GCS iPad Update
January 17, 2014
I Need Your Help
I am always excited to report that we've had no iPads lost or stolen. That is a praise report!
However, we have had a few iPads that were lost temporarily. In every case, the iPad was accidentally picked up by someone else and placed in a backpack. We've had a couple of students who've had to go home at the end of the day with no idea where their iPad was.
There is an easy solution to this problem. I asked everyone to install the Find My iPhone app on their iPads AND activate it. The Find My iPhone app allows us to locate a missing iPad on a map using GPS or make the iPad play a loud sound. Playing a sound is the key. It saves time and usually gets the iPad back to the owner faster.
When I took iPads up during Christmas break, one of the things I was checking for was the Find My iPhone app. It looks like we are finally at 100% on the app. However, I have found that several students installed the app, but did not activate it.
Activating the app is easy. First, you will need an iCloud account. Go to Settings and turn-on iCloud.
Once the Find My iPhone app is installed, tap the main Settings icon, then choose iCloud. Enter your Apple ID. Once signed into iCloud look to the bottom of the iCloud menu, turn the Find my iPhone app on.
If you have any questions about whether or not the app is installed an activated on your son or daughter’s iPad, just send them to the Jontra Jenius Bar before school and I’ll be glad to take a look.
Snapchat in the News Again
Snapchat found itself, making headlines again when hackers stole 4.6 million user names and phone numbers. These hackers wanted to make a statement, so they not only stole user information, but they also posted it online.
You can see if your son or daughter's account was one of the 4.6 million posted online using this web site: http://lookup.gibsonsec.org/ A web developer created this site using the information the hackers posted online. All you'll need to know is your son or daughter's Snapchat username.
If you've been listening, you've heard me talk about a long list of concerns I have regarding Snapchat. One of the biggest concerns I have is that it's too often used for sexting. A recent study of 410 seventh graders found that 22% of 12-14 year-olds had engaged in sexting.
Too often, kids take inappropriate and even naked pictures of themselves and use Snapchat to share the photo with friends. I know you can't imagine a kid doing that, but sadly, it is more likely than any of use would like to admit that our sons will receive an inappropriate picture via text or some other picutre sharing app before he graduates.
Our kids don't understand the consequences of sexting. We have to tell our kids that when a child under 17 takes and shares a naked or inappropriate picture of himself or herself, as soon as that picture is shared electronically with one person, the act of sharing can constitutes distribution of child pornography. That's a serious crime with serious consequences, and that's why it is imperative that we talk to our kids about sexting.
Scholly: Scholarship Search
The Scholly database is constantly updated and attempts to make the process of finding applicable scholarships easier. According to Scholly, it's "adaptive matching engine promises to deliver smarter, targeted lists of scholarships. Scholly seeks to fix the current outdated process that requires students to fill out long, tiresome forms and then fail to deliver relevant results."
Find Scholly in the app store -- Click Here
Resource for Students
I'm sharing this information with you so that if your student panics late at night you will have a place to go for help.
First, I have tried to put all of our iPad resources on a web site. This is always a good place to start. Click here to visit GCS iPad Central.
Here's a link to the video I created explaining how to use Notability, our notetaking app, and eBackpack, click here.
Look at the iPad
Christina Jontra
Grace Community School
Email: cjontra@gracetyler.org
Website: gracetyler.org
Twitter: @jontracation
Previous iPad Updates
November 5, 2013 - Click Here
August 26, 2013 - Click Here
August 12, 2013 - Click Here
September 27, 2013 - Click Here
eBackpack Tutorial - Click Here