FAQs for Technology
G Suite: Frequently Asked Questions
About G Suite
What is G Suite? (formerly Google Apps for Education)
Clear Lake G Suite is an integrated communication and collaboration solution, hosted by Google and managed by Clear Lake. G Suite will provide the ability for Clear Lake students, faculty and staff to communicate, store files and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in real time from school, work, or home, all within a secure “closed campus” online environment.
How will it be used?
Google Apps will provide the ability for students and teachers to store files and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in real time from school or home within a “closed campus” online environment. The use of these tools is optional, and intended to provide an approved and supportable alternative to “consumer” Google accounts.
What can my student/child do with Google Apps?
Students will have easy access to their documents, spreadsheets, and presentations within Google Apps. In addition, students will have additional storage for other files they may need to use between home and school.
As the use of Clear Lake Google Apps continues, there may be other features that are added within G Suite. You will be informed about any significant changes to the tools your student is using in the secure Clear Lake Schools environment.
Costs and Fees
How much is Clear Lake paying for this?
G Suite is free to Clear Lake Schools.
Computer Access
What if I don’t have a computer, how is my child going to get to use it?
The use of Clear Lake G Suite is part of the instructional program and students have many opportunities to work in their Clear Lake G Suite account during the school day. Because Clear Lake’s G Suite is safe and web based, it can be accessed from home, the public library, or other places where computers are available.
Should I get my child their own computer?
The use of Clear Lake G Suite does not require students to have their own computer or any other personal device. Students in grades 7-12 will have a school issued Chromebook to use at home and school. Elementary students will have a device at school to access their Google account.
How will my child access Clear Lake G Suite?
Students will be provided their user id and password at school. Once the student has an active account, there are a variety of ways to log in:
Go to http://www.google.com and log in using his or her full G Suite mail address (username@students.clwarriors.org) and password.
Click on the G in the upper right hand corner of our school website www.clwarriors.org
Google Chrome is the recommended browser for Google Apps.
Logging into your Google account at home for students without email app (Grades 3-6 )
Go to www.clwarriors.org
Click on the G symbol in the upper right hand corner and sign in with your name@students.clwarriors.org account then enter your password.
Google will notify you that you do not have access to email with this account, this is true. Simply go to www.Google.com and look in the upper right corner of the screen. You should see that your child is signed in and has a waffle (little dots stacked on top of each other). If you click on the waffle, you will notice the students items are available there. When you are done with your work simply click on the student image or letter in the circle and choose sign out.
Will my child be required to access G Suite at home?
The instructional use of Clear Lake G Suite is optional, with decisions about G Suite in the classroom often made at the school level by teachers. Since G Suite is accessible from any device with access to the Internet, your child does have the opportunity to log in to his or her Clear Lake Google Apps account from home to access their information or work on their documents, and collaborate on shared documents with other students and/or their teacher.
Can my child e-mail me with this account?
Yes, students in grades 7-12 will be able to email outside of our school community.
Elementary students will not be able to email outside of our school community. Clear Lake G Suite is a “walled garden.” It will not allow elementary students to send or receive email outside of the Clear Lake G Suite domain. You will not be able to email your student at his or her clwarriors.org address, nor will they be able to email you.
My child already has a Gmail account, why can't they use that one?
Clear Lake Google Apps Mail is one of the applications offered and is the preferred way for students to communicate with other students and staff for academic purposes. For this reason, we ask that all students use their clwarriors.org email address for all school work.
Do these apps work on an iPad or other tablet?
Google Apps documents may be edited using a mobile browser.
Parent Access
Can parents use it?
Currently only Clear Lake employees and Clear Lake students can access Clear Lake G Suite.
Can I see what my child is doing on Google Apps? Will there be a Parent View account?
No there is not a Parent View account. Parents are encouraged to explore Google Apps with their children by logging in together. You will be able to have your student log in to his or her Clear Lake Google account at home and show you what they are currently working on in class, as well as items that have been “turned in” and commented on by the teacher.
What assurances has Google given Clear Lake that they will not collect data on my student?
Clear Lake has a signed agreement with Google based on the terms of this agreement http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/terms/education_terms.html Please see Section 7. Clear Lake’s G Suite is compliant with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA.)
Who has access to my child’s account?
The Google Apps Terms of Service agreement with Clear Lake contractually ensures that our institution (students, faculty, and staff) are the sole owners of their data. Google will only access content stored on Apps when an administrator from Clear Lake grants Google explicit permission to do so. One example would be to investigate inappropriate use.
Does my child retain copyright of their creations?
The same copyright rules apply to content in G Suite that would apply to any other creation, provided the student is the sole owner.
What protection will Clear Lake provide so that my child is not accessing inappropriate content on the web?
There are no advertisements used with G Suite. G Suite is an online collaboration tool that is accessed using a web browser and requires a login and password.
Google Apps in the Classroom
What apps are available and how can I expect my child’s teacher to use them?
Clear Lake G Suite will provide students with secure and easy online access to classroom, documents, spreadsheet, presentation and communication tools that can be accessed easily from home or school and enhance teacher and student collaboration in the classroom and beyond.
Teachers can use Google Docs to facilitate group projects and use the history tool to see the level of participation of each student in a group. Teachers will be able to give feedback to students directly in documents shared with a teacher. Turning in assignments is easy on Classroom, or by sharing the file in Google Docs with the teacher, or by emailing it to the teacher through the student’s Clear Lake Google Apps Mail account.
What if another student deletes their work?
The owner is the only person who can delete a document. Once a document is deleted, no one can access it, including those with whom it was shared.
How will Google Apps reflect in their grade?
The use of G Suite will not in itself impact grades. Consult with your child’s teacher/s about individual class requirements.
Why is Google necessary for the students; can’t the teachers just answer the students’ questions?
The use of G Suite is another tool Clear Lake provides to help students and teachers communicate, collaborate, apply critical thinking skills, and work creativity. Teachers will continue to answer students’ questions in the classroom. G Suite provides students an additional opportunity to ask a teacher question electronically, helping students learn to communication in a real world environment.
Why Use G Suite? Why is the school system doing this?
"Digital Citizenship” and “21st Century Skills” are concepts which help teachers, technology leaders and parents to understand what students/children/technology users should know to use technology appropriately. Digital Citizenship and 21st Century Skills are more than just a teaching tool; using these tools can be a way to prepare students/technology users for a society full of technology. Too often we are seeing students as well as adults misusing and abusing technology but not sure what to do. The issue is more than what the users do not know but what is considered appropriate technology usage.”
Why do students need an e-mail? Isn’t there another way to communicate?
G Suite is available for every student in Clear Lake schools and teachers can implement G Suite when they are ready. Providing students with an email address will allow for streamlined collaboration among their peers and teachers, and provides a consistent digital tool that can be accessed from home and at school. This will also allow email to become an instructional tool and allows students to participate in authentic online learning in a safe environment.
What is the value of G Suite?
Classroom collaboration. Students and teachers can open and edit their documents quickly. No more distractions like USB keys, outdated file attachments, or confusing client software. Anytime, anywhere access to Google Apps lets users be productive at school, at home, and even on their mobile phones. Because Google Docs runs in a web browser, students can work from almost any computer without having to purchase new software. Easily upload and share files. Google Apps supports popular formats such as .doc, .xls, .ppt, and .pdf. Files stored on Google Drive are always accessible and backed-up online. Smarter commenting, better feedback Google Apps' intuitive commenting feature is ideal for instructor and collaborator feedback. Revision history allows users to review document edits over time.