students.

The 500 brand new computers are part of the VSHS 1:1 computer program, which begins this year. Students are helping Meyer and Storey download all of the software from the "Casper" server onto each computer. They can do 10 computers at a time, but it takes roughly a half hour.

Storey said on Tuesday morning that the work is going well, although it's quite boring for the students to sit and watch the progress meters of each laptop. There have been some minor glitches with a handful of the laptops, but for the most part, the process called "imaging" is going well.

Byte Squad members Grace Milroy, Zachary Uthoff and Chris Ahlemeyer spent Tuesday at VS Middle School, helping Storey while Meyer was attending computer training sessions at the high school.

Students will receive their Apple Mac Air 11 laptops at required roll-out meetings Aug. 12 and 13. Each student's computer (as well as the accompanying bag and cords) will have the student's name securely attached. Each computer is being initialized with the name of a VSHS student.

The computers each will have a variety of web browsers, Microsoft Office 11, and other necessary programs for student/school use. Each is also programmed with the Casper security software which prohibits improper web sites and allows IT staff to monitor every computer to make sure it is not being misused.

The entire cost of the new program – $502,000 – was paid for from PPEL funds, which are collected solely via the 1-cent option sales tax.

See the school's information about the roll-out HERE. See an earlier VT story about the 1:1 program HERE.