We hope you have a relaxing and restful summer!

Here are some tips and resources to getting you prepared for the upcoming school year.

Technology Announcements and Updates:

August 19, 2021

New MacBook Users: Don't update to Big Sur 11.5.2 until further notice. The update has not been fully tested.

You will be notified when you can update to Big Sur 11.5.2

August 18, 2021

The Technology Department is pleased to announce that the new Apple Laptops are ready and we would like to provide an opportunity for any staff who wishes to do so, to pick them up before the start of school.

It is very important that you copy any local files on your laptop to your google drive BEFORE you exchange it for a new one. To move files to your Google drive, please view this video created by our own Technology Coaching team: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19WAAUNJf6a8-vdWHoqgZwkVHa5vUPMje/view

We will only be collecting the laptop and charger. You will keep your current bag and will receive a new set of dongles and accessories with the new laptop.

Dates / times for early exchange, no appointment is necessary:

FHS Events Lobby

Tuesday, August 24th: 10AM-12PM

Thursday, August 26th: 10AM-12PM

Thursday, August 26th: 1PM-3PM

We encourage all staff to take advantage of these early pickup dates to avoid the rush during the first days of school when all laptops will be distributed, and to give yourself a few days to acquaint yourself with the new laptop before the start of school

August 12, 2021

Staff Device Refresh Update:

The Technology Department is pleased to announce that the new Apple Laptops are ready and we would like to provide an opportunity for any staff who wishes to do so, to pick them up before the start of school.

It is very important that you copy any local files on your laptop to your google drive BEFORE you exchange your MacBook. To move files to your Google drive, please view this video created by our own Technology Coaching team: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19WAAUNJf6a8-vdWHoqgZwkVHa5vUPMje/view

We will only be collecting the laptop and charger. You will keep your current bag and will receive a new set of dongles and accessories with the new laptop.

Dates / times for early exchange, no appointment is necessary:

FHS Events Lobby location

• Thursday August 12th 10 AM - 12 PM

• Monday August 16th 10 AM to 12 PM

• Tuesday August 17th 1 PM to 3 PM

We encourage all staff to take advantage of these early pickup dates to avoid the rush during the first days of school when all laptops will be distributed, and to give yourself a few days to acquaint yourself with the new laptop before the start of school.

August 9, 2021:

Staff Device Refresh Updates:

• Check our website and your email inbox for early pickup dates.

• Begin to backup your files to Google Drive or a thumb drive

• MacBook Air Overview, Information and, Tech Specs

• MacBook Air Setup

• Microsoft Office will not be included on the new MacBook Air Laptop. You can use the following:

  • Google Workspace (Google Docs, Slides, Sheets)

  • Apple programs (Pages, Keynote and, Numbers). These programs are free downloads from the Apple Apps Store. You will need to set up an Apple ID using your Franklinboe account.

  • You can sign up for a free Microsoft Office 365.com account.

July 22, 2021:

Staff Device Refresh:

• Check our website and your email inbox for early pickup dates.

• Begin to backup your files to Google Drive or a thumb drive

Seesaw

• Wanted Seesaw Ambassadors for the following schools CES, CON, FPS, HIL, PGM to participate in the Seesaw Fast Track Ambassador Program. Interested? Please email Edward Ward

• K-5 Teachers take a moment and complete the Teacher PD survey

• Have you saved your spot for Seesaw Connect?

✔ Seesaw Connect is a completely FREE, virtual conference for ALL Seesaw educators.

✔ Conference courses are on-demand, video-based, and about 30 minutes.

✔ A certificate of completion is available for each course.

✔ Enroll in Seesaw Connect to access nine conference courses. Seesaw Professional Learning Community members get access to all 30+ courses.

✔ Courses launch Monday, July 26th and remain available on-demand until August 13th.

July 8, 2021:

Pear Deck Free Virtual Summer Professional Development Event

July 28, 2021, at 11 am CDT / 12 pm EST

Click to Register Here

Sign Up for Free Google Applied Digital Skills Professional Development

Are you interested in using Applied Digital Skills with your students in the next school year and want to know more? We are offering several live free sessions on how to easily integrate lessons from Applied Digital Skills into your curriculum.

Join us for one of our professional development sessions on:

• Thursday, July 22nd, 11 am PDT/2 pm EDT

• Tuesday, July 27th, 1 pm PDT/4 pm EDT

• Thursday, July 29th, 11 am PDT/2 pm EDT

• Thursday, August 5th, 1 pm PDT/4 pm EDT

• Thursday, August 12th, 11 am PDT/2 pm EDT

Sign up Here

Apple PD Series: Everyone Can Code - Teaching Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Problem-Solving

Thursday, July 15, 2021, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. EDT

This event will be held online with Cisco Webex.

Click to Register Here

July 6, 2021:

Summer Academy students Chromebook support - Any students attending a Summer Academy or STEM program and have a Chromebook issue:

A. Swap the Chromebook

B. Record the replacement Chromebook on a Google Sheet with the following information ( School, Student ID, FN, LN, GR, Old Chromebook Asset Tag # and Replacement Chromebook Asset Tag #)

C. Report the damaged Chromebook to the Help Desk to be repaired.

June 22, 2021:

• Students issued a district Chromebook will be able to keep the device during the summer.

• All teachers will receive new MacBook Laptops in September. See the directions below to prepare for the swap.

• Grades 6-12 students' Chromebooks will be upgraded

• Our 6-12 Mac Labs will be upgraded with new iMacs

• The Technology data center will be relocated to the new administrative campus at BAC. The move is scheduled for Thursday, July 1, 2021 beginning at 3:30 P.M.

Congratulations - Tuesday Tech Tech Tips 2021-2022 Challenge Winners

It was great to see so many staff members participate consistently in the Tuesday Tech Tech Tips Challenge this year!

Below are the staff members who were in the top 5 for number of correct responses during the 2020-21 school year.

Sherri Vant-Nagy (EAS)

Joy Kuchinsky (CRS)

Stephanie Lee (EAS, MAC)

Dena Febus (FPS)

Linda Markow (EAS

MacBook Refresh Information

• If you use the Chrome browser and would like to have your bookmarks follow you to your new machine, please see this article: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/185277

• The new laptops will not contain a copy of Microsoft Office as the district completes its full use plan of the Google platform, which contains a full suite of productivity software.

• Please monitor your email for days during the summer when staff may come to trade their laptop for a new one before the start of school next year. Once the technology department has a firm delivery date and units are ready, we will open up the window for early pickup and we encourage anyone who wants, to take advantage of early pickup dates.