June 2018

BIG PICTURE

Elementary Computer Science Education Grant

Auburn School District is one of 24 Washington school districts receiving computer science grant funds from OSPI for the 2018 – 19 school year.

The $51,433 will provide:

Teacher Training
Hardware purchases (Mouse-n-Go, Dash-n-Dot, Micro:bits)
Field Trips to the Living Computers Museum for high poverty schools
Banners designating Computer Science Schools

Depending on the school, students may learn computer science in their classroom or from a technology specialist.

Credit: Wonder Workshop

Looking Forward

Summer Deployment

To better support all staff, the Department of Tech will be deploying Office 2016 to all PC desktops during the summer of 2018. DoT Staff will work around summer school and other work schedules to provide minimal interruptions. Training on the new Office 2016 will be provided by ITSS and the Instructional Tech team starting in the Fall of 2018.

For more information about the deployment, please refer to the Building Communication Letter.

For more information about these new tools, please refer to the Introduction to Office 2016 .

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Credit: geralt

What's New with Student Chromebooks

Continuing students will keep their Chromebooks over the summer. Students can use their devices for summer school and enrichment activities. The Department of Technology will receive Chromebooks in the summer from students who unexpectedly transfer and those who need maintenance support.

Over the summer the district will install a new web filter – Securly. This new filter allows filtering by student grade level or setting and includes improved screening for cyberbullying and self-harm. With this new tool, parents will be able to monitor their students’ online activities and set restrictions at home on the school Chromebook.

Effective July 16, in Skyward Family Access, parents/guardians of incoming 6th grade students and new families will be able to complete their Chromebook Acknowledgement Form in preparation for joining our 1:1 take-home program this fall. All students will pay a $10 Chromebook maintenance fee ($5 for free and reduced lunch) in the 2018-19 school year.

Tech Tips

End of Year Surveys

All staff are invited to complete the end of year technology survey. Your feedback will help the Department of Technology continue to refine services to schools. Just like last year, every 25th person to complete the survey will receive a $5 Starbucks gift card. See who has won so far at the bottom of this newsletter.

17 - 18 Staff Technology Survey

The elementary, middle, and high school student surveys have been sent out by the Instructional Technology Support Specialists (ITSS) at each school with a plan for having every student take the survey. Thank you for your support.

Student/Staff Totals vs surveys completed (updated 6/7/18)

Staff End of Year Processes

Chromebook Carts & Tablet Tubs

Please check Chromebook carts for damage on devices and ask your BTC/TSS to submit a work order (TMA) for damages. BTC/TSS should submit one TMA per building.

All carts and tubs should be kept in a locked and alarmed area of your building for the summer. Do not leave Chromebook carts in portables.

Please leave all Chromebook carts UNPLUGGED at the end of the year, unless they are being actively used by summer school.

Summer Maintenance

The Department of Technology will be performing proactive maintenance items in schools throughout the summer. Please leave all PCs plugged in and uncovered (no plastic bags or sheets over them) if at all possible.

Moving Classrooms

Are you moving classrooms for the 18-19 school year? Please communicate with the Department of Technology regarding technology that needs to move with you. This is vital for inventory and supporting work orders throughout the school year.

The DoT has provided two options to better support your needs:

Option 1: Move the technology yourself. Please coordinate with your BTC or TSS to submit a work order (TMA) and a "Technology Moves for Buildings" spreadsheet. Please note, only one TMA should be submitted for all the moves in the one building.

Option 2: DoT Staff moves the technology. BTC or TSS will submit a work order with an attached "Technology Moves for Building" spreadsheet. Written projects are required for 10 or more device moves and should have been submitted before 6/7/2018.

Certificated Staff Chromebooks

Staff leaving the Auburn School District at the end of the 17-18 school year need to return their staff Chromebook, charger, and case into their school BTC/TSS.

Staff leaving the district during the summer will need to drop off their Chromebook, charger, and case to the Dept. of Tech in the JPF building.

Staff changing buildings for the 18-19 school year, please email helpdesk@auburn.wednet.edu to assist in inventory updates.

Leaving Staff Files/Documents

If you are leaving the school district, you need to transfer ownership of all work files to your department head or supervisor through Google Team drive.

Click here for instructions on setting up a team drive and moving files and folders.

"Wake Up"

The Department of Technology will be disabling the automatic PC "wake ups" after June 29th. If you are working in the buildings during this time, you will need to manually turn on the machines. This includes Summer School use.

Instruction

Summer Professional Development

Use this bingo sheet to continue your individualized and self-directed technology professional development throughout the summer!

Each link will go to either an ASD-created online module or some information about the tool to use in your lessons.

Summer PD Bingo.pdf

New Staff Device

95.5% of the 425 teachers surveyed preferred a PC Desktop and one 360-touch Chromebook as their instructional devices starting next year. DTAC endorsed this decision.

Starting with the teachers who have Acers and HP G3s, teacher Chromebooks will be replaced with a new 360-touch Chromebook. The process will begin in the winter of the 18-19 school year. Classroom desktops will continue to be replaced on their regular rotation cycle.

ASD Pie Chart showing responses to teacher device survey.

Data Security

ASD Staff member passwords expire every 120 days or approximately every 4 months. Whenever you change your password, this clock is reset. Your PC, Google, and Outlook password are synced immediately. Skyward has a separate, standalone password.

If you have not changed your password recently, the Department of Technology recommends resetting your Active Directory (PC) and Skyward passwords prior to the end of the school year to avoid expiration during the summer. If your passwords have expired or it needs to be reset, please contact the DoT at 253-931-4940, Option #2.

To manually change your Active Directory (PC), Google, and Outlook password choose one of these options:

On any network computer, press CTRL + ALT + DEL and change password.
Go to google.com, click on your "My Account" in the upper right-hand corner, click on "sign-in & security," and click on your "password & sign-in method."
Go to https://mail.auburn.wednet.edu/, sign into your account, click on the gearwheel in the upper right-hand corner, and choose "change password."
Use the self-password reset system if you have already enrolled in it.

To change your Skyward password, log-in to your Skyward account, click on "Account" in the upper right-hand corner, and choose "Change Password."

Credit: geralt

Please enroll in the self-password reset system which allows you to reset your own password if forgotten or expired.

The school or support building that has the highest percentage of staff enrolled in the self-password reset module by the end of the day on Monday, June 18th, will win a “sweet treat” for their building. “Donut” miss out on this wonderful opportunity!

Shout Out!

End of Year Survey Gift Card Winners!

Congrats to the following for being every 25th person to fill out our End of Year Staff Survey - and thank you for completing our survey!

You still have time to complete the 17 - 18 Staff Technology Survey to get a chance to win a Starbucks gift card.

Tara Bell - Alpac Elementary

Catherine Peter - West Auburn HS

Katie Mikel - Lake View Elementary

Ben Johnson - Washington Elementary

Dan McNeese - Cascade MS

Kyle Ridge - Gildo Rey Elementary

Ciree Martin - Dick Scobee Elementary

Jessalynn Sowards - Rainier MS

Susan Paulson - Washington Elementary

Judy Jones - Dick Scobee Elementary

Penny Green - Lakeland Hills Elementary

Anna K. Marshall - Washington Elementary

Andrew DeFrancesco - Ilalko Elementary

Trina Lutes-Johnson - Lake View Elementary

James McInroy - Olympic MS

Hayley Turner - Rainier MS

Josh Simon - Auburn Moutainview HS

Shaunessy Lewis - Auburn Mountainview HS

Trina Peters - Lakelan Hills Elementary

Donna Weppler - Auburn Mountainview HS

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