Agenda_2011-12_ITS_July27

ITS Meeting Stony Point High School July 27
Absent: Robert Autrey

Refreshments and visiting 3 - 3:30

.....Left over topics from Monday (campus ITS changes) .....Please proof read and correct your information in the Moodle database (i.e. correct field for default school, correct format for phone numbers, updated schedule). .....Moodle forums (please subscribe for this to be effective - Jeff will demo) ..... Smart Notebook Training at Region XIII; Aug 29th (contact Lannon if you are interested) .....Budget update .....Robotics (Shannon - funding - not so much) .....Edline update (Linda Aschenbrener and MJ) .....Training staff about accessing the ARRC through Moodle .....Uploads (TMSDS, learning.com, Fitnessgram, ThinkCentral, Envision, etc.)

3:30 Tech Ops - powerpoint will be on  - Big thank you for the decrease in calls on keyboard repairs. - Netbook carts - make sure the blue lights come on when inserting into the slot for charging - Desktops - hard drives are fragile, it is not recommended to leave them standing vertical. If tipped over, can cause hard drive failures. BACKUP!! - Toner cartridges - STRONGLY encouraged to use factory-manufactured toners instead of recycled brands, even though they are cheaper, because they save a lot of problems in the future. Ink jet printers-use all the recycled ink cartridges you want.

4:00 Ed Zaiontz (Lotus update) - - Budget was not nearly as bad as it was projected to be, RRISD lost $20 million as opposed to projected $60 million. RRISD received $7 million from ADA funds, board approved to take out $8 million from fund balance, which led to deficit of $5 million, which was cut. Jobs are safe for 2 years. - Technology allotment funds are considered grants and they are going away. We do not have any more T-funds ($10/student) for purchasing supplies and such. toner cartridges and others will have to come from general supplies fund. Batteries for laptops, lamps for projectors, etc, will be provided by Technology. But other things, like BrainPop, will need to need to be purchased by another fund. - There is budget to be set for subs, will need to be evaluated - TCEA, Edline, Library resources like Britannica, Nettrekker are protected due to leftover Technology Allotment funds from previous years. - Legistature redefined allotment funds with technology, combining with textbooks as "instructional material" (approximately $84/student), approximately $4.5 million, not enough for textbooks or technology. We need to encourage schools to reduce dependency on textbooks and go more digital, which will free up more money to Technology. - Refresh schedules: 2011-2012 is last year we have refreshes from the 2008 Bond election. - Updating LAN, converting from CISCO to Brocade. Elementary schools will be completed in the evenings. They will do their best to not interfere with teachers' and students' network usage - Linda Herrington ES coming along nicely. RRHS Phase 2 is complete, now comparable to other high schools in the district. Westwood construction is lagging behind. - FYI: new elementary school to be finished soon, decision to open it will be in spring 2012, will need to be opened to relieve Sommer ES (estimated population of 1500 students this year); Transportation West will vacate from McNeil HS and go to their own location (off 620) - eSchool training is being held for key people that need to use this application (registrars, etc.) - Tell people we are not doing any uploads that people haven't used/seen before (TMSDS, Fitnessgram, Learning.com, etc.) - Any new applications will not be supported (like PDAS, which is replacing ABCs) to ensure successful push of eSchool - District wants to move forward to CIPs that are more streamlined (?) - We will start the school year with Lotus Notes. Kim (who replaced Carol Vandermeer) has been working since last summer. If we go with Google, there are some serious issues that need to be address (i.e.- cannot designate others to read/respond to your emails, security-DOD was hacked, etc.) - Lotus Notes has advantages and disadvantages, like all other applications. Need a broader base to make recommedations (not just from Ed's group, or ITS group). No real changes yet, but we can start looking. Hoping to make recommendation by end of October-November. - Devices are being considered (HP, Samsung, Dell, Apple, etc.)

Edline (Linda Aschenbrener and MJ) to replace ExpressionWeb? - Visually-impaired having issues to access Edline - WAVE (Web Accessibility Verification Evaluation) to use for websites. Edline says their site is ADA-compliant. But once run through WAVE, had 10 issues (example-calendar, works great on Edline site, but not as friendly elsewhere). - We want a streamlined updates (if there is something district-wide, just want a button to push to update all websites) - District website will be redesigned as well, and once we get that done, we can look at each campus site to make it more uniform. - At this point, ExpressionWeb is best solution...at least for one more year. - What about DreamWeaver? Same thing like ExpressionWeb, not making it any easier. - Grisham will stay with Edline though. Everyone else stick with ExpressionWeb. - Any more training for Expression? We will look into it (Mark and MJ)

Robotics (Shannon) - No money, need PTA to fund support - First Lego League can register August 1 - $400 a team

4:30 IS-Network Group - Carole (powerpoint will be on  - Photo directory will be updated, will include pictures and cell phone numbers, if you have a problem, email Carole Rey  - Student accounts: all will be wiped out and start over, except for Success and RROC, tomorrow (7/28/11 or Monday, 8/1/11)  .....creating new users: Send spreadsheet with students' names, instructions on  for format requirement. Get names from Registrar. Doesn't have to be ordered. Alphabetical by entire school or by grade level-both fine.  **PROBLEM** //** We don't know if we can pull this information out yet because we are moving to a new system and we do not know if anyone can access this information. **// Once we find out how we can pull information out from eSchool, follow format. "Last Name", 'First Name", ID, Year  - New students throughout year can be added by following template (reminder also on )  - When you fill out name fields, put in full first and last names, not just first initial. - Don't forget to put description (i.e. 2012 Canyon Vista) - REMINDER: in there are lots of documentations to help you in case you have forgotten (name change, etc.) .....file size limits: Staff members have 4 GB, Secondary students have 2GB and Elementary students have 1GB //(However, size can be increased on an as-needed basis and check their file sizes and folders)// - Staff transfers: ONLY FOR RECEIVING ITS-request teacher transfer and IS will rename account, remove account from old groups to new groups, change logon scripts to match new school, remap folder, and copy files from old folder to new, and delete old folders. .....password changes, printing, rebooting - Students will not be required to change passwords anymore, but adults will, AND their passwords will most likely be an 8-character "complex" format (alphanumeric, at least) __**EVERY 90 DAYS**__. Once they change password, advise to reboot so they can print. Next push for password change is most likely day after Labor Day. - Goal is to streamline password so that there is ONE password for everything (computer login, eCampus, email, etc.), but not yet. - Guest Wireless: add people to Guest Wireless group instead of giving away password instead of giving up password, create generic logins to add, if necessary - Windows 7 machines should be getting on wireless without any issues now, but if you have problems where it will not connect and need to be wired, let Brent know. Also, if you are using a TON of laptops to connect in one area, let Brent know so he can check to see if they can all connect instead of overloading. - Turn on laptops prior to usage so they can run updates and other stuff behind the scene since it's time-consuming. On XP, you HAVE to log on as administrator to get Windows update, but Windows 7 does not need that requirement. - Generic logins: several are disabled for summer, where you can re-enable them. If you need to create new ones, let Jennifer, Brent, and Carole and they will help set it up. It can be set to expire after a certain time frame, etc. .....Moodle @roundrockisd.org email addresses for teachers - We have 84,000 users in Moodle right now. Accounts that do not have the @roundrockisd.org email addresses will not be deleted. We are working on how to identify accounts in Moodle to differentiate between students and staff and campuses. If a teacher loses their Moodle account, it's because they put another email address instead of roundrockisd.org and if that happens, let Donna know to fix it.

- Make sure your badges work at your campus(es).

- Information in database needs to be proofread, make sure you entered your information in correctly (i.e. Robert Autrey put in his birth year as 1015)

- Moodle forums: to replace those district-wide emails being sent multiple times, or Reply-All, etc. Go to ITS Collaborative in Moodle > Click on Forums under Activities > Then click on Subscribe to all forums

- To install new Lotus Notes user, go to Moodle forums, Helpdesk forum.

- Training staff members to access ARRC through Moodle. Go to RRISD website > Employees link > Resources for Teachers > ARRC >

- TMSDS upload: October with MSTAR

- Learning.com: ran data and if there is 0% usage, your campus won't have it this year, if there are some usage, MJ will call to see if you will use it. She will need to know if you want it after Labor Day.

- Fitnessgram: October upload

- ThinkCentral: After Labor Day

- Envision: After Labor Day

- Gizmos: for Secondary schools, principals looking for funds to get it

- TAKScopes now STEMscopes, MJ will forward email about the change, now for middle schools.