Introduction
BYOL, or Bring Your Own Laptop, requires students to bring a laptop to use in their classes for educational purposes. The faculty of Cannon Upper School encourage students to assess their learning style to determine which laptop will successfully meet their needs. We believe students are capable of making intelligent, innovative, and appropriate choices.
Why BYOL?
- Increased individual productivity using familiar personal devices with ability to upgrade or change devices at students’ discretion
- Allowance for blended learning and learning beyond the school day anywhere, anytime
- Fewer consumable required purchases
- Mirrors college/higher education expectations regarding the acceptable use of personal technology in an educational setting
- Supports Cannon's fundamental vision that we have the responsibility to prepare students for a world that promises to be unpredictable.
Cannon Upper School students are required to bring a primary laptop device to school each day to serve their educational needs. The primary laptop device is mandatory for each day of school and should be fully charged, accessible, in good working order and ready for a rigorous school day. We recommend students bring a charger with them in the event the laptop loses charge during the course of the school day. There are no chargers available to loan.
Minimum Hardware Requirements
The BYOL laptop requirement can be satisfied by either a Windows or Mac laptop. Chromebooks and tablets/iPads do not meet our requirements.
The following are the minimum specifications for a student's primary device:
- Windows Laptop compatible with Windows 10 64-bit 22H2 or newer
- MacBook compatible with macOS Ventura or newer
- Minimum screen size of 13"
- Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz)
- Computer processor (CPU)
- Intel Core i5 or better
- AMD Ryzen 5 or better
- Apple Silicone M1 or better
- Minimum of 8GB of memory (RAM)
- Minimum of 256GB of solid-state hard drive storage (SSD)
- HDMI output or an adapter so student can connect the laptop to HDMI for presentation
Required Accessories
- AC adapter/power supply for charging laptop
- Headset/Headphone/Earbuds with microphone - for use with audio recording software used in World Language Classes
- HDMI connection capability - integrated HDMI port or adapter to connect to a classroom display's HDMI input
Required Software
Note: Apple releases a new version of macOS every year. To maintain compatibility with school software, students should keep their Mac updated with a version of macOS no older than two years from the latest release. Older MacBooks may not support the latest version of macOS (see Hardware Requirements).
- Current or recent Operating System
- macOS version no older than two years from the latest release (macOS 12 Monterey as of 2023)
- Windows OS - Windows 10 or newer
- Microsoft Office, which is available at no cost to all Upper School students. Click here for more info.
- Google Chrome browser
- Zoom
Antivirus Software
All students are required to have updated Antivirus Software on their laptops. There are several free and paid products available. The products below are recommended by PC Magazine.
-
Free Antivirus Products
- Avast
- Kaspersky
- AVG
- Bitdefender
- Sophos Home
-
Paid Antivirus Products
- Malwarebytes
- Kaspersky
- Bitdefender
- Sophos Home Premium
** Please note that we will check student laptops to see if they have Antivirus installed during orientation and any time a student comes to the Technology Department for help. **
Optional Equipment
- Sturdy Case
- Identification engraving on device
Repairs & Procurement
The IT Department has made arrangements with FireFold Tech & Repair to provide Cannon families with a 20% discount on repair services. FireFold has been a trusted source of our IT Department for the purchase of equipment and repair services since 2015. We are excited to announce that all Cannon families can get a discount on the same quality services we’ve enjoyed from FireFold.
FireFold is aware of our required specifications for Upper School Laptops. They have partnered with Dell and other vendors so they can assist you with the selection and purchase of the right laptop and repair service coverage for our upper school students. Please note the 20% discount only applies to labor. FireFold is located at 9900 Poplar Tent Road, Suite 130 (left of Harris Teeter). You can call them at 704-979-3460. Don’t forget to mention you are a Cannon family to receive your discount on repair services. You can find out more about FireFold by visiting their web site at www.FireFoldTechRepair.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Click here to see our FAQ's for the BYOL program.