1. Welcome Becky Vredenburg
2. iPad roll out plan for staff and students
3. Save the Date for 7 & 8 grade teachers
4. LCD Projector Bulb replacement
5. Set an email Profile Picture
6. Tech eNews and Tech Blog archive
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1. Welcome Becky Vredenburg, new Tech Support Assistant at WHS & Hathaway
Becky Vredenburg is the new Tech Support Assistant who will be serving Washougal High School, Hathaway Elementary, and Mt. Pleasant Elementary. Becky is a 2002 Washougal High School graduate who has recently worked for ADP in Portland, OR. She has a degree from Ashworth University in Computer Information Management and an extensive technology background, having worked in tech jobs for the past 10 years. Becky lives in Washougal with her husband and three-year-old daughter. She enjoys photography, graphic design, and everything Disney.
2. iPad roll out plan for staff and students
With voter approval of the new Tech levy funds, the Technology Committee has planned the roll out of iPads for staff and students that the Levy will be paying for. New Tech levy funds are not available for iPads until summer of 2015 and will not come all at once. They will come as district property owners pay their taxes, in calendar years 2015, 2016, and 2017.
Current Schedule for rolling out iPads:
- Summer of 2014-7th and 8th grade (old Tech levy)
- Summer of 2015-9th and 10th grade (new Tech levy starts)
- Summer of 2016-11th, 12th, and 4th grade
- Summer of 2017-Evaluate existing devices and grades 1-3
- Summer of 2018-Kindergarten (assuming voters approve another tech levy)
The plan is to provide teachers with an iPad along with their grade level sets. If we were to buy iPads for all teachers right now, the teacher’s device would be several years older than their students’ devices.
A large format display with Apple TV wireless capability will be provided in each classroom along with their classroom iPad sets. WHS classrooms with ceiling mounted projectors will get newer projectors to enable the use of wireless mirroring via the Apple TV. Document cameras will continue to work with the new displays.
Levy dollars are also being allocated to maintain existing technology:
- Maintain a 6 year cycle of replacing Teacher Computers
- Computer Lab maintenance (one lab per building, with around 1 replaced each year of the Tech levy)
- Maintain and/or replacement of existing Projectors and Document Cameras
- Network infrastructure & further expansion of the wireless network
- Standardized Software for new computers
- Amplification systems
- Phone system parts/repairs
- Tech Staff Training
What about iPads for para educators and other non-teaching staff? Currently, there is no plan for purchasing devices for staff other than classroom teachers from district Technology funds. Please talk to your building administrator if you feel a device is required for your position.
3. Save the Date for Grade 7 & 8 Teachers for iPad Trainings
As noted above, teachers in our middle schools in grades 7 & 8 who do not already have an iPad will be getting one for next year. We've tentatively planned two one hour trainings (attend one) for you to come get your iPad and get it set up for your use in the fall. Please plan to attend either Wednesday, May 21st, or Tuesday, June 10th, from about 3:30 to 4:30. We'll send more specific details as these short trainings are planned. We will also be doing two sets of training in early/mid August for teachers at these grade levels. We will send out more information on the training dates once they're pinned down.
4. LCD Projector and Bulb Replacement
Let Sean, Linda or Becky, 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.
5. Set an Email Profile Picture
Wonder how some of your colleagues have added their picture so it shows up automatically when they e-mail you? You can do it, too!
- Open your e-mail, and click the small Gear icon in the upper right corner, then choose settings
- On the general tab, scroll down about half way, and find "My Picture"
- Click the link that says "Select a Picture"
- Click the button that says "Choose File", then browse and find a picture of yourself
- Drag the crop box to pick what part of the picture shows up, then click "apply changes"
- Scroll down and click Save
Click here to see these directions with screen shots of the steps.
