This year, Harvard District 50 will collect Chromebooks and chargers from all students in Grades 1–8 at the end of the school year. Your child’s school will be sending specific instructions soon.
Why Are We Collecting Chromebooks?
1. Supporting Healthy Boundaries
We believe collecting school devices at the end of the year is in the best interest of students. Research, including Jonathan Haidt’s recent book The Anxious Generation, shows that constant, unsupervised access to screens isn’t helping children's mental health or development.
We know this step won’t create a completely device-free summer — many families have other technology at home. But by collecting school Chromebooks, we send an important message: schools play a role in setting healthy boundaries around technology use, especially when school isn’t in session.
2. Caring for Our Resources
Collecting Chromebooks each summer also helps us take better care of the technology your tax dollars help fund. Devices will be cleaned, repaired, and prepared for a fresh start in the fall. This process extends the life of our Chromebooks, saves the district money, and helps prevent unexpected technology issues when students return.
In short: this small change helps us take better care of both our students and our resources.
For more information check out the page on the district website here!