PowerSchool Update

The latest PowerSchool update makes some significant changes to the Start Page experience. The "New Experience" is currently disabled but we are planning on enabling next week. It may feel uncomfortable at first but you should get used to it quickly. There are several improvements with the search capabilities. 

To learn more about the new features select Help and then System Help in the upper right corner of your screen. Select the New Experience menu option on the left.

Windows Updates

Patch Tuesday! This is the label attributed to the monthly Windows updates. It occurs on the second Tuesday of every month and contains security updates as well as other operating system fixes and updates. The updates run behind the scenes but often require one or more restarts to complete the installation. The computer will generally slow down and sometimes features will not work until the updates are complete. Eventually you will be forced to restart your computer and the timing will likely be inopportune. 

Best practice is to restart your computer weekly at a minimum and to complete lingering Windows updates immediately after Patch Tuesday. 

First you need to understand what is and is not restarting your computer. Closing the lid usually does not shutdown your computer. Even the Power button might not shut down your computer or trigger pending updates.

Use either of the following methods to ensure your computer is restarted and updates are installed:

Note: Make sure to close all applications prior to running updates. Running applications can cause the update process to fail.

If you are logged on right click on the Windows icon in the lower left corner of your screen to see the restart and update options. 

Select Update and shut down or Update and restart to start the update process. Note: if no updates are pending you will not see Update options. 

If you are not logged on go to the logon screen and the power button should be displayed in the lower right corner of your screen. Right-click on the power button to see the restart and update options menu. You will have the same options as listed above.

Note: After the updates are completed and the computer restarts it may take a couple minutes for the update options to be removed from the menu. If the update options remain after a few minutes complete the process again; sometimes updates take more than one restart to complete the updates.

Troubleshooting

• Be patient, sometimes the updates can take up to 20 minutes or longer to complete. 
• If the update looks stuck, the update completions percentage has not changed in 30 minutes press and hold the power button until the computer shuts down (usually 10 seconds or less). Power on the computer, the updates may automatically continue, the updates may be complete, or you may need to run the process again.
• If you continue to have problems contact technical support.

If you shutdown or restart your computer weekly and make sure your Windows updates are complete at a time of your choosing you will save yourself from it happening when you need your computer functioning optimally.  

Google Meet on Macbook

There seems to be a problem with Google Meet and hardware acceleration on Macbook computers. The problem might also manifest with our video applications.

If you use a Macbook and are experiencing video problems, especially with Google Meet, try the following steps:

• Open Google Chrome
• Click the three dots in the top right corner, then select Settings
• In the center you will see a box that says Search Settings, in that box type "Hardware Acceleration"
• Uncheck "Use hardware acceleration when available"
• Select Relaunch

This will relaunch your Google Chrome browser.

Test Google Meet to see if performance issue are improved.

Technology Support

I hope everyone is healthy and taking care of themselves and their family during these challenging times.

With the new challenges of distance learning I wanted to make sure everyone has the technology support you need. If you are having problems with your computer or just have questions in general, we are here to help. There are multiple methods to request assistance:

• Submit a help desk ticket at  http://helpdesk.calschools.org
• Send an email to helpdesk@calschools.org
• Call the help desk at 616-528-6000 or extension 7990

Our current hours of operation are Monday - Thursday from 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM. However, we are monitoring help desk tickets outside our normal operating hours.

If you are having problems with your computer a technician will be in touch to schedule a remote session. If needed we can make an appointment for you to bring your computer in for service or replacement.

We are here to support you, if you need help please don't hesitate to ask.

Thank you and stay safe,

HELP DESK ACCESS

In light of everything that is going on the Tech Help Desk has made itself available from the outside.

If you are in need of assistance, you can call 616-528-6000.  If you happen to be onsite, the number is still 7990 internally.

Powerschool Update

POWERSCHOOL UPDATE

There is a Powerschool Update planned for February 1, 2020 at 10 PM EST.
If you are working in Powerschool, please make sure you have completed your work and are logged out prior to the beginning of the maintenance time.

DLP and District Email

Roughly a month ago we started using the DLP feature of GSuite in all of our e-mail.  DLP or Data Loss Prevention, as a whole, are mechanisms put in place to help prevent sensitive information from “escaping” the district via email or another mechanism.

In Gmail, that control is called Content Compliance.  The content compliance setting right now is looking for anything that may resemble a social security number.  Some of you may have experienced this directly as your email has been quarantined and you have been notified.

We are tweaking the settings as the emails get stopped so the quarantines make more sense.  If you happen to get an email stuck in quarantine it will most likely be released fairly quickly as the GSuite admins in the District get notifications.

That being said I think this may be a good time to review Board Policy in regard to email usage.  I will be referring to the Board Policy Manual Section 7000 and the Administrative Guideline Manual 7000.

Policy Manual code po7540.05 states:

“District Staff shall not send or forward mass e-mails, even if the e-mails concern District business, without prior approval of the Technology Director, principal, or other District administrator”.

Administrative Guideline Manual code ag7540.05 states:

1.        General Rule:  Do not put anything in an e-mail that you would not put on School District      letterhead.

2.       Do not forward or start e-mails with the following:

a.       Jokes

b.       Pictures, or

c.       Similar fun forwards intended to amuse the reader

3.       Do not subscribe to the following through your District e-mail account:

a.       Daily jokes

b.       Daily horoscopes

c.       Daily recipes

d.       Vacation information

e.       Similar items of information or amusement.

These are not all inclusive and staff members should refer to aforementioned articles for further review.

Alongside board policy, here are some other best practices when regard to District email:

1.       Don’t use your District e-mail to register for an account on ANY website or ANY service       that isn’t directly related to District business.

2.       Don’t use District email to send any attachments or information that includes Social Security or Credit Card numbers.

3.       Don’t respond to ANY email asking you to provide any personal information.  Especially e-mails supposedly coming from a bank, the IRS, the local police, etc.  

4.       Don’t open an email you think maybe be suspicious

5.       Don’t attempt to open or download an attachment in a suspicious e-mail.

If you have concerns about your email, please call the Helpdesk at 7990.