Device Replacement Program

Meadowbrook offers employees three options for their job-related technology needs.

Currently, employees are eligible for technology replacements every three years.

Depending on your job duties, employees may be offered the following choices.

Faculty will be notified of their upcoming eligibility and the specific options available to them.
If you'd like to know your current status, please email the help desk - help@meadowbrook-ma.org

In general, the following options are available for teaching faculty. Other job duties may have more or fewer options.

1) School-purchased, -owned, and -maintained Mac laptop

2) School-purchased, -owned, and -maintained PC laptop

3) Stipend-supported, employee-owned and -maintained technology of the employee's choosing (known as the Digital Allowance Program) - details below.

The Digital Allowance Program is a stipend-supported program designed to allow employees to select the technology that will best help them meet their job responsibilities.

Device Replacement Program - Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why so many choices?
A. We want to provide employees with the device that helps them be the most productive. Our infrastructure is designed to support a wide variety of device types.

Q. What should I do if I'm having a hard time deciding?
A. Talk to one of the members of the friendly tech department. We love helping folks make a decision that works best for them.

Q. Can I delay a year? My current device works just fine.
A. No. For budgeting and other reasons, employees must choose an option in the year in which they are eligible.

Q. Who owns the device if I choose the stipend (Digital Allowance Program) option?
A. The device purchased with the stipend is the property of the employee. Employees who do not complete their contract are subject to repaying the allowance.

Q. After being approved for the stipend, when can I reapply in later years?
A. Currently an employee is eligible again in 3 years, although the Program is subject to change.

Q. Can Meadowbrook access my personal data on an employee-owned computer?
A. No. Meadowbrook can only access data on network shares or in your Google Apps account. Meadowbrook can and does monitor general overall usage trends for any device (faculty, student or guest and school-owned) connected to the Meadowbrook network. Meadowbrook has no information or any way to collect information on computer usage other than the traffic you transmit on the network.

Q. Can Meadowbrook access my data on a school-owned computer?
A. A school-owned computer is property of the school. Employees should make no assumptions to the privacy of data stored on school property or in school accounts.

Q. What happens to my current school-owned computer?
A. Current school-owned computers must be returned to the school before funds or the next school-owned device can be released.

Q. Will Meadowbrook provide any software in the stipend option?
A. No software is included. However, the allowance includes funds to purchase software along with the device, if they are directly related to your responsibilities.

Q. Am I required to run any software on my employee-owned device?
A. You are required to have an up-to-date anti-virus and anti-malware software running on a Digital Allowance Program device. See the Director of Innovation and Technology for advice on selecting software to meet this requirement.

Q. Who is eligible?
A. Any employee over 75% FTE. Temporary Employees like COVID-19 Teaching Associates do not not qualify for the Digital Allowance Program. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Headmaster.

Q. Who is responsible for repairs and maintenance?
A. The owner of the device is responsible for repairs and maintenance. Purchasing a replacement plan or extended warranty is highly recommended. Loaners may be available on a limited basis while an employee-owned device is under repair. School-owned devices are maintained and repaired by the school.

Q. Will the school backup my data?
A. Only data stored on network resources and in your Google Apps account are backed up by the school. Any local data is stored at your own risk.

Q. What devices are covered?
A. Any device that will be used as your primary device used to carry out your job responsibilities can be covered. If you have questions, please contact the Director of Innovation and Technology.

Q. How are the funds dispersed?
A. Upon receipt of Meadowbrook-owned equipment and all receipt(s) for the purchase of the device under the Digital Allowance Program, a one-time reimbursement will be processed through the next available payroll. This reimbursement is a taxable benefit. Any orders placed or purchases made prior to July 1 will void participation in the Program.

Q. Can I spend more/less than the allowance?
A. You may spend more than the allowance. You will be reimbursed for the actual cost or $1,200 (taxable), whichever is lower.

Q. What are the tax implications to employees accepted in the program?
A. This benefit is a taxable benefit and is processed through payroll. Consult your tax professional for advice on any tax implications due to participation in the Program.

Q. How will Meadowbrook Support my employee-owned device?
A. IT will help you connect to the network, access your Google Apps account, and print. Hardware issues cannot be handled by Meadowbrook for employee-owned devices. Loaners may be available while the employee has their computer repaired/replaced at their expense or under their warrantee or replacement plan.

Q. Can I get help selecting a device?
A. YES! See the Director of Innovation and Technology for help choosing a device that will meet your needs.

Q. What model computer will be used for the school-owned selection?
A. The models are always subject to change, however the PC laptop was recently the Dell XPS 13 and the Mac laptop will likely be a MacBook Air.

Q. Can I bring my own (employee-owned) peripherals and use them at school (keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc)?
A. Faculty who choose to bring their own peripherals (keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc) should clearly label the devices as personal property to avoid confusion. All employee-owned equipment is used on campus at the risk of the owner. The school is not responsible to replace or repair any damage to employee-owned equipment.

Digital Allowance Program Policy

Meadowbrook will provide an allowance of up to $1,200 taxable benefit to each eligible employee every 3 years to purchase an appropriate device that can be used for both business and personal purposes. This allowance is intended to cover:

Laptop (to be used as primary work device)
3-year service contract (highly encouraged)
One extra power adapter
Sleeve/case
Display adapter (consult tech department for this choice)
Mouse and/or keyboard
Required software
Anti-virus software

Employees are encouraged to seek the guidance of IT, utilize training provided by Meadowbrook, and consult with co-workers as they seek a device that will help increase their productivity. The employee may exceed the allowance amount at their own expense.

Employees using the Digital Allowance Program will turn Meadowbrook-owned equipment in when their purchase receipt(s) are submitted.

Eligibility

All employees over 75% FTE are eligible. Exceptions may be approved by the Headmaster.

Termination

In the event of termination, retirement or resignation within the length of the employee’s current contract, the full allowance paid out will be deducted from the final paycheck.

Policy and Appropriate Use

It is imperative that any mobile device that is used to conduct Meadowbrook business be utilized appropriately, responsibly, and ethically. Based on this requirement, the following rules must be observed:

Access Control

IT reserves the right to refuse, by physical and non-physical means, the ability to connect personal devices to corporate and corporate-connected infrastructure. IT will engage in such action if such equipment is being used in a way that puts the Meadowbrook's systems, data, users, and/or clients at risk.
Digital Allowance Program participants must employ, for their devices and related infrastructure, security measures deemed necessary by the IT department, including anti-virus and anti-malware software.

Security

Employees using personally-owned devices and related software for network and data access will, without exception, use secure data management procedures. All devices that are able to store data must be protected by a strong password.

All users of personally-owned devices must employ reasonable physical security measures. Digital Allowance Program participants are expected to secure all such devices whether or not they are actually in use and/or being carried. This includes, but is not limited to, passwords, encryption, and physical control of such devices whenever they contain enterprise data.
Any non-Meadowbrook computers used to synchronize with these devices will have installed up-to-date anti-virus and anti-malware software.
All sensitive Meadowbrook data must be kept on the Meadowbrook's network or in a Meadowbrook-owned account. Meadowbrook does not backup any local data.

Help & Support

Employees who opt in to the Digital Allowance Program are not eligible for support for device-specific hardware or software from Meadowbrook’s IT department. If the employee-owned device requires maintenance, the employee is responsible for taking the device to an employee-provided third party as covered by the allowance. IT will provide the employee with a Meadowbrook-owned device for the duration of the maintenance period.
Meadowbrook’s IT department will triage support calls to determine if the issue is software or hardware related. If the issue is hardware related, the employee will be forwarded to the third-party support provider for maintenance. If the issue is software related or related to web-based applications Meadowbrook’s IT department will perform maintenance.
Loaner computers may be available to employees while employee-owned equipment is in repair. Loaner computers are not guaranteed, and employees should strongly consider purchasing a repair warranty to ensure the quick repair of their devices.

Organizational Protocol

IT can and will establish audit trails, which will be accessed, published, and used without notice. Such trails will be able to track the attachment of an external device to the corporate network, and the resulting reports may be used for investigation of possible breaches and/or misuse. The Digital Allowance Program Participant agrees to and accepts that his or her access and/or connection to Meadowbrook’s networks may be monitored to record dates, times, duration of access, etc., in order to identify unusual usage patterns or other suspicious activity. This monitoring is necessary in order to identify accounts/computers that may have been compromised by external parties.
Any questions relating to this policy should be directed to the Director of Innovation and Technology. A copy of this policy, and related policies and procedures, can be found at Meadowbrook’s IT Support Site.
Violations of this agreement can result in removal from the Program and disciplinary actions, as determined by the Headmaster.