Media Updates - Week of November 2

Reminders for Cohort B

Info to get you started with Cohort B in school.

Google Updates are Here (officially!)

Breakouts, polls, and more! Here is the info from WCPSS - Using Google Meet for Remote Learning

If you do not have full functionality of the upgrades, make sure that you are doing a Restart (not just Shut Down) daily so that WCPSS updates are pushed out to your device. 

What if a student forgets his/her device from home?

Chromebooks can be loaned out for a day on a limited basis. If a student comes to school without a device, email Andrea and Elizabeth before 10:00am. A Chromebook will be cleaned, charged, labeled, and delivered for you student. The Chromebook will be picked up at 2:30. 

If a student forgets their device, please help them to problem solve ways to remember their device each day. ***If a student forgets their device more than twice, we will need to reach out to the parent(s).

Media Collaboration

Please let me know if you or your grade level are interested in collaborating. Some ideas - email instructions and etiquette, any digital literacy topics, digital portfolios, eWise research model, team work protocols, STEAM activities, etc. I am available to plan together, to create lessons for you, to collect resources, or to teach lessons. 

Media Tech Updates - week of October 26

Mrs. Trowell's Tech Help Office Hours

I will no longer be available full time to assist with technology. Please note my Tech Help Office Hours: 

8:00am - 8:50am Tuesday - Thursday             10:00am - 10:50am Monday - Friday

I will be using these times to respond to tech related emails, texts, and heat tickets. The best way to get help with a device or internet issue is to submit a heat ticket (icon found on Rapid Identity). I will be checking these during Tech Office Hours and passing those I cannot solve onto tech services.  

Please direct parents to contact the help desk if they are having issues -  https://www.wcpss.net/GuidesToTechnology - scroll down to "Contact the Help Desk." Again, I will see the ticket and solve what I can and pass the others onto tech services.

If you are having a tech issue, this blog is a great starting place to quickly find information. You can either search topics or click on a label.  

I ask for your patience as I adjust to a new teaching schedule while continuing my responsibilities as tech contact.

Chromebooks for Plan B Students while in school

• Only students who are on the device list will have a Chromebook assigned for the week. 
• Borrowed Chromebooks and chargers stay at school.
• We will not be giving out Chromebooks at the last minute (ie. xxxx forgot his device today.) 
• Email me if there is student who needs a device at school. 
• Chromebooks for students who have requested a device while at school will be distributed on Monday between 8:30-9:00. 
• Borrowed Chromebooks need to placed outside your doors by Friday at 2:30. 
• Chromebooks will have a charger; both the device and charger will be labeled. 

BYOD

• Info for connecting wcpssguest
• Students who bring their own device need BYOD permission. I will be taking care of this.
• REMINDER: Only the student is allowed to touch his/her device. Staff members are not to touch students' personal devices. 

Smartboards

If your laptop is not connecting to your Smartboard, please let me know. We are ordering new HDMI cords.

Google Meet and Classroom features

https://bit.ly/31OidaL  Includes separate videos for student view and for teacher view.

I have not heard officially from WCPSS about using the new features (remember that they were pushed out to us from Google earlier than planned). Just know that they may still have bugs and are not yet fully reliable.

Media/Tech Updates Week of October 12

 ACTION NEEDED: Wireless Update

All staff members are recommended to update the wireless driver on their laptops. This will help with internet connection and speed. Tutorial

Google Meet Updates

From WCPSS: It seems Google is rolling out updates to Meet a lot quicker than they should.  Many that some have been seeing, like breakout rooms and the attendance tracking are Early Access features.  We are two rounds after that, in Scheduled Releases.  We are not sure why we are seeing some of these, but have notified Google so it is possible some may go away again or not all staff will get them right away.

At this time, many of these are not in their final release, so options may change.  We will be communicating best practices for all these features soon.

Do you have Chromebooks in your classroom?

Please turn them into the media center ASAP. We are short on devices for in-school students, so every Chromebook counts. Thank you!

Devices for In-school students

Students will bring their WCPSS Chromebooks and chargers to and from school each day. Each classroom will have painters tape to label each student's device, as well as a cleaning kit to use as needed. There will be a limited number of Chromebooks that can be assigned to students who do not have a device to bring back and forth. 

Please copy and paste the following information into your communications with families the next two weeks:

As staff plans for the students’ return to school on October 26, we want to make sure that in-school students have devices. 

• If your student has a WCPSS device, he/she will bring the device and charger to and from school each day.

• If your student has his/her own device, he/she will bring the labeled device and labeled charger to and from school each day if possible. **This option is highly encouraged, as we have limited devices to use at school.

• If your student needs a device to use at school, please email Andrea Trowell (atrowell@wcpss.net) ASAP. Devices used at school will be rotated weekly between students; devices will be quarantined/sanitized over the weekends.

Library Books for Staff

Please continue to place holds on books through Destiny. Elizabeth will pull your books and place them on the shelf as you enter the library. She plans on being at school in the mornings, but it is helpful to give 4-5 days notice if possible. If you need a book sooner, you are welcome to go into the library to get it, but you will need to email or text Elizabeth a photo of the WCPSS (pink stripe) barcode.