Transition Overview

The Blake School's FirstClass to Google Transition Overview

Blake's transition to Google Apps for Education provides a number of immediate benefits. Some of the benefits include:

Immediate and substantial increase in email quota (25 GB)
Single Sign On for Google Apps, Internet, Computer, File Server, Support @Blake and more...
Better support for mobile devices
Less spam in your inbox
Better e-mail search capabilities

Please view the Blake Goes Google Presentation to learn what you can expect from the transition process and what will change when using Gmail @Blake and Google Calendar. To review how Gmail @Blake compares to the Blake's FirstClass System, please read the Comparison Chart.

Email, Calendar, and Groups Transition Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Will my Blake email address change?

No. E-mail addresses will remain the same as they are now. Blake members will sign-on to Gmail @Blake.

What if I already have a gmail account?

If you are a Blake user with one or more personal, public Gmail accounts and mailboxes, those will stay completely separate from your Blake E-mail account and mailbox that is powered by Google.

What are some of the issues I can expect with the email transition?

Please view the Blake Goes Google Presentation to learn about everything you should expect and need to know prior to the migration. None of FirstClass email, calendar events, or conference information will be imported to Google due to the proprietary nature of the

FirstClass system.

Which FirstClass services will be transitioned to Google?

Your email account, global contacts, calendar, and conferences will be transitioned to Google. None of FirstClass email, calendar events, or conference information will be imported to Google due to the proprietary nature of the FirstClass system.

What happens on the day of the transition?

On the day of the transition, members of the Blake community will receive several emails regarding the transition progress. Shortly after transition begins, you will have access to Gmail @Blake and be able to send and receive email. We will inform you via email once transition is fully completed; at that time you may change and apply personal settings for your new account.

What will happen to the email and conference discussions in FirstClass after the transition is complete?

Employees at Blake will have access to their FirstClass account for approximately one year via the FirstClass client software. You will be able to export email and export conference discussions as text files locally to their computer. The files can be stored locally on your computer for future reference. Please read our FAQ Export Email and Conferences from FirstClass. You will not able to send or receive emails from FirstClass after the transition is complete. On September 3, 2013, all access to FirstClass email, calendar events, and conference will cease to exist. Members of the Blake community will receive several emails regarding the progress of shutting down FirstClass. (None of FirstClass email, calendar events, or conference information will be imported to Google due to the proprietary nature of the FirstClass system.)

What will happen to the calendar events in FirstClass after the transition is complete?

Employees at Blake will have access to their FirstClass account for approximately one year via the FirstClass client software. You will be able to export calendar events as .ics files locally to their computer. The files can be uploaded to Google Calendar in order to create similar events. Please read our FAQ Export Calendar Events from FirstClass. On September 3, 2013, all access to FirstClass email, calendar events, and conference will cease to exist. Members of the Blake community will receive several emails regarding the progress of shutting down FirstClass. (None of FirstClass email, calendar events, or conference information will be imported to Google due to the proprietary nature of the FirstClass system.)

Where will I access my email after transition?

You will be able access your email via Gmail @Blake. Simply sign-on to Gmail @Blake, You can use Gmail @Blake to access your Google Calendar, Google Docs and Google Sites.

How is Gmail @Blake different from FirstClass ?

The noteworthy change in how you interact with Gmail @Blake is the detail in how you organize your messages. The two main differences are: Labels and Conversations. Where FirstClass supported folders and "nested" folders (folders within folders), Google supports a labeling system instead. This sounds like a major change, but for all intents and purposes, it provides you with the same level of organization and ease of retrieving information. Watch short videos on Gmail features such as conversation threads, labels, filters and more.

- Labels will help you stay organized. Labels work like folders, but they give you more flexibility because you can apply more than one label to each email.
- Conversations: Rather than listing each message reply as a new message in your Inbox, Gmail groups a message and its replies in a conversation, which is only listed once.

Watch short videos on Gmail features such as conversation threads, labels, filters and more.

What happens to the folders I made in FirstClass?

Gmail uses labeling systems instead of folders or “nested” folders. Your folders will turned into labels once you are migrated to Gmail. Watch short videos on Gmail features such as conversation threads, labels, filters and more.

Ownership of Data

Google does not own Blake School's Google Apps for Education community e-mail or data. Your data will be kept as long as you want, and can be deleted whenever you ask.

Google complies with applicable US privacy law, and the Google Apps Terms of Service specifically details Blake's obligations and compliance with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) regulations. In addition, Google is registered with the US-EU Safe Harbor agreement, which helps ensure that Blake's data protection compliance meets European Union standards for educational institutions.

Privacy of Data in Google Apps for Education

In order to provide essential core features for Blake, Google will run fully automated scanning and indexing processes to offering improved spam filtering, virus detection, and email search, just as Blake's FirstClass currently does for these same purposes. The details of Blake's agreement are consistent with this FAQ on the Google website.

The standard Blake policy of no ads will apply to its entire Google Apps for Education environment.

Privacy and Security of Google Apps for Education, Administration

Google has provided assurance that its policies regarding data center access and server access are appropriate and consistent with how Blake's ISS department controls access to servers and data centers.

Internet Cookies and Advertising

Google's search engine (outside of Google Apps for Education) uses cookies for a variety of purposes including advertising and session management. Clients can set up their browsers so as to reduce the use of cookies - either through browser set-up or through third party security plug-ins. For Google, clients can also opt out of certain advertising cookie capture and use.

Watch: Blake Goes Google Presentation. Why are we transitioning from FirstClass to Google Apps?

Watch: Google Apps Stories at Blake. Vexing problems. Real solutions.