Teaching and Learning
April and May 2019
PURPOSE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
May Technology Update - Chromebook Storage for summer - Bart Smith
District Handwriting - Patricia Bambenek and Heather Harvick
Your Brain on Music - submitted by Teri Akervik
Families in Transition - Katie Danielson
Celebrations
April Technology - Bart Smith
Student and Staff Safety/Cyber Security
Complete your KnowBe4 Cyber Security Awareness Training - https://training.knowbe4.com/login?domain=isd709.org
Enable Google 2-Step Verification on your district’s (@isd709.org) account - https://www.google.com/landing/2step/index.html
Additional phishing prevention is available by installing Google’s Password Alert Extension - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/password-alert/noondiphcddnnabmjcihcjfbhfklnnep
Use Google Security Checkup - https://myaccount.google.com/security-checkup to check your account security.
With MCA testing we need to ensure we have adequate resources for our students to access the Pearson website.
We took the following steps on April 1st:
Voluntarily limit your non-curriculum web activity during the day
We will block various non-curriculum websites (ie gaming)
Block/restrict staff from Facebook, Netflix and Pandora, Amazon Prime, Spotify
If necessary, we will look at taking the following additional steps:
Disabling the ISD 709-BYOD wireless network
Block/restrict student access to streaming services (Youtube, etc.)
Block/restrict staff from streaming services (Youtube, etc.)
Swank Motion Picture, Inc - Watch How Movie Licensing Provides Peace of Mind
Many schools/teachers have the common misconception they are covered by the Educational Exemption Law when in fact, there are very specific criteria that must be met in order to be covered by this exemption (you can find the requirements at https://www.swank.com/k-12-schools/copyright/ ). Other examples of events that require a license;
Student Rewards
Holiday Events
Family Movie Nights
Before/After School programs
Last Days of School
Staffing Emergencies
Indoor Recess
Student Groups
Also, whether admission is charged or not, a license is still required.
Do I need a license to show a movie for educational purposes? This activity is covered under the “Face-to-Face Teaching Exemption,” right? It depends. Under the "Face-to-Face Teaching Exemption," copyrighted movies may be shown in a K-12 school setting without copyright permission only if all criteria are met:
A teacher or instructor is present, engaged in face-to-face teaching activities.
The institution must be an accredited, nonprofit educational institution.
The showing takes place in a classroom setting with only enrolled students in attendance.
The movie is used as an essential part of the core, required curriculum being taught. (The instructor should be able to show how the use of the motion picture contributes to the overall required course study and syllabus.)
The movie being used is a legitimate copy, not recorded from a legitimate copy or recorded from TV.
This means the "Face-to-Face Teaching Exemption" does not apply outside the nonprofit, in-person, classroom teaching environment. It doesn't apply to movies shown online (via Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video, etc.) – even if they’re part of course-related activities and websites.
It also doesn't apply to interactions that are not in-person - even simultaneous distance learning interactions. It doesn't apply at for-profit educational institutions.
For specific requirements, please reference The Copyright Act of 1976, Public Law No. 94-553, 90 stat 2541: Title 17; Section 110(i), or consult your copyright attorney.
May Technology - Summer Storage of Chromebooks - Bart Smith
Technology Items
We will be upgrading all Windows 7 systems to Windows 10 and the existing Microsoft Office version to Microsoft Office 2019, this summer. Please access Microsoft Office 2019 Online Training resources to learn more about Microsoft Office 2019.
Teaching Summer School? We recommend you use Chromebooks with your students this summer because of the Windows 10 upgrades on our Dell desktop computers.
Prepare Chromebooks for long-term storage
Charge your Chromebooks so that the battery is at least 80% full.
This ensures that even when the battery discharges while unplugged over the summer, it won’t fully run out of power.To slow the discharge rate during storage, do not physically remove the battery from the Chromebook for storage. Instead, take the following steps:
Connect the device to a charger and turn it on.
Hold Refresh and Power at the same time.
While holding these keys, remove the power cable from device and then release the keys.
The device should shut down and remain off.Confirm the battery disconnect worked by pressing the power button.
The device should not power on, despite having a battery charge. The Chromebook won’t power on by touching the power button or opening the lid, until you plug the device back to a power source.This is the ideal way to store devices. It reduces battery discharge to a minimum, prevents constant charge and discharge from reducing the battery life, and keeps the Chromebook in a stable, powered-off state.
Note: If you can’t put your model of Chromebook into the battery disconnect state described above, charge the battery to at least 80%. Then, turn off the Chromebook, unplug it from a power source, and store it in a cool, dry place.
District Handwriting - Patti Bambenek and Heather Harvick
Over the last year, a committee of teachers, Occupational Therapists, and principal representatives explored handwriting program options that would be consistent within our schools. The program Printing Like a Pro was selected for Grades K and 1 and Wonders handwriting materials with adaptations for grades 2-5. The curriculum for grades K-2 will be implemented in a staggered schedule beginning with Grade K: 2019-2020, Grade 1: 2020-2021, and Grade 2: 2021-2022. For grades 3-5 the curriculum using Wonders with the addition of verbal pathways and student metacognition will be implemented in 2019-2020.
Helpful link:
Want to learn more about the new handwriting curriculum? Contact Heather Harvick or Patricia Bambenek.
YOUR BRAIN ON MUSIC
Families in Transition (FIT) - Katie Danielson
Celebrations
Music Adoption
Curriculum Retreat
Curriculum Retreat
Minnesota Council for the Social Studies Conference
Minnesota Council for the Social Studies Conference
Susan Schmidt, Content Specials for Social Studies organized staff to attend the conference and share information.