Network & Email Problem

August 26, 2008 | Email, Technology Department

Late this morning we experienced a problem on our network that resulted in a break in the network connections between our computers and the e-mail server. When the mail server didn’t respond immediately, we restarted the computer. Restarting the mail server takes about 4 minutes, but in that time most of us are sending requests to check mail.

Soon after the server came back online we had over 300 connections and 250 messages waiting to be sent. This resulted in a delay in which some messages were in the queue close to 10 minutes before being sent out.

Another strange result from the restart was the reappearance of messages that had been deleted over the past week. This problem primarily effected those that were using Microsoft Outlook as their email client. We also had reports of some duplicate messages being received. Both of these may have been the result of settings in the mail server that will refresh a message rather than delete it if the program quits unexpectedly.

I’m sorry about the inconvienence this may have caused for you.

Office Upgrade

June 20, 2008 | Technology Department

No, I’m not talking about an upgrade to Office 2008 (although I did receive a copy last Wednesday!). This office upgrade is our technology office. We’re getting new carpet and everything had to be moved out on Friday. Luckily, with a laptop and wireless connection, I’m still able to work…

…sorta

APECS Finance is Back Online

June 2, 2008 | APECS, Technology Department

The upgrade of the district finance software, APECS.Net was completed over the weekend. The new software is online today.

Budget managers will be pleased to have WebLink available once again from outside the school district. The service is now listed as ApecsWeb, therefore it’s at the top of the alphabetical listings of menu items on the district home page. Our new website will have the link on the Staff page, under the main menu “District Resources” and submenu “Finance Department.”

Work is still being done to upgrade the employee portal. When completed, an email will be sent to the entire district with instructions for logging into this site

Free Online Podcasting Seminar

June 1, 2008 | Education, Podcasts, Staff Development

Apple computer is offering a three-part seminar on podcasting. The on-demand program (work when it’s convenient for you) will cover performing, producing and promoting podcasts. The school district has a podcast server available for any teacher wanting to post podcasts. If you’re interested in the seminar, visit the web page at http://seminars.apple.com/seminarsonline/podcast/apple/index.html?s=3

B.O.E. Approves Orders for District Technology Grants

May 28, 2008 | Classroom Technology, Education

Last night the school board approved the purchase of equipment, supplies, software and training for theĀ  district technology grants. Close to $250,000 has been allocated to support the use of technology in the selected classrooms. The orders can’t be placed until next week when the upgrade of the district finance software has been completed. We are also waiting for more competitive pricing from some of the suppliers.

The majority of the requests are for interactive whiteboards, document cameras, and desktop projectors.

Introducing the RISD41 TechiWiki

May 25, 2008 | Web Sites, Web Technologies, Wikis

The school district has established a Wiki to discuss technology topics - the TechiWiki. It can be accessed at http://rockislandschools.org/w

The site will be developed and revised over the next couple of months. I’d appreciate any suggestions on how we could best use a Wiki to support our district technology users.

Year-End Information

May 25, 2008 | Technology Department

The 2007-08 school year is quickly coming to an end. The use of technology is expanding throughout our district classrooms, fueled by a surge of interest in Web 2 including Blogs, Podcasts and Wikis. Next year 42 classrooms will be testing the effectiveness of teaching with various technology tools. We’ll be watching closely to determine which of these projects should be expanded to include additional classrooms.

The primary purpose of this posting is to provide you with answers to some of the most common questions we receive regarding technology equipment and the end of the school year.
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*** Teachers leaving the district ***

Laptop computers are to be returned to the Technology Department. Arrangements can be made to remove your files and save the information on a CD. Since some teachers return in August, the information on the computer will not be removed until we are certain you will not be returning. If you would like to have your email forwarded to a new address, let us know.
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*** Teachers moving to a different classroom ***

Laptop computers assigned to teachers stay with the teacher. If you are moving to a different classroom or building, take the laptop and accessories with you. Networked printers, airports and other shared devices stay in the building. If in doubt, contact the Technology Department.
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*** Storage of laptops ***

You are responsible for your laptop! If you will not be taking the laptop home for the summer, please return the computer to the technology department for summer storage. While the computer is here we can do maintenance and update the software. If you choose to leave the computer in your building, please store the computer in a secure location approved by your principal and notify the Technology Department.
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*** Email Privacy ***
This has been a tough year for our e-mail server! We’ve been getting hit with thousands of spam messages every day, mailboxes are reaching quotas faster than ever, and we’ve come to expect slow responses between 8 and 10 every morning. The technology department has been investigating solutions and has two suggestions:
1. Use POP3 rather than IMAP. This means you download your mail to your computer and no longer have to deal with quotas. The advantage is - every message is on your computer. There’s no delay while the mailboxes are synchronized with the server. The disadvantage is - every message is on your computer. You’re responsible for your own backup. If you’d like to switch to POP3, contact the technology department for instructions.
2. Use RISD Mail for RISD work. The vast majority of our email problems are related to personal messages being sent through our mail server. These messages have photos, slide shows, and other attachments that cause delays in the system. If you don’t have a personal email address, we can help you set up an account. You should also be aware that risd41.org messages are not private and we will soon be storing a copy of every message that comes in or out of our server.
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*** Laptop Survey ***
At the end of each year we post a survey for teachers to give us feedback on the use of a laptop in the classroom. We’re interested in your opinion! The survey will be available online at http://tp.risd41.org/technology/surveys/laptops08.tp3?USER_ID=teacher until June16th. You can only access the survey from the link in this e-mail message.
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*** Backup, Backup, Backup ***
Please backup your important files! We backup files stored on most of our file servers, but do not backup files from individual teacher laptops. If you are not certain how to back up your files, we can give you instructions. We will also provide you with a blank DVD or CD to store the files - just stop by the technology office.
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*** Storage of cameras, desktops, projectors, etc. ***

Technology equipment other than laptops should be stored in a secure location approved by your building principal. If you plan to take technology equipment home, you must complete and submit a Property Off Premises form.
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Purchasing a Computer for Home?

May 24, 2008 | Technology Department

We often get requests advice from teachers and staff interested in purchasing a computer for home. Three options are often suggested:

  1. Online purchasing of a new computer - Apple and Dell have online stores for education purchases.
  2. Dell or Apple computers in stores - If you would prefer to see the computer before making your purchase, Apple computers can be purchased at an Apple Store, Best Buy and American. Dell computers are sold by Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Staples.
  3. Reconditioned computers are available from many resellers. The school district has been satisfied with computers from C.D.I. Computers and PartStock Computer Sales.

If you would like assistance in selecting a computer, please don’t hesitate to contact the district technology department for help.

APECS Upgrade

May 22, 2008 | APECS, Technology Department

The district is in the process of upgrading our Human Resources and Finance applications. This will involve a major migration of our data and will necessitate a shut down of the system from May 28th through June 2nd. Janet Russell has been coordinating training on the new system for administrators, principals, secretaries and support staff.

(Above) Dianne Ewing is explaining the new system to Janet Meeks and Joann Fairman.

(Below) The new system will be rolled out on June 2nd. The first payroll on this system will be run June 10th and 11th.

Technology Challenge Recipients

May 21, 2008 | Classroom Technology

A summary of the funded proposals has been posted on the technology web site. If you missed it, the url is http://rockislandschools.org/tech/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=21&Itemid=61

It’s been extremely busy the past few weeks as we’ve been compiling lists of equipment and supplies needed to support these projects!