Chromebook Care

Taking Care of Your District Chromebook

Students are responsible for the general care of the Chromebook the school has issued them. 

District-owned Chromebooks should never be taken to an outside computer service for any type of repairs or maintenance. Students should never leave their Chromebooks unattended when in school or in a public place. Do not tamper with, modify or deface device asset tag or serial number in any way.

General Precautions

• No food or drink should be next to Chromebooks.
• Locate a safe and clean space for your Chromebook to keep it plugged in when possible such as a desk.
• Cords, cables, headphones, and removable storage devices (e.g. thumb drives) must be inserted carefully into appropriate port on the Chromebooks.
• Chromebooks should not be used or stored near pets.
• Chromebooks should not be used with the power cord plugged in situations where the cord may be a tripping hazard.
• Chromebooks must remain free of any writing, drawing, stickers, and labels. 
• Heavy objects should never be placed on top of Chromebooks.
• Chromebooks should never be loaned to another student or individual during the school day or otherwise.

Battery Care

• Batteries are not covered by an extended warranty; therefore, batteries that are determined to have been damaged may incur a cost for repairs. 

• Do not fully deplete your battery. If you run the battery down to close to zero you are damaging the battery cells. 

• Like any rechargeable battery, Chromebooks batteries have a useful life of a finite number of charge, discharge and recharge cycles.
• In order to maximize the life of the device wherever possible (wherever it is safe to) please keep the device plugged in and charging when you are working on your Chromebook.
• If you are constantly running the device on battery power, you will significantly degrade the battery and the life of the device and disruptions will occur.
• In the event you accidentally fully deplete your battery, immediately plug it in and fully charge it for at least 3 hours. Then perform a hard reset by pressing the hard reset by holding down the refresh key (4th key from the left that looks like an arrow inside of a circle) and the power button while the device is plugged and charging. 

Carrying Chromebooks

• Always transport Chromebooks with care.
• Students should hold the Chromebooks (cover closed) with two hands if they need to carry the Chromebook anywhere inside or outside of the classroom or at home.
• Never lift a Chromebook by the screen.
• Never carry a Chromebook with the screen open.
• The Chromebook should remain always in the case.

Opening the Chromebook

• Open the Chromebook only when it is resting on a flat surface such as a table or desk.
• To open the Chromebook, use one hand to hold the keyboard against the table. Use the other hand to open the screen by grasping the screen’s edge (in the middle) and gently moving the screen to the open position (Figure 1. Opening a Chromebook.)

Closing the Chromebook​​​​​​​

• Before closing the screen, make sure there is nothing on the keyboard to prevent the full closure of the device.
• Obstacles on the keyboard could cause broken screens or damaged hinges such as pens or pencils.
• Close the screen only when the Chromebook is resting on a flat surface such as a table or desk.
• Close the Chromebook using two hands–one at either corner of the screen (Figure 2. Closing a Chromebook.)
• Close the screen gently.

Screen Care

• The Chromebook screen can be damaged if subjected to heavy objects, rough treatment, some cleaning solvents, and other liquids.  
• The screens are particularly sensitive to damage from excessive pressure.
• Never spray cleaning solutions onto the screen.
• Always use a microfiber cloth and a computer screen approved spray cleaner onto the cloth and gently wipe away residue.
• Do not put pressure on the top of a Chromebook when it is closed.
• Do not store a Chromebook with the screen open.
• Do not place anything in the protective case that will press against the cover.
• Make sure there is nothing on the keyboard before closing the lid (e.g., pens, pencils, or disks).
• Never lift the Chromebook by the screen.
• Only clean the screen with a soft, dry microfiber cloth or anti-static cloth.

Chromebook Summer Care

This summer, learners in grades 6 - 11 will not be returning district assigned Chromebooks at the end of the school year in June. You will be able to keep and use your device over the summer and return with the device in September ready to learn.  Please note that if the device is damaged or lost over the summer, you will be responsible for the cost of the repairs.

The manufacturer recommends properly preparing their Chromebooks for long-term storage. This best practice should eliminate or reduce the possibility of premature battery failure. 

Following these steps will help avoid any charging or battery issues when the Chromebooks are put back into service in September. Failure to follow these procedures can result in repair charges as a result.

Instructions

Charge your Chromebook so that the battery is at least 80% full. This ensures that even when the battery discharges while unplugged over the summer, power is not fully depleted.

In order to slow the discharge rate during storage,  you will put the device into long term storage mode by following the directions below.

1. Connect the Chromebook to the charger and turn it on.
2. With the charger connected to the Chromebook, press and holding Refresh + Power simultaneously for at least 3 seconds. Please note the power button can be found on the left side of the chromebook.
3. While holding the refresh and power keys, remove the charger from the Chromebook, and then release the refresh and power keys. The Chromebook should shut down and remain off.
4. With the charger disconnected, attempt to power the Chromebook on using the power button.
5. If the Chromebook does not power on, you have completed the steps and can safely store the Chromebook.
6. If the unit powers on, you should repeat steps 1-3 above.
7. Store it in a cool, dry place, and near 78 F (25 C).

This is the ideal way to store devices, as it reduces battery discharge to a minimal rate. It prevents constant charge or discharge from reducing the battery life and keeps the Chromebook in a stable, powered off state. 

If you know that you will not be using the Chromebook over the summer, you can visit the Technology Department Office Hours and they will assist you in this process.