Note: This is page is currently maintained as public so new students and families can access basic information without a login. Additional information via student login is available via tech.sfuhs.org at the end of July when new students are provided school email.
Reach out to Howard Levin, Director of Technology, howard.levin@sfuhs.org with any questions.
This page is designed for new students entering in the fall of 2025 - but relevant to current students.
Please let us know if you have any questions or if you run into any problems with any of these steps. Reach out to helpdesk@sfuhs.org and a member of the Tech Team will be happy to help.
Below are some things to do in the coming weeks so that you will be technologically prepared to start at UHS.
Purchase or prepare an Apple laptop: See Bring Your Laptop Guide below for recommendations and suggested peripherals.
Gmail: All students will be provided a SFUHS Gmail account near the end of July. We will announce via communication to parents when student account access is ready. Laptop access will be via any web browser so no need to purchase any additional tools.
Google Drive: Once email is established, all students will have access to all the Google tools to store and share files (Drive), compose documents (Docs), open and create spreadsheets (Sheets), prepare presentations (Slides), and complete tests and surveys (Forms). Your teachers will share files with you and ask you to take quizzes, etc., on Google.
Other services: Information will be provided during 9th grade and new student orientation in August:
WIFI - we have a super-fast wireless network.
Adobe Suite - all students will have access to the full suite of Adobe's professional tools.
Canvas: The school's learning management system used by all teachers and students to post assignments.
Printers: Students will have access to print to the Xerox machine in the library and to student printers located in 2nd Floor South and 2nd Floor California.
Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc) - Note: we encourage most productivity work via Google but will make this suite of tools available if desired.
Please read this guide carefully, visit the links within and visit a local Apple Store for advice. If you still have questions or need further advice, reach out to helpdesk@sfuhs.org and a member of the team will be happy to help.
All students are required to bring a fully charged Apple laptop to school every day. By keeping our learning environment all Apple based, teachers and students are best able to focus on educational growth with less disruption from technical incompatibilities. Students and teachers are also better equipped to collaborate and support each other due to common systems.
Note: If you are a student who receives a tuition award through our financial aid program and you need help procuring a laptop, please reach out to unifunds@sfuhs.org.
For incoming 9th Grade students we recommend purchasing a brand new laptop as this should suffice for the full 4-years. Alternatively a 1-3-year old device will be sufficient for a year or two so long as you plan to re-purchase new within the next 3 years.
Any current MacBook laptop will work well for most users. Below is our suggestion to help guide your choice. Visit Apple's comparison site - www.apple.com/mac/compare. We also strongly encourage you to visit a local Apple Store to talk through your needs and your budget.
Apple Laptop – We recommend the newly released MacBook Air 13" (M4). This super lightweight laptop is the current one purchased for most faculty. The 16 GB of RAM should be sufficient for most but we recommend upgrading to 512 GB of storage. We also strongly encourage that you purchase AppleCare+ which provides 3 full years of protection for everything other than theft. A single screen crack can cost over $600 to repair. With AppleCare+ this is reduced to $99.
Alternatives
MacBook Air 15" (M4) - The only difference is the bigger screen and higher price. We prefer the 13" due to lightness and more portability.
MacBook Pro 14" (M4 or higher) - This significantly more costly laptop is ideal for those few who are very serious audio-video creative producers.
Protective Laptop Sleeve or Backpack – You should customize with your own selected protective sleeve or backpack, just make sure it provides ample protection at the bottom of the pack. The Osprey Arcane Laptop Sleeve is a convenient choice since you can bundling this with an Apple purchase.
Headphones or Earbuds – Students will be expected to use headphones or earbuds during some class periods for solo work. Students can use existing headphones or earbuds. Most tend to bring Apple AirPods. The Anker Space A40i earbuds are a high quality option at a reasonable price.
Again, any newer Apple computer will work, but keep these other specs in mind when choosing.
Storage Capacity: We recommend upgrading to 512 GB. 256GB is considered adequate storage for the average student but most will benefit from 512GB to store large audio or video files. Students who plan extensive digital photography and/or video will benefit from 1TB of storage. Note: Additional storage can be added with inexpensive external USB drives, and the school’s Google Drive system provides students with unlimited cloud-based storage.
Memory: We recommend sticking with the base 16GB. This should be sufficient for most users and will help future-proof the laptop.
An iPad (with Apple Pencil or Logitech Crayon) can be an excellent secondary device for students who would benefit from digital note-taking and/or as a secondary screen to facilitate reading, note-taking, and additional creativity. We do not recommend an iPad as the sole device.
Protective case and/or padded carrying bag/backpack
Headphones
Spare charging brick/cable - This is one of the most common "lost" items. Be sure to purchase one rated at or above the recommended device - (35w for most MacBook Airs). See Apple's Mac Compatibility guide.
One reason we require Apple Mac laptops and/or iPads is the strong built-in security protections via Firewall and Filevault. Be sure to enable Apple FileVault.
Please be sure to install additional antivirus software. There are many paid and free versions. See TechRadar for a nice summary of recommended tools. Two well-reviewed free versions include:
In addition to the full Apple software suite that comes with every Mac (Pages, Keynote, and Numbers) the school provides full access to Google's many online applications including Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Forms. We also provide the full Adobe Creative Suite of professional digital tools. Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) is also made available to students during their time at UHS. There is no need to purchase this software and directions will be provided prior to the start of classes. Other software may be required for particular courses or teachers. Please refer to the course catalog and/or instructor for details.
Accidental Damage: AppleCare+ extends the warranty of an Apple laptop from one year to three years and provides reduced-cost repairs for accidental damage. Read about coverage here: www.apple.com/support/products/mac/. This does NOT provide coverage against theft (or simply losing the laptop).
Theft Protection: Your family’s existing homeowner’s or renter’s insurance may provide coverage against loss or theft, but if not, you can explore coverage via Worth Ave Group www.worthavegroup.com.
Be sure to run all software updates.
Log into Apple iCloud and enable Find My Mac (https://support.apple.com/guide/findmy-mac/welcome/mac), which can be found in System Settings. This can be very helpful when trying to locate a misplaced laptop.
Purchase additional iCloud storage - When configured correctly, iCloud can back up all the content stored on the laptop.
Since the vast majority of student work can be stored in Google Drive, separate backup software is not necessary for most students. In fact students can use Google Drive for Desktop as a free backup solution.
The Tech Team is generally available from 8am-4:30pm. Please use use your Outlook calendar to set up a mutual time to meet one or more of us.
Howard Levin
Director of Technology
Salvador Muñoz
Assistant Director of Technology
Otelima Abraham
Technology Support Supervisor
Demetrius Martin
Data Applications Manager
