Over the course of the 2015-16 school year, we've seen the following typical kinds of damage to Chromebooks:
- Normal wear (e.g., color fading on the shell of the Chromebook)
- Defective device (e.g., backlight on a screen suddenly stops working)
- Accidental damage (e.g., breaking a screen)
We're not concerned with the normal wear and usage of the devices. They are designed to be used by an individual student from 6th grade through 8th grade. A little wear is to be expected over time.
For a defective device, the student should report the problem to their teacher. The student can turn in their Chromebook and receive a temporary replacement (St. Albert has a few additional student Chromebooks on hand for exactly this purpose). The Chromebook will then be evaluated. If the device is defective, St. Albert will handle either the replacement or refurbishment at no cost to the student.
We have seen three typical kinds of accidental damage to Chromebooks:
- Cosmetic damage that does not affect using the device for school work (e.g., chipping or breaking off plastic due to a drop or fall).
- Damage that renders the screen of the device unusable (e.g., cracked / broken), but the rest of the device itself is still fully functional. This is the most common type of accidental damage that we see.
- Other damage that renders the entire Chromebook unusable (e.g., the Chromebook won't even boot up).
We're not concerned with minor / cosmetic damage. If the cosmetic damage does not impede the use of the device as an educational tool, the student is free to continue using it.
If the screen breaks, the student should turn in the Chromebook to their teacher (and receive a temporary replacement Chromebook). St. Albert will replace the screen and invoice the family for the replacement cost: $100. Please do not attempt to replace the screen yourself.
If the unit itself becomes totally unusable, the student should turn the Chromebook to their teacher (and receive a temporary replacement Chromebook). St. Albert will replace the Chromebook and invoice the family for the replacement cost: $300.