First Days of School
August 6, 2022 | by Alex Cormier, Technology Coordinator
For new students, stepping onto the campus of Shaw for the first time is an exciting moment. However, it can also be a confusing one: where's Don Bosco Hall? What does it mean to be a Salesian? How do I use a Chromebook?
I wanted to make sure that Eagles both new and experienced had resources they could turn to to help make the most of their first days of school. This article will discuss some of the tools we use on a daily basis.
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Note on Networking
Based on a blazing-fast connection provided by the Office of Information Technology, a ministry of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Shaw is happy to provide a second-to-none network with advanced WiFi coverage in nearly every corner of the campus. We are constantly improving reception, throughput, and eliminating deadzones to make downtime nearly zero.
If you are having connectivity issues, we're happy to assist! In addition to our proactive measures, we offer quick, convenient tech support. Feel free to reach out to the Department of Technology anytime at technology@archbishopshaw.us. We aim to respond within 24 hours during the week. Response times may be longer on the weekends.
Hardware
Every student at Archbishop Shaw is given a Chromebook to help them navigate and succeed in their 21st-century education. Maintaining your Chromebook is an important responsibility. Accidents do happen! When they do, the Department of Technology is here to get you up and running as soon as possible.
Below are details on the types of models we have distributed this year and some important information on repairs and costs associated with them.
Lenovo Chromebook 14e Gen. 2 (82M1)
This model Chromebook is new for Shaw for the 2022-2023 school year. It has rounded edges with a solid keyboard feel that make handling this machine nicer on a day-to-day basis. Like most Chromebooks, this machine features excellent battery life and wireless performance
Repairs
This model is unique in that it comes with an accident protection plan. Students who damage their Chromebook will be assessed a $60 premium and be issued a replacement Chromebook*. Total loss and/or damage cost is $429.99.
Lenovo Chromebook 14e Gen. 1 (81MH0006US)
While this model may seem familiar to some, those students who received this unit have received a totally brand new unit. While cosmetically different, the functionality and performance is nearly identical to it's Generation 2 counterpart.
For the pricing scheme related to repairs, please the Student Handbook.
Shaw is fortunate to have plenty of parts to continue to service and maintain these units for years to come!
Chromebooks are designed with all levels of user in mind, so while they may be simple to operate, they are anything but simplistic. You'll find that some of our faculty and staff do the majority of their work from Chrome devices.
Google has a great landing page that shows how to do many of the things you'd expect to do on a computer.
In order to maintain and keep up your Chromebook, here are some best practices:
Keep your Chromebook dry and away from extreme heat or cold (like the trunk of a car).
Make sure you set your Chromebook on flat, stable surfaces; never pull your Chromebook by the cord or cables connected to it.
Make sure to charge your Chromebook every night: that way, you should have plenty of battery life to last the whole day. Teachers aren't obliged to let you charge your Chromebook!
If using one of the Shaw-provided cases, do not store papers inside either on top or below your Chromebook. Pressure on top can damage the screen and papers below can block airflow, leading your Chromebook to overheat.
Google Account
Your journey into the exciting 21st-century education you'll receive at Shaw begins with your Google-based account. Every student is issued an Archbishop Shaw email address that follows the following format:
This system helps to keep each student's email address unique and easily identifies the student by the appropriate class.
At the time of creation, each student is provided a temporary, one-time password. After the student's first sign-in into their Chromebook, he will be prompted to create a new password.
Note: Students should take special care to remember this password as it is the password they will use to sign in to their Chromebook daily.If you are having sign-in issues, need to reset your password, or any other Google-account related questions, reach out to technology@archbishopshaw.us for assistance.
Google Workplace for Education
Your Archbishop Shaw Google account gives you access to all of the popular Google services you're familiar with (Gmail, Drive, Docs, etc.) as well as some you may be using for the very first time (Google Classroom, for instance). This section will give you a brief introduction to some of the services you'll use every day at Shaw.
Gmail
Gmail is nearly synonymous with email; it's the world's most popular email provider. Archbishop Shaw's email system uses the familiar Gmail interface. However, Gmail is so much more than just emails. Recent updates to the service introduced features such as Chat and Spaces.
Chat allows you to send instant messages to your teachers (and vice versa) in case there's a quick message you need to communicate.
Spaces can be used by your teachers for such things as clubs and events: instead of having to enroll in a Classroom, teachers can quickly add you to a Space and share messages, photos, files, and more.
In your Shaw 101 class, Mr. Russo will cover the basics of such things as writing a professional email; these skills will be important so that you and your teacher can communicate as quickly and efficiently as possible!
Google Classroom
Google Classroom will be one of the most used apps during your time here at Shaw. Teachers have been trained on using the full compliment of Classroom features to send you materials, assign homework/classwork, and provide assessments.
This Google help article lists some of the common features and tasks you'll accomplish in Google Classroom: Get started with Classroom for students
The attached video is also a great introduction to navigating Google Classroom.
Note: the following video is not associated with Archbishop Shaw; thanks to the content creator for sharing this info!Google Drive
Google Drive is like the File Explorer on Windows or the Finder on macOS: it's your virtual hard drive in the cloud! While your Chromebook has physical storage built in, the majority of your files will be found in Google Drive. Files, such as assignments from Google Classroom, your textbooks, and more, will also be accessible through Drive.
Speaking of textbooks, your teacher may have a digital copy of your book available for you on Google Drive. To find them, you can either:
Use the search bar at the top of the page, or
Go to the Shared with me menu on the left-hand side of the Drive page. There you can find all of the files and folders that have been shared with you.
If you need help finding your textbooks or using Google Drive, feel free to ask your teacher or email us at technology@archbishopshaw.us.
If you're looking for some help articles, we have a great one from Google as well as a whole training module you can take for free!
This Google training and help article covers a lot of Drive's features; while some may not apply to you, you can easily find the information you need thanks to the layout. In addition, you can take this Google-designed course to help you master Google Drive.
PlusPortals
Google Classroom and related Google services are tools you will use on a daily basis. However, if you want to see official school information such as your grades, your schedule, and other important information, you'll access PlusPortals. PlusPortals is the way you connect with the school's official database of information. All of your school data is securely stored in PlusPortals so that your academic journey at Shaw can be preserved and referenced at nearly any point in time.
That's great but how do you use it? It all starts by signing in for the first time. When your account is created, you'll receive a link at the email address on file to set your password.
Note: your Google-based account and your PlusPortals-based account are separate; while they may share the same login credentials (i.e. your email address), they are not connected and may not share the same password.Parents: make sure to check the email address you provided at registration! Students: your PlusPortals link will be sent to your school-issued email address (remember: check your school email by going to https://gmail.com).
You will need to click this link before you can sign in to PlusPortal through the regular means. If you've completed account set up, you'll sign in to PlusPortals by:
Sign-in on the right-hand side using the email address on file/school-issued email and the password you created.
If you are having difficulty accessing your account, please feel free to reach out to the Office of Academics or the Department of Technology!
For parents who are still looking to learn more about how to use PlusPortals, the following video can be a great help:
GoGuardian
Ask any student at Shaw what GoGuardian is and they'll give you the same answer: it blocks sites! While that is true, there's so much more that GoGuardian can do to make your life a little easier.
Chat: teachers can send messages to students directly to their Chromebook; in addition, students can also message their teacher. This is great for situations such as individual classwork or tests.
Open Links: your teacher can automatically open links and pages for you on your Chromebook.
Screen sharing: your teacher can immediately view your screen and share their own screen with you.,
There are many more features and creative ways your teachers will use them.
There's so much more to discover to make this education journey the best possible. We hope these resources are helpful for your first days of school. If you should need, feel free to always reach out to us at technology@archbishopshaw.us.
Go Eagles!