Lifelines - Options for iPad Support

OPTION #1

Your first port of call - AppleCare Protection

When you purchase any Apple product, you get 90 days complimentary support from AppleCare Protection. Click here for more information about iPad support.

Parents of St Catherine's 1:1 iPad students are welcome to phone the Education AppleCare support line for help for faster service tailored for school students.  Even if it is as simple as trying to work out how to load photos on to the iPad, connect to your wireless network at home or make an iMovie for homework!

Education customers have their own phone number : 1300 968 979
Hours of operation for phone support are as follows:
9am - 9pm Monday to Friday
9am - 6pm Saturday

[Image source: http://bestclipartblog.com/clipart-pics/telephone-clip-art-7.png]

OPTION #2
iPad setup night at school


Keep Tuesday night November 27th free for a special opportunity to 'drop in' and pick up a few tips and 'how to's for using your iPad. Year 4 students are also welcome. Arrive in time for a 7pm (sharp!) start and stay as long as you need to. We have a few 'experts' coming in to help show you what you need to know - our school "mac" technician Trevor Weatherhead, our Next Byte representative Elizabeth McKellar and several St Catherine's teachers. There'll be various tables set up for help with specific aspects of iPad management so we need to know ahead of time what kind of help you're after. Keep an eye out for a note that will be sent home with your child next week. The note will have a response form to help us cater for your needs and reduce your wait time on the night.

The school venue will be decided when we have a better idea of expected numbers. It would be great if we had a few experienced iPad users come along as well, to assist us in helping other families. So please consider coming along as a helper, even if you don't require help yourself. We can use all hands on deck to make everyone feel comfortable managing their device.

Finally, don't feel that you all have to be 'experts' on all aspects of iPad use. Your children will be 'learning on the job' throughout next year. They will amaze you with their competence and creativity. But they do need a responsible adult to manage the account side of things - purchasing of apps and parental supervision of content and access. These aspects will be our most important focus on the "iPad setup night".

[Image Source: http://phpbizonline.blogspot.com.au]

SOLUTION #3
Here's another all-round option for support with your family's digital learning...

Brisbane Catholic Education provides subscription to Atomic Learning for all teachers, students and families. This is a fantastic resource that we hope you will turn to for any support you need.

At Atomic Learning you can access a collection of thousands of short video tutorials on just about any software application you can think of. The account details cannot be published in this space but check out next week's Contact newsletter. Then you can log in and see what's on offer.

Here's a sneak preview of the collections on iTunes and iPads, for example...

With access to Atomic Learning you can teach yourself how to use any number of software applications - for FREE!

Purchasing Apps

Last month Apple released their Volume Purchasing Plan (VPP) in Australia. This means that educational institutions can save costs when purchasing 20 or more licenses for the same app through VPP. We expect that most of the apps your child will need in 2013 will be available through VPP. We would like to pass this saving on to you by purchasing the necessary apps for all our students (to be reimbursed through a resource levy) so please hold off on any school app purchases until we advise further. 

[Image Source: https://facultycommons.macewan.ca/resources/ipad-in-education]

When the school purchases an app for students via VPP, we receive a redemption code which we can email to you. You can then use this code to install each app on your child's device. An Apple ID is required to redeem these codes (or purchase apps) on the iTunes App store. Ownership is retained by your Apple ID so you keep the app when your child leaves the school. Please note that individuals under the age of 13 are not legally permitted to create an Apple ID. You can read the iTunes Terms and Conditions for more information.

To install any apps (even free ones) on your child's iPad, you must sign in to the App Store with an Apple ID. More information about Apple IDs can be found here. 

You have a couple of options for setting up the iPad with an Apple ID:

Option A

Use your own (new or existing) Apple ID. You are entitled to install any purchased apps on up to five personal iOS devices (iPhones and iPads). If you don't already have an Apple ID, it is quick, easy and free to create one. Click here to create an Apple ID.

Benefits of Option A

• Any of the apps you already own can be installed on your child's iPad. 
• Likewise, any apps you purchase for your child's school needs on this account can also be installed on your own devices.

Cautions with Option A

• Best not to turn on "automatic downloads" on your child's device or every app that you purchase will automatically be installed on your child's iPad.  Some of these may be distracting or inappropriate. 
• By the time they reach their teens (if not already!) your child may want to purchase personal apps, music etc with iTunes gift cards. For this they will require their own personal Apple ID. None of the apps they have been using at school will be owned by this account so they will have to purchase them again with their own Apple ID if they wish to keep using them.

Option B

Create a new Apple ID for your child. 

Benefits of Option B

• Your child will retain ownership of their school apps throughout secondary school and beyond when they eventually take over the management of their own Apple ID. 
• Your child's school apps will remain separate from your own or family apps and can be managed separately for school purposes.
• You can still manage your child's apps via iTunes on your own computer (Mac or Windows). With automatic downloads activated on your child's device, any apps you download for them via the App Store in iTunes will automatically install on your child's device.

Cautions with Option B

• Legally, this Apple ID will be owned by you until your child reaches the age of 13. In any case, you should keep the password secret so your child will not be able to inadvertently make inappropriate purchases. 
• You will need an email address to create an Apple ID. You can create a free one at Gmail or Hotmail (for example).

Stay tuned for the apps list, and more information about our optional "iPad Setup evening" at school on Tuesday 27th November, to support any families that may be new to iTunes and iOS in setting up your child's iPad ready for school.

The Time has Come

To ensure delivery before the end of term 4, we have to place our iPad order within a week. That means, if you intend to order through the school, we need your orders emailed to Maria Mead or sent to the school office by 3pm this Friday 12th October.

[Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org]

All the information outlined in our previous post, iPad Purchasing Options, is still current. Please scroll down to find the post, or click the link to read it again if you need to refresh your memory. We have added one more option however. As production of the iPad 2 is now closer to ceasing, with a fourth iPad model expected early next year, the school has decided to purchase iPad 3s for their own stocks. Therefore, the bulk pack pricing of both iPad 2 and 3 will be made available to parents.

We assure you that the iPad 2 will be sufficient for your child's needs for duration of the school program and will perform all necessary functions. The school's decision to purchase the iPad 3 is based on requirements for multiple users from all year levels and viability for longer than the 2 year period.

You are still absolutely free to purchase your iPad yourself from a different retailer, or to use one that you already own - for as long as the battery will last a full school day. Please be aware that retail stocks invariably run low towards Christmas and that if you do require support from the school for setup, these "iPad support" evenings will be held at school towards the end of term (dates will be finalised very shortly) so it would be necessary to have your iPad by then. If the purchase of this school requirement will cause financial difficulty for your family, please contact Paul Leeson to discuss some options.

In summary, you have the following options for purchasing your child's iPad:

1. Purchase either the iPad 2 or iPad 3 from your choice of Apple reseller.
2. Purchase the iPad 3 bundle through Next Byte (including case, dongle and AppleCare Protection Plan) with credit card - Complete order form "Student 1-1 Credit Card Flexi Idea"
3. Purchase the iPad 2 or iPad 3 (without retail packaging) from the school (reimbursement via cheque only) - Complete order form "St Catherine's - In School Only Chq" to order the iPad 2 or "St Catherine's - In School iPad 3" to order the iPad 3
4. Pay off the iPad 3 bundle via Flexi-Rent over 12 or 24 months - See "Flexi-rent brochure" and "Ready Reckoner". Flexi-Rent is only available with the iPad 3 bundle. Simply tick the Flexi-Rent box on the iPad 3 Bundle Order Form and you will be contacted by Flexi-rent for credit approval.

All necessary forms and information can be viewed or printed via the links in the list above, or from the thumbnails below:
Student 1-1 Credit Card Flexi Idea

St Catherines - In School Only Chq

St Catherines - In School iPad 3docx

Flexirent Brochure

Flexirent Repayment Guide