One question we get frequently is whether or not students are required to have a personal computer at home in addition to the SMA iPad they will receive. It is not a requirement. The iPad has proven to be effective enough to complete whatever class work is required at SMA.
However, many of our students have a personal computer at home typically running macOS or Windows. With the licensing the school has with Microsoft and Adobe those with a home computer can take advantage of downloading Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft Office 365 thus enjoying a much more robust experience with those applications while they are at SMA.
FAQs
- Does SMA have laptops to check out to students for off campus use? No.
- Does SMA sell laptop or desktop computers for students to use at home? No.
- Can students bring their personal computers to school to use in the classroom? Yes and no. Please refer to our responsible use policy for when students can use personal devices in the classroom: Responsible Use Policy - St. Mary's Academy (stmaryspdx.org)
- Can students connect their personal computers to the school Wi-Fi? Yes. These devices will have more restrictions on our network than their iPads to ensure the safety of our network and systems.
- Is there an educational discount for families to purchase computers from popular manufacturers while students are enrolled at SMA? Yes. Companies like Apple and Dell do offer educational discounts. At some point during the purchase process from their sites (or stores) you will simply be asked which school you are affiliated and they will apply the discount.
- Can other family members utilize the Adobe and Microsoft licensing provided to the students? Yes to a degree. Adobe is only licensed for 2 devices of which their iPad counts as one device. Microsoft is licensed for 5 devices of which their iPad counts as one device. So other family members could utilize Microsoft Office 365.
Please submit a request above if you have any questions.