I wanted to take some time to answer a few questions that I have been asked quite a few times lately:
Question: Why does Outlook Web Access (webmail) log me out after only 15 minutes?
Answer:
The automatic logoff of Outlook Web Access is determined by the Security setting that you choose when you log in to your account. If you choose the "Public" (which is the default option), the system will log you out after 15 minutes of inactivity. If you choose "Private", the system will log you out after 8 hours of inactivity.
It may also help to explain inactivity. Inactivity is calculated by the time since the last page was submitted to the server. Things like typing a new email are done in the browser and are not submitted to the server until you click the send or save button. So if you are using "Public" security and it is taking you a while to type your email message, click on the save button if you are getting close to the 15 minute logoff. Saved messages are stored in the Drafts folder. If you exceed the 15 minutes while typing (using "Public" security) , the system will log you out and the letter will be lost when you try to send it.
For more information take a look at the Exchange Team Blog article: Time Out! for Outlook Web Access
Question: Why does PowerSchool/PowerTeacher/GradeBook log me out after only 1 hour?
Answer:
The automatic logoff of PowerSchool is determined by which site you are logged in to. If you are the Administrator portion of PowerSchool, the system will log you off after 60 minutes of inactivity. (This value was changed from 3 hours when we implemented PowerSchool 7 to increase security on the Administrator portion of PowerSchool.) If you are in the PowerTeacher / Gradebook portion of PowerSchool, the system will log you off after 60 minutes of inactivity. If you are in the Public portion of PowerSchool (students, guardians, etc.) the system will log you off after 10 minutes of inactivity.
Inactivity in PowerSchool is very similar to Outlook Web: Inactivity is calculated by the time since the last page was submitted to the server. Things like typing on a page do not count as activity. It is not until you submit a page or navigate to another page the logoff time is reset.
Hope that helps clear up some of the confusion.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
PowerSchool Public Access Available in Spanish
On Thursday the IT Department began upgrading the Public Access portion of PowerSchool. New in PowerSchool 7, Pearson is offering over 50 different translations of the parent portal screens. Over the next few weeks we will be working with the Department of Curriculum and Instruction to identify and implement the native languages of our district families. On Thursday last week, we implemented the Spanish version of the pages. Look for new languages to join English and Spanish over the next few weeks.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
PowerSchool 7 is live
On Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 11:30 AM, PowerSchool 7 was deemed stable for SVUSD and made available for staff use. This version of PowerSchool sports a new user interface, a new version of PowerTeacher, and a total overhaul under the hood. We also completed the End of Year process which moves the system into the 2011-2012 school year.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Webmail Changes
To prepare for Exchange 2010, I wanted to share some changes have been made to our existing webmail.
The first change is the https:\\ in the address bar. This is because webmail has been encrypted with SSL to ensure the integrity and security of your data as it crosses the internet. It is also mandatory to ensure that Exchange 2003 and 2010 can coexist.
The second and easily the most apparent change is the use of Form Based Authentication. Form Based Authentication is a fancy way of saying you need to log into a web page rather than to the prompt for user and password that we used before.
The new login screen looks like this:
The good news is that using the login page is pretty simple.
Please feel free to contact the IT Department if you have any questions or problems.
The first change is the https:\\ in the address bar. This is because webmail has been encrypted with SSL to ensure the integrity and security of your data as it crosses the internet. It is also mandatory to ensure that Exchange 2003 and 2010 can coexist.
The second and easily the most apparent change is the use of Form Based Authentication. Form Based Authentication is a fancy way of saying you need to log into a web page rather than to the prompt for user and password that we used before.
The new login screen looks like this:
- Type your user name in the first field (John Doe would use jdoe)
- Type your password in the second field
Optionally you can change the following:
- Choose a Client (Premium is for Internet Explorer and has more features, Basic is for all other browsers)
- Choose whether you are on a Public or Private Computer
Please feel free to contact the IT Department if you have any questions or problems.
Monday, June 20, 2011
PowerSchool 7 Has Been Released
On June 17, 2011, Pearson officially released PowerSchool 7, a major revision of the PowerSchool student information system. After testing the beta for the last few weeks, I am excited about the enhancements that this major upgrade will bring. The district will be migrating to PowerSchool 7 over the summer and it will be ready for teachers when the 2011-2012 school year begins. Below you will find the announcement for PowerSchool 7 and a video about the new version of PowerTeacher.
Power School 7
PowerTeacher 2.3
Power School 7
PowerTeacher 2.3
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Summer 2011
Now that the school year is winding to a close, it is once again time for the IT Department to change gears and start working on the major projects for next school year. We have worked hard during this school year to plan our summer projects, and it is finally time to start implementing them. I wanted to share some of the projects that we have slated for the summer of 2011.
1. Exchange 2010
We will be implementing the newest Microsoft e-mail system. Exchange 2010 will improve all facets of access for teachers and staff. Webmail has been redesigned to work with browsers like FireFox and Safari (even on MacBooks!) E-mail access with a Droid or iPhone will include mail, contacts, and calendar. Active Sync will provide automatic setup of your e-mail client (including Droid and iPhone).
2. PowerSchool 7.0
We will be implementing PowerSchool 7.0, the newest version of our Student Information System. The most compelling feature of PowerSchool 7 is that the Parent Portal will be available in 18 languages to parents. Providing information to our community in their preferred language will help keep parents informed about their child's education. Also look for an updated version of the teacher grade book in PowerSchool 7.
3. Staff and Student Wireless
During Semester 2 of 2011-2012, the IT Department worked with Maintenance and Operations to install a new, state of the art wireless system on our secondary school campuses. The goal was to provide wireless access to all secondary school staff in the classroom. This summer we will be taking that idea and implementing it in our K-5 schools. The next step will be a limited pilot of student wireless access at our secondary schools. We understand how critical access to information is, and would like to test the "Bring your own Device" model. Students would be allowed to bring in their own laptops or other devices for use in class. The pilot will be to ensure that our network is not overwhelmed and that we can ensure responsible use of networked devices by students.
4. Multimedia Carts
During Semester 2 of 2011-2012, a select group of tech coaches and teachers were chosen to pilot a new Multimedia Cart for deployment into the district. The cart that was piloted was a multimedia cart from Bretford that included powered speakers. The cart came loaded with an Epson LCD projector and an Elmo document camera. The feedback from the pilot group was positive and we will be deploying the carts on a larger scale. Over the summer we will be preparing 100 - 150 carts for deployment when teachers return to the district. Tech coaches will be providing the training when carts arrive.
5. Lab and COW Maintenance
Our goal over the summer will be to update every lab and COW in the district. For some sites, this just means installing operating system updates. For others, we will be installing an updated version of the operating system, more ram, and/or a new version of Microsoft Office. We estimate that about 1/3 of our summer will be dedicated to maintenance of student computers.
6. IT Help Desk
Next year we will be providing a help desk to teachers and staff. The help desk will give you access to IT Staff and will be the primary point of contact for your technology issues. A technician will be available to help you via phone or e-mail with technology problems that you are experiencing. We hope this single point of contact for phone and e-mail requests will help streamline the process and alleviate any confusion about who to contact with tech issues.
These are just some of the projects we have planned over the summer. I hope you are as excited as we are about technology for the upcoming school year.
1. Exchange 2010
We will be implementing the newest Microsoft e-mail system. Exchange 2010 will improve all facets of access for teachers and staff. Webmail has been redesigned to work with browsers like FireFox and Safari (even on MacBooks!) E-mail access with a Droid or iPhone will include mail, contacts, and calendar. Active Sync will provide automatic setup of your e-mail client (including Droid and iPhone).
2. PowerSchool 7.0
We will be implementing PowerSchool 7.0, the newest version of our Student Information System. The most compelling feature of PowerSchool 7 is that the Parent Portal will be available in 18 languages to parents. Providing information to our community in their preferred language will help keep parents informed about their child's education. Also look for an updated version of the teacher grade book in PowerSchool 7.
3. Staff and Student Wireless
During Semester 2 of 2011-2012, the IT Department worked with Maintenance and Operations to install a new, state of the art wireless system on our secondary school campuses. The goal was to provide wireless access to all secondary school staff in the classroom. This summer we will be taking that idea and implementing it in our K-5 schools. The next step will be a limited pilot of student wireless access at our secondary schools. We understand how critical access to information is, and would like to test the "Bring your own Device" model. Students would be allowed to bring in their own laptops or other devices for use in class. The pilot will be to ensure that our network is not overwhelmed and that we can ensure responsible use of networked devices by students.
4. Multimedia Carts
During Semester 2 of 2011-2012, a select group of tech coaches and teachers were chosen to pilot a new Multimedia Cart for deployment into the district. The cart that was piloted was a multimedia cart from Bretford that included powered speakers. The cart came loaded with an Epson LCD projector and an Elmo document camera. The feedback from the pilot group was positive and we will be deploying the carts on a larger scale. Over the summer we will be preparing 100 - 150 carts for deployment when teachers return to the district. Tech coaches will be providing the training when carts arrive.
5. Lab and COW Maintenance
Our goal over the summer will be to update every lab and COW in the district. For some sites, this just means installing operating system updates. For others, we will be installing an updated version of the operating system, more ram, and/or a new version of Microsoft Office. We estimate that about 1/3 of our summer will be dedicated to maintenance of student computers.
6. IT Help Desk
Next year we will be providing a help desk to teachers and staff. The help desk will give you access to IT Staff and will be the primary point of contact for your technology issues. A technician will be available to help you via phone or e-mail with technology problems that you are experiencing. We hope this single point of contact for phone and e-mail requests will help streamline the process and alleviate any confusion about who to contact with tech issues.
These are just some of the projects we have planned over the summer. I hope you are as excited as we are about technology for the upcoming school year.
Friday, May 20, 2011
New District Status Page
The IT Department has launched a second blog page. The SVUSD IT Status Page is the place to find information about software/system upgrades, planned outages, and service interruptions.
It can be found at http://svusdstatus.blogspot.com/
or you can click on the "District Status" link to the right.
It can be found at http://svusdstatus.blogspot.com/
or you can click on the "District Status" link to the right.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
User Names Have Been Corrected!
I am glad to announce that all of the names have been corrected in our e-mail system. When you use the display name, first name, or last name search boxes you will get the proper result.
Here is a little background on the issue:
Over the last few weeks, the IT Department has been working to correct all 500+ names for our Windows login and email system. Many of the users in the system had been created incorrectly (a long time before I got here) with first and last names switched or no first and last name at all.
I was alerted to this by district staff and the IT Department set out to fix the problem. It took us a while to make the changes, but we are glad to announce that they are finally done! Please take a look in the address book to confirm that your name appears how you would like it to appear and let me know if you have any changes.
Here is a little background on the issue:
Over the last few weeks, the IT Department has been working to correct all 500+ names for our Windows login and email system. Many of the users in the system had been created incorrectly (a long time before I got here) with first and last names switched or no first and last name at all.
I was alerted to this by district staff and the IT Department set out to fix the problem. It took us a while to make the changes, but we are glad to announce that they are finally done! Please take a look in the address book to confirm that your name appears how you would like it to appear and let me know if you have any changes.
Monday, March 28, 2011
PowerSchool 6.2.2 is here
Over spring break, we will be upgrading to version 6.2.2 of PowerSchool. Along with usual bug fixes that are included in this update, there were a couple of notable new features added to PowerSchool. Below you will find a list of these new features.
New in PowerTeacher 2.2.2
Link to the New PowerTeacher Mobile App
On the PowerTeacher portal, a new App Store link is now available on the main menu. The link takes you directly to the Apple App Store to download the PowerTeacher Mobile application. This image and link are only visible if the teacher account is configured to use PowerTeacher Gradebook, and the district and school have Mobile Services enabled.
Weighted Mean Now Available as Standards Final Grade Calculation
Based on customer feedback, the weighted mean is now available as one of the standards final grade calculation options in PowerTeacher and PowerTeacher Administrator. The weighted mean uses both the total points possible and the assignment weights.
New in PowerSchool Parent and Student Web Portals 6.2.2
Download Export File Containing Student Data
With this release, a new Download icon appears in the navigation bar when the Grades and Attendance tab is selected. Click to download an export file containing student data similar to the printable view data. This data file is intended to help facilitate upload into other products, including Pearson's Alleyoop. Alleyoop is a social guidance network for college-bound teens. Alleyoop helps teens and their parents explore future college and career goals, set short-term grade goals, and get the coaching they need to get ready for success in college and beyond. For more information, see the Alleyoop Web site.
New in PowerTeacher 2.2.2
Link to the New PowerTeacher Mobile App
On the PowerTeacher portal, a new App Store link is now available on the main menu. The link takes you directly to the Apple App Store to download the PowerTeacher Mobile application. This image and link are only visible if the teacher account is configured to use PowerTeacher Gradebook, and the district and school have Mobile Services enabled.
Weighted Mean Now Available as Standards Final Grade Calculation
Based on customer feedback, the weighted mean is now available as one of the standards final grade calculation options in PowerTeacher and PowerTeacher Administrator. The weighted mean uses both the total points possible and the assignment weights.
New in PowerSchool Parent and Student Web Portals 6.2.2
Download Export File Containing Student Data
With this release, a new Download icon appears in the navigation bar when the Grades and Attendance tab is selected. Click to download an export file containing student data similar to the printable view data. This data file is intended to help facilitate upload into other products, including Pearson's Alleyoop. Alleyoop is a social guidance network for college-bound teens. Alleyoop helps teens and their parents explore future college and career goals, set short-term grade goals, and get the coaching they need to get ready for success in college and beyond. For more information, see the Alleyoop Web site.
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