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Take charge makes it easy to find great educational TV shows and web sites, while creating safe boundaries for your children’s experience.  Includes safe sites and ideas for using the Internet, watching TV, and using the phone. En Espanol.

Lost/Broken CDs/Payment   

   Classroom teachers are responsible for retrieving payment for lost or broken CDs from students.  Students do not receive a new CD if they still have one checked out.  But, if they are only needing to pay for sleeves or inserts, you may continue to check out CDs to the student.

Lightspan Network Log-Ins

   If you are having trouble logging in to the Lightspan Network, or can’t remember your password, please let Belita know. 

Accountability with Lightspan  

The most frequent comment from parents is “How do the teachers know my child did their Lightspan homework?”  Good question, with great possible answers.  Here’s what is being done in the building – morning writing prompt, (or part of a center); using the progress checks each week – either sent home, completed and turned in, or done during class; short class discussions on characters or topics tied to graphic organizers, etc.  Any other ways you are holding the students accountable for the work?  Let Belita know!

Student CD Return

Terry Manning had 100% return of Lightspan CD’s for the first 7 weeks of Lightspan!  How does she do it?  Students earn tickets for a raffle that they have on Fridays when they bring their CD’s back on time; she gives pop quizzes about the CD and activities they are assigned (for accountability!!!); and the students pull cards when they don’t bring back their CD’s. Those are some great ideas for getting CD’s back on time!

Also, Teresa Newell was struggling with her Kindergarten students to get their CD’s back, so a parent made up simple reminder stickers with the Lightspan characters on them which were placed on the students as they left on the day before the CDs were due back.  Teresa reports that the return rate was much greater by taking this little step.

Send your tips and tricks to Belita so they can be shared with others!! 

Wow, we have a great bunch of students on the tech crew!  They are excited, and really want to do a good job!

Please be aware, that after the first few weeks of training, some of the students may be coming in to your classrooms while you are teaching.  They should get right to work on the assigned task, but please let me know immediately if they are a distraction for your class. 

Tech Crew meets during lunch recess, Tuesday – Friday of each week.  For a more detailed schedule, and list of Crew members, check the Technology / BAL-A-Vis-X hall.
 

Please Be Aware….Remember to lock up your Lightspan CD sets to prevent this from happening again.  To replace full sets is expensive:

$185 for K-2; $195 for 3 / 4; and $185 for 5/6!

COMPASS

Scenario:  None of your students can use Compass.  Looks like the server’s down. 

What do you do?  Call the office immediately!  They will notify Belita or Rebecca.  If you don’t call, we don’t know there is a problem.  We don’t care if we get 24 calls – that will actually help us figure out the problem!

Did You Know…

Anderson recycles printer ink cartridges?  Just put them in the box near the door in the Tech Room.  We receive money for each cartridge, and you can even bring your empty cartridges from home (and tell your friends­!)  GBA and SP will decide how the money will be spent

We have a digital camera for your use?  There are some guidelines for use (such as: you are responsible for saving and printing your own pictures), so see Belita if you’re interested.
 

Outlook Tips

 All Outlook mail that is 30 days old will be purged from your mailbox. 

Distribution Lists:  Use these lists to help organize the groups of people you email frequently. They’re easy to set up – Rebecca or Belita can email you the directions.               

Contacts:  A great way to keep track of phone numbers and email addresses.  In your Folder List, click on Contacts, then use the File New option to set up your list.          

Folders:  Organize your emails for future reference by setting up folders and then dragging and dropping the emails to them (like a filing cabinet!).  You will need to set up Personal Folders that will be saved on your hard drive.  More information will be coming from the District MIS folks in January.
Find Option:  Use this option to quickly find emails you received or sent.  Be sure you are in the folder you think the email is in (Inbox, Sent Mail, etc.), then click on Tools and Find.  Type in a keyword or phrase and all of the emails with that word or phrase will appear in the window.  Be sure the “search all text in the message” option is checked for best results.

Speaking of help…

Rebecca and Belita have been working through the requests!  So if you have technical needs, computer or Lightspan related, please send Belita & Rebecca an email, or put a note in the mail box, or post it on the list on the tech room door.  And continue to call with your emergency needs!

More you  need to know:

       Add-Ons:  District policy restricts the downloading of Microsoft and non-Microsoft “add-ons” to your computer.  This includes HotBar.  There are many reasons, including security issues, virus protection and computer “run-ability”.  Let Rebecca or Belita know if you have questions about downloading.

Feedback requested

Feedback is needed on the Tech Crew…give thoughts to Belita…….

 What should their roles be?

How can it be improved?

How do we get the most out of our 15-20 minutes a day?

How can we get the students out of the lunch-room quicker to start and back to the classroom quicker at the end?

How can we reward these students who are giving up their lunch recess once a week?

What else!

Contact Belita with any ideas or comments!