Bits & Bytes-Tech In Ten
Curated Tools and Resources for our K-12 Teachers and Staff
Welcome Back !
In this issue please go back to the basics with us and start the year off with good technology practices.
Everything that is mentioned below can also be found on the Bits & Bytes Website. This is the goto site for all your tech needs, please make use of it !
A Note From The Desk Of Tim McCleary / Technology Supervisor
As is the case at the beginning of each school year, the Technology Department has received a large number of helpdesk requests. We are working very hard to address them as quickly as possible, giving priority to the most urgent of issues. Here are a few things you can do to help us:
-If you have an issue, please use the helpdesk (http://helpdesk.cheltenham.org/) to let us know about it. This ensures that it is logged and is assigned to the correct person based upon the type of issue.
-Please do not stop a technician in the hallway for assistance as they are addressing other issues and have been instructed to work strictly from the helpdesk.
-Please do not e-mail or call a technician regarding an issue. It is important that you use the helpdesk so that we can reallocate our technicians to other buildings when necessary.
-If you have an urgent issue, please have a building principal contact me directly and I will ensure that the issue is resolved as quickly as possible.
-If you are unable to access PowerTeacher because of a Java issue, this is one of our top priorities. Please make sure that you have submitted a helpdesk ticket for this and we will get to you as soon as we can.
We appreciate your cooperation and patience as we work to address each issue that has been submitted to us.
Thank you!
Tim
First up ....Laptop Cart Rules
A binder containing the Procedures and Checklist will be placed in every cart. The binder will also include, sign out/ sign in sheets and cart maintenance logs.
Procedures
Mobile Device and Cart Procedures
Who you gonna call ????
- PowerSchool IDs and Email: Lisa Saverio
- ThinkCentral: Jeanne Rauch or Kathleen Silver
- Study Island: Site math coordinator
- AR/Star: Site librarian
- Performance Tracker: Maureen Jennis
- Kid Biz: Jeanne Rauch
White Out ?
Quick Bits
- Archive last year's Edmodo classes. Click here for directions
- Edmodo has a new look ! Check it out here.
- Start the year off using Outlook Desktop. With so much more functionality you will not regret it !
- Grade school teachers, try using Gradebook for all your grades. No need to rely on a paper grade book anymore. Click here for easy how to videos.
- Use the SDCT Safe Search when doing class research. This is especially important for our Grade Schools (found under Students tab on main webpage). Destiny is not just for library circulation. Click here to see what a great student research tool it is.
- Don't forget while inside the District you need to Unblock Youtube to view videos !
- Start off the year with good data management practice. Click here for a refresher
- If you need help don't forget to enter a Technology Help Desk ticket. Click here for instructions.
Start the year off right ! Why not go Google and/or set up an Edmodo Classroom ? See below for refreshers.
Create An Edmodo Classroom
Don't forget that there are many great teacher only groups that you can join, we have gotten many great ideas from these groups. Click this link to see a listing of available groups to join.
If you are already an Edmodo user take a look at Edmodo's new look !
Check Out Google Apps
If you go to our district website and click on Google Apps under Staff, you should be able to sign in using your Cheltenham e-mail address and password. If your Cheltenham username and password doesn't work, it is possible that you never set up your account. All users were asked to change their passwords at the beginning of the year to initiate their Google accounts. If you need to change your password, here are the instructions. You must do this from within the district. Click here for some basic how tos.
Cool Tool Alert
YouTube Audio Library
Now For Some Fun !
#GOODGRADES
Thanks to our High School teachers : Lizzie, Susan and Dan.
This will really get the students motivated !
#greatjob
(Don't forget you must unblock Youtube to view.)
- Google Apps Classroom Workshops
- SDCT Technology YouTube Channel
If you are a 4th or 5th grade teacher, we will be offering Google Apps workshops for you and your students. The time and place are yet to be determined by your school principals, but our goal will be to help you and your students quickly get up to speed so that you can start creating and collaborating online. If you would like Google App training to come to your classroom, please submit a help desk ticket and choose technology training as your request type.
YouTube channels are all the rage and a great way to share knowledge. We often find solutions to our own tech questions on YouTube. This school year we will be creating our own district technology channel. This channel will contain how to tutorials specific to our district systems and network as well as commonly asked questions. Watch a video, learn something new.
How To Contact Us
We are available to come to your school or classroom.
Email us at dwalker@cheltenham.org and lrock@cheltenham.org
Visit our technology website, Bits & Bytes.
We'd love to hear how you are using technology in your classroom.