Update, Week of April 6, 2020

Top Technology Tips for Staff:

1. Work phone numbers now available from HOME.  TTSD staff can now download software that will allow them to call families using their "TTSD phone number".  Please see instructions for Mac and Windows.  If you run into any problems, please submit a Tech Request
   
   
   
   
   
2. Using Google Hangouts Meet a lot these days?  Try installing some extensions to help you customize your browser window, like seeing everyone on the call in Google Hangouts Grid View: GRID VIEW 

Support for K-5 Parents & Students on TTSD iPads

Support for K-5 Parents & Students on TTSD iPads

Wow! What an exciting week of getting elementary students their iPads so they can continue their learning at home with the tools they are use to at school.  With the rollout of our 5000+ iPads to homes this week, there are a few hiccups and details to share.  Please refer to the following when troubleshooting issues with your child's iPad:

• There is a known issue where a "Proxy Authentication Required" pop-up screen appears. Please CANCEL it or click "Not Now".  

• Please only use the "TTSD Web Filter" (app that looks like a lock) daily to log into the TTSD filter.   

• The second issue we have run into Thursday and Friday is that SOME student accounts in grades K-5 are getting Login Failed.   We hope to have this problem solved by Monday or Tuesday next week. Thank you for your patience.

April 5th = IT Maintenance "Down Day"

This Sunday, April 5th is our regularly scheduled technology maintenance "down-day."  We reserve the first Sunday of each month for network/system maintenance to avoid interruptions throughout the month.

We always try to keep interruptions to a minimum. Please plan accordingly for potential interruptions to TTSD Wifi, Infinite Visions, email, Google, Synergy and other TTSD systems on Sunday.  

...Susan Barnard & IT Team

Update, Week of March 22nd

Top Technology Status Debrief  (TTSD)
It has been a challenging couple of weeks as school buildings close, At Home (supplemental) learning evolves and we try to find balance during this time.  The resources below are here to support your remote work and continued communication with colleagues & students.

1. TTSD's Best Practices for Remote Meetings: We are a Google district with many known resources in the Google suite of tools.  We have been using Google Hangouts Meet for numerous years for asynchronous (two-way) discussions with success. Most recently Google has also increased the # of participants to 250 AND has enabled recording of the video meeting - which is helpful for those who cannot attend. YouTube Streaming is a great resources for larger audiences (ie. school communities, announcements/updates, etc.) that does not allow others to participate during the event. For suggestions and support to host remote meetings, please see Best Practices for Remote Meetings.
   
   
2. At Home Learning - As we continue to encourage students and families to engage with At Home learning (http://AtHome.ttsdschools.org), TTSD has provided Supplemental Resources based on playing BINGO each day. There are digital and print resources here.  K-5 devices will be handed out early this next week at each elementary school based on a pre-arranged schedule.
   
   
3. Home 2 Learn - This next week, teachers will be connecting with students to ensure they are well, have access to supplemental activities and can connect to their classroom with either SeeSaw or Google Classroom.  TTSD instructional coaches have provided an excellent support site for teachers who may want some guidance or one-on-one support from an instructional coach.  Please take a look at these teacher resources for guidance and support (http://home2learn.ttsdschools.org). As always, you can call the IT Help Desk at 503-431-4051 between 8am and 3pm, M-F. 

Update, Week of March 8, 2020

Top Technology Status Debrief  (TTSD)

1. TTSD has a strong, supportive community. As a result, we are fortunate to have 1:1 technology in our students hands for learning & collaboration.  During this flu and virus season, it's incredibly important for our teachers to ensure continuity of instruction when students miss class due to an illness.  We have two amazing platforms (Google Classroom for grades 6-12 & SeeSaw for grades K-5) to keep students and families seamlessly connected to daily classroom activities. 
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2. SIA Grant application for TTSD goes before the School Board for final approval Monday night, March 9th.  We are excited about the TTSD plan and how it will provide necessary academic resources for students, especially those who been historically underserved, and help support the mental and behavioral health needs of our students.
3. TTSD officially launched Online Student Registration!  We currently have online registration for incoming kindergarteners (Fall 2020) and will expand to all new students for Fall 2020 in the coming weeks.  Additionally, we are expanding access to ParentVUE to K-5 parents.  We have had over 1100 parents activate their account in the last 7 days! 
   

CyberSecurity - stay vigilant as some like to take advantage of situations (ie COVID-19)

Please be aware that some scammers are impersonating World Health Organization emails/accounts during this heightened awareness of viruses. Please see the following article about how to spot a legit World Health Organization email (namely from @who.int). As always, check your source and double-check it against what you know to be correct.

https://www.who.int/about/communications/cyber-security

Just a friendly reminder that the "cyber bad guys" don't rest...


...Susan

How to clean and disinfect keyboards...

There are times when you may want to disinfect a keyboard, especially when using a public computer or one with multiple users. The difficulty in "disinfecting" keyboards is the required dwell time to disinfect isn't possible without damaging the keyboard. "Clorox" wipes generally require 3-5 minutes wet dwell time to disinfect. This amount of time will damage the plastic keyboard/keys. As in all best practices - wash your hands with soap and water for 20 sec after using a shared device and refrain from touching your face until doing so.  

 

Use cleaners [district approved] that are safe to use on plastics. Do NOT use sprays directly on the keyboards; Rather, spray onto the cloth, then wipe. 

1. First turn off the computer, unplug the power cord and remove the battery if cleaning a wireless or portable keyboard.
2. Spray the cleaner onto the cloth - ensure there is no excess liquid on the cloth before using. Don’t allow the liquid from the cloth to remain on the area too long. Using light, gentle strokes, wipe the keyboard. Wipe again with a damp, soft, lint-free cloth, such as microfiber.
3. Dry with another soft, lint-free cloth.