RSD13 Technology Information
August 22, 2013
for New Staff Members (2013-2014)
Technology Integration
What is technology integration?
District 13 has two people responsible for helping faculty integrate technology into their teaching, learning, and working environments. Teachers of grades K-6 (Brewster, Lyman, Korn and Memorial) should contact Michelle Gohagon (mgohagon@rsd13.org) and teachers of grades 7-12 (Strong and Coginchaug) should contact William Kurtz (wkurtz@rsd13.org) for help in your classroom or for your own training, how to effectively integrate technology into the classroom and support with hardware.
You can find additional support on our RSD13 Technology Integration websites:
Staff Email
You can read your district email when you’re not at your classroom computer. Go to the RSD13 website and click the link for ‘Staff Email.’ In the first field, enter your email address 'username@rsd13.org' and in the second field, your password. The direct URL for district email is ‘email.rsd13.org’.
For your convenience, your initial email password is the same as your username (in most cases, your first initial followed by your last name). You should change your passwords as soon as possible. PC users should sign in to the network and press ctrl-alt-delete. A screen appears and one of the options is to change your password. Mac users should click the blue Apple, then ‘System Preferences’ and choose the option to change your password. If you have any trouble changing your password, contact your building’s key user. Faculty at elementary schools can change their personal passwords through the email website. Log in to your email, click ‘Options’ near the top-right corner of the screen and choose ‘Change Password’ from the left sidebar.
For directions on accessing email online and changing your password, please click email.
Class Websites
The District encourages teachers to develop classroom web pages. There are specific protocols for faculty to follow when creating web pages. You can explore your options for creating your class web pages by going visiting the Classroom Webpages page found on the Technology Integration website. Contact the Technology Integration staff to get the necessary information and access.
For examples of class websites from RSD13 please click below.
- Miss Zauner's Class Website (Grade 1)
- Mrs. Petroski's Class Website (Grade 5)
- Mrs. Schaefer's Art Class Webste (Grades 7 & 8)
- Mr. Bajoros' Class (HS Health)
PowerSchool
Your initial PowerSchool password is your username (first initial, followed by last name) followed by the name of your school. For example: jsmithkorn. Change your PowerSchool password immediately upon logging in for the first time and keep it completely secure. Go to ‘powerschool.rsd13.org/teachers’ and log in. Choose ‘Personalize’ from the left sidebar and then ‘Change Password’ from the list of functions.
For detailed directions on how to use PowerSchool, please click here.
Key Users & Trouble Tickets
Each school in the district has a key user—a faculty member who will assist you with computer problems or direct you to someone who can help you with your technology needs. The key users are:
- Brewster School – Jenny Lussier
- Lyman School – Chris Davis
- Korn School – Marjorie Bruch
- Memorial School – Chris Napoletano
- Strong School – Michael Klimas
- Coginchaug – Tracy Earnshaw
If you have trouble with your classroom computer or other tech equipment, your first resource is your building’s key user. The key user will either handle the problem or help you fill out a trouble ticket so that the issue can be addressed by the IT director or the District computer technicians. Please remember that seldom can something be repaired instantly. You can submit a trouble ticket by going to http://tech.rsd13ct.org/trouble-ticket-entry/
Ink Cartridge Order and Recycling
If your classroom printer needs a new ink cartridge, request one through email. You can find the procedure on the District website under the ‘Technology’ tab, or accessing it directly at http://tech.rsd13ct.org/ink-order/. A new ink cartridge will be sent to you through interoffice mail. The process can take a day or two, so order a cartridge as soon as your printer indicates it is running low.
District 13 recycles used ink cartridges. Your building’s key user can tell you where the recycling box is in your school.
Content Filtering
The District is using a content filter to block access to educationally inappropriate websites. You may find that some sites are ‘partially’ blocked. In these cases, the content filter will display an ‘Access Denied’ screen in which you will be expected to enter your username and password. If the site is accessible to teachers you will be granted access (please note, not all sites accessible to teachers are accessible by students). If a site with an educational purpose is completely blocked, you can submit a request for it to be un-blocked on the ‘Access Denied’ Screen.
Student Use of Internet
On the first day of school, students will be given a handout regarding the use of the Internet at school. Parents who do not want their children to use the Internet or have their work posted on school web pages must let the building principal know. It is your job to be aware of which students (if any) in your classes may not use the Internet and abide by the parents’ request.
What technology is available?
- Brewster, Lyman & Korn Elementary: computer lab. class set of iPads, various databases, SMARTBoard in every classroom, document cameras
- Memorial Middle School: computer lab, 175 Chromebooks, databases
- Strong Middle School: computer lab, 175 Chromebooks, databases, BYOD
- CRHS: computers labs, BYOD, 1:1 initiative, databases
RSD13 Collaborates!
- Google Apps
- Edmodo
- Our New Teacher Edmodo Class: group code sqgv8