As society continues to update and expand with the implementation of new technology, Frederick County Public Schools is following the trend of offering more technological freedom to its students. All students who returned a signed device permission form will be able to access wireless internet from their own devices. In addition, apps like Google Drive may be used for class purposes.

The system is projected to be running sometime close to the week of September 8-13, although that date depends on when all the forms are inputted into the computers. Any personal device that can access the Internet, such as a phone, laptop, or tablet, will be allowed.

Although the Wi-Fi will never shut off, it is meant to only be used for class room activities and not for recreation. The only free time use that is allowed is for studying and homework during lunch or after school. As far as restrictions go, the same internet filters in place on the desktop computers will apply to wireless connection as well.

The school is aware that many students have smart phones with data plans, which is one of the reasons they are providing access in the first place. However, students with data plans must connect to Wi-Fi in order to use internet. Using data on school property will be prohibited, as there is no way to put filters in place on personal plans. In order to keep the information accessed clean, safe, and relevant, a Wi-Fi connection is mandatory.

When the internet is accessible, FCPS hopes that this will be a safer way to allow students to use the devices they already have. Not only will this improve productivity by utilizing down time, it will also allow access to newer, familiar, and more high-tech devices instead of the entire school purchasing new ones.

Google apps, especially Google Drive, will replace Microsoft Word and PowerPoint as our primary apps for school work. With Google Drive, students can access a document that saves automatically from any computer through the new FCPS google accounts. Documents can be shared between multiple people who can work on them from different computers simultaneously.

Media specialist Jessica McBroom said, “Many kids with Mac computers can’t convert their documents to Microsoft Word, and now they won’t have to, and there’s no limit on the computer space [with the new Google apps.]” So in just a couple weeks, new privileges and apps will be at the disposal of all students.