AUBURN — Monday was iPad rollout day at Edward Little High School.

For the first time, every student — 956 of them — was given an Apple iPad tablet computer to replace their laptops.

About half of Maine’s high schools provide computers to students.

This year, more Maine schools bought iPads than laptops. Statewide, schools bought 39,500 iPads compared to 29,500 laptops, according to Samantha Warren of the Maine Department of Education. The iPads cost less, $600 each, compared to the $1,000 laptops.

Laptops in schools started after a controversial 2001 proposal from then Gov. Angus King to provide laptops to all seventh-graders. The state now provides computers to seventh- and eighth-graders.

In her classroom, math teacher Alicia Pelletier passed out iPads, still in cardboard boxes.

“Throw off the rest of the plastic and turn them on,” Pelletier said as students opened the boxes. “Everyone knows how to turn them on, right?”

“No, actually,” one boy answered.

“It’s the top button,” Pelletier said as she showed where the button was hidden.

Mac Weekley, 15, held his iPad, staring at the “slide to unlock” arrow. He slid the key. A variety of colorful icons popped on the screen, including icons for photos, camera, Facetime, iTunes and settings.

Comparing it to the laptop, Weekley said the iPad “is only one piece. The laptop was two. This is going to be a lot smaller and it’s a lot lighter.” Giving students iPads instead of laptops “is a pretty good idea,” he added.

Pelletier led students as they made their iPads their own, signing on to their email accounts, adjusting the Wi-Fi settings, creating passwords and filling out personal information.

Soft sounds of “tick, tick, tick” could be heard as students typed information on their screens.

“Take a selfie,” Pelletier said as she directed students to the camera icon so they could take pictures of themselves.

Emma Wood, 16, hestitated before taking her picture, not entirely comfortable with the idea.

Nikolas Whittemore was more than comfortable. He shot a funny, creative photo of himself with his mouth open and Wood in the background.

Each iPad’s screen saver is of the student, making it easy to identify who the tablet belongs to.

The iPads come with “smart covers,” which allow students to stand the tablet upright. A magnetized flap covers the screen when not in use.

Each student was given a rugged black iPad case.

“Use this when traveling,” Pelletier said, passing out cases.

Students were happy to have the iPads.

“These are way better than the laptop,” said Aaron Wing, 15. “They’re lighter, easier to carry around. They work just like a laptop, but without the keyboard.”

Wing said he writes by tapping his fingers on his screen. “It’s easier to type on this,” he said. Unlike the laptop, it doesn’t take up the whole desk, he said.

“It’s pretty cool,” Nikolas Whittemore said of his iPad. “It will take a little while to get used to. These will be a valuable tool.”

“The technology seems easier to access,” Wood said. But she doesn’t like typing on the screen.

“I like to feel the keyboard,” she said.

The laptop had a separate keyboard similar to an old typewriter, where the iPad’s keyboard only pops up on the screen when needed, and it’s flat.

The school district has keyboards that can be used with iPads for students who want them. Most students will get used to the flat-touch keyboard, Auburn Middle School Technology Integrator Carl Bucciantini said.

“It feels different,” he said.

Middle school students, who got their iPads the first week of school, are typing on iPads without separate keyboards.

“Writing is not a problem,” Bucciantini said.

Teacher Pelletier showed how each classroom has an Apple TV device which means she can project her lesson from her laptop or iPad while it shows on the screen. That allows teachers to be more mobile around the room, roaming to help individual students while teaching the whole class.

After watching the iPad rollout, Peter Robinson, director of technology for the School Department, was pleased.

“We saw most kids having no difficulty getting set up,” he said. “They seemed pretty excited.”

AUBURN — Monday was a big day at Edward Little High School.

Each student, the high school population is 956, was given an iPad tablet computer which replaces the old laptops.

As was done in every classroom Monday morning, teacher Alicia Pelletier passed out new iPads that were in cardboard boxes.

Students opened the boxes and took out the new tablets.

“Throw off the rest of the plastic and turn them on,” Pelletier instructed. “Everyone knows how to turn them on, right?”

“No,” one student answered.

Pelletier showed the on/off button at the top of the device.

Several students said they like the idea of having an iPad rather than a laptop. One big advantage is that it’s lighter, much easier to carry in their backpacks. One disadvantage is it’s not as easy to type on.

“I’m going to need a keyboard,” said Mac Weekley, 15.

This story will be updated.

iPads don’t come with insurance

AUBURN — Parents can’t yet buy insurance to cover costs of repairing or replacing students’ iPad tablet computers.

“We’re trying to figure out an option,” said School Department Director of Technology Peter Robinson.

Auburn used to have a self-insurance program where a pool of money went for repairs from parents who bought insurance. It cost $25 a year.

“But we weren’t getting enough to make it viable,” Robinson said.

The School Department has looked at a number of insurance programs from third parties. “The problem is, our contract requires us to do repairs through Apple. Third party insurance I’ve spoken with want us to send it to them for repairs,” Robinson said.

That means now there is no insurance.

“We’re saying a better option might be prevention in the form of a rugged case,” he said. Robinson added that the iPad is more rugged than the laptop computer.

Cases for the iPads were distributed Monday, which means students can take the iPads home if parents have signed permission forms. Only a small percentage of parents indicated that they did not want their students bringing iPads home, Robinson said.

Under the parental permission form, if the iPad is damaged outside school in a way that isn’t covered by the warranty, parents are responsible to pay for the damage. A new iPad costs $600, the laptops, $1,000. Replacement costs would go down each year the iPad is owned, Robinson said.

Most students have taken care of their laptops and iPads, Robinson said.

“There is a small percentage of kids who don’t pay the attention you’d want to a delicate piece of electronics,” he said. 

This year, Auburn taxpayers will spend $217 per student, or $222,425 a year, to give 1,025 high school students (Edward Little and Franklin) iPads. That price includes programs, networks, cases and training. The total costs for iPads is $25,625 less a year than laptops.

The state pays for iPads for grades seven and eight. Auburn taxpayers are spending about $109,000 to provide iPads to grades K-2. Unlike the older students, grades K-2 do not take iPads home, Robinson said.

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