Laptop distribution for Tacoma middle, high school kids starts Monday

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By Allision Needles, The News Tribune

TACOMA, Wash. — With the first — virtual — day of school beginning in a little more than two weeks, middle and high school students at Tacoma Public Schools will get the opportunity to pick up the devices they need to get their work done.

Starting Monday (Aug. 24), students in grades 6-12 can check out laptops and chargers by going to their home schools during a certain time throughout the week.

Check below or visit tacomaschools.org to see the schedule.

Students are not required to be present when picking up their laptops, but laptops can only be picked up by a parent/guardian. Students picking should bring their student ID cards.

Students will keep the laptops through the 2020-21 school year.

Students might be able to opt out of using a district device for their own personal device, but they must fill out a form to do so. TPS encourages students to use a district-issued laptop because it already has all the software needed for remote learning.

For students without access to the internet, the Foundation for Tacoma Students is working with community partners to provide those services and can be reached at tacomalearns.org/laptopinternet or email tech@graduatetacoma.org. Students may also connect to district WiFi when near a school building.

Since March, the Tacoma school district, which serves around 30,000 students, has ordered about 11,000 laptops to help get students equipped for remote learning.

The district is prioritizing laptops for secondary grades first, and as shipments of more laptops arrive throughout the school year, it will be distributed to remaining elementary students, according to the district.

Baker Middle School

  • Aug. 24, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 6
  • Aug. 25, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 7
  • Aug. 26, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 8
  • Aug. 27, 3 to 7 p.m. / Make up day

Bryant Montessori

  • Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. / Grade 6
  • Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. / Grade 7
  • Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. / Grade 8

First Creek Middle School

  • Aug. 24, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. / Grade 6
  • Aug. 25, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. / Grade 7
  • Aug. 26, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. / Grade 8

Giaudrone Middle School

  • Aug. 24, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 6
  • Aug. 25, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 7
  • Aug. 26, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 8
  • Aug. 27, 3 to 7 p.m. / Make up day

Gray Middle School

  • Aug. 24, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 6
  • Aug. 25, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 7
  • Aug. 26, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 8
  • Aug. 26, 5 to 7 p.m. / Make up day

Jason Lee Middle School

  • Aug. 25, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. / Grade 6
  • Aug. 26, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. / Grade 7
  • Aug. 27, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. / Grade 8

Mason Middle School

  • Aug. 25, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. / Grade 6
  • Aug. 26, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. / Grade 7
  • Aug. 27, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. / Grade 8

Meeker Middle School

  • Aug. 24, 3 to 7 p.m. / Grade 6
  • Aug. 25, 3 to 7 p.m./ Grade 7
  • Aug. 26, 3 to 7 p.m. / Grade 8

Stewart Middle School

  • Aug. 24, 2 to 5:30 p.m. / Grade 6
  • Aug. 25, 2 to 5:30 p.m. / Grade 7
  • Aug. 26, 2 to 5:30 p.m. / Grade 8
  • Aug. 27, 2 to 5:30 p.m. / Make up day

Truman Middle School: One-hour time slots assigned alphabetically by last name

  • Aug. 24
    • 8 to 9 a.m., A-B
    • 9 to 10 a.m., C-D
    • 10 to 11 a.m., E-F
    • 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., G-H
  • Aug. 25
    • 3 to 4 p.m., I-J
    • 4 to 5 p.m., K-L
    • 5 to 6 p.m., M-N
  • Aug. 26
    • 8 to 9 a.m., O-P
    • 9 to 10 a.m., Q-R
    • 10 to 11 a.m., S-T
    • 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., U-V
  • Aug. 27
    • 3 to 4 p.m., W-X
    • 4 to 5 p.m., Y-Z
    • 5 to 6 p.m., Make-up

Wainwright Intermediate

  • Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. / Grade 6
  • Aug. 24, 1 to 3 p.m. / Grade 7
  • Aug. 25, 12 to 3 p.m. / Grade 8
  • Aug. 25, 5 to 7 p.m. / Make up time

HIGH SCHOOL DISTRIBUTION SCHEDULE

Foss High School

  • Aug. 24, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 9
  • Aug. 25, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 10
  • Aug. 26, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 11
  • Aug. 27, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 12

iDEA: Industrial Design, Engineering and Art

  • Aug. 25 /Grade 9 / A-L 9 to 10:30 a.m. / M-Z 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.
  • Aug. 26 / Grade 10 / A-L 9 to 10:30 a.m. / M-Z 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.
  • Aug. 27 / Grades 11 and 12 p.m. / A-L 9 to 10:30 a.m. / M-Z 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.

Lincoln High School

  • A-D: 8 to 9:30 a.m.
  • E-L: 9:30 to 11 a.m.
  • M-Q: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • R-Z: 12:30 to 2 p.m.
  • Aug. 24, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 9
  • Aug. 25, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 10
  • Aug. 26, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 11
  • Aug. 27, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grade 12

Mount Tahoma High School

  • Aug. 24 , 9 to 11 a.m. / Grade 9, A – L
  • Aug. 24, 10 to 2 p.m. , Grade 9, M-Z
  • Aug. 25, 9 to 11 a.m. / Grade 10, A – L
  • Aug. 25, 10 to 2 p.m. , Grade 10, M-Z
  • Aug. 26, 9 to 11 a.m. / Grade 11, A – L
  • Aug. 26, 10 to 2 p.m. , Grade 11, M-Z
  • Aug. 27, 9 to 11 a.m. / Grade 12, A – L
  • Aug. 27, 10 to 2 p.m. , Grade 12, M-Z

Oakland High School

  • Aug. 24, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grades 9 and 10
  • Aug. 25, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. / Grades 11 and 12

SAMi: Science and Math Institute

  • Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. / Grade 12
  • Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. / Grade 11
  • Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. / Grade 10
  • Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. / Grade 9

SOTA: Tacoma School of the Arts

  • Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. / Grade 9
  • Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. / Grade 10
  • Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. / Grade 11
  • Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. / Grade 12

Stadium High School: One-hour time slots assigned alphabetically by last name and grade level

  • A-B: 9 to 10 a.m.
  • C-F: 10 to 11 a.m.
  • G-J: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • K-M: 1 to 2 p.m.
  • N-R: 2 to 3 p.m.
  • S-Z: 3 to 4 p.m.
  • Aug. 24, Grade 9
  • Aug. 25, Grade 10
  • Aug. 26, Grade 11
  • Aug. 27, Grade 12

Willie Stewart Academy

  • Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. / All students
  • Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. / All students
  • Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. / All students
  • Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. / All students

Wilson High School

  • Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. / Grade 11
  • Aug. 24, 1 to 4 p.m. / Grade 12
  • Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. / Grade 9
  • Aug. 25, 1 to 4 p.m. / Grade 10