What Is the Shipping Process At ORCA?

This article is a helpful tool in understanding some of the key factors in families receiving Chromebook Devices, Curriculum and various Peripherals. 

Chromebooks:

Chromebooks are automatically logged and issued through our systems at the time of new enrollment. This information is sent to us through a data sync scheduled each day. The student information is logged to our warehouse shipping form, and a member of our warehouse team will review any new request, place all necessary items in a box and create a UPS shipping label to prep for the shipping provider to pick up and send out. 

When this label is printed, our system triggers an automatic email to be sent to the guardian contact on file alerting them of the package status and providing a UPS tracking number they can follow along with while it's sent out.

The standard time for UPS to ship anywhere within the state of Oregon is 1-3 business days (This might take slightly more time if the request comes in on a Friday afternoon or lands around a federally recognized holiday.) 

If a family has a PO Box listed as their preferred address to ship to within our system, this will increase delivery times. Because UPS has issues delivering to PO Boxes, we must change providers to the US Postal Service (USPS) which will increase shipping times to 3-12 business days. 

If you are shipped a device (or curriculum and are alerted it's going to the wrong address, please alert the tech agent within the support team to see about catching the postal process early. We can often re-route a package to the right address with enough time.

- If you are withdrawing/exiting from ORCA, or your student is graduating, you will receive an automated email from the school that will guide you in what next steps are needed to complete. The instructions will be similar to these, and might require an empty box with postage to be sent to your address for a device return, or an opportunity to purchase the older model device for a small fee (once purchased, the school would unlock the device from the ORCA domain and no longer supervise it's contents or longevity). 

Next Steps - What To Do With An Old Device:

Based on the determination of the support agent you spoke with, they will be able to determine if your device is one the school can let go of, or one that will need to be collected.  

If it's deemed the school no longer needs the device back, you are able to discard your original Chromebook device as you wish. Oregon provides E-Cycle locations across the state that you can view here. Alternatively you can drop off the device(s) at either ORCA office in Oregon:

• 30485 SW Boones Ferry Rd, Suite 102
  Wilsonville, OR 97070
• 833 NW Santiam Blvd,
  Mill City, OR 97360

If the device is a newer model and needs to be returned (based on the tech agent's request) you will be sent a new Chromebook, and the box it arrives in will need to be utilized as the return vessel for the device. You will receive a pre-paid package label sent to you in a PDF format in your follow up email acknowledging these next steps. 

If you are in close proximity to our warehouse (Milwaukie, Oregon), you may return the device in person for a contact free drop off with a member of our warehouse staff by scheduling an appointment with us. Otherwise, you can drop off your device with the attached electronic return label at your nearest UPS location.

Curriculum:

Students from K-12 will often need additional tools and supplies to complete classwork. From Science labs to math workbooks, or literature and art supplies, students receive a wide variety of pre-determined items. When a student enrolls, our automated systems will pull the grade level and determine what is needed for our warehouse team to ship out. 

Once the package is created, a shipping label is created and the same rules follow as a Chromebook shipment above (shipping label, UPS tracking number, family alert email, 1-3 business days turnaround time). 

• If our warehouse team has incorrect information or something is missing in your shipment, you can reach out to a tech support agent and that agent can fill out a request for those objects to be sent over right away.
• If you receive the incorrect box with contents not meant for your student's grade, you can go ahead and either donate these items at a local charity/donation center or go ahead and recycle them. We will not need these items shipped back. 

Kajeets (Wifi Hotspot devices):

Kajeet devices are utilized for families that need additional support with maintaining a steady internet connection for their students to complete online learning and attend live classes. These devices are requested by ORCA staff/faculty and must be approved by the principle of the student (in a case by case scenario). If approved, families are only granted one device per household and will have this device shipped out in the same way we ship Chromebooks above. 

Peripherals: 

Sometimes a student or family will request anything from an additional monitor, new charging cord or headset, to an external mouse or HDMI cable. Each of these requests are case by case, and will be approved or denied based on the discretion of the school and tech support. Some programs may require additional tech related tools for use in specific scenarios and we are happy to review those, but the school does not guarantee these items will be supplied in each case.  If approved, the same kind of process for the Chromebook shipment above will be utilized. 

Special Programming: 

For students on an IEP or other special programming track, they might need tablets or variations to the standard Chromebooks we ship to students that assist in spoken word, visibility, touch screen technology or more. We ship these items based on the information provided by the school. The standard shipping process and timeline listed above is utilized. 

Pro Tips from the Tech Team! 

Sometimes devices can slow down, act strange, "glitch", randomly shut off or show signs of aging. These are all common situations we often see! However, this does not always mean your device is broken beyond use. In most cases, working with a tech agent to troubleshoot your device is a great first step in determining the root cause. It might be that a computer just needed to be fully charged, or a home router needed a refresh. Maybe the built in camera had the sliding shield blocking your lens or you just needed to hold down the power button a bit longer. In any case, a replacement may occur, but we actively try to avoid doing so if possible (only after other troubleshooting steps have been taken first). 

If you are waiting on a device to ship but need immediate access to ORCA programming (and also have login credentials), you can access school content by logging in using a personal device while waiting for the shipment to arrive: 

How to Log into Canvas on a Personal Device

Please keep an eye on your shipment tracking number, schedule time to be available to receive the shipment (if possible) and look out for packages left at your door! Unfortunately, porch "pirates" might swipe packages or confused postal workers might leave the devices in the wrong places near your household. It's good practice to be ready to receive the shipment right away! If you think something altered the course of your device, please reach out to tech support to discuss a second attempt. 

Resources: 

An item is missing from a curriculum kit I received.

What do I do if my curriculum kit isn't shipped?

How and when can I return my ORCA Chromebook?

How Do I Track My Package?

And that's it! If you have any further questions feel free to reach out to the help desk at SYS.