October is Cybersecurity Month; Plus Tech Committee Signup & Substitute Success

Cybersecurity Training

In recognition of National Cybersecurity Month this October, TTSD IT Department is pleased to announce a required training for all TTSD staff.  This training is crucial in protecting our schools from cyberattacks, safeguarding sensitive student and staff data and comply with safety requirements.

The online training will be hosted on Canvas (content provided by cisa.gov). Staff will be invited to the course via email and can also access the course using this link: https://ttsd.instructure.com/enroll/7T7MR4. 

The training covers key topics to help staff stay vigilant:

1. 4 Ways to Stay Safe Online: This section will highlight essential cybersecurity practices for everyday use.
2. Strong Password Management: Learn best practices for creating and managing strong passwords to prevent unauthorized access.
3. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Understand the benefits of MFA and how it adds an extra layer of security to logins.
4. Identifying Phishing Attempts: Discover how to recognize phishing emails and avoid falling victim to scams.

More information can be found HERE: https://www.cisa.gov/cybersecurity-awareness-month

Join the 2024-25 K-12 Technology Integration and Innovation Committee

We are looking for passionate and diverse voices from across our community—students, parents, teachers, staff, and more—to help shape the future of technology in our schools. This committee will bring together a variety of perspectives and experiences to create impactful changes for our students' technology skills and classroom standards.  SIGN UP HERE

Committee Goals:

1. Contribute to the development of a K-12 scope and sequence for technology skills and digital citizenship.
2. Help update classroom technology standards, including student device requirements.

Setting Up Your Classroom Substitute for Success:

The IT Department has collaborated with teachers and staff to create a 'Best Practice' setup for substitutes, leveraging a Substitute Google Shared Drive for lessons and instructions. While substitute technology is limited, our goal is to provide a consistent set of tools to ensure a smooth transition into any classroom. This helps teachers align their lesson plans with the resources substitutes can access. Please review the guide and share any feedback to help us continuously improve.

• Google Shared Folders & Substitute Teacher Instructions

 

Week of September 23 2024

ParentSquare Tips & Tricks for Staff

As we approach the end of the first month with our new ParentSquare tool, it's exciting to see the amount of Posts from our classrooms across the district:  GREAT JOB!    

 Pro Tips for Staff:

• Set office hours for your parents and students to know when you are available:
• Open ParentSquare > Click My Account (upper right corner) > Select Office Hours
• Set availability. Click Save.
• Outside of your office hours, parents will be notified you are away.
  
  
• How to schedule parent teacher conferences on ParentSquare?
• Online training: 3 days next week M-W. 3:00 (Sept 30th, Oct 1st, 2nd)
  Same Google Meet link meet.google.com/qkx-mcdo-ixy
• To add your cell phone for notifications (NOT visible to students or parents), see the last section of this KB article:  ParentSquare Contact Information 

COMING SOON:

Watch your email for VIRTUAL training opportunities to learn how to create Appointment Slots!

TTSD Digital Resource Menu Updates:

http://digitalresources.ttsdschools.org

• New Approved Tool for high school (grades 9-12):
• KnowT (flashcards, study guides, "learn mode", etc.)

• New AI approved tools for STAFF and STUDENTS:
• 
  
  
• 

  
  
  

AI or Not to AI....

• Many of our online tool vendors are integrating AI tools into their product (Canva, Screencastify, Grammarly, etc.)
• In the classroom, these tools might be useful in providing students learning opportunities they may not have had in the past (like in programming, advanced writing, etc.).  However, there may be situations where students must demonstrate proficiency in a standard before they are ready to use artificial intelligence to further their skill and understanding.
• As a result...TTSD has produced the "AI Guide for Educators" to support classroom teachers and students.
• Teachers: Per assignment or included in your Syllabus, be explicit when introducing the assignment whether the use of AI tools are:
• Not allowed
• Allowed with citation or 
  
• allowed/expected without citation.
• ...by using the colors on the stop sign to provide a visual queue for students
• See pg 6 of the TTSD "AI Guide for Educators"

•  REMINDER for ALL:
• Never enter personal information into GenAI tools
• Always remember GenAI tools are: 
• Not perfect
• May often contain incorrect or biased results
• Require iterative and interactive engagement by the user (it's NOT a search engine) 

Welcome Back 2024

(don't forget to scroll down to catch up on previous posts about MFA and GenerativeAI use at TTSD)

ParentSquare Launches at TTSD - August 26, 2024

ParentSquare Overview

• LIVE ParentSquare 101 Training for Office / FPA Staff:
• Friday August 16th - 1pm & 2:30pm @ Training Center
• Tuesday, August 27th - 2pm @ Hibbard
• Friday, August 30th - 9am @ Training Center
• VIRTUAL Training for Teachers
• August 29th, Thursday:  SIGN UP FORM
• 9:00am
• 3:00pm
• SELF-PACED Training:
• TTSD KB Articles
• ParentSquare online learning platform: Teacher Training 101
• REQUEST IN-PERSON School/Department Training: 
• Tech Request

Digital Citizenship Lessons 1st Week of School

• All gradelevels will be completing a Lesson on what it means to be a good digital citizen.  
• Elementary schools will have 2 x 20min lessons to complete Tuesday - Friday before students begin using their classroom iPads
• Middle and High School Students will receive a Canvas Course that walks them through how to find balance in their digital lives and and introduction to AI.
• Additional communication will be sent out, with links to lessons so teachers and staff can preview the courses before or WITH their students.

AI Guidance for Staff

Staff are prohibited from entering confidential or personally identifiable information (PII) into unapproved AI tools, such as those without approved data privacy agreements. Sharing confidential or personal data with an AI system could violate privacy if not properly disclosed and consented to. 

PII Definition: 

• An individual's name
• The name of family members
• The address of the individual
• A personal identifier, such as a social security number, student/staff number, or biometric record
• Other indirect identifiers, such as a individual's date of birth, place of birth, and mother’s maiden name
• Other information that, alone or in combination, is linked or linkable to a specific student/individual that would allow a reasonable person in the community, who does not have personal knowledge of the relevant circumstances, to identify the individual with reasonable certainty

Summer Update

Google Two-Factor Authentication - "MFA" or "2FA"

• Starting July 8, 2024, all TTSD staff will be required to sign in daily on each device using Google two-factor authentication. This change is part of our initiative to enhance security across our systems, including Synergy, by leveraging Google's robust authentication protocols.
• Tips and Tricks to ease the transition and build a new daily habit:
• Have your phone handy and ready when you sign in to Google
• Create multiple options for receiving your MFA
• SMS/text message
• Google Authentication App
• Call to your TTSD phone extension
• TTSD Knowledge-base Article: TTSD Google Workspace - Two Factor Authentication (2FA)

Synergy "New Gradebook" Rollout for 2024-25

• Starting Fall 2024, the new grade book interface will be the default view when accessing the usual "Grade Book Main" screen.
• KB Article: Synergy "New Grade Book" Overview

Week of May 13th - Spring Cleaning (and Mac Updates)

It's Spring and Time for Mac Spring Updates:

To ensure that our 10,000+ TTSD devices remain in optimal condition for staff and students, we are adopting a shared responsibility model for keeping them updated. The IT Department is dedicated to simplifying this process for you. 

Specifically for Mac users, over the next two weeks, you will receive several prompts on your computer. These are designed to guide you through updating your Mac laptop to the latest applications and operating system versions. This will not only enhance performance but also apply crucial security patches, ensuring smoother and more secure usage.

Here are the dates when automatic updates will be available on your computer. Please take a moment to install them when prompted

• May 14 (Wednesday AM) - Chrome and Firefox
• May 15 (Thursday AM) - Papercut update 
• May 16 (Friday, AM) - Check your Google Drive for Desktop to ensure backups are running  
• May 20 - 23 (Monday - Thursday)  Mac OS Update 

This image was created with the assistance of DALL·E 2

NOTE: If you do not want to be interrupted (with some advance notice) on any of the updates, you can take action before the date above using the links provided.

• Chrome update - LINK 
• Papercut update - LINK
• Google Drive for Desktop - Here's a reminder link on HOW TO set this up
• Mac OS Update - LINK

Week of April 29th - SPRING Cyber Security Training (STAFF) & Digital Citizenship (STUDENTS)

IT'S SPRING!! Time To ...

Empower Yourself & Our Students by Building Your Daily Digital Skills!

Just like in the fall, we have Spring Cyber Security Training for all staff and intentional digital citizenship skill-building lessons for all of our students, regardless of age.  

STAFF:

Cyber Security Training is important for each adult in our system who has a TTSD account (email, Synergy, Infinite Visions, Google, etc) to complete - which is EVERYONE.  Education is our BEST defense against ransomware, phishing, & identify theft - for TTSD data and your own personal data.

Please ensure you complete the Spring 2024 Cyber Security Awareness Training by May 24, 2024

(look for an email invitation in your TTSD InBox or click the link above)

STUDENTS:

Many of us have witnessed inappropriate or unacceptable behavior from both students and adults on social media and other technologies.  It is essential to educate our students about appropriate technology use in their daily lives, while also incorporating these principles into everyday instruction involving digital resources

During May 2024, please dedicate time to explicitly instruct and discuss with your students the appropriate use of technology in the classroom, throughout the school, and in society.

We use Common Sense Media as our official Digital Citizenship curriculum, if you need/want a specific lesson to help you.  Please use this framework to select your student digital citizenship lesson to ensure topics are covered equally across our levels and content area.

TTSD Student Citizenship - K-12 Scope & Sequence