Secondary Teachers Canvas UPDATE

2021-2022 Week 2 - September 13

Congratulations on making it through the first week! Here are this week's updates:

Canvas >> Synergy Grade Passback

Hopefully you have by now heard that we implemented a new integration this summer that allows teachers to sync Canvas assignments and quizzes (along with their scores) to the Synergy Gradebook.  

~*~ This is a ONE WAY sync (Canvas > Synergy) ~*~

Hopefully you have also heard that teachers should only create assignments/quizzes in CANVAS and not Synergy to avoid potential duplicates down the road. 

IT will be testing the integration this next week with a small pilot group of teachers. We anticipate being able to send a follow up email the week of September 20 with detailed instructions for all teachers to implement this new feature.

STUDENTS & PARENTS can access INDIVIDUAL assignment grades in Canvas; 

the overall grade for the course will no longer be available here.

Once we complete the setup for the Canvas > Synergy sync, teachers will have the option to sync assignment grades to Synergy where both individual assignment grades & the OVERALL grade will be available to students & parents in StudentVUE/ParentVUE.

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Cross-listing Courses and Course Card Name Changes

With the "new" way Canvas is initially displaying each period as an individual course card and the important step to Cross-list your classes so you end up with one course card per subject that you teach (Combining ("Cross Listing") Course Cards), it's important that you rename the remaining course card to REMOVE the period in the name.

ACTION ITEM: Here are the instructions for how to remove the period from the remaining course card so students don't' see a (potentially incorrect) period:

Removing the Period From Your Canvas Course Name (AFTER cross-listing)

 ...Susan

PS - The option to make a Canvas course card name changes will be open through Friday, September 17th.  

Technology Update - September 1, 2021

 Welcome back!

Your TTSD Technology department looks forward to serving you and helping to make your 2021-2022 school year successful and connected!

As you prepare your classrooms for the upcoming year, please keep in mind the following:

Lightspeed - New Filter Software

If you haven't already, you will need to install the Lightspeed filter onto your district device(s)

This filter will give you internet access as s staff member on your device(s).

Action Item: Install Lightspeed filter manually:

Mac:

1. Open the Self Service app
2. Find the Lightspeed Relay macOS Agent under the Common Applications category
3. Click Install

NOTE: This will restart your computer. Please save all your works before proceeding.

Windows: 

• Please go to this website to find your IP address
• Put in a help ticket with the IP address and we can install the program remotely for you

 

Coming Soon...2-Step Verification for Google Suite. Required by November 1st 2021.

To clarify a few details:

• With all the cyber crime, ransomware attacks and phishing attempts directed to K-12 institutions, we need to step up our security to protect our data and our students' data!
• You may set this up now or WAIT until after school begins and set up 2-Step verification in October.  But Beginning November 1, 2021, it will be required for all TTSD staff Google accounts.
• We are indeed enforcing 2-factor for the Google suite on November 1st - This means all staff will need to set it up within the next two months in order to access email and drive, etc. (all google things). This will also effect any 3rd party app that uses google to authenticate (Slack, Trello, Freshservice, etc).
• The primary method we are suggesting is for people to use their cell phone to receive a text or phone call. If you do not want to use a personal device they can use their desk phone or Jabber to receive a phone call, or if you are comfortable you can use any other device to receive other google methods of 2nd factor authentication (google prompt, google authenticator, etc.)
• Action Item: Detailed instructions for setting up the service can be found at TTSD Google Workspace - Two Factor Authentication (2FA). It only takes a few minutes - just do it now and get it over with! 

Welcome Back 2021-22!

Welcome back TTSD Staff to an AWESOME new school year! 

We are READY & looking forward to seeing you!

Canvas Course Cards are READY

• Setting Up Canvas for 2021-22

Remind is READY 

• Remind: Communication with Students & Families

Clever Apps are READY

• Clever App: Access to TTSD Digital Resources, by grade level

Summer Updates:

• New Tech Request Trouble Ticket system for TTSD staff and secondary students:
• http://ticket.ttsd.k12.or.us
• New Knowledgebase for staff and students:
• http://kb.ttsd.k12.or.us
• New Internet Filter (called LightSpeed) for PK-12 students and TTSD school network
• Install the LightSpeed client on your staff laptop
• New Chromebooks for incoming 9th graders (Thank you, 2017 Bond!)
• New iPads for all incoming 7th and 8th graders (Thank you, 2017 Bond!)
• New iPads for students at Durham and Tualatin Elem (Thank you, 2017 Bond!)
• New UPSs and Switches (Thank you, E-Rate!)
• Elementary Carts are re-strung and ready for students to return with their devices (Thank you ES Technicians!)

Welcome Back Everyone!

First Sunday of the month = TTSD network maintenance day (August 1, 2021)

Quick note:

First Sunday of the month = TTSD network maintenance day

This Sunday, August 1st, will be our regularly scheduled network maintenance day. Please anticipate some interruption to services (like email, Wifi, Synergy, Infinite Visions, etc) as we update and patch our systems.

Special NOTE: We will also be performing an Infinite Visions update Friday evening (please see email from Jenn Madsen if you are an Infinite Visions user) that will cause some Friday and early Saturday disruption as well.

As always, thank you for your patience as we work to keep our systems working optimally for you and our students!

Technology Update - Week of May 16th

Canvas Feedback for 2021-22 School Year

• What a crazy year! Help us improve how we use Canvas for the 2021-22 School Year:
• (2) Feedback Sessions with IT Support 
• Wednesday, May 19th 3-4pm : Google Meet
  
• Wednesday, May 26th 3-4pm : Google Meet
• Survey (coming May 20th - after 1st session)

End of Year Preparations (Canvas):

1. May & June:
1. ALL of your current Canvas course cards will be available next year under "Previous Enrollments" -- NO ACTION REQUIRED by you to back anything up or save it offline.
2. Teachers using FLVS (Florida Virtual Schools Global) curriculum will LOSE access to the curriculum in August 2021.  However, FLVS quizzes will be available in your 2020-21 Canvas courses.
3. Last day for teachers to edit Canvas grades will be June 21, 2021. 
4. Last day for final grades to be entered into Synergy is June 17, 2021.
5. 20-21 Grading Timeline
2. Summer:
1. "Students will have access to this year's courses until Jun 16, 2021. After that, their courses will be removed from their dashboards and they will not have access/will have read only access. Teachers will have access to make edits, score assignments, and make changes to grades in courses until Jun 21, 2021. After that, you will have read only access. (Don't worry though, you will still have access to import that content into next year's courses so you won't need to start from scratch!)"
2. "Are you a go-getter, a planner, always two steps ahead? Do you hate vacation time and want to spend June and July preparing to mold young minds this fall? If you are planning on working on your Canvas Courses over the Summer to get a jump start on next year, here are a few ideas on where to start! 
   • Share to Commons If you'd like to share your course content to Commons privately, with others in the district, or with the public, you will need to do so before your course is concluded on June 21st. (Don't worry, you can still import the content without sharing to Commons if you choose. See below.)
   • Play with your "SAMPLE" Course  Since you won't have your course shells for next year's classes until closer to the fall, you can use your SAMPLE course or enter a tech request for a new course to begin preparing
   • Import From Commons Import content from courses you have shared to Commons or resources shared by other educators into your new Sandbox Courses.  
   • Copy Course Content From Past Course  You can import all of your course content from the previous year or select specific content from past courses. Here (in your Sandbox), you can make any additions or edits to prepare for next year. Make sure to select the box to include completed courses to get a full list.

Technology Update - Week of April 5th

Chrome Browser TUNE UP

• Starting Monday this week, staff have reported a new Google Meet issue where their video freezes (audio and presentation continue to be fine). Please note we are aware of the problem and are working to find a quick solution. (The manual fix is to turn your camera off for ~5 sec and turn it back on).
• To prepare yourself and your computer for the BEST Google Meet experience, please follow these easy and quick steps in THIS TTSD knowledgbase Article 

Google Meet Troubleshooting

Staff with frozen Google Meet video or the camera and/or microphone doesn't work can

use these best practices & troubleshooting steps to hopefully solve the issues.

CANVAS: Qtr 3 to Qtr 4 Transition

• A new term begins Monday, April 19th - Quarter 4.  For our middle and high school teachers, as in past term changes, your Canvas course cards/sections will be available to you next week.  Students will see these new course cards for QT4 on Monday, April 19th at 5am.
• Canvas: Transition to a New Quarter
• Canvas Grades → Synergy Report Card (Secondary)
• Canvas: Viewing Dropped Students in Your Grade Book
• Canvas Grade Book: Assignment Groups for the Elementary Report Card

Synchronous Instruction Tips

• High School Reopening 2021: Synchronous with At-Home and In-Person Instruction

Technology Update - Week of March 21

 Elementary Teachers & Canvas Gradebook:

• The last day for students who are moving to a new class after Spring Break was March 19th.  However, you can still enter and view grades in Canvas Grade by following these directions: 
• Here is the Knowledge Base to see your students in Canvas.
• https://kb.ttsd.k12.or.us/articles/view/834
• Here is the Knowledge Base to grade your students in Canvas.
• https://kb.ttsd.k12.or.us/articles/view/907
• NEW students to your class will be added on March 22nd.  
• These students will also be added to your other apps on March 22nd/23rd:  Seesaw, Remind, TeacherVUE, iReady, etc.

• Are you teaching students from more than one school? 
• Here is the Knowledge Base to merge your classes into ONE Canvas course card.
• Canvas: Combining Canvas Course Cards
https://kb.ttsd.k12.or.us/articles/view/834#

New District Internet Filter Being Evaluated:

• TTSD IT staff, along with staff at Metzger and Deer Creek, have been testing a new internet filter for our student devices.  Features we are looking at are: technician/principal reports & management, YouTube additional filtering, parent reports upon request, user interface for staff to view student activity, "flagged" activity and more.  Anticipated rollout of new internet filter is Sprig-Summer 2021.