Tech Tip of the Week - Canned Responses in G-Mail

Do you have email messages that you feel you send out all the time? Are you sick of rewriting or copy and pasting the email every time you have to send it?  If so then you may be interested in using Canned Responses in Gmail.  Using Canned Responses, you can create email messages and/or responses that are easy to retrieve and use.

Check out this video for instructions:

If you prefer written instructions, check out this page.

Tech Tip of the Week - Removing Backgrounds in Images

Need to remove a background from an image??  Deb Rodd, Tech Integrator from Riddle Brook came across this site for removing backgrounds in images. Only works on images with people now but they are working on all images.

Visit https://www.remove.bg/ to give it a try!

Guidelines for Installing OS Upates (MacOS Mojave)

Have you been wondering if you should upgrade your MacBook Airs to "Mojave"? We have been told by our trusty Technician Brandon has given us the A-OK as he has found there to be no major issues that I am aware of at this time. 

In order to avoid data loss and suffering, please be aware of the following: 

1. This update generally takes up to OHE HOUR to install. Please plan to not have access to your laptop for at least TWO HOURS prior to installing the update. 
2. DO NOT try to stop this update BEFORE it completes. Attempting to interrupt this (and any major system update) prior to completion will result in DATA LOSS, or an unusable system. 
3. Laptop MUST be plugged into AC adapter PRIOR to starting update process. 
4. Laptop can be connected to either WiFi OR Ethernet during update process. 
5. Some older 32-bit (user-installed) apps may no longer function after the update. Generally, anything we've installed on your laptop within the past two years will work. If any of your applications fail to function afterward, we will assist you if an updated version is available. 

Post-install notes: Avoid enabling "two-factor authentication"

Choose "Set up later" when asked to sign in with your Apple ID

Choose "Light" OR "Dark" color scheme depending on your mood/personality. 

When setting up "iCloud" after the install, un-check EVERYTHING except ''Find My Mac."

(Try to) Enjoy Mojave!

BHS Course Recommendation & Registration Information

BHS Course Registration Timeline

Thu, Jan 10, 2019 at 12:01 PM - FROM NATE FELLMAN

We were able to come to some clarity and agreement in the MA/SCI BHS meeting today. Here's where we are:

All Course Recommendations are Due Friday 2/1 (this is a hard stop date)

BHS Course Information night is Monday 2/4

BHS Course Registration window Tuesday 2/5 to Thursday 2/14

I also suggested today that our PT conferences be on Thursday  2/7 and Tuesday 2/12. I don't think we are married to those dates, and we can discuss at our next GL meeting. We just have to hold two nights of conferences between 2/5 and 2/13.

Thanks,

Nate

No Science 9th Grade course#  3NOD3100N0

Enter Course Recommendations for 8th graders

Fri, Jan 4, 11:33 AM - FROM KERRI LUNN

Good afternoon everyone!  

It's that time of year again to enter Course Recommendations for 8th grade students course selections for next year.  Recommendations must be entered by January 18th. I have included instructions on how to enter recommendations.  

BHS staff will be coming over to Lurgio to discuss course recommendations and answer any questions you have.

- Jan 10th 11:30-12:30 Focus on Math & Science

- Jan 16th 11:10-11:50  Focus on Humanities

These recommendations are used during the BHS Course Registrations process for students/parents to make informed decisions during course selection.  Your recommendations will appear when they are selecting courses. The BHS registration will open on Feb 5th and close on Feb 12th.  

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Donna or myself.  

Thank you!

Kerri~

RAL Teachers - Course Recommendation Instructions

TextHelp Tools for All Students & Staff!

I have some exciting news to share!!  As of January 1, 2019 all BSD students in grades 1-12 and all BSD staff now have access to premium TextHelp tools. Some of you are already aware of these tools and are familiar with them. For those who are not here is a brief overview of what will be included:

Read & Write for Google provides everyone with tools that allow them to read, write and express themselves to their fullest potential. Students can access this tool on websites and in documents they are writing. Websites and documents can be read out loud, students have access to word prediction, picture dictionaries, summary highlighters, grammar/spelling checker and so much more! Read & Write also includes a tool for PDF reading and editing.

Fluency Tutor is a tool that allows students to practice reading fluency in a risk free manner with any passage from the Fluency Tutor library, any passage the teacher uploads or any passage the student uploads. Nothing can replace students reading with a teacher, but this lets students get even more practice while their teacher works with other students. The teacher can access the student's reading at a later time.

EquatIO helps teachers and students at every level, including elementary school. Teachers and students can create math equations, formulas, graphs and smart shapes (which includes a protractor, number line and grid). Teachers and students can type, handwrite or dictate any expression and click to add it into the document. This tool is one everyone currently has access to. 

If you have students who have great difficulty accessing your worksheets due to any number of reasons, then Snapverter will be for you. This tools lets you snap a picture of your paper and then converts it to a PDF which the student can then access using the many Read & Write tools. 

I have to tell you that I am very excited about these licenses for our district. They are not tools we will use everyday, but they are tools that will make a teacher's life easier and allow students better access to the curriculum. Look out for some new flipped professional development later this month so you can become better acquainted with these tools. Also feel free to visit their website - https://www.texthelp.com/en-us/products/texthelp-toolkit/ for more info.  Of course I'd be happy to sit with you one on one, as a PLC and/or as a grade level to show you one or all of these tools. 

Updated Information - Chrome Apps and Extensions Restrictions for Students

Over the recent vacation, we have made some changes to student’s school google accounts. Due to a law enacted by the NH Legislation (to view click HERE - section V), school districts are required to review and approve all online apps and extensions for student use to ensure they comply with State and Federal data privacy guidelines and laws. As a result, only approved apps/extensions that are needed for school use will be allowed to be installed with a school google account. Terry Bullard, District Tech Director has already approved over 160 tools, apps and extensions.

What does this mean moving forward?

• Student can’t add an extension, app, theme unless it is already approved
• If there is something you would like students to be able to do and it is not on the approved list, please notify Donna to determine if there is an alternative OR if needs to go through approval process.

OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW…

• Students can no longer ‘switch’ accounts while logged into to their school google account. In other words, when a student logs into their school google account on their chromebook, when it is time for them to do something in their personal google account, they have to log out of the school account to get to their personal account.
• Incognito mode is disabled for students with their school google account.
• We are still working to get a better handle blocking the various games the students are playing… if you have any that you feel need to be blocked, please feel free to send me the address.

We know that this is a change from current practice and appreciate your understanding and patience during this transition.