Thursday, April 27, 2017

Data Procedures for Departing Staff

If you are leaving Cozad Community Schools, we would like to wish you the best of luck and we sincerely thank you for your service to our school, students, and community!

Devices

When you do your final check-out with your supervisor, please leave your computer, iPad, and any other school devices in the office in your building.  Your devices will be wiped out completely so you don't need to worry about cleaning files and/or apps off of them.

School Accounts

Your school accounts (PowerSchool, Schoology, Google, etc) will be suspended after you check out.  You will lose access to everything, although your files, email, and other data will not be deleted.  If you need extended time, you will need to make arrangements with Mr. Evertson.

Files and data

If you have data you want to transfer to your replacement or another user in the district, please create a folder with a name such as "Replacement files" in Google drive, and copy all such files into that folder.  Let Dave know that you wish to transfer these to another user.

If you have files or folders that you want to delete so no one else will ever have access, you should delete these files in Google drive.  Remember that if you've created files or folders and shared them with others, the others will lose those files when you delete them.

If you have data you want to take with you, you can use your account tools to copy those files and emails to a private Gmail account.  If you don't have a private Gmail account, you can create one, or you can use Google Takeout to transfer your files to a personal device.


Check your personal services!

Remember that if you used your school account to set up any personal services (apple ID, dropbox, social media accounts, shopping, etc) you will lose all access to that school account.  You may still be able to log in to those services after you leave, but you can't use your account to manage or recover them.  For this reason, you should make sure that you use a private account to manage your private services, and if you haven't, you need to update those service accounts to a new private account.

Let Dave or Patty know if you have any questions and we'll be happy to help you out.  Thank you for your service, and good luck in the future!

Thursday, April 13, 2017

New CHS Student Device Program

CHS Device Plan Update 5/2/17

We've made the decision to provision a Chromebook for every CHS student next year, even if the student will be continuing to lease an iPad.  Students who intend to continue leasing an iPad will still have that option, and there will be a Chromebook available to them as well.  No additional fees will be charged.

We feel that this will provide the greatest continuity in the classroom and offer the most flexibility to teachers,  students, and parents.

Please note that we've also decided to reduce the maintenance fee for Chromebook take-home to $10.  If you are already paying a maintenance fee for a leased iPad, the $10 Chromebook maintenance fee will be waived.

Students currently leasing iPads will be allowed to take the device home for the summer, no fee will be required.  2017-18 maintenance fees for Chromebooks and/or iPads will be due in August.

Previously Posted 4/13/17

Each year, Cozad High School faculty, administration and technology staff evaluate the student device program with the goal of providing the best educational experience possible to our students.  We also strive to keep things as simple, efficient and cost-effective as possible for our parents and our patrons.

Beginning with the freshman class of 2021, CHS will begin the transition to a new type of student device called a Chromebook.  Chromebooks are similar to laptop computers, but are less expensive, easier to maintain and operate, and provide significantly longer battery life.  We believe that the Chromebook is an excellent device in meeting the academic needs of high school students.

All current CHS students will have the option to continue with their present device plan, or they may switch to the new Chromebook device.  For further information about the new device program and to help you determine if you'd like to make the switch, please read this document.

2017-18 CHS student device plan

At the start of school in August, all grade 9 students, all new students, and any current students who elect to participate in the Chromebook program will be issued Chromebooks as their student device for the 2017-18 school year.

We will be explaining the new program to all current 8th grade students on Tuesday, April 18th during their English classes.  They will receive a paper copy explaining the program in more detail.  You may view that document here.

2017-18 CHS 9th grade and new student device program.

We will visit with current CHS freshmen on April 25th and with current sophomores and juniors on April 26th.  For planning purposes, these students will be asked to complete and submit a letter of intent so that we will know if they wish to continue their current device plan, or switch over to the Chromebook device.

Letter of intent - Students currently leasing iPads.  (PDF)

Letter of intent - Students who currently provide their own device.  (PDF)

These letters of intent are due back in the CHS office by Friday, May 12.  We ask that parents please make the decision with their child, and sign the intent form.

In addition, CHS will host informational parent meetings on Tuesday, May 2 and Thursday, May 11 at 7 PM in the CHS auditorium.  These meetings are optional and are intended answer any questions you may have.   Please plan to attend one of these meetings if you have any questions.