Get your Laptop School Ready!

11" MacBook Air

CCHS begins its second year as a 1:1 Apple laptop school in the fall of 2016.

If  your student chooses to:

  • bring their own laptop or
  • continue leasing (or financing to own) a laptop they received last year

follow these directions to ensure smooth operation of your laptop throughout the next school year!

Upgrade and Update!

Upgrade your Laptop

We recommend upgrading your Operating System to OSX 10.11 El Capitan.  Students who borrow, newly lease, or newly purchase devices along with all CCHS classroom computers use this Operating System.   Running the same operating system allows your student easy access to IT, teacher, and peer support. 

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/307/18174259393_eab86c1cca_b.jpg

  1. Make sure all your items are backed up!  Log into your @concordcarlisle.org account using your @concordps.org password to save any needed files to Google Drive.  This step is for safety only.  The upgrade process leaves all your files and preferences intact.
  2. Log into the App Store using your Apple ID.
  3. Click on the Updates tab.
  4. Download the upgrade file and start the install.
  5. Depending upon your WIFI speed, this should take about an hour. 
  6. After the upgrade is complete, log back into the App Store and apply any updates for Apple software available in the Updates tab (additional OS updates, Safari, other Apple products you own). 

 

Update your Laptop

Now that you have upgraded your laptop, you want to be sure that these commonly used applications are updated:

Java for Mac OS (click for file download)

This application runs in the background and is utilized by your browser and other Mac OS applications.

Adobe Flash (click for link)

This application is utilized to view video and other media.  Follow the link and click Check Now.  In Step 1, Adobe will check to see if you are running a current version of Adobe Flash.  If not, click Adobe Flash Player Download to update your device.

Browsers

Google Chrome:  

From the top menu, click Chrome>About Google Chrome.  A preference page loads.  Google Chrome automatically begins updating or will ask your permission to update the browser.

FireFox:  

From the top menu, click FireFox>About Firefox.  Depending upon your version of Firefox, Firefox may begin updating itself automatically .  If not, you will need to search for the latest FireFox version, download the file, and install the new version.

Safari

Safari updates are included in any updates from the App Store.

Specialty Software(Click for link)

Based on your student's grade level and class schedule, they may need additional software.  Please click the above link to determine your student's software requirements. 

Help Sessions Available

If you or your student would like some help updating your laptop, we are holding Be School Ready! training sessions at CCHS during the following times: 

Tuesday, August 30th 8:30 a.m. -9:30 a.m.

Tuesday, August 30th 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

 

A user with administrative privileges on the laptop should be in attendance.   We cannot complete the upgrade of your operating system during this session due to the length of time upgrading takes.  But, we are happy to walk you through the steps to initiate the upgrade process.