Required Tech Tools

All students in Grades 5-12 need to bring a Mac Laptop with them to school while students in Grades 2-4 will need to bring an iPad. We consider these parent-owned devices and will always consult with you before making installations that go beyond ensuring the functionality of the device within our school network (e.g. spyware, parental monitoring tools, etc). And while we do not require the newest versions of each device, there are some minimum specifications that are necessary to ensure compatibility across the school and classrooms. Please see these below:

Please remember keep in mind the following Responsible User Agreement that is made during the enrollment process:

When interacting with digital technology on the NIS campus, teachers and students are encouraged to reflect on our Digital Technology philosophy and keep their habits kind, helpful and safe. Should students be found using computers in a manner which does not reflect this philosophy, a meeting with the parents and administration will be called to determine appropriate consequences for the student. The academic use of the laptop will not be affected.

Important Note on VPNs: 

The use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) is illegal in China. However, as a school serving the children of foreign experts, we receive a special dispensation to use a government-approved, commercial VPN for the express purposes of education. In order to receive this privilege, we use our own firewall to meet the prerequisites of the authorities for the safe, educational use of the internet. As such, all work required for home-learning is designed and chosen to be compatible with host-country internet guidelines without a need for a personal VPN. Should you choose to install a personal VPN on your child’s device, you need to understand that this will also allow them to bypass our school security measures, and as such, is strongly discouraged.