As part of our inclusive devices framework, Mackay Northern Beaches SHS will be allowing for students in 2023 to bring in either a laptop (Windows or Apple MacBook) or an iPad.
iPads or MacBook's should only be brought in if your student doesn't have an existing Windows laptops available and is already proficient in using these devices (such as at a previous school where iPads were the primary device that students used).
PLEASE NOTE:
Android tablets and Chromebook (as well as any other types of devices and operating systems not listed) are NOT COMPATIBLE and can't be used at school.
1. Specifications for BYO devices
Screen size:
| Between 12” to 16” |
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RAM:
| 8GB
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Storage:
| 128GB or above
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Wireless:
| 5GHz compatible (802.11n/ac/ax) -
mandatory
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Operating System:
| Windows: Windows 10/11 (running all latest updates)
Apple MacBook: macOS 13 (Ventura) and above
|
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Battery:
| Capable of 6+ hours of usage
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Peripherals:
| - External USB/Bluetooth mouse (If your student prefers to use over touchpad)
- Hard laptop case (to protect laptop).
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Screen size:
| Standard iPad or above (not iPad Mini)
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Storage:
| 32GB or above (64GB or above recommended)
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Wireless:
| Wi-Fi only iPads OR Wi-Fi and Cellular with no SIM/eSIM installed
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Operating System:
| Latest version of iPadOS (iPadOS 16) |
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Battery:
| Capable of 6+ hours of usage
|
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Peripherals:
| - Physical keyboard
- Hard iPad case and screen protector (to protect iPad)
|
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NOTE: While Accidental Damage Protection (ADP) insurance (or AppleCare+ for Apple devices) isn't a minimum requirement for bringing a BYO device to school, it's
highly
recommended due to the amount that students are having to move their bags around (either during school hours or in travel to and from school).
For students that are going into subjects that require the use of software like the Adobe Creative Cloud suite or Autodesk line of products, we recommend that these laptop have the specifications of at least a Core i5 (or Ryzen 5) process and a discrete graphics card (NVIDIA or AMD Radeon graphics).
If you need assistance with device specifications, please send an email to IT@macknorthbeachesshs.eq.edu.au, in order to get into contact with our IT team.
a) Optional Vendor Laptop Purchasing Portals
Online portals from several vendors have been made available as an option for parents when purchasing laptops that meet the school's specifications.
The below portals/laptop models are not mandatory and are listed below as a convenience for parents. Mackay Northern Beaches SHS is not involved in the private transactions between parents and the vendors.
2. Getting Devices Connected to Intune
In order for personal devices to be able to connect to the school network, they will need to be enrolled into the department's BYOD solution called Intune. Click on the below video links for the relevant installation video guides to join your device at home (Assuming that the student knows their login details and can access their school email address).
Connecting a Windows 11 device to Intune:
Connecting a Windows 10 device to Intune:
Connecting a MacOS device to Intune:
Connecting an iPad device to Intune:
Students are able to come into the IT room (Between the Canteen and Uniform shop) during lunch breaks and before-school, in order to setup their BYO device, if required.
3. Installing Microsoft Office
Every student at a state school in Queensland has access to install the Office suite of software for free on up to 5 devices at once. To install this at home:
- Go to
 https://portal.office.com/ols/mysoftware.aspx - Select Install Office
- Once the installer finishes downloading, double-click and follow through the installer
| - Open up the
 Apple App Store - Search for Office applications you want to download in the App Store.
- Click on Get/Download and and complete the download/install
Alternatively, you can also download from the Intune Company Portal.
|
Students are able to come into the IT room (Between the Canteen and Uniform shop) during lunch breaks and before-school, in order to install Office on their BYO device, if required.
4. Additional Software Installing
While the majority of resources that students will use at school will primarily be done through a web browser (either Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome), there will be times where teachers will require students to install additional software (like Minecraft Education Edition for Year 7 and 8 students or Adobe Creative Cloud suite for senior art classes etc.). Relevant guides will be provided to your student as to the download of these programs. Network bandwidth may be required to perform said download at home.
Third party websites
A range of subject areas access websites to enhance teaching and learning at our school. Some of these sites provide access to interactive learning activities, software for programming and tools for presenting information.
Students will also access their textbooks via a cloud-based application.
Parental/guardian consent is a requirement by law under the Queensland Information Privacy Act 2009. Third party website consent forms need to be completed when students are required to create an account or provide personal information to a third party website which is any website which is accessed at school but hosted and managed outside of the Department of Education (DoE) network.
The list of the Third Party Websites currently accessed by students have been assessed for risk and deemed to be of low and medium risk for security.
Student email accounts and passwords
Student usernames are the first initial with the first four letters of the surname followed by a number. Student email addresses are their username, ending with @eq.edu.au (e.g jblog1@eq.edu.au).
The password is the same as used to log on to the school Wi-Fi, Web printing, school computers and the BYOD Logon connector. You can reset a known password online or all teachers can reset forgotten passwords.
Students email can be accessed at http://owa.eq.edu.au.
On site support
Our school IT Technicians are available for students to visit before school, during lunch breaks and after school for any query or problems that they may have.
You can also email IT@macknorthbeachesshs.eq.edu.au to get into contact with our IT team.
Financial hardship and laptops under repair
We understand that for some families a laptop may be too expensive or occasions when a student laptop may be under repair. Our school can provide day loan laptops, please contact the Resource Centre for a day loan application form.