WSD Tech Blog

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Topics for this WSD Tech eNews September 7, 2011

1. No Problem Too Small – Please Ask if You Need Help!

2. Still Space in Many Tech PD Courses (pre-registration ends 9-16-11)

3. TeacherWeb changes for 2011 – Move to Google Sites

4. No Netflix Streaming at School

5. Reporting SPAM email

6. Sean and Anthony’s Building Schedule

7. Changes to Read 180/System 44 Reading Intervention Software

8. How does Using SchoolDude Help You?

9. Changing a Link to Your Classroom Webpage on Your School’s Website

10. Who Resets That Password?

11. For District Employees Page of WSD Site Has Links You Need

12. Tech eNews Archive

1. No Problem Too Small – Please ask if you need help!
Sean, Anthony, and Les are here to support district staff in your work educating children. If you run into a technology problem, please don’t hesitate to ask us for help. We’re only able to help if you let us know you’re having a problem!

2. Still Space in Many Tech PD Courses

The new Course Descriptions and Sign-up sheet are available for the 2011-2012 Tech PD classes, on the WSD Tech Website. Registration is first come, first served, so make sure you sign up soon! You can register via e-mail by sending Les an e-mail with your choices, or you can print the list, and return that to Les Brown at Excelsior. If you choose to register via paper, please make sure to put your name on the sheet. Register by September 16th for best selection of classes.

3. TeacherWeb Changes for 2011-12 – Move to Google Sites

TeacherWeb has been bought out by a larger company, and their costs have increased. WSD Technology is no longer going to pay to provide TeacherWeb sites for WSD Teachers. WSD Teachers may continue to use TeacherWeb by paying for the yearly fee ($30) themselves or with classroom funds, or they can switch to the free Google Sites. One of the Tech PD classes this year will be a training on getting started with Google Sites. The money saved will be used to pay for the Tech PD classes, since the Title IID federal funds we were using in previous years to fund these classes have been cut.

4. No Netflix Streaming at School

Several teachers have asked recently about using their Netflix Streaming accounts at school to share video content with students. Unfortunately, this violates your End User License Agreement (EULA) with Netflix and may not conform to copyright.

To quote the EULA you sign when you register for Netflix, "...the Netflix service, and any content viewed through our service, are for your personal and non-commercial use only and we grant you a limited, non exclusive, non transferable, license to access the Netflix service for that purpose..."

This license does not allow you to use your Netflix account to show movies at school.

Regardless of the source of the video, note that you’re not allowed to show videos simply for entertainment. Also note that the same restrictions on sharing video that apply to a rented video apply to a streaming video (from the ALA fact sheet on copyright and video):

Classroom use of a copyrighted video is permissible only when all of the following conditions are met:

- The performance must be by instructors or by pupils.

- The performance is in connection with face-to-face teaching activities.

- The entire audience is involved in the teaching activity.

- The entire audience is in the same room or same general area.

- The teaching activities are conducted by a non-profit education institution.

- The performance takes place in a classroom or similar place devoted to instruction.

- The person responsible for the performance has no reason to believe that the videotape was unlawfully made.

For more information about copyright and movies, please visit the American Library Association’s fact sheet.

I will be changing the content filter category for streaming media to make sure that Netflix is blocked starting Friday.

5. Reporting SPAM E-mail

If you get an unwanted commercial e-mail (SPAM), please don’t forward it to Les Brown. Simply forward it to SPAM@Barracuda.com and the company which filters our e-mail will analyze the message and change the filter to better catch that type of message in the future. Important Note: please do not do this with legitimate e-mail, as this type of change affects all users within the district. (for example, if you signed up for a eNewsletter from OSPI, and no longer want it, you shouldn’t forward it as SPAM since OSPI is not a SPAM sender, and doing this could start flagging all of their messages as junk mail for all users within the district).

Also, if a message you are expecting hasn’t shown up, and you’re worried it’s been caught as SPAM, you can use the Daily SPAM Summary e-mail to forward it to yourself. Just click the link at the bottom of one of the summary e-mails which says “View your entire Quarantine Inbox…” to go to a webpage that will show you an up-to-the-minute view of your own e-mail caught as SPAM, where you can forward the message to yourself.

6. Sean and Anthony’s Building Schedule

Sean is at Jemtegaard from 7:30 AM to 10 AM, Hathaway from 10 AM to 12 PM, then at Gause from 1 PM to 3 :30 PM, and at Excelsior from 3:30 PM to 4:40 PM.

Anthony is at WHS Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings from 8 AM to 1 PM, then drives up to Cape and CCMS, where he’s available from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM. On Tuesdays, he works 8 AM to 11 AM at Cape and CCMS, then is at WHS in the afternoon, except for a 1 hour meeting at Excelsior from 1 – 2 PM.

Their schedule is posted on the WSD Tech Website as a printable .pdf.

Les is at Excelsior from 8 AM to 4:30 PM.

7. Changes to Read 180 and System 44 Reading Intervention Programs

Staff who use Read 180 and System 44 need to use a new method to access both the SAM (management program) and the System side of Read 180 and System 44. Links for these two interfaces have been added to the WSD website under “For District Employees.” If you use either of these programs, and haven’t been e-mailed a new username/password, please contact Sean or Anthony.

8. How does using School Dude help you?

Besides keeping your tech staff happy (and who doesn’t want that?), using SchoolDude to report problems with your technology helps you! Once you’ve put in a request, you’ll get an automatic e-mail response letting you know it’s been entered. The system will update you whenever Les, Sean, or Anthony makes any changes to the work order. You can log back into the SchoolDude system to view the status of all of your tickets, which can be helpful if we’ve given you steps on how to resolve something. The SchoolDude system helps the district track time spent on problem machines. Also, if you’ve been having a problem with a computer, make sure you’re keeping track of it in School Dude. Problem machines are identified by the number of tickets assigned to them, and get replaced when we have the opportunity.

9. Changing a Link to Your Classroom Webpage on Your School’s Website

If you move your website from TeacherWeb to Google Sites or another web host, you’ll need to have the link from your school’s webpage updated. In general, your building secretary is responsible for making these changes – so please start by e-mailing them your new link. To do this, go to your new website, and click in the Address Bar of your web browser, and copy the web address or URL, and then paste that into an e-mail.

10. Who resets that password?

OK, you’ve tried every password you’ve ever used since “the dog you had when you were seven years old,” and you still can’t get into that website/your computer/your voicemail/your e-mail/WESPaC and you’re wondering whom you should call! Here’s a quick reference:

- For Computer login problems, contact your building tech person (Sean or Anthony) or Les at ext. 3310

- For e-mail, contact your building tech person (Sean or Anthony) or Les at ext. 3310

- For WESPaC, Contact Boo Stevens at ext. 3011

- For AESOP, Contact Liza Linde in Human Resources at Ext. 3041

- For Sonitrol, Contact Liza Linde in Human Resources at Ext. 3041

- For help with voicemail passwords, Contact your building secretary, or Les at Ext. 3310

- For EDS (OSPI’s Data system), Contact Boo Stevens at ext. 3011

11. For District Employees Has Many Links You Need

If you find yourself wondering where to go to report an absence, needing the link to put in a maintenance or technology work order, wanting to find out about your PERS balance, info on your dental/health/vision insurance, or any other common district questions, check out the “For District Employees” page of the WSD website.

To get started, visit the “For District Employees” page, which is linked in the upper right corner of the WSD Site

If you have a suggestion for something else that could be added to this page (check first to make sure it’s not already there!), e-mail Les Brown and he’ll look into adding it to share with everyone.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Welcome back Tech eNews

Topics in this edition of WSD Tech eNews for August 26, 2011

1. Phone Doesn't Work? Move It Back!

2. Can't Sign In? Check Your Network Cable, please.

3. Pop-Up Blocker May Keep You From Signing Into WESPaC

4. New Wireless Network at WHS

5. Nightly Computer Shutdown (Still) Scheduled for Energy Conservation

6. Turning Off a Vacation Message

7. Using SchoolDude Helps You

8. Tech Committee Opening at Jemtegaard

9. New Teacher Computers Coming Soon at WHS

10. Course List For Tech Professional Development on Website

1. Phone Doesn't Work? Move it back!

WSD uses a digital phone system, not an analog phone system. This means that each phone has a specific port into which it's programmed to work. The other ports or "network jacks" aren't connected, which means you can't simply move your phone from one port to another in your classroom and expect it to work.
If you want to move your phone, please leave it in it's current location, and put in a SchoolDude work order. Sean or Anthony can help you move it, but it's far better to leave it in a working state while you're waiting. Also, note that you cannot use a phone from home in your classroom, and plugging one in may damage the phone system as they draw more current than the digital phones we use.

2. Can't Sign In? Check Your Network Cable.

If your usual login password isn't working, or you're getting "the shake" from your Mac, please check your network cable to make sure it's plugged in. If it's not, you will not be able to sign in, which can look the same as a bad password. Also, make sure you're signing in with your username as first.last

3. Pop-Up Blocker May Keep You From Signing Into WESPaC

Note a new change to WESPaC! If you are signing in, and get an error in WESPaC asking you to turn off your pop-up blocker, here are the directions to do it. You'll need to know which Internet Browser you are using (Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari)

In Safari on the Mac it's under the "Safari Menu" then Pop-up blocker

On Firefox for Mac, it's under the Firefox menu, then Preferences, then under the Content Tab.

On Firefox for Windows, it's under the Tools menu, then Options, then on the Content Tab.

On Internet Explorer for Windows, it's under the Tools Button, then click Pop Up Blocker. Click the option to "Turn off pop-up blocker."

4. New wireless network at WHS/District Office/Excelsior

Money from the tech fund was used to purchase a new wireless network for Washougal High, District Office, and Excelsior. This network has been put into place, and will eventually be opened up to student as well as staff use. WHS staff who wish to connect to the wireless network should use their Windows login information to sign in. District Office staff should ask Cassi Marshall for the wireless password, and Excelsior staff can contact Les Brown for a password. Please feel free to roam about the building!

5. Nightly Computer Shutdown Scheduled for Energy Conservation Continues

Just like last year, staff are expected to shut down computers at night. Computers left on will be shut down by the system around 5 PM. For PC users, if you are working late, you will get a pop-up message with a 60 second timer that warns you the PC is about to shut off, and can choose to defer shutdown. Mac computers will give the logged in user 120 seconds to defer shutdown.

While scheduling this shutdown will save about $3.50 per month per computer that gets turned off each night, it’s preferable for you to shut down your computer when you’re leaving, since it won’t be in use after you leave.

This scheduled shutdown will help ensure your files get backed up completely, too!

6. Removing a Vacation Message

If you set up a vacation message which automatically responded to your e-mail over the summer, don't forget to turn it off!

Go to the district web page. http://www.washougal.k12.wa.us

Click on For District Employees

Click on the E-mail server link in the left-hand sidebar.

Click Preferences in the left hand sidebar.

Click the brown tab for Vacation message.

Un-check the checkbox for Enable, then delete anything you've typed into the message box.

Make sure you click save (just below the district logo).

Click Logout.

7. Using SchoolDude Helps You

Sean and Anthony are hard at work getting all the computers back up and running, and Les is working on creating student accounts for all of the 6-12 grade students. If you have a tech problem, please put in a work order using the SchoolDude system. Contact Sean, Anthony or Les to get the password. Here's the link to get started, please use your e-mail to sign in.

8. Tech Committee Opening at Jemtegaard

If you teach at Jemtegaard, are interested in technology, and would consider serving on the Tech Committee, let Ron Carlson know. Committee members help create the classroom standards for technology, create a vision for technology use in classrooms, and guide the district’s selection of new technology equipment. The tech committee meets four times per year, for around 2 hours, and participating teachers get a half-day sub while they’re at the meeting.

9. New Teacher Computers Coming Soon at WHS

WSD Tech funds have purchased new teacher computers for all the classrooms at WHS. Anthony is working on setting them up, and will be moving your files over the new computers in the next few weeks. These new computers have more memory, bigger hard drives, and are considerably faster than the 5 year old ones they're replacing. Those PCs will go into the WHS library to replace machines that are now over 6 years old.

10. Tech Professional Development Class List

The new Course Descriptions and Sign-up sheet are available for the 2011-2012 Tech PD classes. Registration is first come, first served, so make sure you sign up soon! You can register via e-mail by sending Lester.Brown@washougal.k12.wa.us an e-mail with your choices, or you can print the list, and return that to Les Brown at Excelsior. If you choose to register via paper, please make sure to put your name on the sheet. Register by September 16th for best selection of classes.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Tech eNews 6-16-2011

Topics

1. Special Thank You

2. Equipment Checkout for End of Year

3. Reporting SPAM email

4. Phishing? But I'm a vegetarian!

5. Back up Important Files Before You Leave for the Summer

6. How does Using SchoolDude Help You?

1. Special thank you

WSD Tech staff would like to offer a very big thank you to Rebecca Miner for her work support of our department during the past three years. Rebecca’s support was instrumental in making the Technology Professional Development successful as we ramped up both the number of classes we offered and the topics we covered. Rebecca’s eye for details, her ability to see applications for technology in almost all subject and grade level areas, and her collaborative energy are amazing. Those of us who worked to develop and teach classes with Rebecca know that she’ll be an amazing superintendent, and that she’ll have an incredible impact on the White Pass School District. Rebecca’s stewardship of the technology department, her constructive feedback, her appreciative attitude, and her ability to make things happen will be missed.

2. Equipment Checkout for End of Year

Reminder: You may not remove equipment from your classroom without getting permission from your principal, and signing a check-out sheet first. Please make sure to have this paperwork filled out if you’re taking a laptop home over the summer, for example. The checkout form is on the WSD Technology page, under Inventory/Surplus.

This is an important internal control for inventory. The district must have a written record that equipment has been removed from the building.

3. Reporting SPAM email

If you get an unwanted commercial e-mail (SPAM), please don’t forward it to Les Brown. Simply forward it to SPAM@Barracuda.com and the company which filters our e-mail will analyze the message and change the filter to better catch that type of message in the future. Important Note: please do not do this with legitimate e-mail, as this type of change affects all users within the district. (for example, if you signed up for a eNewsletter from OSPI, and no longer want it, you shouldn’t forward it as SPAM since OSPI is not a SPAM sender, and doing this could start flagging all of their messages as junk mail for all users within the district).

4. Phishing? But I’m a vegetarian!

A recent e-mail with the subject line "Mailbox is Full" went out to some district staff. This is a good example of a "phishing" (pronounced fishing) e-mail. Phishing is a social engineering technique that computer hackers and spammers use to try to get your personal information. While the link in this particular e-mail was blocked, which kept our users from accidentally divulging their username and password, it's worth being aware that these types of scams are going around. To help spot these type of phishing attempts, be a cautious end-user: look at the sender name and e-mail address the message came from. Watch for obvious spelling or other grammatical errors that indicate the message wasn't written by a district staff person. After you click a link in an e-mail, look at the web address it takes you to, in the address bar at the top of the Internet browser, it should exactly match the name of the site you're supposed to be using. When in doubt, close it out, and type in the address yourself.

5. Back up important files before you leave for the summer!

One last reminder: Before you leave for the summer, consider burning a CD with your important files on it, and take it home with you. Anthony and Sean can help with the process of burning files to removable media.

6. How does using School Dude help you?

To get started, visit the “For District Employees” page on the WSD Site, then click “Technology/Maintenance Requests” in the sidebar. If you need the password, contact Sean, Anthony or Les, and they’ll share it with you.

Searching Inventory for Items marked as surplus

For the folks doing inventory using Filemaker:

In Filemaker, switch to the Mac-Report.

Click Find

Type Yes in the box for Surplus 6-11, and choose your building's name in the building field.

Hit Return

Switch back to the table view, and you'll see a list of the things you've marked as surplus from your building.

Keep in mind that Les, Sean and Anthony are also using this to surplus some computers, so you may see things he's marked vs. what you've marked.

Hope this helps!

Friday, June 10, 2011

WSD Tech eNews for June 10, 2011

Topics in this edition of WSD Tech eNews for June 10, 2011

1. Technology Service Satisfaction Survey Open

2. Tech Professional Development Courses for 2011-2012

3. Summer 2011 Tech Professional Development from ESD 112

4. TeacherWeb changes for 2011-2012

5. Encourage Students to Back-up Important Files

6. Back up Your Files Before Summer Starts

7. Getting your computers ready for summer (no garbage bags required!)

8. Surplus that old unwanted/unused equipment

1. Technology Service Satisfaction Survey Open

In the Fall of 2010, WSD Tech staff did a survey of staff to identify areas in which we could do a better job meeting your needs. We developed a set of interventions to better communicate with staff, make ourselves more available, and to advertise ways you can contact us for help. We’re now doing an end-of-year survey to find out how well these steps are working to meet the needs from the fall survey, and to see if there are other things we should change. Please take a minute or two to fill out this survey. Contact Les if you didn't get the survey e-mail.

2. Tech Professional Development Courses for 2011-2012

Les Brown is working with teachers who have taught Tech related professional development in the past, as well as teachers who attended the NCCE computer conference, to schedule the classes we will offer during the 2011-2012 school year. Here’s a teaser of the topics you’ll see:

Thinkfinity; Webquests; Microsoft Word & Excel; iMovie in the Classroom; 30 websites in 90 minutes (and some time to explore them); Library of Congress (Primary Source materials and other free resources); Cicero (lesson plans, primary sources, standards, rubrics, assessments, activities, videos, games, interactive maps, and more); Document Camera Refresher; TeacherWeb & Google Sites webpages; PowerPoint Refresher; and a Webquests Refresher.

3. Summer 2011 Tech Professional Development from ESD 112

ESD is offering a mix of both in-person and online Technology Professional Development during June, July and August 2011. If you’re looking to expand your skills, “upgrade” your teaching, or just need a few clock hours, there are some great, low cost options available to you.

ESD is also offering a Tech leadership strand this summer, which would focus on giving you the skills to help train your colleagues to better use technology in their classrooms. If you’re interested in committing to doing tech related professional development activities here in Washougal, please contact Les Brown and he will consider funding your registration for this training. Information is included in the link below.

Click this link to view the course offerings through ESD 112.

4. TeacherWeb Changes for 2011-2012

TeacherWeb, the hosting company we use for teacher web sites, was purchased by another company which is in the process of switching many of their customers to a more expensive platform. After evaluating the new platform, we have decided to begin switching teachers to the new Google sites platform in use by several staff at WHS. This is a free service offered by Google. Jay Bennett will be working with Rochelle Aiton and Heidi Kleser to develop a training on the new system.

Teachers who are not ready to switch may continue to use the TeacherWeb system until it is discontinued, but will have to pay the $30 yearly fee themselves. Professional development dollars can’t be used to pay this cost.

5. Encourage Students to Back-up/Archive Important Files

Students interested in keeping files for next year, or for using them in their portfolios should back them up onto a thumbdrive, burn them onto a CD, or e-mail them to themselves. As in the past, all student accounts will be purged during the summer to get rid of unwanted/excess files and to make room for the new students coming into the schools.

6. Speaking of Backups!

Before you leave for the summer, consider burning a CD with your important files on it, and take it home with you. Anthony and Sean can help with the process of burning files to removable media.

7. Getting Your Computers Ready for Summer

In the past, some WSD staff have placed garbage bags over computers to keep dust out. Neither Anthony nor Sean has noted that there is a problem with excess dust settling into computer equipment when it is off, so this isn’t necessary. Please save yourself the trouble, and leave the bags for the garbage cans.

Please make sure you turn all of your computers off before you leave. If you have a laptop that won’t be used over the summer, you should charge the battery fully, and then take it out of the computer for storage. If possible, store the battery in a refrigerator that’s turned on.

As much as is possible, please leave your computer’s cables all plugged in. We are aware that the custodians will move much of the equipment to clean carpets, but doing this will cut down on the time it takes to get everyone back up and running in the fall.

8. Surplus that old unwanted/unused equipment

Do you have old, unwanted, or unused equipment in your classroom that you don’t want to keep? Mark it as “surplus” on your year-end inventory, and let your building administrator know you want to get rid of it. The deadline for identifying items as surplus is June 15.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Khan not Kahn academy

The correct web address for the video site that many folks are recommending to each other is Khanacademy.org not kaHnacademy.org

The incorrectly spelled Khan takes you to a SPAM site, which is why it's blocked by the Barracuda filter.

Just think of Ricardo Montalbán in the original Star Trek - Khan!

Les

Tech eNews 5-17-2011

Topics in this edition of WSD Tech eNews for May 17, 2011

1. WSD Tech Funds – what, where, when?

2. New computers in a lab near you

3. Nightly Computer Shutdown Scheduled for Energy Conservation

4. Tech Drop-in At Gause 5-19-2011 at 3:45 PM

5. Surplus that old unwanted/unused equipment

6. Tech Committee opening at Jemtegaard

7. LCD Projector/Bulb replacement

8. Creating a vacation message

1. WSD Tech Funds - what, where, when?

WSD Tech funds. What are they? Where do they come from? What do they pay for?
Voters approved a new Technology levy on February 9, 2010, which will collect $250,000 each year for four years, starting in 2011. The tech funds are spent on classroom and lab computers, and instructional technology equipment for teacher and student use in all buildings, K-12. Tech funds pay for “standard” software, including Microsoft Office, Inspiration, and Sophos Anti-virus. They also pay for Network infrastructure that allows network accounts for all staff, including the web server, e-mail server, and home-folder servers.

2. New computers in a lab near you

Money from the new tech funds was used to replace computers in labs at Jemtegaard, Hathaway, Canyon Creek, and Excelsior. Older computers from these labs will be migrated into student computer use in the K-8 schools, and will replace all computers more than 6 years old with ones that meet the WSD Tech Committee’s “standard” by grade level. To read more about the classroom standards, please see the WSD Tech page. Tech funds will be used this Summer to replace teacher computers at WHS.

3. Nightly Computer Shutdown Scheduled for Energy Conservation

As part of the district’s effort to conserve energy and cut utility costs, staff are expected to shut down computers at night. Computers left on will be shut down by the system around 7 PM. For PC users, if you are working late, you will get a pop-up message with a 60 second timer that warns you the PC is about to shut off, and can choose to defer shutdown. Mac computers will give the logged in user 120 seconds to defer shutdown.

This scheduled shutdown will help ensure your files get backed up completely, too!

4. Tech Drop-in At Gause 5-19-2011 at 3:45 PM

Sean Elkinton and Les Brown will be in the Gause Library on Thursday May 19th from 3:45 to 4:45 PM to provide one on one help to staff who have technology questions. Teachers or other staff members interested in asking questions or getting help with specific problems are welcome to come. This is not a formal class or training, so there are no clock hours available.

5. Surplus that old unwanted/unused equipment

6. Tech Committee Opening at Jemtegaard

7. LCD Projector and Bulb Replacement

WSD Tech funds will be purchasing new projectors for classrooms around the district as older projectors begin to fail. Let Sean or Anthony know if your projector’s image is darker than it used to be, has changed color, or is showing spots or dots in the image. In some cases, a new bulb is all that’s needed, and for most classrooms, the Tech staff has an extra bulb. If your projector’s problem can’t be fixed with a new bulb, we’ll put it on the list to get replaced.

8. Creating a Vacation Message

If you are going to be out of the office for an extended period of time, you can create a vacation message which automatically responds to your e-mail, letting folks know you’re gone.