Technology

Most students purchase the 13-inch MacBook Pro with 256GB storage from the Apple educational store, and are happy with its performance during their time at The Academy. Students who wish to have a larger or faster machine are welcome to purchase a more expensive model, but unless you have a specific need for a more expensive machine our only requirement is 256GB minimum of internal storage.

Apple does not announce its new products ahead of time, making it difficult to time purchases around new equipment. There are rumor sites that give estimates of new product announcements, but they are not always accurate. We generally recommend purchasing new equipment in July or early August to get the latest models but still have them arrive in time for the start of school.

International students who wish to order and ship the computer directly to our campus may have difficulty purchasing with a non-US credit card. In this case, contact us and we can help make the purchase on your behalf and pay for the computer through the student's debit account.

If a student already has an Apple laptop, they may use that machine at Suffield Academy. However, we ask that families budget for the machine's replacement if the laptop will be more than four years old during a student's time here. For example, if a student arrives with a 2-year-old laptop their freshman year, they should plan on replacing it during their junior year. We cannot guarantee support for machines older than four years or machines that are no longer covered by warranty, so planning for replacement prevents a sudden unexpected expense.

If you have a little extra money to spend, consider purchasing additional RAM for the laptop. Apple's current laptops cannot be upgraded after purchase, so extra RAM can help extend the life of a machine.

Every student receives a unique username and password for the Academy’s computer systems. Students must keep passwords secure from others and should not allow others to use their account; students are responsible for any activity originating from their account or personal computer. Accessing another user account with or without permission, or granting anyone access to your account is a violation of school policy.

Suffield Academy maintains a campus-wide network that provides wired and wireless internet access to all buildings, dormitories, classrooms, and faculty residences. The Academy connects through the Connecticut Education Network to provide fast and reliable internet access. Every boarding student has access to wired and wireless connectivity in their dorm room. The Academy provides access to subscription services for email, collaboration, learning management, and classroom use. Every dormitory is equipped with a networked printer; other public printers are available around campus for all students.

All computer and network infrastructure (switches, routers, cabling, wireless access points, servers, etc.) is owned and managed by The Academy. Students may not add or modify any network equipment; this includes the creation of personal wireless networks. Network activity is neither filtered nor blocked at The Academy, though messaging and internet access may be recorded in archival logs for operational and safety reasons.

Students are prohibited from accessing any website or Internet resource violating state or federal law. Students are also prohibited from accessing online content intended for adult audiences only. Students should not portray themselves or Suffield Academy inappropriately in any online public forum, including social networking or video sharing sites. Student access to on-campus computing resources and/or the Internet is a privilege that may be restricted or revoked by school representatives at any time. Abuse or violation of these technology guidelines may result in disciplinary action.

All members of the Suffield Academy community are expected to follow general rules of etiquette, whether online or in face-to-face interactions: avoid inappropriate language, treat others with respect, do not engage in illegal activities or activities inappropriate for those under 21 years of age. Mean spirited or derogatory language about others on the Internet is not acceptable within the Suffield community; violations will lead to disciplinary consequences.