I.T.S. a Tech Update
April 2022
Welcome to April 2022
Hello teachers,
Welcome to the month of April and to the start of the testing season. It's not a season that we are all looking forward to, including our students, but it's a must we cannot avoid so let's make the best of it 😉
We have much information to share with you in this newsletter. Remember that you can reach out to your Instructional Technology Specialist if you would like him or her to help you integrate technology into your lessons and if you would like him or her to co-teach a lesson with you.
In this newsletter you will find:
- 🎣Phishing Emails - A Message from Information Technology
- 🖥 Summer 2022 Technology Learning and Integration PD
- 📹 Reading Progress Video Recording Now Available on iOS!
- 🍏 2022-2023 Apple Teacher Academy Information
- 👨🏻💻Inspire, Engage, Create with Apple Education Online Sessions
- 💪 Creating a Strong Password
- 🧏🏼♀️ Deaf Awareness Lessons and Activities
- 💭 April Blog Spotlight - "New Digital Tools I've Discovered Lately"
- 👨🏻🏫 Yo Teach! Backchannel Chat
- 🛑 Crowd Buzzer
- 🎨 Weave Silk Interactive Generative Art App
- 👩🏻💻 April Virtual Learning Programs
As always, if you have any questions please contact your Instructional Technology Specialist.
Phishing Emails - A Message from Information Technology
EPISD Faculty & Staff:
We are currently noticing a high volume of phishing email attempts. To keep our district employees safe and further enhance EPISD's cyber defenses, we want to highlight a common cyber-attack that everyone should be aware of: phishing.
"Phishing" is the most common type of cyber-attack that affects organizations like ours. Phishing attacks can take many forms, but they all share a common goal: getting you to share sensitive information such as login credentials, credit card information or bank account details.
Although we maintain controls to help protect our networks and computers from cyber threats, we rely on you to be our first line of defense. We've outlined a few different types of phishing attacks to watch out for:
Coming from student accounts:
This email may vary in subject, but when looking at the sender address, this is usually an EPISD student account address (example: johdoe1223@episd.org). The numbers at the end are usually a giveaway that it is a student account.
Phishing:
EPISD's IT department WILL NOT ask for your password or any other personally identifiable information over email. Additionally, NEVER click suspicious links you were not expecting.
Shared Document Phishing:
DO NOT click or download documents that you were not expecting. Please be especially wary of .zip or other compressed file types.
If you have any questions regarding an email, please feel free to call or contact the IT Support desk at 915-230-2601 or via a Zendesk ticket. Thank you for helping to keep our network and our people safe from these cyber threats.
EPISD Information Technology
Summer 2022 Technology Learning and Integration PD
What type of professional development are you looking for this summer?
Here are a few things we are planning on showcasing this summer:
- Apple training
- Microsoft 365
- Coding
- Robotics
- Minecraft for Education
- Podcasting
- Video creation
- Other?
Click the following link to give us your input on what you would like to see this summer - https://forms.office.com/r/9fRzV6f6mf (Survey will close 4/15/2022 at 4:30 pm)
Reading Progress Video Recording Now Available on iOS!
For those of you already using Reading Progress. Reading Progress in Microsoft Teams now supports iOS video recording. This is now fully rolled out globally 🌎
NOTE: iPhones and iPads will need to be on iOS version 14.8 or higher, and at least for the next week or two, students will have to enable the "video" recording switch manually when they open the assignment.
Reading Progress is a fluency program that is free to use in Microsoft Teams. We will be having sessions this summer at PDC on both Reading Progress and Microsoft Teams. Be sure to check your email for more information.
2022-2023 Apple Teacher Academy Information
In this issue, we want to share some of the academy specifics with you since the academy will be going through some very important changes for this coming school year that will benefit all educators who join.
First, your Instructional Technology Specialist will be voluntarily recruiting teachers from the schools they support who will be able to dedicate their time to the academy. Please note that you will not be working on your own. We will be pulling you out for half-day support sessions once a month to give you dedicated time to complete your projects with an Instructional Technology Specialist there to assist you. Below is a tentative schedule for next year's academy. This schedule is subject to change so keep an eye on your email for the final schedule before the end of the school year.
- Apple Academy Kick-Off - Week of July 26-28. You will need to commit to the academy before the end of the 2021-2022 school year
- 1/2 Day support sessions - Instead of working on your own, there will be four to five scheduled half-day pullouts for you to work and receive support from your Instructional Technology Specialist on your assignments. Our department will pay for substitutes teachers as needed.
- Tentative Pull out dates: July-August Kick-Off, August 22-26, September 26-30, October 24-28, November 7-10.
- Co-planning and co-teaching: November 14th through January 31st during the teacher's schedule.
If you have any questions about the 2022-2023 Apple Teacher Academy or would like to join, please contact your Instructional Technology Specialist.
Inspire, Engage, Create with Apple Education
"Get inspired with Apple technology. Engage with colleagues and Apple Education specialists. Create innovative and engaging strategies for the classroom. Join Apple Education for this informative and engaging tech series. "
You can view and register for all their upcoming online sessions by clicking here.
How To Create a Strong Password
Best Deaf Awareness Lessons & Activities By Diana Restifo - TechLearning.com
Click here to access these great lessons.
Blog Spotlight - TCEA Technotes - New Tools I've Discovered Lately
Enjoy this read from TCEA's blog, Technotes, New Digital Tools I've Discovered Lately by Lori Gracey
We have handpicked some of the tools we like the best below ;)
YoTeach! Backchannel Chat App
YoTeach! is a backchannel web tool where teachers can create and moderate chat rooms for real-time interaction. Students join the chat via a link and do not need to sign in to join. YoTeach! can be used to share and annotate images, ask and answer questions, and measure student participation during face-to-face and online classes.
You can create channels without the need for an account, or you can create a free teacher account to keep track of all your channels.
Click the link to get started - https://yoteachapp.com/
You can also view the video below for a short introduction to this app.
Crowd Buzzer by CCG
Get started at https://crowdcontrolgames.com/pages/crowd-buzzer
Checkout their short and simple tutorial below.
Weave Silk - Interactive Generative Art App
Get started at http://weavesilk.com/ and watch a quick tutorial below on how to use this amazing drawing app.
EPISD Middle Robotics Competition Update
A message from John Roach:
The EPISD MS Robotics Competition is coming up! Middle School sponsors will use the form link below to list the teams and students who will be participating in the MS Robotics Competition on May 14th at the Young Women's Academy (YWA). Please fill this form out for we will use this information during competition check-in, as well as, certificates and awards.
Also, please continue to add any pictures or videos of your robotics clubs. We will be creating a slideshow to run during the beginning of our competition that will showcase the different campuses and students to the community. We are very excited to see your students demonstrate what they have learned this year and apply their problem-solving skills!
Be sure to contact John Roach at jdroach@episd.org if you have any questions.
April Virtual Learning Programs
There are many virtual learning opportunities for the month of April. Click on the links below for more information and registration.
Flipgrid Live Events - https://blog.flipgrid.com/upcomingflipgridliveevents
- Explore Antiracism and Activism with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi - (Recommend for All Ages) April 05, 2022, 1:00 - 1:30 PM MST/El Paso.
- Responding to Environmental Racism - (Recommended Ages: 12+) Thursday, April 7, 2022, 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM MST/El Paso.
- Climate Action over Climate Activism- (Recommended Ages 13+) Tuesday, April 12, 2022, 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM MST/El Paso.
- Exploring Backyard Bio with Jesse Hildebrand- (Recommended for All Ages) Friday, April 15, 2022, 5:30 AM - 6:00 AM MST/El Paso.
- Redwoods Resilience, Climate Change, and You! (Recommended Ages: 10-14)
- Tuesday, April 19, 2022, 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM MST/El Paso.
- Meet the 1st team of Black climbers attempting to climb Mount Everest - (Recommended Ages: All Ages) Thursday, April 21, 2022, 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM MST/El Paso.
- Join an Arctic Adventure - (Recommended Ages: 8-14) Thursday, April 28, 2022, 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM MST/El Paso.
Connect2Texas - https://www.connect2texas.net/pages/home/events/
Connect2Texas Weekly Update Newsletter - https://www.smore.com/689qk
Note: You will need to register an account before you can register for an event. Not all events are free, but you can filter to only see free events, as well as, events that are still open for registration. Free events fill up fast so be sure to register early!
- First Encounters: When the Conquistadors Met the Karankawa - (Grades: 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 7th Grade, 10th Grade, 12th Grade, Adults) Cost: FREE Date: April 01, 2022, 9:00-9:50 AM MST/El Paso.
- Tall Tales in Texas Bullock Texas State History Museum - (Grades: K-5th) Cost: FREE Date: April 05, 2022, 9:00 - 9:50 AM MST/El Paso.
- ExciteSpace! Observe the Sun (Grades PreK-4) McDonald Observatory, University of Texas - (Grades: PreK-4th) Cost: FREE Date: April 06, 2022, 12:00-12:45 PM MST/El Paso.
- ExciteSpace! Observe the Sun (Grades 3-12) McDonald Observatory, University of Texas - (Grades: 3-12) Cost: FREE Date April 07, 2022, 9:00-9:45 AM MST/El Paso.
- What Makes Texas, Texas?-State Symbols Bullock Texas State History Museum - (Grades: K-8th) Cost: FREE Date: April 14, 2022, 11:30 AM-12:20 PM MST/El Paso
- Earth Day: Preserve Dark Skies (Grades 3-6) McDonald Observatory, University of Texas - (Grades: 3-6) Cost: FREE, Date: April 19, 2022, 10:00-10:45 MST/El Paso.
- Earth Day: Preserve Dark Skies (Grades K-3) McDonald Observatory, University of Texas - (Grades: K-3) Cost: FREE, Date: April 22, 2022, 8:00-8:45 AM MST/El Paso.
- Astronomy Day: Solar Views and Moon Systems McDonald Observatory, University of Texas - (Grades: 5th-8th) Cost: FREE Date: April 25, 2022, 12:00-12:45 PM MST/El Paso.
Discovery Education - https://www.discoveryeducation.com/community/virtual-field-trips/
No permission slips are required! These On-Demand virtual events let educators take students to amazing places and give them remarkable experiences, without ever leaving the classroom.
- Winning With STEM - A Virtual Field Trip with Olympian Katie Ledecky and Panasonic (Grades 5-12) On-Demand
- Making a New Life: The Courage of a Refugee - On-Demand
- Voices of U.S. –Why We Serve Virtual Field Trip - On-Demand
- YOUR HEART VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP - On-Demand
MacBook Student Tricks That Teachers Don't Know About
1. Multiple Desktops (a.k.a. Mission Control) - Most people create desktops to easily switch between content that they are creating. Some teachers create a desktop to open the TEKS Resource System website and another desktop to have their lesson plan template open making it easier to copy and paste information such as TEKS and descriptions. Students also like to create multiple desktops. Some do it because they want to add their own pictures to each one, others create them so they can change between their classroom activity or assignment to something else like Minecraft or YouTube.
- How to Check, switch between, and Add Desktops - To do any of these three actions all you have to do is press the F3 key, or slide up on the trackpad using three fingers. By doing this you are opening Mission Control, which you can also open by clicking on the Spotlight search icon and typing Mission Control. Students will definitely use the three-finger shortcut. It is much faster. Once there, you can see how many desktops are open and what each desktop has open by clicking on it. You can also click on the X on the top left and close all desktops except for Desktop 1. Click here to view a short video on how Mission Control works.
- How to Check for Multiple Desktops in Fullscreen - When you click on the green dot to go fullscreen you create another desktop and you can still use the three-finger up motion on the Trackpad to view, but most people will use a three-finger sweep from left to right, or right to left to switch between fullscreen windows. You can still press the F3 Key, or do a three-finger swipe up to see the number of Desktops a student has open since a fullscreen app is essentially a new Desktop. Click here to view a short video on how to switch between fullscreen windows.
As always, if you have any questions please contact your Instructional Technology Specialist.
MacBook Chrome Browser for Students
For instance, when opening EPISD Plaza/Classlink, Safari doesn't ask to save their account information, where Chrome does. This makes it easier for our new laptop users, like 3rd grade, to quickly access EPISD Plaza. Also, when students select iStation in EPISD Plaza a new window opens and they will always need to select, "Allow" to open iStation. In Chrome, a new tab opens, instead of a window, which asks you the same question, but you can check of a box where you give Chrome permission to always open iStation without having to click, "Allow". This is an extra step that can be avoided by using Chrome.
Another student website that seems to have an issue with Safari is ST Math. When students click on ST Math, a new Safari window opens and states that there is an error. Students will see a blue button that says, "Continue Anyways" and that will take them to ST Math. In Chrome, it opens a new tab and not a new window and there are no issues. It just opens the website and students can start working.
Most student laptops should already have Chrome installed with the exception of new laptops in 3rd-grade. Chrome is an app that is found in Self-Service ready to be installed. One thing you may want students to do even if they have Chrome installed on their laptops, is to go into Self-Service and click on Reinstall to get the newest updates. They can also do the same for other apps like iStation, Pages, Word, Excel, Numbers, and many other apps they may be using in your class.
After you install/Reinstall Chrome, have the students open System Preferences and click on General. In General, they will change the default web browser to Chrome. After that, any time they click on the EPISD Plaza link on the desktop it will open in Chrome and they can save their Classlink account information and check off the box to allow iStation to open without the need to allow it access every time.
This is a one-time setup, but you will need to assist your students in doing this. Make sure you protect your laptop and guide them step by step for the procedures are the same for you and the students.
As always, if you have any questions please contact your Instructional Technology Specialist.
Safari iStation
Chrome iStation
Safari ST Math
EPISD@Home iPad Tips
EPISD@Home MacBook Tips
Three-Minute Quaranteaching Tips
EPISD Dates and Events
- April 5-14 - State Testing Window
- April 15 - Spring Holiday
- April 01 - April Fools' Day and Walk to Work Day
- April 02 - World Autism Awareness Day
- April 03 - Geologists Day
- April 04 - International Carrot Day
- April 05 - National Go For Broke Day (WWII)
- April 06 - National Student-Athlete Day, Day of Hope, National Walking Day
- April 07 - World Health Day and National Girl Me Too Day
- April 08 - Day of Silence
- April 09 - National Winston Churchill Day, National Former Prisoner Of War Recognition Day, and Bataan Death March
- April 10 - National Siblings Day
- April 11 - National Pet Day, Education and Sharing Day, and National Submarine Day
- April 12 - National Library Workers Day (National Library Week)
- April 13 - Thomas Jefferson Day
- April 14 - National Gardening Day and International Moment of Laughter Day
- April 15 - Jackie Robinson Day and Titanic Remembrance Day
- April 16 - National Librarian Day
- April 17 - International Haiku Poetry Day and International Bat Appreciation Day
- April 18 - Tax Day, Adult Autism Awareness Day, and National Velociraptor Awareness Day
- April 20 - Chinese Language Day and National Banana Day
- April 21 - National Kindergarten Day
- April 22 - Earth Day (https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2022/)
- April 23 - World Book Day, Shakespeare Day, and National Lost Dogs Awareness Day
- April 25 - National Telephone Day and National DNA Day
- April 26 - Audubon Day and Richter Scale Day
- April 27 - Administrative Professionals Day, International Guide Dog Day, Babe Ruth Day, and National Tell a Story Day
- April 28 - Great Poetry Reading Day
- April 29 - National Arbor Day and International Dance Day
- April 30 - Honesty Day
If you'd like to see the events for the entire year, visit https://nationaltoday.com/
Contact Us
We are Instructional Technology Specialists that serve all campuses in EPISD. We spend most of our time sharing ideas and teaching best practices for integrating technology as a seamless part of learning in the classroom. Please contact us if you are looking for a technology integrated session that would best meet the needs of the students in your classroom.