Q&A emails

(use "ctrl+F to search the page for keywords or click on section headers below)

Classlink

Q: I don't think my Classlink is working, or maybe I am going to the wrong site. It asked me for a code. Should I have a code?

A: Make sure you are browsing to my.classlink.com/commerce. Sounds like you might be going to the main ClassLink page and not the Commerce dashboard.

Q: I can't login to Classlink

A: 99% of the issues come from using the wrong login name. Double-check that you are logging in with just first name.last name (not full email). Then type your network login slowly making sure you're not mistyping it. (It was the email that got you, wasn't it?!)

Q: Did you say that Classlink will create our Google Classrooms for us? When will that happen?

A: Yes. Classlink will roster your students for you. From there, you can add co-teachers if needed. When it is set up, I will send an email to the district to let you know. The goal is to have this done before the first day of classes. 

Q: How do I add apps for students to use in ClassLink?

A: If you are going to use specific apps in specific classes, you can assign apps in the Backpack. ClassLink has over 6,000 apps (which are weblinks). I can also add Commerce ISD-specific apps to the Teacher or Student App library as suggestions to help narrow down the options. Just let me know what you need! 

Q: Do I have to use the Google Classrooms that ClassLink populated for me or can I create my own? I don't want to lose the assignment/grade connection with Skyward.

A1: You can use your own if you want to. I know that some secondary classes are broken out by grade level and each class is a Classroom. Just know that if you create your own then Skyward won't keep them current for you. 

A2: The connection with Skyward isn't a two-way street. ClassLink "dumps" the daily schedule changes into Google Classroom. When you create an assignment into Google Classroom and grade it, the grades DO NOT populate back to Skyward.

Q: What do I do if it says I can’t add a student in my Google Classroom?

A: Because the classes are auto-rostered, it will pull the new kids from Skyward every night. 

Q: (student) is not showing in Google Classroom. What do I do? Can I add her or the system has to do that?

​A1: The overnight processing should fix many of the Google Classroom errors as changes are made to rosters each day. Check with your PEIMS Clerk to make sure that the student is on your roster AND their email address is in Skyward correctly. 

A2: I would let ClassLink fix any students being in the wrong place. Only because we need the systems to be right and sync right so that other systems we connect will work right too. :) 

Q: I have a student who does not have the ability to add her own apps. Like a frequently used website/link or the apps that we do. 

A: Students can now add their own apps! Just had to sit down and find that toggle switch.

Linewize

Q: Can you block YouTube completely?

A: The short answer is no, we cannot block YouTube for everyone. Our teachers use YouTube for instructional videos and blocking it would not be what's best for all. On our end, it's either all or none. There are some content filters turned on within YouTube, but it's not going to catch everything. 

The in depth answer might not be popular, but regulating where the students browse to on the Chromebooks is up to the classroom teacher. Either the expectation needs to be set (and followed through with Classwize monitoring) or the teacher can block ALL YouTube access in Classwize

Q: Why can't I see some of my students? It shows that they are in a different class?

A: Student Chromebooks cannot be seen “live” in more than one Linewize Classroom. If the students move from room to room, but are still connected to your Linewize Class, then they will not be able to be be “seen” by the next teacher. Please make sure that your class start and end times are correct. 

Q: Why can't I see some of my students? I can see others, but not all.

A: If your class was pulled from Google Classroom, then you should not have this issue. If you manually created your class and added students yourself, please delete the students that you cannot see and reenter them with the correct email address. 

Curriculum Resources

Q: I don't have a username or password for Implementing TEKS Resource System. Can I get that?

A: There is spreadsheet of new teachers' names that is sent to Region 10 for upload by the curriculum coordinators. You should receive an email from Region 10 about your account when it is created. 

Q: I need access to Accelerate Learning. Can you help me?

A: Yes, setting up and checking access to Accelerate Learning, HMH, McGraw Hill, IXL, etc. is a big process at the beginning of each school year. The process cannot be completed without the courses in Skyward being created and this should be solid the week before school starts. If you click on something in ClassLink that you think you should have access to, please send me an email and I will check on it.

Technology Resources

Q: Are we supposed to monitor Linewize only while our students are physically in our classrooms? (from a secondary teacher)

A: In the regular classroom environment, yes, you only need to monitor when your students are physically in the classroom. Please set your classrooms to record during the week day from bell to bell. 

Q: My student is able to login to their Google Account/Chromebook but they aren't in my Google Classroom. Do I need to add them or how can I get them added?

A: The students are added to your Google Classroom from the email field in their Skyward account. Please check this information to make sure that it is accurate. If it needs to be added or edited, please contact your PEIMS Clerk to make these changes. 

Technology Department

Q: Who approves a website from being blocked? I have a subscription to a website that is blocked. 

A: When you get this screen or something similar from Linewize (see image below) please submit a ticket in Eduphoria. Requests need to be reviwed and curriculum and/or administrators may be asked about the resource before approval is granted.

Q: What do we do with our classroom technology if we are moving positions/classrooms/campuses?

A: There are at least 4 items that are checked out to every classroom teacher. A laptop, an extra charger, a Dell puck, and a HoverCam. Unhooking these items and packing them in the technology tubs to move is not a good idea, especially if the teacher is switching roles or moving to a room without a board. The tubs and contents should remain in the same classroom, and be checked out to the teacher assigned to that room, except possible laptop changes made within the same campus.

Please follow these procedures when you have staff members/teachers switching roles:

• Check in all of the items (laptop, charger, puck, HoverCam) that belonged to the current teacher/staff member on their current campus in Destiny. (If they are moving within the same campus, they can keep their laptop. If they are moving campuses, the laptop will need to be checked in too.)

• Check out the items in the classroom to the new teacher in Destiny. Technology tubs stay with the classroom and do not travel with the teacher. (If they move campuses, they will receive the laptop that the outgoing employee used on their new campus. If there are multiple moves within a campus, please just make sure that they have the correct device assigned to them in Destiny.)

Please note that items being checked in and out of Destiny do not need to be unhooked and brought to the library for scanning. The asset tag numbers (100XXXXX) can be emailed to the library and manually entered for check in/out.