Meeting+Minutes+January+25,+2012

** Wednesday January 25, 2012 ** Members present: Kyle Tammen, Heidi Dudley, Diane Frank, Jill Schrader Matt Keenan, Barb Bolen, Jentry Byleveld, Guest: Gwendolyn Wallace Heidi explained how IE 8 may need to be downloaded onto teachers’ desk machines in their offices if they are having issues in IE (classroom computers should be fine since they have had the IE update). We handed out a browser support document which shows the different browsers and the programs that support them (Like Infinite Campus, Google, IFAS…) as a quick reference for people to look at. This document was last updated in November of 2011. The home screen in Infinite Campus also lists this information and it should be updated as browser versions are updated. Heidi then showed some of the more helpful Google tips that Dan Maas has been sending out. One such tip involves the Google Notifier. Google Notifier is a small program that you can add to your machine that will give you a pop-up on the bottom right corner of your screen notifying you of new emails, much like Outlook used to do. The real advantage of Google Notifier is that if you do a lot of emailing by clicking on a linked email address, the Notifier will direct Google mail to automatically open an outgoing message with the addressee prefilled in the “To” box (much like the Outlook program used to do). If you want this on your computer, we suggest putting it on your desk computer (not in your classroom). Another tip is the signature tweak. This tweak prevents your signature from showing up at the very bottom of your reply emails. It is found under the “Labs” link under the settings page (click Mail settings in the gear icon next to your email address at the top of the window). The “labs” link also has the Google calendar gadget that Heidi showed (displays a small window of the Google calendar in your email window when you use Chrome). You can also set a theme that will customize your email window’s look when you are in Chrome. In the settings area, you can set-up things like your signature and the vacation responder (like the out of office reply in Outlook).
 * HHS Technology Committee Meeting Minutes **
 * 1) **** Google/Chrome/IE/Firefox (oh my!) **

We have new computers coming to replace labs (from the district). We will be replacing the large library computer lab with these new computers and then cascading the computers from the large computer lab to the small computer lab. The computers currently in the small lab will then be redistributed through the building. We are trying to get rid of the old GX-270 and 280 models that are still in the building, so the ultimate replacement of our oldest machines with the cascade will be our priority. With this replacement our 2 library labs will become Windows 7 labs. For departments that have programs in the current labs (like Kangasaurus, Graphical Analysis, Geo Sketch Pad, TI Interactive …) they need to understand that many and perhaps all of these programs will not work in Windows 7. So, departments need to start looking at replacements or upgrades for the programs they want to use in the library labs. Please run any ideas for upgrades or replacement of programs by Heidi or Diane so we can make sure that they would be compatible with Windows 7.
 * 2) **** New Library Computer Lab and what it means for staff **

This year we need presenters from Language Arts to present at Innovation Avenue (the technology showcase where each LPS school is represented). It is a time to showcase what is being done with monies that the LPS Foundation has contributed to schools. Since Language Arts has benefited from the foundation with the Inspired Writing Project and 8 Eee Carts, we need them to show the LPS Foundation how we have used and benefited from their generous support. We will be talking to Kent Sauls about how the Language Arts department will present at this dinner on Saturday, April 14th.
 * 3) **** LPS Spirit Celebration Dinner and Technology Showcase **

The MAP testing window for spring runs from April 2nd to May 4th. We typically start testing as soon as the window opens so we can have testing completed as soon as possible. This year, MAP testing starts as soon as we come back from spring break. The band will still be coming back from Europe that first week, and we have other things like a late start day and an ACT prep extended advisory going on that week that will affect the bell schedule (and hence the time kids would have in any one period to complete the test). So, we may move the start of testing to the following week and test until the 27th instead of the 20th.
 * 4) **** MAP Testing for spring **

Program online – Stacey is looking at this as supplemental tool as well as for AP and ACT resources for students at all different levels. We set-up some classes with English and gave anyone else who wanted to check it out, the sign-in code for the trial. Jill Schrader said that science found that Study Island had some resources for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, but that was it, so they didn’t feel it had all of the resources they would need for all of their courses in science. We have also heard that the AP resources for science are pretty basic and not as intense as the actual test. Jill said that the ACT portion for science seems to be good, but there is lots of scrolling involved which gets frustrating. Heidi says the real program (not the trial) has printable handouts and resources on career planning, work readiness and preparing for interviews. Heidi said it looks like we may end up going with Study Island, perhaps as a pilot school for LPS. If we do decide to go with it, Heidi may set-up another trial so we could dig into it more as a group with training sessions in the summer. She asked if a training day for each summer month (June, July, and August) would work so people could choose the day that works best for them. The committee response to this idea was favorable.
 * 5) **** Study Island **

The HHS sub folder is a folder that all departments have used to put resources into one place that a substitute can get to for lesson plans… etc. We have noticed that this folder has gotten full of stuff over the years, to the point that it is making it hard for substitutes to find the resources that teachers need them to access. We are asking our tech committee people to go over these folders with their departments and move anything that they want to keep into their department folders within the sub folder. At some point we will delete anything that is still hanging out in the sub folder which has not been put into department folders. The sub folder is found in the shared Teacher Folder O:\HHS\HHS-Staff\HHS-Sub.
 * 6) **** HHS Sub Folder **


 * *Next meeting Wednesday, February 22. **