Tech Bytes
MUSD Technology Department's Monthly Newsletter
February 2020
We are excited to kick off our first monthly newsletter. Our hope in the newsletter is to share some of the exciting things that are going on in the District, when it comes to technology and provide you with tricks and tips on things you can do with technology to make your life both personal, and professional easier. Instead of having a long newsletter, we thought it would be better to be brief and then provide links to topics that may interest you, or you would like further information on.
News Updates
As you may be aware, there have been some very recent intrusions on district and school site networks around the country. In the case of Pittsburg Unified, their networks were held ransom with the attack demanding payment before releasing the information. It is very much like people being taken hostage for ransom, but instead of people, it is our data. While our District has its own security protocols in place to protect staff and student information; we are also working with the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) and soon the Office of Homeland Security to review these protocols and look at new ways to further strengthen our networks to prevent possible future attacks.
Printing has been returned to normal at MUSD. The recent upgrade of Google’s web browser Chrome v80 caused printing issues not only for the district, but for other districts and businesses around the world. As part of Google’s continued phase out of Google Cloud Printing, it has made changes in how it both Chrome and it’s connected apps and extensions print. The most recent change caused network printing to be unstable and inconsistent, prompting the District to use generic or ‘Universal” drivers to allow printing from Google products. Google quickly identified the issue and on Monday issued an update that allowed us to return to restore our normal printing functions.
New Initiatives
Clever
As many of our elementary school teachers know, we have begun rolling out Clever to our TK-5 students. Clever assists students with providing one website that they can log into that provides access to all of the programs that they use on a regular basis. The TK-2 use a log in QR code on a badge for ease of access. When we complete the roll out to 6-12, students will be able to use their Google Login for one stop access to their programs.
As of now, we have added IXL and RenLearn to Clever, with LearningA-Z coming soon. Our hope is by the start of the next school year to have as many applications and publications as possible integrated into Clever to student use.
Tech Tips
Securing your Data on Public Wi-Fi
Adding Quick Access to your Google Apps in your work environment
Technology Showcase
Help Desk Response
MUSD Technology Services
Email: support@martinez.net
Location: 921 Susana Street, Martinez, CA, USA
Phone: (925) 355-5940