Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

St Mary's College BYOD Recommended Specifications

St Mary's College is device-agnostic, supporting both macOS and Windows devices.

Below are the recommended minimum specifications when choosing a device:

Minimum Specifications for Mac

13" Display
Apple M1 Processor
8GB Memory
265GB SSD Storage
macOS 11.0.1 or later

Minimum Specifications for PC

13" Display
10th Generation Intel Core i5 Processor
8GB Memory
256GB SSD Storage
AC WiFi 5
Windows 10 20H2 or later

Critical Requirements:

USB-C with Power Delivery and DisplayPort^TM connectivity or Thunderbolt^TM 3

BYOD Frequently Asked Questions

It is expected of all students in Year 5 to Year 12 to bring a laptop to school as part of the Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) program.

Administrator Account Rights

At times students are required to install subject-related software or adjust specific settings on the device. They will need an account on the device with administrator privileges to do this.

Support and services provided by the College

Students have access to the College WiFi network with intelligent internet content filtering and network security while on campus. Printing facilities are available to print from student devices with setup instructions available on the ICT Support Guide.

Charging

All laptop devices must come with a fully charged battery at the commencement of the school day to ensure there is no disruption to student learning. The College has USB-C charging stations and BYOD docking lab facilities located on campus. Device charging must support USB-C charging standard in Technology Lab Lessons, Recess and Lunchtime.

St Mary's College ICT Support

A list of prerequisite software and software required in specific subjects, as well as steps to setup WiFi connectivity, printing and other resources, are available on the ICT Support Guide.

CLICK HERE to access the ICT Support Guide

Office (Part of Microsoft 365)

Office, which is part of Microsoft 365, is available to all students and can be downloaded and installed with College credentials on the Office Portal. 

CLICK HERE to access Office 365

Adobe Creative Cloud

Creative Cloud is available to all students with steps to download and install the software available on the ICT Support Guide.

CLICK HERE for steps on how to install Creative Cloud apps

Personal Data Protection and Security

We recommend taking a "best practice" approach to protecting personal files and device security at the College. Configuring and enabling Microsoft Account (Windows) or Apple iCloud (macOS) is strongly recommended to assist in the recovery from a hardware failure or malicious software attack.

Both services offer the following features free of charge:

• 5GB of storage to backup personal files and settings
• Remote Lock and Find My Device to lock or locate a device that is lost or stolen
• Password Recovery to assist in the event login credentials to the device are misplaced or forgotten

Schoolwork Data Protection

OneDrive is available as part of Microsoft 365 for all students to backup data, share files and collaborate, which includes 1TB of storage.

Malware Protection, Security Features and Software Updates

We strongly encourage all student devices to have recommended Microsoft and Apple system security features configured and enabled, and that installed apps are up to date. macOS and Windows platforms have adequate built-in Malware protection which is free of charge. Third-party antivirus or security software is not required and not recommended. In some cases, third-party antivirus software can cause performance and connectivity issues for classroom software.

Warranty Support

St Mary's ICT can provide assessment and recommendation when it is identified that a device requires authorised hardware support from the vendor, such as a fault or damage. The ICT Department is unable to perform BYOD repairs or modifications as this will void device warranties provided by the manufacturer.

Peripherals and Damage Cover

As St Mary's College is a city school with students often using public transport, we recommend the purchase of a padded, secure laptop bag to protect the device. For ergonomic purposes, we recommend a Bluetooth mouse. We also encourage Accidental Damage Cover from the device manufacturer at the time of purchase.

Lost or Stolen Devices

As is the case with other personally owned items, St Mary's College is not responsible for damage/misuse or theft/loss of a student device. When a device is not in use, students should secure it in their locker. The College strongly recommends taking out an insurance policy or adding the device to an existing plan.

Loans

When a BYOD requires repair, the College has a procedure in place for students to access a limited number of loan devices for short periods.

The Lifecycle of BYOD Hardware

Technology and curriculum requirements change, and devices experience natural "wear and tear" from everyday use in the classroom. It is reasonable to expect BYOD hardware to require replacing every 3 years to ensure reliability and compatibility with College's ICT software and services. The details provided on the Recommended Specifications guide are a current snapshot and will be revised half-yearly.

Further Questions?

Please head to the ICT Support Guide for Frequently Asked Questions and Assistance.

CLICK HERE to access the St Mary's College ICT Support Guide