Tech Department Newsletter
April / May 2019
The Technology Department is here to support and help!
IssueTrak - Use this link for all Technology Support Requests
"Good" IssueTrak tickets have specifics and detail:
a) What is the problem? - be specific
b) What have you tried to do already? What was the result? - be specific
c) Is there a best time to get your device? - let us know, we will try and accommodate.
And growing... This is the estimated number of technology devices that are being supported across the district. This includes: desktops, laptops, Chromebooks, iPads, document cameras etc!
The tech team of Barbara, Cathy, and Yann have been working hard to ensure these are up and running to help support student learning in the classrooms. Give a shout out the next time you see them on your campus!
Remember to utilize IssueTrak if you need help!
Do you want to know how many sick days you have left? Your Benefits? The Employee Online Portal now live!
The Employee Portal is now live! We have moved out of Beta and ready for employees to use this fantastic window to your employee data.
The Employee Online Portal is an online interface to most of your HR information. You can see your benefits, sick leave, paychecks, and more. The link will take you to the Alameda County hosting site. Please follow the directions to register and create your account. Don't forget to create a secure password!
Employee Online Portal (from our district website under Staff Resources)
CAASPP Assessments and Chromebooks
The CAASPP assessments are around the corner. Your school's tech personnel have been working hard to ensure that all CB's are ready for assessments. We have met with all Principal's or AP's to discuss needs and logistics to help ensure a successful CAASPP assessment window. We will be monitoring internet bandwidth to ensure that CAASPP will be prioritized during testing windows. Please remember that as much as we will ensure speedy internet, we do not have control over CAASPP equipment which in the past has been the bottleneck and root for "spinning" on CB's.
If you have questions or concerns, please utilize the IssueTrak system. Please denote the time that you were conducting the assessment and be as detailed as possible.
Digital Citizenship for Students
Student Digital Citizenship is about students learning and understanding safe, respectful, and responsible use of the Internet and devices. This includes password protection, social media use, cyber-bullying prevention, and understanding internet information fake or real.
You can have your students take the free course for learning about safe Internet use. It is game-based learning about essential elements for Internet Use - Password safety, Fake or Real, Sharing information, and Be Kind.
Play it here:
Google's Be Internet Awesome is free tool for families and students. https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/en_us/
Taking Care of Chromebooks
Our Chromebook fleet is getting old. How can we extend and maximize the life of our CB's??
CB's are designed to be inexpensive and affordable internet-accessibility tools. The units that we buy are <$350. While the units that we buy are designed for the rugged student population, there are really some things that you won't get for the price we are paying.
Follow these tips to help maximize our Chromebooks!
1) Students should handle with care - elementary students should have a two-hand carry policy. Broken screens and cracked cases from dropped devices are generally not worth the cost of repair.
2) Charging ports and cables break easily. The charging ports are often broken by the repeated use of plugging in/out. Did you know that CB's have a battery life of 8+ hrs? They only need to be plugged back in at the end of the day, or maybe every other day. Consider their total usage and plug them in when needed (rather than between periods).
3) Establish classroom rules/best practices for CB use. This can include rules about how to carry, no food/drinks, wash hands before using, etc... students that respect their devices will care for them better and they will last longer.
Check out the Newsletter from our Tech Tosa - Peter Vallejo!
Laptop, Projector, Document Cameras and Chromebook Replacements
Many of you have inquired about when replacement and new equipment is available for you. We will be pushing out as much new and replacement technology that our budget and your school budget can handle (not as much as we would like). Of course, it will be prioritized on a needs basis, and we will be working with your administrators to determine high priority needs.
If your equipment in your classroom needs a fix or you have trouble operating a device, use IssueTrak (see what makes a good IssueTrak up top).
If you feel that you need NEW or Replacement equipment, you need to talk to your administrator for approval.
Public Records - Email, documents, texting and more
Technology Department
Paul Rose, Network System Admin
Steve Mei, Network System Admin
Audrey Gross, Student Information Systems
Paula DeLaRiva, Student Information Systems
Email: gko@cv.k12.ca.us
Location: 4400 Alma Avenue, Castro Valley, CA, USA
Phone: 510-537-3000 1249