Friday, November 9, 2012

Tech Meeting--November 2012



Teachers of the year (who are also tech facilitators)  acknowledgment:  
  • Leslie McMillian Bolton, 
  • Nathan Kottlowski  Cash 
  • Vanessa Edwards, Parkland
CL Marshall:  Tuesday November 27:  4:00-5:30—dedication of CL Marshall Technology Learning Center
  • Sending invitations to media and tech facilitators at schools
  • Downstairs here at cenral office.

Pilot Schools:  Mobile Learning Communities
  • Mike McDowell (Jefferson Middle)
  • Rose Ann Throckmorton (Rural Hall Elementary)
  • Betty is thoroughly convinced we need to do these pilots and study the results and have true mobile learning communities.
  • Teachers are learning...We need to “white paper” give evidence that learning is taking place from these mobile learning communities.

Rose-Ann's story with the Pilot Program:
  • Teaches 4th grade, been in business field, not tech savvy…leans on tech facilitator, learned she leaned too much; variety of kids in her room.  
  • Story of an hispanic boy who used a nook last year, showed major gains in reading and that inspired her to do this
  • Went to teacher academy and hoped to learn new things.  Was inquiry based/problem based learning using technology.  
  • Felt she was in over her head, and thought about quitting.  She decided to reflect and decided to quit, and then three friends inspired her to not quit. 
  • Cathy Musci taught her the technology part of it. 
  • Most everyday teachers are going to have issues with it--that's just the reality
  • She wants a list of resources from us.
  • Reflected on writing lesson plans—used Certl training lessons, downloaded books on the tablet
  • The stuff rolled out, taught kids how she knew how to teach.
  • When she did open house, some tech problems happened. 
Mike McDowell: 
  • Started day 1, and the first mistake was trying too much too fast
  • Common Core has added stress to the situation
  • Marty’s advice to use PBL instead of text book was great
  • He is using the tablets
  • Leading up to this, he had been beefing up his website--having those resources set up helped
  • Training:  Not toys, not replacing a textbook, are these getting us up higher up on blooms taxonomy?
  • Don’t try doing too much
  • Edmodo—try somehting as simple as posting a poll, then take one step forward
  • Marty Creech—Mike will bring him an idea and he will tell you if it’s terrible or not
  • Tablets—explained to the kids what a challenge this is, not toys, and dealing with higher level thinking
  • PLC’s can’t really share with other teachers since they don’t have the same resources available to them yet. 
  • One to one meetings they have once a month very helpful:  http://wscommunityoflearners.blogspot.com/
  • Looking up APPS for example, he didn’t even think of it until one of these meetings
  • Problems: very heavy flash/java programs don’t work well with tablets
  • Also there have been a few problems with charging stations
  • Have to be flexible; sometimes you have to switch from 1 to 1 to 2 to one
Biggest change?
  • Doing PBL for Mike has been the biggest change.
  • Rose: Making time to learn the tablet, finding the right APPS, wants them to build and make things.
Advantages now that every student has access?:
  • Not relying on the teacher for learning
  • Students are finding answers for themselves
  • Students are finding their talents, new leadership roles
  • Student with Autism for example—device moves as fast as their mind
  • Changes learning styles
How do you handle student who are off task?
  • Behavior modification plan/intervention plan—one student off the tablet until further notice
  • Level of engagement is higher for sure
  • Sometimes they loose privilege for the day
  • Rose had one major incident--She talks to the students when creating videos to never make anything your grandmother wouldn’t approve
"Words of wisdom"
  • Mike:  Suggestion of laptops over tablets because of problems with java and flash
  • Rose:  also suggests laptop over tablets
  • Saving work is a major issue
How documenting achievement gains:
  • Steven--There is a huge evaluation plan and it will definitely part of this, and the stories they tell not just test data
  • Archiving artifacts, using live binder and edmodo, etc.
Imagine a classroom with multiple devices
  • Mcdowell--Nearpod:  http://www.nearpod.com/  Combines all applications into one program, and results in the teacher becoming more of a facilitator
Adobe issues:  Adobe has no intention of making flash available on tablets, so this will likely remain an issue for certain websites

Classroom support?
  • Marty and other instructional technologists were great support
  • School tech facilitator too
  • Kids when trained become troubleshooters
  • They could text Marty and other tech facilitators
Jody, Tech Facilitator at Rural Hall: 
  • The teacher (Rose) did a great job learning the tablet
  • Have to train the teachers how to troubleshoot
  • Takes true dedication and commitment
Betty believes we need more tech support but it also definitely takes that commitment to want to learn by the teachers, and finding ways to train in ways that people become more self sufficient.
  • This is why she is so in favor of this pilot
  • It's also why DOT has not committed to buy thousands of one device.  
  • She has heard this repeated at national conferences over and over again.
  • Teachers have to find alternative ways—“times are a changing”—our roles are changing.
How do you advocate inter-personal skills:
  • Mike:  There are a lot of collaboration/group projects so the students  still have discussions with each other.  
  • Rose:  Students have roles/jobs and they rotate, and not everyone has the device at the same time or all the time.
For the science teachers:  will there be troubleshooting training?
  • Jackie person—have to redefine "training"--support doesn’t always mean “fixing”
  • problem solving needs to be taught, it will just take time.
Betty--use of cell phones at meetings?/multi-tasking
  • We need to listen to what they have to say, sometimes when you have "visitors, you have to give more undivided attention
  • Classroom behavior management will be important in all of this, we see the same issues with adults at these meetings.
  • Don’t do the “how am I going to support all this” –don’t do that to yourself!
Laptops for Science:
  • 10,000 laptop deployment begins the week after Thanksgiving (High schools first, then Middle Schools) All expected to be done by December 15th. 
  • Never done this volume before
  • Email will go to principal and tech facilitator specifying date of deliver (may only be a day ahead of time) They will not email the science teachers at this time.
  • The workday training took place only because they had the time, and wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. There will be a one time make up of this training.
Leased laptops:
  • DO NOT mark on leased laptops
  • DO NOT engrave the leased laptops
  • You mark it, you buy it at full market price ($600)
  • They know beyond a shadow of a doubt, some teachers will be tempted to take one of the cart laptops and make it theirs, but we can't let that happen.
  • Help her keep the carts “in tact”
  • Media Coordinators have heard this and gotten it in writing (Jackie Pierson)
Renegotiated Wake Forest contract:  
  • Deploying for all teachers minus the teachers who got them last year
  • Tell teachers to hang tight, as they figure out exactly how many and will start sending out those notices next week. 
  • Not prepared to give you the numbers yet, because still working with testing for kids with accommodations for schools that need laptops for kids with mods that need CD drive for read alouds.
  • Testing laptops may be in the hands of curriculum coordinators not sure yet—checking with Dana Wright
TBT have to be the main source of information to keep everyone on the same page
  • Title 1 schools should they lease or buy new computers?  That's a discussion to have with Kevin
Classroom  Solutions for Science Teachers (5th,8th grades and high school)

  • They were approved unanimous by commissioners, minus the clickers
  • Class room surveys are complete
  • Installations will begin in December and continue through February
  • Carla will take the lead on communicating to each school the schedule for installation as it approaches
Microsoft work at Home Licenses:
  • School district does now own licensing for MS Office
  • Still questioning the work at home rights
  • Will involve logging in with email address
  • $9.95 charge?  Sounds like the charge version will be to have a permanent license on your computer at home that would stay even if you leave the district?  Otherwise the free one would be suspended if you leave?
  • They are looking at fine print between owning a license and a copy of the software, trying to determine if home users can install for free or $9.95?
  • Answer will come back later (probably by the next meeting).  She will let us know which it is.
Boosters for Phones at schools?: 
  • Sprint repeaters are being tested at maintenance, Piney grove, NW Middle and Reagan HS
  • Email access can be enhanced using wireless capacity within the school
  • Have not heard the results of this pilot yet
  • In TBT there will be information about this and they would like every principal’s phone checked. 
  • Some basic rules:
    • Don’t look for 4G—it’s sucking up the battery
    • Use wireless for classroom walk troughs
    • Tablets the same thing…use wireless-data plan is gone
  • When you get this check list, help the principals and AP’s and others in your buildings with phones to complete this check list--They need are help with this
November 12th:  The wireless will be reconfigured and in effect
  • Managed and MLC networks in effect
  • WSFCS _ mic wireless accounts will be issued per request to the Help Desk
Teachers who did not mark "post to parent" assist is huge—SAS portal shows that report--help teachers get the word on this

  • New NCWISE product replacement
  • DPI is very lean now, and they are outsourcing to power school
  • Secondary scheduling should be completed in esis by MAY 1
  • Will be deployed in August 13-14
  • Only way to do it is to cut off scheduling by May 1st
  • DPI is not budging on their date
  • May 1st, teachers still have NCWISE, gradebook, attendance, etc. That will not change
  • What will change are counselors etc who do scheduling won’t be able to do anything new in scheduling (in NCWISE) Well,  they could, but any changes after May 1st will NOT move to power school
  • Middle Schools normally finish scheduling in the summer, and will have to be backed up to May 1st unless Betty is able to get the date changed.
  • As Betty finds good training modules, she will start sharing those
  • Betty is also happy to come to schools to talk with teachers/staff about this transition.
Kevin Sherrill and Carla Miller:

Laptop roll-out:
  • It is a big project
  • Schedule:
    • Carts are shipping tomorrow (290)
    • Starting Nov 12th laptops will come in three shipments
    • Walkertown Middle in Auditorium is their staging head quarters
    • Building is secure and alarmed
    • Will need through thanksgiving to get staged
    • There will be 6 teams each of five people, 3 assembly lines per day, naming  joining laptops to domain, and testing wireless, etc.
    • Should be 12-15 days of work subject to change
    • Naming convention:
      • 3000 range for carts
      • M516LL300101
      • This is a start-over standard for these, and makes sense
Labeling of laptops:
  • DOT has permission to mark with a colored number –permanent painter pen
  • Will use a card with cart name that is color coded with pen mark
  • Should help keep carts and laptops matched
  • Repair process will continue as normal
  • Only mark will be a number
  • Under battery there will be a QR code that can’t be rubbed off
  • Tell the machine name and serial number, date issued, etc. 
  • One cart label will be a QR code with names of laptops that should be in that cart
  • Lenovo will also have a database they will maintain for which serial numbers at which schools
  • Betty said don’t make a big change in inventory procedures
  • These will go on AMTR
The laptop Cart: 
  • Holds 32 units
  • go in vertically with plug at top
  • Two keys for each cart
  • Same keys for every cart
  • Betty—no to requests for power strips in classrooms—will not support additional
  • Power supplies have to stay in the cart (but T60 and other laptops you may have in the building have the same power supply)
  • Batteries hold minimum 6 hours
  • No blue tags for these?  Not sure yet.—but DOT will do that most likely if required
  • Based on high theft
  • Full computrace will be on each one, and can be used in theft sitautions
  • Image for this?  Hopefully will be one...we have sent them, but we will know later
  • If all is good, X131 image—will be pushed out to imaging server, office 2010, windows 7, IE 9?
  • Kevin recommends no printers on them, goes in line with BYOD which kids won’t have printers on them.
  • When they bring laptops to the school, Principal will sign off: 
  • 27-29th high school testing (will not be a good time to bring them to  during those dates)
How will they handle damage to the devices?
  • Will be repaired in the same way laptops are now—
  • There is a 3 year warrantee, and they can be sent in to Lenovo too—
  • covering abuse and neglect?  Not sure yet on that
  • Overall, these are no different than any other equipment in your school
  • Stay in the science rooms?, up to us and the principals
    • Kevin supports the idea of using them all over the school
Teacher laptops
  • last year T400 issued last year (those are the teachers who will not get these)
  • They should have about 2160 extra laptops (after the science cart deployment) and those will get pushed to the teachers who did not get Wake laptops last year
Other miscellaneous info on laptops
  • Carts are either 28 or 32
  • Should not need any charging stations since battery life is as good on these as any they have seen
  • Laptops charges all at the same time
Wireless change:  on November 13th
  • School Phone carriers will remain in the group to connect to wireless with Active directory 
  • What will stop working?  
    • "foreign devices" for people who have been activating with AD
    • MLC going away at school, but continue to issue via service desk
    • Any other questions, contact Kevin
Buddy Martin:  
  • computrace sometimes is mysteriously disappearing; put in a ticket if you see it.
  • If laptops get stolen—best to involve the SRO, get police report and then Buddy will be able to help with as much  info he can get from computrace
License  office 2010—full details next meeting.

Carla Miller:
  • Surplus—been on hold because of science class walk troughs
  • Bill Hall being contacted from "e-cycling"
  • Be sure to respond to Carla if conflicts or testing on the date she sends them for surplus pickup
Chris Corbin

Some issues with  driver missing on certain images (like specific T60 laptops)
    • Start , run, type that in
    • Complete repository of computer and printer drivers
    • You can browse for the drivers in device management under advanced search
They are now aware of laptops dropping off the network—they will put something in TBT? (Several reported this, and Greenwood will submit a Kace ticket)
  • Assign ticket to Kevin about these issues—
  • Another issue--power issue of the new computers going into sleep mode and kicking out the sound driver (T. Greenwood)
Steven Anderson
  • What they are showing us today with regard to training for science teachers are  just conversation “starters”—they need more time with the science teachers
  • Edmodo
  • Curriculum pathways/digital textbooks
  • Management plan section—teachers ask questions, and tell them their fears
  • Celia and Marty provided management plans which teachers can modify
  • All this will be in tech facilitator edmodo group (Steven will put edmodo group code for tech facilitators in the TBT
Celia –Questions about instruction?
  • Have stressed less paper is better
  • Management plan Science teacher were asked to come up with five things that are important that apply to you, and to share in edmodo group to share with each other
  • Strongly encourage same student with same machine daily
  • Having a spreadsheet with the last three or four digits of serial number assigned to students?  was an idea for managing the laptops
  • Science teachers don’t necessarily want to share them with other teachers based on the survey of hands at their meeting--they want to use them everyday apparently!
  • But, If not being used everyday, they should share
  • Celia, Marty and Evan will be doing more training
  • Teachers were encouraged not to call but put in a ticket if problems
  • They also stressed for the teachers to share in edmodo the varipous tips and tricks they encounter in their classes
  • Teach the kids how to fix things
  • Told them to do what school policy is first, in terms of contacting tech facilitator for problems
Curriculum Pathways  Brian Piekarski
Any teacher using it, needs IE 9 or above or google chrome
  • Do a System check on the machine
  • Teachers can Create a login
  • click on Subscribe now
  • Use active directory login if possible
  • Put in school email address that has to be verified
  • Have to make curriculum pathways a safe sender in google chrome…Brian will have instructions in TBT for that
Four types of activities
  • There are quick launch numbers
  • In edmodo group—there is a science curriculum pathways group
  • There are school passwords for students (southeast)
  • Teachers can copy link to activity and post on their webpage
  • Curriculum pathways does not grade, but could use with CPS/Active inspire
  • Curriculum pathways can look as a supplement to what they are doing:  could be a front loader or a review, etc.
Benika Thompson—no text book in years.  Publisher based digital text—vs. text flex
  • Can blend books together,
  • Kids don’t have to have an account.
  • Can link activities in the flex book to curriculum pathways for example)
  • There is a PDF version that can be downloaded
  • Teachers will get a lot more information on this, and they will make some and share with the teachers.
Other miscellaneous instructional:
  • Could there be Web-X's that we could post?
  • We realize they will be overwhelmed with technology to begin with…
  • There will be more on curriculum pathways
  • Code for tech facilitator edmodo will be in TBT and Steven will share what they have been sharing in science in that group.
Betty –this could potentially be the last big purchase of computers with BYOD coming on.
That’s the big picture—focus on the curriculum
Training for classroom solutions—training for active expressions still needs to be encouraged.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Technology and Media Meeting Oct 18, 2012




Tech Committee Members 2012- 2013

    Downs, John ‎[JDowns@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]
    Basham, Stacy R ‎[srbasham@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]‎
    Dipiazza, Julia A ‎[adipiazz@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]‎‎ not present
    Hatch, Cynthia F ‎[cfhatch@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]‎‎ not present
    Fought, Donald G ‎[dfought@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]‎‎
    Mabry II, Eugene L ‎[emabry@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]‎‎
    Speziale, Megan R ‎[mrspeziale@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]‎‎
    Suttles Jr, Ronald A ‎[rasuttles@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]‎‎ not present
    Kilgore, Rita ‎[rkilgore@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]‎
    Wells, Jennifer P ‎[jpwells@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]‎‎ not present
    Sigmon, John C ‎[jsigmon2@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]‎‎
    Turner, Lisa [lturner@wsfcs.k12.nc.us]

Lisa Turner began the meeting with a description of the needs for the media center.
  • Circulation is up with our student numbers approaching 1300
  • Turner has put in a request to administration for $5000 to be used for book purchases
    •  That's just $3.61 per child
    •  Focus of the request is on fiction
    • "Series holes" are horrible and waiting lists for certain books continue to grow
    • Sources of library funds?  There are no dedicated sources of money, no line item in the school's budget for the Library
    • People think book fair all goes to library when in fact it goes to PTSA, and it is up to their discretion on how to use those monies. 
    • Turner feels spending on books needs to be a priority and is asking for members support
Below is a list sent out by Downs showing infrastructure priorities for technology.   Downs feels it is important to set a list of priorities so that we acknowledge them as a school, and so that other last minute items don't pop up and become the "flavor of the week" priorities. Discussion about these priorities follow:

Pod Sound system: 

  • Are people using the microphones?
  • We recognize that the sound is bad out there, but do they help?
  • Turner--research shows that the sound amplification systems enhance student learning
  • Sigmon/Downs to talk with POD folks
  • Cost is ~$750.00/room
Media Center Plan:

  • Turner spoke of making the Media Center a 21st century learning center where access to technology if not limited to the lab, where teachers can group students with or without technology at tables or in what is now the lab area
  • Media center could be reconfigured somewhat with more use of shelves in the back if we go to the laptop model
  • Perhaps we could start with 10 laptops to give us a complete class set of computers and then hopefully build from there
  • As it is now there are really only 22 working computers in the lab area, and this does not accommodate most classes of up to 30 or more students
  • If we went with the Lenovo laptop lease program currently being offered by the school system, we would be looking at ~$200/year/laptop, so ten laptops would be roughly $2000 per year over three year--not bad.
EC Rooms:
  •  Everyone felt this should be a priority high on the list
  • We are looking at  Three main rooms (601, 701 & 801), with following costs:
    • Flat screen TV with mount:  ~1500.00
    • Computer: $750
    • Document Camera: ~ 600.00
    • Wireless Tablet?: $350.00
    • Total Cost per room: ~$3500.00 with installations
  • What about ISS? Would it be used?
  • Could we use any equipment from science rooms if they get new equipment?
CTE classrooms with older computers for some:

  • Members felt this should be a priority as well since it affects students everyday and learning.
  • It's also a discussion with scheduling and data management in terms of putting more than 24 students in those rooms? (Kilgore, Dr. Daniels)
Admin Computers: (Downs and Turner spoke about that situation)
  • For people that work on their computers all day long (more so than teachers), this can be a big issue
  • Right now both Media circulation desk computer and assistant media circulation is one of the oldest computers in the building --over ten years old!
  • Office computers are the third generation IBM computers and the third oldest computers in the building
  • Example--Deb Neal as curriculum coordinator crunches numbers and data all day and this is an increasingly troublesome issue for her and others in the office as well. (works on Office 2003 and windows XP)
  • Speaking of computers, Mr. Mabry offered one computer his area to anyone who might need it.  It is one of the older computers in the building too, and while Downs appreciated the offer, we are in fact working on "surplusing" many of those computers.
  • We thought of perhaps asking teachers if anyone might/could use it as even a word processing station?

**Next meeting set for November 15th **if needed**
if members could please talk to their "constituents" and find out thoughts on these priorities and whether or not they approve or have ideas for other things that should be on the list.

This was the agenda item list that Downs sent out prior to the meeting:

Priority list for investment in technology infrastructure for the future.  Thoughts?

1)    EC rooms (601.701 & 801) have all expressed interest in updating their old technology.  Those rooms would need a modified classroom solution (TV, doc camera, and PC ~ $3000/room to update)  ISS?
2)    Media center and moving away from the lab situation in there (old computers on the verge of death) to more of a laptop open space type of set up where technology and work are in a more seamless integration and not so much a "lab" (COSTS ~ 200 /YEAR/LAPTOP if we do the lease option)
3)    More sound systems for the PODS (bad sound in those rooms ~ $1000/room)
4)    Updating some admin computers (such as the office and media center)  These computers get a tremendous amount of use and have greater needs than average classroom computer (cost ~ $200/computer/year with lease deal)
5)    CTE—providing additional modern computers for classes above 24?  They are only given 24 CTE computers but some classes have more than 24, and extra kids are on old computers.
6)    Others Priorities?
7)    Instructional Technology Issues?

Future happenings:
·        4 Laptop carts coming around the first of the year
·        Additional classroom solutions (pending)
·        More laptop carts?
·        Teacher laptop refresh

Other issues (support) on the horizon…
·   Laptops for 8th grade science.  This will occupy Downs’ time for up to a month getting them setup and ready to use (labor intensive)

Thursday, October 4, 2012

October 2012


 Tech Meeting—October 2012:  http://todaysmeet.com/wsfcstfoct12


Betty Weycker

  • Staying focused at meetings
  • Non-negotiables…keep discussions at tables to a minimum
Pilot Schools:

  • Clemmons ES, Rural Hall Elem, Jefferson MS, Kernersville MS, Mt Tabor N. Forsyth
Grants
  • There are a hundreds of grants out there for ipad, and other tablets but we are still testing with the pilots schools to determine which device works best with our infrastructure, so the answer is NO if teachers ask about getting those devices onto our network :(  
  • She is NOT denying grant opportunities, just because something is "available" doesn't mean we can necessarily support it. 
Power School is the new NCWISE. 

  • Or check out more details here:  http://www.ncwise.org/powerschool.html 
    • What is the schedule?—currently implemented by August ‘13  
    • Scheduling will need to be in place early next summer.  
    • It is a good product, parents will especially love it.  
    • Getting it rolled out is Betty's concern  
    • As soon as training is available, they will set it up, if indeed it goes live in August  
    • Go to:  http://powerschool.com/ to look at demos—they are better on there.
EVASS: 

  • DPI is now doing what WS was doing in terms of managing the data.  
  • Will use email addresses out of NCWISE to manage Evass users  
  • they have to populate email addresses in NCWISE 
  • as a result email addresses  may start showing up in documents for ncwise
K2 report cards—should now say 2012-2013

Kevin Sherrill--Tech updates:/Wireless infrastructure

  • Two wireless networks visible—  
    • wsfcs_managed--Primary network for all domain members (laptops and desktops)  
    • access it by being a member of active directory and pushes a certificate to those devices  
    • With an “off domain device” you can currently authenticate with active directory user name and password
Wsfcs_MLC:  (mobile learning community network)
  • Purpose--Getting ready for personal learning devices
  • And Guest/off domain wireless network 
  • Based on school number:  user for example:  556MLC 
  • PW:  school (see tech facilitator)  
  • Every school has that account right now 
  • Also for vendors and guests who come to the school—call the help desk and get a limited guest account—rather use the guest account then the school MLC account 
    • They will be issued on the fly, and will expire in the time frame needed 
    • Otherwise Visitors who are long-term need to be loaned a machine to use
  • In terms of connecting to an Ethernet wire, that is not supported but it works 
  • Policies and procedures for letting people on the network is still in the works. 
  • Only way to manage until that happens is to limit the MLC network 
  • Long term they will want to use MLC—since it gives out bound internet only –for ipads, tablets, etc.
  •  At that stage of the game until personal devices are approved for use in schools, it's just not proper procedure.
Dibbles issues explained
  • Kevin will push a new image out to the server, and they will help people backup dibbles, synch before they log-off then do image and it has to go on a wire to update.
Dibbles machine names
  • a "D" instead of an "I" ??—they will be put on our managed network—should alleviate some of the pain  dibbles has been.
  • In order to disable MLC they will have to shut that off when dibbles reimage push out is done 
  • They also will be turning off user authentication connecting with private devices 
  • Will affect wireless tablets that school folks connect to wireless 
  • All the personal devices will stop working once they close this user authorization down, (unless they use a wire) 
  • Time frame on when they will open back up for personal devices will be announced at a much later date: 
  • November 1st is the date they will shut down the MLC except for the pilot schools 
  • Should give everyone a chance to re-image the dibble machines 
  • AP phones/Samsung smart phones—as long as the user account is still in the group that will allow user authentication they should still connect to the wireless-–Kevin has a group of mobile phone users 
*Requests for IP phones/classroom drops should be submitted through KACE not anything else

Surplus pickup for the Fall is coming/Carla Miller
  • Include only desktops non working that can’t be fixed 
  • Dead monitors 
  • Still do not have a solution for TV’s unless you want to pay for it 
  • VCR’s, dead cameras, 
  • Old laptops that do not boot up 
  • Blown projector bulbs, put in a zip lock if shattered glass. 
  • Fall 12 surplus pickup on the tech facilitator webportal under "request for information folder":  Direct link here 
  • Check out document 
    • Little green arrow pointing out for check out 
    • Most important--type of equipment, model if you have it, serial number, and asset tags helps with fixed assets, machine name if you know it, and ESN:  for computrace 
    • If do not know ESN, at least try to get serial number 
    • Click on Save 
    • Due October 19th—two weeks! 
    • Carla will pull the information the following Wednesday. 
    • Email Carla Miller directly if you have trouble 
    • Piedmont e-cycling is the company in Kernersville who collects the stuff 
    • Will start picking up during first week of November 
    • All your stuff should be put in one location
Steven Anderson
  •  Technology PD offerings 
  • This year, they are "pushing" gaming for kids that are geared toward educational programming
Site for courses:

  • Question: Training for Common Core?  integrating technology—TPACK is the one they offer. 
  • ITES standards are not in isolation—people should talk to program managers for more ideas with technology integration.
  • Moodle courses—some are worth .15 CEU's
School Wires:
  • Principals asking to know when was the last time teacher websites were updated? 
  • Webmaster can pull "last modified report" 
    • Tools 
    • Reports 
    • Last modified report
  • Tells also who all the editors are along with the date 
  • Calendar does not show modified unless there is a change to the physical properties of the calendar--does not show as updated if only calendar dates are added 
  • Can pull the report as an excel file to sort
Training for new webmasters:  wed oct 10th
  • Needs a email to Evan Herried from Principal
PTSA training—Oct 10th from 8-11
  • Also have to have permission from principal to Evan Herreid
Open labs—for School wires general help
  • for general working on website  time—
    • October 9th: 8:00-11:00
    • Oct 10th:  1:00-4:00

Learn 360/Melissa Edwards
  • Melissa tells teachers to go thru learning village to access 
  • Directions for adding new users were in the TBT, and will be again, and there is a page in KACE knowledge base page #65
User:  full email address
Pw:  wsfcs
  • Administration tab (if you don’t have it, contact Melissa) 
  • Manage locations 
  • Search for a user, hit go 
  • Will not let you create and account for someone who already has one 
  • Add new button down at the bottom 
  • Change role to a teacher 
  • Password: make it default
  • Alternate user name:  you can use active directory user name (saves me time when people forget what their log-in is) 
  • Student accounts are wsfcsstudent number and password is also wsfcs
Betty:  Pilot /MLC
  • We are looking at pedagogy, infrastructure, etc for the onslaught of new technology including Bring your own device (BYOD)
  • Board did approve 1.8 million for purchase of laptops for 5th grade, 8th grade, and HS biology teachers
  • They also asked for classroom solutions.  They approved Darrel Walker to go to commissioners to ask for funding for classroom solutions. 
  • As of today, just PO for laptops has been completed 
  • Teachers will have an edmodo group for support 
  • WFU is still issuing laptops to freshman as of next year. 
    • They are $400.00 and are two years old, no battery warantee, but has DVD drive 
    • Leased Lenovo laptops (for $600.00 over three yrs) X131, laptop has considerably more memory than the WFU laptops, 
    • Size is in between t410 and tablet 
    • Battery lasts 6-8 hours 
    • Does not have CD/DVD :(
    • Budget is $350,000 to purchase/lease ~ 800-1000 this year
  • Decided to continue a partial WFU purchase to provide some DVD’s  support mainly for DPI testing requirements. 
  • Will take remainder of the money and gain ~ 2000 laptops from Lenovo 
  • So, can have 2/3 of staff with lenovo laptops by Christmas 
  • Pick up that last third of teachers with lease program later 
  • Does not have final part of the WFU laptops with DVD numbers yet
Laptop Carts:
  • Allocated laptops based on the class membership as of 10th day 
  • Cart with 28 laptops for classes of 24 on the books 
  • Cart holds 32 
  • Betty believes classes will have "more than they have to have" 
  • These laptops do have to be plugged in (not like the Dell carts that slide in) but is an easy to manage plug setup 
  • DOT will be at schools to help 
  • Additional power adapters?  There maybe some 
  • Middle and High Schools:  Carts of 32 for classes 28 and above 
  • In some cases they will have an additional cart! 
  • Every child who takes science should have a device 
  • Betty will send us and principals with number of carts and number of laptops 
  • If questions, email Betty and she will give better breakdown 
  • She will start emails tomorrow
Deployment:   
  • They need "to live" in the science rooms (Board members will be visiting) 
  • “Have cart, will travel” –other teachers can check out 
  • Mobile classrooms may need some tweaking in terms of classroom solutions 
  • Nov 6th is dedicated to training for science teachers—tech facilitators may attend 
  • Middle Schools probably start January 
  • HS, will get hit first with laptops 
  • Dana Wright has testing calendar, and she will work with her to best accommodate high school’s testing schedule 
  • Science teachers should plan on attending on Nov 6th—every effort by principals to see that science teachers are there. 
  • Hopefully should be enough devices for teachers to do the training on the Lenovo laptops—will be only mass face to face training—and will be at Glenn High School
Licensing:
  • Operating system licenses... 
  • 30,000 devices currently in the system 
  • Getting ready to purchase ~ 10,000 laptops that need licenses 
  • Ees enrollment foreducation licenses (agreement) 
      • Now licences are based on the number of employees, once a year payment. Financially it’s a good thing and also get out of the version problems
      • Advantage--Don’t have to monitor machine licenses anymore, also gives us "work at home" version for up to five licenses 
  • PO went out yesterday on this agreement
  • Lease:  36 month lease--~ 200 per year with licensing it ends up being cheaper than the value price of the laptop.  
  • Could be at the end of three years they refresh them or buy out of the lease,  
  • Goal is to get into a refresh cycle 
  • In terms of school purchases (PTA’s etc.) , call them (Kevin) first to discuss the leasing option because the deal is so good. 
  • Lenovo will support the machines 
  • Betty will put details in TBT
Question:  Is lease only with laptops?
  • It can be desktops or laptops and carts
  • Do not color mark those machines for inventory—because it is a leased laptop 
  • Have had conversation with Patsy Squire—to decide how laptops should be labeled
Classroom solutions: 
  • Took out the response systems 
  • Betty just needs county  commissioners to say yes
Channel 1:
  • We get it free now 
  • Channel 1 junior to test in classrooms (commercial free) 
  • You can do on-demand—decent content 
Connect Your Community—phase 2
  • We are one of 23 sites in the country—won the grant that will provide low cost internet access for low income schools (22 schools)  Time warner--$9.95
  • Will also give access to low cost computers
  • They don’t know exactly how the download will work at home, probably get a code,
  • Laptops will not be checked out to students this year. 
  • There will be training for active votes 
  • Schools may have to do some creative moving since you just put them in science rooms 
  • Don’t move a thing; contact Kevin first—may be easiest thing is to move a teacher.
Sidenotes:
  • Best time for web-x sessions??  http://www.polleverywhere.com/web20classroom
  • If you see tsunami, put in a KACE ticket 
  • Update next Wednesday on classroom solutions 
  • It will be a custom design plan 
  • ?:  MMC:  replication process slow? 
  • Netvistas with new “ees” agreement, trend will be going away 
  • Microsoft forefrontanti-virus 
  • You-tube for educators:  You-tube policy of one time in 24 hours? 
  • Periodically WSFCS  also get panned by Youtube as spam because of 1 IP address 
  • Try "watch knowlearn" and search for the video you have trouble with on youtube 
  • Angela Wallace will send out a list of faculty and staff soon asking if it’s okay to delete old teachers 
  • If you still have a teacher without a webpage, now you can put in a KACE ticket