I.T.S. a Tech Update
February 01, 2021
Welcome to February 2021!
Many of us are back on campus and boy, it is a new ball game with plenty of tech challenges! This newsletter is packed with all the resources needed for a smooth transition. Plus some added extras, like Parent/Teacher Conferences, Black History Month activities and resources, as well as Virtual Valentines.
As always, you can contact your friendly, neighborhood, I.T.S. if you have any questions.
Let's get this newsletter started!
How Can Parents Sign-Up for Parent/Teacher Conferences?
One efficient and easy way is to call your student's parents and schedule a time over the phone. The only downside is that this call might turn their conference ๐
You can always create a form for parents to sign-up in Microsoft Forms or Google Forms. The downside is that slots do not disappear when parents sign up so you could end up with more than one parent signing up for the same time slot. You would have to create a form with a time range like say, 2:00-3:00 pm and then try to fit in as many as you can in 15-minute increments.
There is a free program out there that you consider using and it's called SignUpGenius.com. This website has a free, as well as paid plan, but for what you will need the freemium plan will work just fine. This program will allow you to set up time slots and the number of people on that slot and will remove slots once they have been selected.
This is what the free plan has to offer:
- Unlimited sign-up pages
- Email invites & reminders
- Duplicate & transfer sign ups
- Google map integration
- URL link for each published sign up
- Admin management tools
- Customer support via email
- Enhanced security options
- Hide names on sign-ups
Below you can see a video on how to set-up your free account and share the link to the form so that your parents can register.
Virtual Valentines 2021
This activity is open to all and the best part is that it is all virtual. The activity is run by Skype Master teachers throughout the nation, and it is a fun way to celebrate and connect with others. If you do not wish to do this globally, you can go ahead and apply this with a partner class, or any other teacher that you may know. Click on the link below to learn more and register for this event. The deadline is Saturday, February 6th.
What is Black History Month - from History.com
Known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The event inspired schools and communities nationwide to organize local celebrations, establish history clubs, and host performances and lectures.
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month
Black History Month Activities - Lauren Cano, Facilitator, Advanced Academics Curriculum & Instruction El Paso ISD
Lauren Cano, in the Advanced Academics Curriculum and Instruction Department at EPISD, has shared a document with activities that you can use in your classroom with all of your students as we reflect the importance of this celebration.
If you would like more information, you can contact your Active Learning Leader or CTC, or you can communicate directly with Lauren Cano at lmcano@episd.org and be sure to follow her on Twitter at @lmcano32.
Discovery Education Celebrates Black History Month
Search for Black History Month to find the channel and subscribe to it - https://classlink.discoveryeducation.com/learn/player/f3231937-9656-438b-89c6-029912a45441
Flipgrid Celebrates Black History Month
Flipgrid can help bring Black History into your classroom, across subjects, ages, and levels.
Be sure to check out their latest resources including:
Black History Month Featured Collection with over 50 customizable Topics.
Join a Flipgrid Virtual Field Trip featuring Frederick Joseph, author of The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person.
Remember that all teachers have access to Flipgrid by using the Microsoft login at https://auth.flipgrid.com/educator. Click on the links above and login to view the content and assign it to students.
If you have any questions, please be sure to contact your Instructional Technology Specialist.
Black History Passages in Readworks.org
The nonprofit ReadWorks partners with K-12 teachers across the country to solve our nationโs literacy crisis.
Log on to ReadWorks.org to access our FREE library of content, curriculum, and tools.
Celebrate Black History Month this February by sharing passages about inspiring Black artists, scientists, activists, and more.
Login or create your teacher account and class, then click here to see all Black History passages that Readworks has to offer and begin assigning to your students.
Kahoot! Celebrates Black History Month
Go to https://create.kahoot.it/v2/discover to view.
Getting Started with your Meeting OWL Pro
You can find all of these videos on our YouTube channel, or in our I.T.S. website
As always, contact your Instructional Technology Specialist if you have any questions.
How Students Connect to EPISD-SECURE on Their Devices
๐ Take a look at the attached document to follow the steps for logging student devices into WIFI.
๐๐ผ Remember that ALL student devices (iPads and MacBooks) should be logged into the EPISD-SECURE network.
๐ฑK-2nd grade iPads
Step 1 - Click on the Settings app/icon.
Step 2 - Click on the WIFI icon on the left.
Step 3 - Choose the EPISD-SECURE network.
Step 4 - Type in the studentโs EPISD Schoology/ClassLink Username and Password.
***Tada! They are now using the EPISD-SECURE network.***
๐ป 3rd-5th grade MacBooks
Step 1 - follow the directions on the attached document. Log into the EPISD SECURE network using the student district username and password.
Username -Schoology/ClassLink username without @episd.org.
Password is the birthday combination of 4 digits for the year, 2 digits for the month, and 2 digits for the day. Example 20210405).
Step 2 - โ ๏ธ- If asked to authenticate or approve this action by typing in the computer username and password, use the computer login credentials. The computer username is the Schoology/ClassLink username without @episd.org, and the password is the student ID.
Extended Screen Video on Your MacBook
Did you know that you can use Extended mode to display a different image on a second screen? This makes a difference when you are using the LadyBug or your OWL camera, because you can show both the students in class and at home what you need them to see, while still monitoring the students at home on your primary screen. There are lot more reasons why you may want to use Extended mode on your computer, the video below is just one of many reasons. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive upcoming videos on how to set up your Hybrid classroom for success.
Promethean Support Tutorials
As always, you can contact your Instructional Technology Specialist if you have any questions.
All I want to do is a Zoom, Zoom...
One of the changes was that many of the reactions on the Participants window, like Raise Hand, were moved over to the Reactions button on the bottom of the screen. You will now find all of those reactions there.
There were also some security enhancements in the newest update. Now you either have to set a Passcode or a Waiting List in all of your meetings. Meetings are no longer open for all to just join. You also have more security options while in the meeting. Click on the Security button found at the bottom of your screen in the Zoom toolbar to view those additions.
One of the newer features that we believe would be good for you to learn and master is the multi-spotlighting and pinning features. In the video below you will also learn about Zoom video recording and making participants co-hosts.
If you have any questions, please be sure to contact your Instructional Technology Specialist.
- Apple Co-Teaching February 1 through March 05
- TCEA Virtual Conference 2/1 through 2/5
- World Read Aloud Day February 03
- Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences February 9
- High School Parent/Teacher Conferences February 10
- Middle School Parent/Teacher Conferences February 11
- President's Day Holiday - No School February 15
- 5th Bronze Cohort ALF Coaching February 16-22
Active Learning Monthly Newsletter
Apple Professional Learning Virtual Conferences - Online
Explore helpful resources, practice new skills, and reflect on ways Apple technology can support great learning and teaching. Hosted by Apple Professional Learning Specialists, these hands-on sessions run for approximately 60 minutes and are offered twice daily, Monday through Thursday. Click on the image to register.
*iPad is used for all sessions unless indicated otherwise.
*Please note the time zone when registering.
EPISD@Home iPad Tips
EPISD@Home MacBook Tips
Three-Minute Quaranteaching Tips
EPISD Online Courses
EPISD Schoology 101: Professional Development
Course Code - ZMB94-7NCS4
Macsimizing Your Mac - EPISD Teachers and Staff
Course Title: AL201: Macsimizing Your Mac Online Course - Spring 2021
Course #: 202747
Course Section #: 19524
3.0-Hours of CPE Credit
This course will guide teachers in using features and settings that will assist them every day in completing tasks on their new MacBook Air laptops. Most importantly though, it will assist them in creating great resources to use in their lessons and delivery to differentiate the learning which will allow students to achieve mastery in many different ways.
If you are in need of a district-issued MacBook Air laptop, upon completion of the course, you will download your certificate at EPISD University, and schedule an appointment via the Zendesk, or by calling Technology Services at 915-230-2601to schedule an appointment to receive your device.
Click here to register for the course.
Macsimizing You Mac - Student Edition
Please share the course code with students in grades 3-12th only - 3P9R-88K7-7CQB4
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.