Week of November 29, 2021

Embedded Videos on iPads, Slow Internet, Google Timeout & Filter Errors

• Two known issues we are facing with our new Internet filter (LightSpeed):
1. EMBEDDED video links to either YouTube or Google Drive will not work on iPads.  Many teachers have streamlined their presentations with embedded videos in their Google Slides or on a Canvas page.  Unfortunately, the security settings we need on LightSpeed are preventing these from playing on student iPads.  Please place a DIRECT LINK to the video rather than embedding it for your K-8the grade students.
2. Computers (laptops, desktops -- not Chromebooks or iPads) are experiencing slowness, website/Google drive "offline," and some wifi disconnects. We are working closely with the vendor to remedy this issue. Restarting your computer often temporarily fixes the issue. If you are experiencing this issue, please share your experience in this ONE question survey

Down Day Weekend - 1st Weekend in December

The first Sunday of EACH month is reserved for the IT Department to perform disruptive (but necessary) maintenance on our networks systems.  With 24/7 access to online resources for our staff and students, we have reserved the FIRST Sunday of each month to perform this work.

Please note Sunday there will likely be disruption to various systems that may impact your access to: TTSD phone system, network resources (wifi), internet filter and Mac/iPad "Self Service"

Week of November 15, 2021

2021-22 Grading Periods:

  

In Canvas, teachers can choose to view assignments by individual grading period OR all grading periods, by: 

1. Open course card
2. Go to "Grades" menu
3. Click View >> Filter >> Grading Periods
   
   
   
4. Choose which grading period you want from the  NEW dropdown menu in the upper right corner
   
   
   

(NOTE: if assignments do not have any due dates, the last grading period will be automatically assigned. ** If you are "missing" assignments, please turn on your Grading Period filters (directions above))

Week of November 1, 2021

 Secondary Teachers: Canvas and Synergy

Last year we introduced Canvas as the TTSD LMS, due to its ability to manage more online learning needs . These features included: integration with 3rd party apps, a fully functional grade book, parent interface, and the potential sync to Synergy to ease in grade posting and transfer to Synergy to name a few.  Additionally, ur new MTSS system (iON) is able to pull grade book assignments and grades from Synergy to help us identify students who are in need of additional support, saving our staff countless hours data mining systems to create adhoc reports for weekly meetings. 

It's been a stressful start to the Fall 2021 school year, and I want to acknowledge quite a few things have changed since we left TTSD schools in March 2020.  As we try to settle into this school year and embrace all that it has to offer, I'm very aware that some of the systems setup was just "too much" for many at the beginning of the year.  

Conferences last week were a great opportunity for us to view our setup from parents perspective. We have found it's important to "regroup" and ensure Canvas is set up to communicate well with students and parents.  So, we have created TWO helpful knowledgebase (KB) articles to help our teachers review their Canvas setup so it syncs seamlessly with Synergy (and therefore with the MTSS system and displays an overall course grade for student/parents).

Highlights for Teachers:

• Use Canvas gradebook exclusively for all of your class assignments (digital or paper/pencil or participation points)
• Match your Assignment Groups in Canvas with your Assignment categories in Synergy grade book
• Double check the assignments you want to sync are in sync
• by either comparing your Grades in Canvas with the Synergy gradebook
• or an alternate way is to ask a student to show you both views from their perspective (this will help you see how it appears to students and parents)
• Set up your Canvas course card to "nightly sync" with Synergy
• Review the KB articles for tips and tricks on grade passback (Canvas > Synergy).

2021-22 Canvas Course Setup Checklist - Secondary Teachers

FAMILIES: How to View Middle and High School Student Progress - Using a Web Browser

 Elementary Teachers: Canvas and Seesaw

As many of you complete your Canvas course card setup, we have heard that some teachers are enjoying the use of SeeSaw with younger students.  To create an EASY link from Canvas to SeeSaw, you can download the following SeeSaw image and use the CRAZY long link to link the image directly to SeeSaw (magically without having to go through Clever app first):

CRAZY Link:  
https://clever.com/oauth/instant-login?client_id=1a3bcfced3726d93850d&district_id=5716acf32ccd5401000004bc

IMAGE:

Week of October 25, 2021

 Technology-Related Reminders for this Week:

• Oct. is Cyber Security awareness month.  Two requirements:
• Complete the CyberSecurity Training by Oct 29th
• Complete your TTSD account 2-Factor Authentication setup by Oct 29th
• Quarter 1 Grading is around the corner (November 12th is Grading Day):
• Elementary staff to complete Academic Feedback Form (instructions) and post to Canvas InBox for families to receive
• Secondary staff to post grades in Synergy to be printed on Qt1 Report Cards (instructions), which will be posted to ParentVUE for families to receive

Technology Need to Know Updates:

• Please do NOT update to iOS 15 or macOS Monterey. These OSes are not supported by LightSpeed yet. (our new internet filter)
• Mac users were impacted by a district-wide (3000+ computers) internet filter software updated on Wednesday around 2:30pm.  Reinstalling LightSpeed from Self Service and restarting resolves this issue.  

Canvas Grade Passback:

• GREAT NEWS - Gradebook nightly sync is now available (KB article for details)
• Known "Gotchas" as a Reminder:
• Canvas "do not count towards final grade" setting on assignment does NOT transfer to "not for grading in Synergy gradebook:
• SOLUTION: do not sync this assignment
• Canvas "Missing" status on assignment does NOT currently set the MI (missing) comment in Synergy.
• SOLUTION: View missing individual assignment status in Canvas

Technology Update - Week of Oct 18, 2021

 

TTSD Filter Update = "Update Now"

You may notice a Smart Agent update on your Mac computers, if. you see the following, please DO click "Update Now." The update will take place in the background...

Canvas Release Notes (2021-10-16)

Additional Details, see the 2021-10-16 Community Tag

New Features

• Navigation: Sticky Navigation Menus
• SpeedGrader: Submission Status Label Edits

Updated Features

• Gradebook: Assignment Search
• Notifications: Course Notification Customization

Feature Previews

• Rich Content Editor: Accessibility Checker Indicator Default Setting Adjustment

October is CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS MONTH

 Cyber Security Training for all TTSD Staff - Complete by Oct 29, 2021

Take the Training

Cyber security awareness is now critically important for both your personal and staff/student safety and wellness. In this 15 training, you will find valuable and entertaining information on how to protect personal information and why TTSD is implementing Multi-Factor Authentication on all staff Google Accounts by November 1st.  (KB article for help on Muti-Factor Authentication setup)

Cyber Security Training includes:

• Best Practices
• Data Security
• Ransomware

Below is a funny reminder that nothing on the internet is really free. Free content is usually supported by advertising, and the more advertisers know about customers the better they can target advertisements effectively. Your personal information itself is a BIG money game in the world of advertising and online sales!

Technology Update - End of September 2021

Middle and High School Teachers: Canvas "Grade Passback" is READY.  Students can begin seeing their overall grades through StudentVUE by next week:

Knowledgebase Articles: 

1. "Syncing Assignments & Scores To Synergy ("Grade Passback")
2. "Canvas Grade Passback - Advanced Features & "Need to Knows""

October is cyber security month

• Watch for more information about online, self-paced TTSD staff security training!

Multi-factor Authentication for Staff Email:

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! 

Change coming to TTSD Staff iPad's Mail Setup: 

• On Oct 4th, we will be updating our configuration for TTSD email on TTSD staff iPads in order to accommodate for the 2 factor authentication requirement on TTSD staff email of November 1, 2021.  On Oct 4th, you will notice that your TTSD account will be removed from your iPad.  
• You will need to FOLLOW the instructions in this KB article