Students Repairing Laptops… It Works!

1. Students Repairing Laptops…It Works! PETE & C Conference Feb 2010 – Hershey Lodge Ed Crist City Charter High School Pittsburgh, PA

2. About CCHS • MISSION • The MISSION of City Charter High School, a technology infused public school, is to graduate students who are academically, technologically, personally and socially prepared to succeed in post-secondary education or training. Using a team approach, City High cultivates a safe, supportive and academically rigorous environment by recognizing and nurturing individual talents, needs and skills. • CORE BELIEFS • Individual responsibility for learning. Academic success is dependent on students taking an active role in their learning. • Continuous challenge. A curriculum constructed with multiple levels of challenge and aligned to the Pennsylvania Standards best meets the academic needs of individual students. • Connections to the real world. Career focused curriculum and related experiences convince students that what they do at City High impacts their future. • Personal Academic Connections. Success relies strongly on each student feeling connected to one or more adults at City High. • Safe and caring environment. A safe and caring environment – physical, emotional, intellectual – is essential to active classroom engagement. • Collaboration. A student’s ability to collaborate is essential in today’s work environment. • GRADUATE PROFILE • A graduate of City Charter High School will: • Possess foundational academic skills and the ability to access, synthesize and apply new knowledge. • Have a comfort level with current technology and the confidence to adapt to future technology. • Possess the personal qualities needed to be a self-assured, motivated, responsible young adult and to possess the work ethic to succeed in post-secondary education or training. • Effectively navigate through a variety of interpersonal situations in family, community, school and workplace settings.

3. About CCHS • City High is a 21st century school preparing students for the new economy.Career Planning • Every student has an Education and Career Plan. • 9th and 10th grade students conduct career research and participate in job application simulations. • 11th grade students participate in a 13-week internship at a local company. • 12th grade students who qualify, can take for-credit courses at partner colleges or 13-week internships at local companies. • Work Environment • The school day begins at 8:00 AM and goes to 4:00 PM. • The school day is divided into four blocks - three academic classes and one Activity Period. • City High has a year-around school calendar with three vacations - December, April, August. • Every student receives a laptop for use at school and at home. • Dress code is corporate casual. • Every student receives a membership to The Downtown YMCA.

4. About CCHS • 5 Floors located in the New Clark Building, downtown Pittsburgh. • Each grade level has a floor • 7 – 9th grade • 8 – 10th grade • 10 – 11th grade • 12 – 12th grade • 9th floor is administration, wellness, cafeteria

5. Overview of Technology at CCHS • Laptops • Each year CCHS receives bids on laptops for the incoming 9th grade class. (approx. 180-190 machines) • Current 2008-09 laptop models are • 12th grade – Dell Latitude 620 • 11th Grade – Dell Latitude 630 • 10th grade – Lenovo R61 • 9th grade – Lenovo R400 • Every student receives a new laptop upon enrollment. (560 students) • Every staff member also receives a laptop (80+ staff) • Laptops have 2 batteries and no optical drives for maximum life during the school day • Chargers are not used by students at school and must be kept at home.

6. Overview of Technology at CCHS • Network infrastructure • 5 (Dell) Windows Servers (2003 and 2008) • File, web, MS SQL, etc. • Office Communications Server 2007 (IM) • 1 domain with 2 controllers • 43 Cisco wireless access points distributed over 5 floors of the building • At least 5 physical drops in each room • Approx. 30 desktops spread throughout the building.

7. Overview of Technology at CCHS • Internet Filtering • “8e6” appliance (www.8e6.com) • Symantec End Point Security (anti-virus) • KBOX Systems Management Appliance • Windows Defender (anti-spyware) • Watchguard firewall • Email • Off site hosted/managed MS Exchange server • Laptop user environment control • Windows GPO’s • Student information management software • Rediker Software, Inc. • EDLINE, GradeQuick Web, Administrator’s Plus, SNAP Health Center, QSP Food Service, etc.

8. More about laptop use • Laptops are crucial to the curriculum and are used almost EVERY DAY in classes. • No text books are purchased. • Students take laptops home. • Each grade level has a faculty “team” and faculty are directly involved in managing laptops in the classroom and on the floors. • Discipline issues and “workforce” may take away a laptop for a period of time • Floor faculty keep a few spare laptops • Floor faculty are well versed in managing • Login/logout problems • Connection to wireless APs • General usage needs • Student’s get to keep their laptop upon successful graduation from CCHS…they also receive a DVD with all items from their “H” drive (home directory on the server) • Student’s sign a form that CCHS is NOT responsible for any further support for the laptop. • Office 2007, Adobe Master CS3.3, etc.

9. Student Tech Team • The key to our success is the 8-10 students who make up the Tech Team. • To get on the tech team…. • Fill out an application • “C” grade or higher • No discipline referrals • 2 letters of recommendation • No attendance problems • 10th grade or higher • Students are paid minimum wage for the hours they put in. Payroll $$$ comes from the warranty repair reimbursements from the laptop vendors.

10. Student Tech Team • The job responsibilities are • Troubleshooting and repairs of • Laptops • Desktops • Printers • other • Entering orders into the tech database for parts • Cloning hard drives using hard drive duplicators • Preparing equipment for new trimester/year • Other duties as assigned

11. Problem reports • Laptop problems are entered into a web page database (MySQL) by students and/or staff. • Database written and maintained by Tech Team members. • Reports are printed and attached to laptop and sent to the tech office for assessment and repairs.

12. Problem reports

13. Problem reports

14. Problem reports • Most repairs are performed by the student tech team after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. • Students come to the tech office to retrieve the repaired laptop.

15. Warranty Repairs • CCHS requires that laptop vendors provide the following… • 4 year Complete Care warranties. This ensures that a laptop is under warranty throughout the 4 years in high school. • Vendor must approve CCHS as a warranty repair service center. • CCHS staff become certified as warranty administrators and technical service agents • All repairs are done onsite at CCHS • CCHS receives any and all reimbursements for certain repairs • Motherboards, LCDs, etc. • $$$ from reimbursements fund ALL student payroll…not just tech team. (2008-09 total $$$ - approx $36,000.00)

16. Contact InformationEd Crist – Tech ManagerCity Charter High School717 Liberty Ave, Suite 900Pittsburgh, PA 15222412 – 690 – 2489www.cityhigh.orgcrist@cityhigh.org