Back-to-School Without Burnout

 A Tactical Guide for IT Directors Managing K–12 Device Rollouts

As August approaches, IT Directors in K–12 school districts face one of the most critical—and demanding—periods of the year: back-to-school device rollout. While administrators and teachers prepare their lesson plans, IT teams are tasked with ensuring every student has a secure, reliable, and fully functional device from day one.

From inventory management to device provisioning and Wi-Fi optimization, the pressure to deliver a seamless technology experience is high. However, with strategic planning and the right tools, school districts can reduce friction, minimize support tickets, and launch the school year with confidence.

Understanding the Back-to-School Tech Demands

Device deployment in August isn’t just about logistics—it’s about infrastructure resilience, efficient workflows, and future-proofing. Key challenges include:

• Coordinating the distribution of hundreds (or thousands) of student devices

• Verifying connectivity across increasingly hybrid and mobile learning environments

• Managing user provisioning, updates, and access controls

• Supporting teachers, staff, and families with troubleshooting and onboarding

• Ensuring robust security protocols are in place from day one

These are not minor tasks; and without a structured approach, they can quickly overwhelm even the most experienced IT teams.

A Strategic Rollout Checklist

To set your school year up for success, start with these foundational steps:

• Inventory and Configuration: Ensure devices are received, inspected, and configured ahead of distribution. Include spare units for immediate replacements.

• Provisioning Workflow: Use automated enrollment or Google Admin tools to reduce manual setup and improve consistency across the fleet.

• Network Readiness: Conduct Wi-Fi coverage assessments and bandwidth testing, especially in expanded learning spaces or new campus zones.

• Support System Prep: Establish ticketing protocols and provide staff with clear guidelines for common tech issues.

• User Communication: Prepare quick-start guides and FAQs for students, parents, and teachers to ease the transition.

Simplify Management with Chrome Education Upgrade

For IT teams managing ChromeOS devices, the Chrome Education Upgrade provides essential functionality to simplify administration:

• Enforce security settings and access policies at scale

• Enable remote locking and device recovery

• Automate OS and app updates

• Manage devices from a centralized Google Admin console

With these tools in place, IT Directors can reduce manual oversight and focus on proactive initiatives rather than reactive fixes.

Reducing Support Tickets in the First 30 Days

The start of the school year often brings a wave of support tickets—many of which can be avoided through preemptive strategies:

• Provide Basic Training: Offer short tech orientations for educators covering essential troubleshooting skills.

• Implement Self-Service Tools: Link QR codes to instructional videos or FAQ pages accessible from student devices.

• Create "Tech Check-In" Stations: Allow students to verify login and connectivity before the first day of class.

These small efforts can significantly reduce the burden on IT help desks in the opening weeks.

Choosing Devices That Support Long-Term Success

Not all student devices are created equal. Investing in durable, reliable technology now helps prevent disruptions later. The HP Fortis Chromebook for Education is a prime example:

• Built to last: MIL-STD 810G certified and tested for drop resistance and durability

• Reliable battery performance: Designed to support a full school day of learning

• Modern connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E and optional 4G LTE keep students connected wherever learning happens

• Optimized for multitasking: A 14" FHD display allows students to comfortably split-screen for productivity

With these features, HP Fortis devices empower students while reducing maintenance and downtime for IT teams.

Let this be the year your rollout runs smoothly—and your IT team gets the recognition it deserves!

Embracing Technology to Set the Tone for the School Year: Communication and digital tools help teachers establish routines, understand student learning styles and simplify administrative tasks

For educators and administrators, the beginning of a new school year brings a sense of anticipation, possibility and planning. But once the novelty begins to fade, educators might be wondering how to keep up the momentum over the months ahead. Here are a few ideas about how teachers can employ technology to help things run smoothly throughout the school year.

Set clear expectations

Students of any age using school devices need to understand the school’s expectations around technology. Answer questions like how students are allowed to use their school-provided devices, what students should steer clear of, and what the consequences of breaking the agreement are.

Along with specific rules around technology use, the beginning of the school year is a good time to integrate some information on digital citizenship.

Continue to emphasize routines

The school day is largely built on routine, and particularly for teachers of younger students, that routine should include guidance on how to take care of any edtech tools the students have access to. Where should the students store their headphones? If students are allowed to take their Chromebook home each day, can packing it up be an explicit part of the classroom’s end-of- the-day routine? 

Use Learning Management System to follow student progress

Using a Learning Management System (LMS) like Google Classroom has a number of benefits. Teachers can use it to post important information like assignments, due dates and reminders in a centralized location. It also enables teachers to follow student progress, and quickly intervene if a student is struggling or behind.

Explore personalized learning

It’s never too early to start figuring out how to best support students. Consider creating a brief survey that asks students about their interests, goals and challenges to get an early snapshot of what individual students might need to thrive.

Take advantage of timesaving tools

If your school offers Gemini for Google Workspace, take some time to explore how this AI tool can save you time and effort in the classroom. Gemini can assist with tasks like creating and summarizing emails, generating visuals that make presentations more engaging, and taking notes during virtual meetings with students and caregivers.

Understand your school’s device repair protocol

It’s inevitable that some of your school’s devices will need to be repaired or replaced during the school year. The beginning of the school year is a great time to make sure you have a clear understanding of your school’s edtech repair program. How long does it generally take for a damaged device to be repaired or replaced? Are there extra devices for students and staff to access while their device is being worked on? If not, are there other ways they can continue to do schoolwork in the interim? Device repair programs like JonesCare play an essential role in keeping the year running smoothly, and having a clear understanding of how your school handles repairs can help teachers minimize interruptions to student learning.

Taking the time to communicate with students and their families about technology use, expectations and repair protocol, having systems in place to monitor student progress and personalize learning, and using technology to simplify your workload can help set the tone for a great school year.

Best Educational Apps for the 2024-2025 School Year: Must-have apps for the back to school season

Educational apps can help teachers hone and optimize their skills, streamline administrative tasks, and engage and communicate with students and families. As we head into a new school year, here’s a roundup of educational apps we love, from classic favorites to emerging stars.  

Microsoft Teams 

A diverse communication app that focuses on collaboration, Microsoft Teams is free for K-12 educators and students. The Microsoft Teams app includes Reflect, a social and emotional learning tool. Newer additions to Microsoft Teams include AI features that assist educators in generating module content. 

Google Classroom 

Chances are, you’re already a Google Classroom pro. If not, what are you waiting for? Google Classroom boosts an array of features that help personalize learning, streamline administrative tasks, encourage academic integrity and  gather analytical data that helps you improve learning.  

Class Dojo 

A teacher favorite, Class Dojo enables easy communication between teachers, students and families. Educators can keep families in the loop by adding photo or video updates, and the calendar feature helps students build awareness of planning and due dates. Class Dojo also offers social-emotional learning opportunities, incentivized through a point system to support student growth. 

Pear Deck 

Pear Deck is technically an add-on that integrates with Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides and Classroom apps. Pear Deck allows teachers to design engaging, interactive presentations. With Pear Deck, educators receive instant feedback on how well their students understand a lesson, and offer them responses in real-time. The company also offers additional add-ons, including Pear Assessment (formerly known as Edulastic), which helps teachers deliver and monitor student assessments.  

Mindsets 

Most teachers have heard the timeless question, "Why do I need to learn this?" countless times. Microsoft for Education’s Mindsets delivers an answer– in the form of a Challenge. Designed for middle and high school students, offers Challenges that walk students through a relatable real-world scenario in which they use math or science skills to solve it. 

ParentSquare 

The popular Remind app, which enables teachers to send and receive messages, reminders and updates to students and families, was recently acquired by ParentSquare, a mass messaging platform for K-12 schools,students and caregivers. One of the highlights of this app is its two-way translation software, which enables educators and ELL students and families to communicate in their native language.  

SeeSaw 

Designed for elementary school educators, SeeSaw is a comprehensive app that includes curriculum, messaging, auto-graded assessments and progress monitoring while offering students engaging tools like its digital portfolio, which encourages students to take pride in their work.  

Kahoot! 

The award-winning app Kahoot! gamifies learning and makes studying easy and fun. Users can turn studying into a social event by engaging in friendly competition, creating flashcards instantly and preparing for upcoming tests, even while on the go.  

These are just a few of the top educational apps. Moving forward, we’re excited to see what new apps emerge that help streamline educator and admin workload, personalize learning for students with different needs, and optimize communication between teachers, students and families. 

Prepping Your School’s Device Management for Summer Break: Inventorying, assessing and planning for the break– and beyond

While the summer break might mean long, leisurely days at home or camp for students, it means something quite different for a school’s IT Team. Depending on the school and its policies, the break presents a window of time to collect, inventory, clean and update devices, as well as assess and plan for the next school year. 

Below, we outline some of the common action items IT teams prepare to tackle as the summer break approaches. 

Decide whether devices will be returned to school or go home with students

The question of whether districts should allow devices to stay with students over summer break is a controversial one. Proponents argue that allowing students to keep devices offers an opportunity for learning to continue over the summer months. Others, though, might view a summer take home device program as a logistical nightmare that increases the risk of devices being damaged or lost.  

Inventorying and inspecting

If your school does collect all school-owned devices at the end of the year, IT departments may commiserate with school librarians– you both spend a significant portion time attempting to track down and wrangle missing (and overdue) items.

Once the devices are collected, they can be inventoried and inspected for damage. 

Cleaning devices and identifying devices that are damaged or in need of repair

As students and teachers return their devices, your IT team will be looking for devices that have incurred damage over the school year. Devices will also need to be cleaned– for instance, laptop vents need to be dusted to prevent overheating, and 

Consider whether it’s time to retire aging devices

As you assess devices that are damaged, some will likely be at or near the end of their lifecycle. These devices will need to be recycled, and, depending on your school’s needs, replaced. 

Coordinate repairs for damaged devices

It’s likely that your team will identify many devices that need repair. Your IT team will want to coordinate the repair of these devices so that they’ll be ready for the new school year

Software and security updates 

The summer break presents an ideal opportunity for IT teams to perform software updates with minimal disruptions to students or staff. Security updates and device refreshes can also take place during this time. 

Arrange training for staff and students (if necessary)

Is your school introducing new technology to teachers and students? If so, you’ll likely need to schedule training sessions to familiarize staff to new devices. 

Reconsider your school’s device insurance 

Once your device inventory is complete and you’ve identified which need to be repaired or replaced, it’s an ideal time to decide whether your current device warranty or insurance coverage is adequate. Standard factory warranties for tech devices often don’t provide the coverage schools need, particularly as devices begin to age. 

Consider scheduling a JonesCare Needs Assessment. We’ll take an in-depth look at your district’s needs, budget and assess the lifecycle stages of your district’s devices. Then, we’ll work with you to customize a protection plan that’s tailored to your district’s unique needs. Our goal with JonesCare is to provide a seamless experience with minimal disruption to students and staff when devices need to be repaired or replaced.

Reach out today to book a JonesCare Needs Assessment.

How Intel and Microsoft are Harnessing AI to Transform Education: These programs and tools prepare students and teachers to make the most of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence has been with us longer than many of us realize, assisting us in the form of conducting a spell check as we’re writing an email or a chatbot popping up to offer help as we browse a website.

As AI continues to be refined and integrated into daily life, we expect it will bring significant benefits to education. As AI advances and evolves, many expect it to absorb a large portion of the administrative burden educators carry, freeing them up to focus on students. AI is also likely to be used for personalizing learning for students with diverse learning needs.

Below, we’ll take a look at how two of our partners, Intel and Microsoft for Education, are already harnessing the power of AI to improve accessibility and inclusivity in education.

Intel’s AI for Youth program

Intel designed its AI for Youth program to empower students ages 13-19 by teaching them about AI. The intensive program breaks down what exactly AI is and isn’t, arms students with hands-on skills and then supports them as they craft individual social impact projects using their new knowledge and skills. For instance, an eleventh grader in Siberia created a prototype for an app that can help identify mental health issues in its users, while a group of young students who completed the AI for Youth program in Israel crafted an app that helps small retail clothing stores sort and display garments according to their color and design.

Intel’s AI for Youth program offers participants a variety of both technical and social skills and encourages diversity. It’s currently being used in several countries worldwide.

In its mission to \"demystify and democratize\" AI, Intel also launched an annual AI Global Impact Festival, in which students from 26 different countries participate in a competition of their AI innovations. In 2023, a group of teenage students from Brazil took the top prize with a device that can track eye movement to enable patients with ALS to communicate.

Microsoft

Artificial Intelligence is exciting, but it also comes with a learning curve. Microsoft for Education has built a suite of courses that break down the concepts of AI and show educators how specific tools might benefit them.

Microsoft for Education also created the AI Classroom Toolkit. This toolkit is designed to introduce AI tools, such as Microsoft Copilot, to students ages 13-15.

Microsoft Copilot is a generative AI assistant that’s currently available for educators. Generative AI is AI that uses data to create new content. For instance, teachers can use Copilot to tailor lesson plans for students who have different learning styles, assist with creating feedback on student work and help brainstorm classroom activities.

Microsoft has also previewed its Reading Coach tool. With Reading Coach, AI collaborates with readers to create stories and to identify and provide opportunities for practicing particular words a reader is struggling with.

As we learn more about the capabilities of Artificial intelligence and how it can assist educators, students, and the world at large, we’re excited to see what unfolds.

Outfitting Your Classroom On a Budget: 5 Affordable Ways Teachers Can Outfit Their Classrooms

Since a classroom is essentially a home away from home for both teachers and students, making it a fun and functional place to teach and learn is a priority. For newer educators, though, it can seem a bit daunting; it’s hard to build a Pinterest-pretty classroom on a lean budget.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to outfit your classroom without breaking the bank. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Garage Sales

With the summer months being prime garage sale season, it’s no wonder that many teachers start here when outfitting their classrooms. Whether you have something particular you’re hoping to find or you prefer to browse around and see what strikes you, garage sales are generally affordable ways to pick up odds and ends for your classroom. Depending on your level of craftiness, keep in mind that you can often refinish or paint furniture that’s less than appealing as-is.

Buy Nothing Groups

Built on the premise of creating a sharing economy, Buy Nothing groups are a fantastic place to source classroom supplies. You can see if your community has a Buy Nothing Group and join it; currently, the majority of these groups take place on social media sites. When a member has an item that they no longer need, they offer it up in the group, and those who are interested respond. No money changes hands and no strings are attached– it’s built on the concept of freely giving what we can.

Invite your students to help you decorate

Incorporating your students into your classroom design is a great way to co-create an environment that reflects the uniqueness of your students. Most learners feel a sense of pride and belonging when they see something they’ve created displayed in the classroom.

Think outside the box

When considering a classroom element like flexible seating, which has become increasingly popular in classrooms in recent years, but also expensive, keep an open mind. While wobble stools and soft seating are eye-catching, they can also be prohibitively spendy. Consider thriftier options like yoga mats, gardening knee pads, or chair pads, all of which can be found in fun colors and are more affordable.

Create a classroom wishlist

While it’s common for teachers to create a list of items they’d like parents to supply at the beginning of a school year, you might consider saving some of your wishlist items for holidays and the end of the year, when parents are looking for ways to thank their favorite teachers. A wishlist takes the guesswork out of gift-giving and can be a relief for parents and teachers alike.

Give it Time

While it can be tempting to try and create an Instagram-worthy classroom, seasoned educators are likely to tell you that outfitting your classroom is a process that takes time and evolves over the years. Over time, you’ll discover what items are most useful in your classroom and what you can do without. Your students are likely to inspire you to incorporate new items or decor, helping you gradually create an environment that feels functional and welcoming.

Six Women Leaders in EdTech: Shining the spotlight on EdTech’s most influential women

In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting a handful of the female EdTech leaders who are blazing the way.

Sophie Bailey

In 2016, Sophie Bailey launched The Edtech Podcast with the mission of "improving the dialogue between ‘ed’ and ‘tech’ through storytelling for better innovation and impact." She aired 250 episodes before passing the reins to another host so she could focus her energy on creating WorkTripp, a digital platform that helps work teams plan and measure their gatherings.

Dr. Monica Burns

Monica Burns became an accidental influencer in the EdTech space after presenting an impromptu talk in 2012 on the topic of technology in classrooms. Her presentation was so well-received that she began blogging about EdTech and went on to create the Class Tech Tips website and podcast. In 2021, her book, EdTech Essentials: The Top 10 Technology Strategies for All Learning Environments was published.

Victoria Thompson

Originally a fifth and six grade math and science teacher, Victoria Thompson’s colleagues recognized her talent for using technology in educational settings. She later shifted her career to focus on educational technology and grew a hearty social media presence in the EdTech space. She led the Microsoft Innovative Education Expert (MIEE) program before moving on to CDW, where she works as a K-12 Education Strategist for the Southeast U.S. Thompson has racked up an impressive array of awards for being an innovator; in 2023, CIOLook magazine named her as one of the Top Ten Most Visionary Leaders in Education and ISTE included her in its Top 20 to Watch.

Dr. Akilah Willery

Dr. Akilah Willery has been working in education technology for 20 years. She currently works as an education strategist at CDW and co-hosts the web series EdTech Coffee Talks. She was recently named by EdTech Magazine as one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers to Watch, where she was praised for her social media posts giving voice to the needs of school districts. Willery has also written several articles for EdTech Magazine.

Kristina Ishmael

In her most recent role as the Deputy Director of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology, Kristina Ishmael worked on timely issues including digital equity and AI in education. A longtime champion for accessibility and equity in education, she recently received an ISTE 2023 Making It Happen Award and was named as a K-12 IT Influencer to Watch by EdTech Magazine.

Diane Doersch

While she started her career as an elementary and middle school teacher, Diane Doersch went on to serve as Director of Technology and later as Chief Technology and Information Officer in a Wisconsin school district. She proceeded to earn her Certified Educational Technology Leader (CETL) certification and is now the Senior Director of Information Technology at Digital Promise, a nonprofit devoted to equitable learning. She’s also a board member of the Consortium of School Networking (CoSN).

What Does 2024 Have in Store? Our predictions for trends in education in the new year.

The start of a new year is a natural time to ponder what’s ahead. While it’s impossible to predict exactly what’s waiting around the next bend, we can make some predictions about education trends for 2024.

Below, we’ve outlined the trends we anticipate continuing or growing traction in 2024.

Artificial Intelligence

2023 brought a huge leap in the development of Artificial Intelligence, and this evolution is likely to continue dramatically transforming the landscape of education in the months and years ahead.

For one, AI is likely to become an integral tool for educators, lightening mundane tasks and quickly analyzing data that would take teachers hours to complete. As labor shortages continue and rates of teacher burnout remain high, we’re hopeful that these emerging tools can help make life easier for educators. Of course, implementing this will require significant professional development to keep teaching staff current on how they can harness artificial intelligence, as well as what the best practices are.

AI is also likely to play a large part in personalizing education for students. Artificial intelligence can help detect students’ learning pace and style, and can tailor lessons accordingly. With an increased awareness of the need to meet a diverse array of learning styles and neurodivergence, we expect AI to be a huge time-saver for teachers while assisting students with learning in a way that works best for them.

Mental health

Student mental health has become another area of attention in education. In the wake of the pandemic, studies have consistently shown an increase in mental health struggles among students. We expect schools to address this by investing additional time and resources in holistic wellness for their students. Some school districts are offering free teletherapy to students, while others are experimenting with apps that can monitor student mental health and alert staff when students are deemed to be at risk. Still, others are harnessing the power of nature to promote student wellness.

Gamification and Immersive Technology

Gamification– making learning more enjoyable by employing strategies used in games such as using points, quests or leveling up – has been a fast-growing trend in education, and we believe this will continue in the near future. Similarly, AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) are immersive forms of technology that create a more engaging experience for the user. For example, students with access to immersive tech can experience what it’s like to visit a foreign country or even outer space.

Teaching Soft and Life Skills

In the U.S., college enrollment has been dropping over the past few years. Between the rising costs of college and a lingering labor shortage, more young adults are choosing options beyond a traditional four-year college education. Some choose to attend two-year trade programs while others enter the job market immediately after graduating from high school. For K-12 students, this could mean a push towards exposing students to information about emerging career paths. For high school students, this might mean an uptick in students exploring career and technology programs aimed at preparing them for high-demand careers.

Beyond career choice, schools are recognizing the need to teach students soft skills and life skills. In a rapidly changing world, students will benefit from developing soft skills like communication, problem-solving, flexibility, emotional intelligence and creativity. Life skills include financial management, goal-setting and stress management.

Navigating a changing educational landscape can be a challenge. We’d love to talk with you about how technology can help your school stay ahead of the curve. 

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Looking Back, Looking Forward: A look at the evolution of Arey Jones, and technology.

As we head into 2024, it’s natural to consider our plans and goals for the year ahead. But the New Year also provides an opportunity to pause and reflect on where we began, what we’ve accomplished, and how we’ve weathered the inevitable changes we’ve encountered along the way.

A Common Theme

Did you know that our company’s roots stretch back more than 100 years? Founded in 1897 in San Diego, Arey Jones originally sold typewriters and stationary locally. While the last 120 years have brought innumerable changes to nearly every aspect of life, one thing has remained the same– our commitment to supporting student learning through technology that’s both innovative and reliable.

As Technology Evolved, so Did We

Fast forward to the 1970s, when the Scarpella family, who owned Broadway Typewriter Company, purchased Arey Jones. While the company has grown over time and now works with K-12 schools across the U.S., we pride ourselves on providing the high level of service and support that you’d expect from a close-knit family business.

Over the years, our evolution continued. In the 1980s, as technology like computers, Walkmans and VCRs became more integrated into daily life, our company honed its focus. Arey Jones found its niche in helping school districts choose, implement and service the educational technology that supports young learners.

As a company with a lengthy history, we understand the complexities that administrators, teachers and school boards encounter regarding evolving technology. Our goal is to make the process of choosing, implementing and supporting educational technology as smooth as possible.

Our seasoned senior staff have worked in the education technology market for decades. We enjoy long standing relationships with many of the school districts we work with, which has allowed us to develop a deep understanding of each district’s unique needs.

One of our best-kept secrets, though, is our customer service. Our support team is dedicated to troubleshooting technology issues so that schools can do what they do best– focus on their students.

Our Partners

A strong team needs solid partners. We’re privileged to work with some of the world’s leading technology companies, including Microsoft Education, Google for Education, Lenovo, Dell and HP. Partnering with these companies enables us to select and deliver excellent technology solutions to school districts of all sizes. Our relationships with these companies also allows us to stay ahead of the curve on emerging technology trends.

Let’s talk!

While our corporate office remains in San Diego where our company began, we have offices and fulfillment centers positioned across the U.S.

We started by mentioning our roots as a typewriter and stationary company more than 100 years ago. Now, it’s your turn! We’d love to learn about your school’s unique history, strengths and challenges so we can create a plan to deliver cutting-edge technology that serves your students now and into the future.

Want to learn more? Contact us to discuss how our educational technology solutions can benefit your school district.