CAFE Technology News 10/6/15

Overview:

- Student Logins Issues

- Teacher Email Password Change and Keychain

- CAFE News Archive

 

Student Logins

At this time, there are still some student login problems.  If you have a student with 2 last names it is possible that our system has created their username using BOTH last names.  If you have a student who cannot login, please place a work order in KACE using the descriptors below and I will get this fixed for you.  Students are NOT to be logging in as 12345, this becomes a security issue.
Summary of Problem: Student Cannot Login
Description:  Student's full name
KACE Box Link: http://techhelp.ccs.k12.int/

Teacher Email Password Change and Keychain

Clarification:  When you change your email password, you must restart your computer and be at school, for the change to take place and avoid the keychain login.  Once you restart and the pop appears (the first time) you will need to click "Create New Keychain" and you will not be prompted to enter a new/old password.
**Please note:  If you change your email password at home, you will need to wait until you are back on campus to restart your machine and enter your new password.

CAFE News Archive

All CAFE News broadcasts are being archived.  There is a link on the Furr Hompage under Quick Links.  If you have parents asking for access to past broadcasts, you can direct them to this link.

Class Pictures Needed

I am in need of some pictures of your classes during their learning activities to post on the front office TV, school website, and Facebook page.  Email me your pictures with a short little blurb.  Thanks Christine Nelson for sending me your "Economy Project" photos.

What do you think about the newsletter?  Email me with your feedback no later than Thursday at 9:00am to be entered into a drawing for a FREE Starbucks Gift Card!

CAFE Technology News 5/28/15

End of Year Procedures

All teachers should have received their Technology EOY procedures.  Please make sure you are aware of the 2 changes:
- you will need to backup your classroom desktop and your laptop to a flash drive.  CDs will no longer be distributed.
- Do NOT unplug ANY technology.  I will be reimaging all machines in June.  Once I have completed this, I will unplug your technology.

Imaging Teacher Laptops

Teacher laptops will be imaged once again.  If you would like your laptop imaged BEFORE you leave for summer please see me.  I can begin imaging teacher laptops beginning June 8th.
If you do not have your laptop imaged over the summer, it will be imaged the day staff return, August 17th.

Office 365 Training

As you know, CCS is transitioning to Office 365 over the summer - this means your email WILL change.
I am offering 2 1-hour trainings: June 10th at 1pm and June 12th at 8:30am in lab 403 (click the date to go to the CARE registration link for that day).  Please plan to attend one of the trainings.  ***
If you cannot attend, there are multiple trainings being offered this summer at the technology center.
http://technologysummerpd.wikispaces.com/

***Starbucks Gift Card to the first person who registers (and attends) each training June 10 and 12 :)

CAFE Technology News 4/15/15

Headphones 

Several headphones have been placed on the U-shaped tables in the labs recently.  They have been piled on top of one another and tangled.  In the last 2 weeks, I have untangled 16 headphones and only 3 were actually broken.  When a student states that his or her headphones are not working, please check a few things before just grabbing another set and throwing them on the table.
1 - Are they complaining because the pads are missing?  I know this is uncomfortable, but the headphones are still in working condition. 
2 - Is the ear piece hanging or dangling?  This can be fixed by simply sliding the ear piece back into the main headband.
3.  Is there no sound?  If you have listened to the headphones and determine there is no sound, please unplug the headphones from the back and plug them back in.  This fixes the issue 90% of the time.

Thank you for helping with keeping our headphones manageable.  Also, please advocate for headphones to a be a requirement for students next year to your SIT representative.  Multiple schools in the county have this requirement (all with varying economic demographics) and as technology continues to become more prevalent in the classroom headphones are going to be needed more often.

iPads for Checkout

iPads are available for checkout once again!  Woohoo!!  We currently have 14 iPads for checkout and will be adding 4 more in the next couple of weeks!  You can checkout the iPads using the Computer Lab and Technology Sign Up form in Google Docs.  This link has a lot of ideas about integrating iPads into the classroom. 

Get More Technology and other Classroom Needs Through Grants

Fund for Teachers is a great resource if you are looking for grant opportunities.  If you need help writing a grant, I am more than happy to help just contact me to schedule a time to begin the application process.

CAFE Technology News 3/11/15

Student Laptops

Please remind students to fully log out or shut down the laptops before closing the lids.  This will extend the life of the laptops as well as prevent other issues with running programs, such as Firefox.

Dreambox Competition Standings 

Results reflect 2/16-3/10

How can you increase your class Unique Lessons Completed?
Check to see which students are logging time but not completing lessons, these students are off task and need some direction.
Encourage your students to complete NEW lessons and not to repeat completed lessons.
Remind them to complete gold flashing coins (K-2nd) or lessons that are "in progress" that have a gold flashing coin (3rd -5th) first. 

Want to win even MORE???
Dreambox is offering their own Math Challenge from March 14-April 10
Check out these awesome prizes that your class could win from Dreambox!
http://www.dreambox.com/math-challenge

CAFE Technology News 2/25/15

DreamBox Competition FAQs

Competition is among grade levels Because class sizes vary, the class with the HIGHEST AVERAGE of Units completed will win for each grade level.  Grade levels please send your prize decisions to me ASAP so we can begin advertising the contest.

What are the dates of the competition?

Competition will run from Monday, February 16-Friday, March 27th (per SIT meeting notes).  Please advertise this with your students regularly.  Students are encouraged to work on DreamBox outside of school as well. 

Do I need to run weekly class reports of Units Completed?

While it is encouraged to stay up-to-date with your class unit completion, I will be running reports periodically.  Announcements will be made through out the competition listing class ranks and I will run the final report at the end of the competition.

 

How do I guide my students to complete Units instead of repeating Lessons?

Kindergarten - 2nd grade:  Inform students that they need to complete the gold flashing coins.  If there are no gold flashing coins in their adventure land, then they need to exit out and go to another story land (Pirates, Pixies, Dinosaurs, and Pet Friends).

3rd - 5th grade:  Inform student to focus on completing lessons in units that are "in progress" and have a gold coin.  In progress label means the student has completed a lesson or activity. If lessons are locked, the students need to look through other units to find and complete recommended lessons (lessons marked with gold coins).

The images below will be printed and placed in the labs to help guide students.

 

 

CAFE Technology News 1/22/15

Discovery Ed Testing

As you know, we will have Discovery Ed testing in February.  Due to the technology resources you have available to you (Dreambox, iReady, etc) the testing schedule is a little more open this time around.  Please see the Computer Lab Sign up to view open lab times and feel free to sign up for those available slots. 

Headphones

Several sets of headphones in the labs are missing the soft ear pads.  Many students are complaining that the headphones are not working because of this, however the headphones are working.  Please check the headphones before removing them and getting another set.  Additionally, please monitor students when they are in the labs.  Several headphones had had the pads torn apart, wires chewed or broken off etc.

Digital Learning Day - March 13th 

Digital Learning Day will take place on March 13th this year.  Digital Learning Day, or DLD, was started in 2012 as a way to highlight great teaching practices and showcase innovative teachers.  Please complete the survey below if you would like to participate in the Digital Learning Day activites!
Digital Learning Day Survey

CAFE Technology News 12/17/14

Turning off Technology - IMPORTANT

The last three Mondays it has been brought to my attention that projectors have been left on over the weekend.  This means the projector has run non-stop for 72 hours.  The projector bulbs are very costly (about $250 each) and the projectors are also costly ($500-700 each).  Please be mindful of turning off technology when you are not in the room for an extended period of time.
A few tips:
1.  Assign students to remind you to turn off the projector when going to recess, lunch, connect, and leaving at the end of the day.  Or assign students with the task of turning off the projectors (please check behind them).
2.  Put a reminder in sub plans.  Leave a reminder in bold for subs to turn off the projectors when they leave the classroom.
3.  Check your office mate's room when they have a sub to ensure the projector is turned off.

Leaving for the holidays:
As you leave this Friday, please turn off your Elmo, computers, projectors, amps, and DVD players.

Pictures for the Front Office TV

If you have any class pictures you want featured on the Front Office TV for January, please send them to me by this Friday.  Please include a short one or two-sentence explanation.

Computer Coding with Classes

Several of our classes enjoyed participating in Hour of Code last week!  Each class learned about computer coding and then created their own lines of code.  Here is a picture of some of the snowflakes our 3rd and 4th grade students designed using the coding program.

Classes can still participate in coding after break!  If your class would like to learn about coding (or continue coding), please schedule a time with me in the lab.