Technology Updates

Welcome back!  This is a long update so please bear with me.  The technology team has been engaged in many exciting projects in preparation of the 2023-24 school year.  Chromebook distribution, support of various curriculum renewal, Burleigh library and BEHS robotics spaces,  software updates and more. 

If there is one takeaway from this update I hope it is the next section below. 

Technology Training Resources

In an attempt to compile technology training resources we developed a simple Google Site to house resources related to technology initiatives.  Access to this page is also found in the new MyElmbrook Portal and will be evolving as we continue to develop these resources.

Zoom (All)

Zoom will no longer be available as a video conferencing solution for our remote meeting needs. Google Meet is still an option and will meet the needs of most remote meetings.  As a replacement to Zoom we are offering Microsoft Teams.  Teams offers many of the same features as Zoom such as Whiteboards, Breakout rooms, video recording and closed captioning. Teams is already available on your Google Calendar  as a scheduling option.  Simply look for the Teams option when scheduling your online meeting.

Respondus Lockdown Browser (MS/HS)

If you are an elementary school teacher you can go ahead and skip this section. We have heard your feedback and we are happy to announce that we are piloting Respondus Lockdown Browser as a way to deliver secure tests and quizzes in Canvas.  When LockDown Browser is required for an online exam, students are unable to print, copy, visit other websites, or access other applications. For more details, visit respondus.com/lockdown.

 

Teacher Resources & Training
To access teacher resources for LockDown Browser, log into Canvas, browse to a course and select the “LockDown Browser” tool. Training videos, guides, and more are available from the opening page of the tool. To attend a live training webinar, register at respondus.com/webinars.

If you have technical questions please open a ticket in the help desk or reach out to Respondus directly at support.respondus.com.

For general questions about LockDown Browser (not technical support), teachers can reach out to a Respondus Trainer by emailing training@respondus.com.

Respondus has provided a helpful set of resources for teachers to follow:

• Instructor Training Webinars

• Quick Start Guides, demo videos, and other instructor resources

• Respondus News for product updates and articles

 

Displays (All)

This summer the technology team deployed over 60 new displays into our primary and secondary classrooms. We realize that not everyone has a display yet but the training resources may be useful in anticipation of the coming change. To help with learning how to use your new TV, here are some useful resources. 

Newline Training Video

Pre-recorded Webinars

If you still need additional training you can schedule a demo (Q or R series) with a certified Newline trainer. This might be a great option for a group training during a PD day or PLC

Looking ahead we are working towards deploying MultiFactor Authentication and OneDrive for storage needs across the system. More details to come on both of these initiatives.

Thanks for reading and here is to a great start of the school year!

Greetings Staff:

I hope that everyone has been able to find some rest, relaxation and time to recharge after a successful school year. In preparation for the coming school year, the technology team is hard at work with a long list of projects for the Summer  New classroom displays, new Chromebooks and Windows 11 upgrades are just to name a few but there are 4 really cool things happening that I would like to draw your attention to:

MyElmbrook
The first cool thing you will notice is that we are changing the software behind MyElmbrook.  You will still have access to all of the same resources under one portal but the backend software that runs the site is changing.  Many of you in the classroom will recognize the software as Clever, a tool used by teachers and students to access textbooks and other online resources.  By moving to Clever we can take advantage of this free resource and align all software access into one platform.  This change will happen August 1st when the agreement with our current software provider expires.

Microsoft Teams
During the pandemic the entire system received a crash course on video conferencing.  Our best option at the time was Zoom and it has served well.  Starting August 1st we will no longer use Zoom as our primary video conferencing.  Instead we are transitioning to Microsoft Teams,  just as feature rich and accessible to all staff.  Of course Google Meets is still an option, however, MS Teams will offer more features. Microsoft Teams is available for use now and can be scheduled using Google Calendar.  Why wait?

OneDrive
The traditional way of storing your local files has been to point your save location to the H: drive also known as your home directory.  There are some limitations with this method; you have to be in a district building to access your files,  they are difficult to share and collaborate with etc. For those who still rely on your H drive for storage we are in the process of migrating to OneDrive and more to come as we plan out the migration.

MFA
Finally,  Multi-factor authentication.  Most of you have already setup your account for MFA access.  To verify, please visit the Microsoft MFA Setup Page.  As a reminder MFA is a secure way to prevent unwanted access to your Elmbrook account.  Users are asked to verify their identity by entering a code sent to you via an App or text message.  In August we will roll out some additional InfoSecIQ security training regarding MFA.  At the end of August we will begin enforcing MFA on key applications such as Skyward, Infinite Campus and District Email.  More to come on this as well.

Happy Summer and I look forward to everyone’s return.

You can rest easy this post is in fact legit. We are well underway with our cybersecurity training and I am happy to report that staff are engaging and overall the feedback has been positive.  In time, this training will make a difference in your cybersecurity knowledge and how we approach cybersecurity as a system.  

Now, I like email as much as the next person, but emails have a time and a place which is why the Technology Team is starting this blog.  Updates here will be included in the District monthly newsletter.  However, If you are interested in more frequent updates make sure you click the "Alerts" icon in the upper right corner to subscribe to more frequent updates.  

Back to the original question,  "Is this Legit?". Since everyone is becoming an expert, it's important to that experts have access to the necessary tools.  One tool in your toolkit is PhishNotify.  PhishNotify allows you to submit emails that might be phishing emails. When you submit an email a member of InfoSec's security team will review the email and will notifys district technology staff if action needs to be taken. 

So, next time you are wondering if an email is legit or not look for the PhishNotify icon on the right of your Gmail Inbox. Open the phishy looking email and submit it for review,  it's that simple.

Happy Phishing and click safe.