Teachers, if you are responsible for maintaining and editing a page on your campus website, you have probably noticed a few changes in the way edits are made.
Why did this happen?
Over the summer our website software (DNN) was upgraded to the newest version. It’s the first step in our process to improve overall functionality and usability for our campus websites.
While there will be a learning curve for all of us while learn the ins and outs of the new version of our website software, we believe all users will ultimately enjoy working with this version as opposed to the previous version, which was much more limited in overall functionality and capability. To assist you in getting the hang of editing the new version of the website software, we have have created a series of training documents covering the basic steps. They can be found by clicking here.
If you have any questions about editing your campus webpage, please contact your campus web publisher.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Message From Venu
Welcome back to an exciting
new chapter at SBISD with Dr. Scott Muri at the helm and with a renewed focus
on Every Child. We in Technology Services are committed to making a
positive impact on Every Child Every Day.
If you need technology help,
please call the Help Desk 713-251-TECH (8324). Hours are: 7 AM to 10 PM
Monday thru Friday and 8 AM to 10 PM Saturday and Sunday.
Please remember we have a
scheduled Maintenance Window for server, infrastructure and network
upgrades that starts at 6:00 PM every Friday. During this Maintenance Window,
systems may go down without warning. Most Fridays you won’t notice anything but
if you find something not working on a Friday evening, you’ll know why.
We have several exciting
improvements underway. We are taking what is already a robust network to a
whole new level this year. Our ultimate goal is 100% uptime. We are
adding redundancies (alternate paths) in many places so there is no single point
of failure. We have expanded our internet capacity this year and we are
upgrading our wireless network so we can support more student devices in the
classroom.
Have a great school year. Please feel free to call any of us with your
questions and/or comments.
Venu
Rao
Technology Services
713-251-2249 venu.rao@springbranchisd.com
Mark
Maxwell
Applications
713-251-2252 mark.maxwell@springbranchisd.com
Wes
Hargrove
Infrastructure
713-251-1401 wesley.hargrove@springbranchisd.com
Ed
Wilson
Customer Service
713-251-1443 forrest.wilson@springbranchisd.com
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Friday Maintenance Window
Fridays 6:00 pm - Saturdays 6:00 am
Football Season: Email, network and Internet - Fridays 10:00 pm - Saturdays 6:00 am
We have 450 computer servers at SBISD serving 40,000 users (35,500 students plus 4,500 staff). Our wired and wireless data network connects these servers to our computers – desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. The data network makes it possible to access several hundred different programs we collectively use across the district. The network provides access to the Internet and provides content filtering (for our kids) and firewall protection (for viruses and malicious hacking).
To maintain this extensive infrastructure takes time and effort. Computer software goes through periodic updates to fix problems, introduce new features and stay current. Updating takes time and while the update is taking place, the computer or software is not available for use. I’m sure you’ve experienced this with your smartphone. With this many servers and programs something is always being updated – to fix problems, to apply security patches, to upgrade to a new version.
Instead of scheduling each upgrade individually, we accumulate all the updates for the week and do them all on Friday evenings. That’s the time most of us are taking a breather from work. This is our “maintenance window”. It is from 6:00 PM Friday to 6:00 AM Saturday. During this weekly Friday “maintenance window” which system goes down depends on what maintenance we are doing that week. If we are upgrading a major network component, everything will go down. If we are upgrading one application, just that application will go down. Please do remember the program you are trying to access may be down Friday evening. You will not see a warning. If it is being updated, it will just go down abruptly.
By instituting the concept of a “maintenance window”, updates become a routine thing. We don’t have to “schedule” each upgrade with all the affected users. And, you don’t see a bunch of emails about various systems going down at various times for maintenance.
To summarize, any computer system may go down on any Friday after 6:00 PM without warning. (During football season, we postpone email, network and Internet upgrades to after 10:00 PM.)
Football Season: Email, network and Internet - Fridays 10:00 pm - Saturdays 6:00 am
We have 450 computer servers at SBISD serving 40,000 users (35,500 students plus 4,500 staff). Our wired and wireless data network connects these servers to our computers – desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. The data network makes it possible to access several hundred different programs we collectively use across the district. The network provides access to the Internet and provides content filtering (for our kids) and firewall protection (for viruses and malicious hacking).
To maintain this extensive infrastructure takes time and effort. Computer software goes through periodic updates to fix problems, introduce new features and stay current. Updating takes time and while the update is taking place, the computer or software is not available for use. I’m sure you’ve experienced this with your smartphone. With this many servers and programs something is always being updated – to fix problems, to apply security patches, to upgrade to a new version.
Instead of scheduling each upgrade individually, we accumulate all the updates for the week and do them all on Friday evenings. That’s the time most of us are taking a breather from work. This is our “maintenance window”. It is from 6:00 PM Friday to 6:00 AM Saturday. During this weekly Friday “maintenance window” which system goes down depends on what maintenance we are doing that week. If we are upgrading a major network component, everything will go down. If we are upgrading one application, just that application will go down. Please do remember the program you are trying to access may be down Friday evening. You will not see a warning. If it is being updated, it will just go down abruptly.
By instituting the concept of a “maintenance window”, updates become a routine thing. We don’t have to “schedule” each upgrade with all the affected users. And, you don’t see a bunch of emails about various systems going down at various times for maintenance.
To summarize, any computer system may go down on any Friday after 6:00 PM without warning. (During football season, we postpone email, network and Internet upgrades to after 10:00 PM.)
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Don't Risk Losing Your Files! Save to Your SAN Folder!
Every SBISD employee has a SAN Folder, also
known as an H-Drive. It is a storage folder on our network where you can store
files such as Word documents, Excel sheets, PowerPoint presentations, etc. You should save your files to your SAN Folder. Why? Because
your SAN Folder is backed up and files stored here can always be restored if
accidentally deleted. Click here for instructions on how to restore files to your SAN Folder.
If you store files directly on your laptop i.e. My Documents, Desktop, C-Drive etc, you risk losing them if you delete them or if your laptop crashes or is stolen.
Saving to Your SAN Folder
2. Click on your SAN Folder in the folder list. Your SAN Folder name begins with your network user name.
3. Name the file and click "Save."
4. The file is now saved to your SAN Folder.
Accessing Your SAN Folder
2. Locate your SAN Folder icon. The name will begin with your network username.
3. You will then be in your SAN Folder.
Saving to your SAN Folder is a much safer way of storing and protecting your data!
If you store files directly on your laptop i.e. My Documents, Desktop, C-Drive etc, you risk losing them if you delete them or if your laptop crashes or is stolen.
If you need help saving to or accessing your SAN Folder, please see the
steps below.
Saving to Your SAN Folder
1. When saving a file to your SAN Folder for
the first time, choose "Save As."
2. Click on your SAN Folder in the folder list. Your SAN Folder name begins with your network user name.
3. Name the file and click "Save."
4. The file is now saved to your SAN Folder.
Accessing Your SAN Folder
1. Click the My Computer icon located on your computer desktop.
2. Locate your SAN Folder icon. The name will begin with your network username.
3. You will then be in your SAN Folder.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
After Hours Technology Help Desk Support
Do you ever find yourself working late and in need of technical support? The SBISD Technology Services Help Desk is pleased to offer after hours support available evenings, weekends and holidays!
- After Hours support is available from 5pm – 10pm each night, 365 days a year
- After Hours support is available during the Holidays from – 7am – 10pm
After Hours Support can provide assistance with issues pertaining to:
- SBISD Software Systems
- VPN
If the After Hours Support technician is unable to resolve your issue, they will assist you with submitting a Technology Service Request ticket. The ticket will then be resolved during regular hours.
The after hours phone number is the same as regular hours: 713-251-TECH (8324).
Skyward Tip: Due Dates in Gradebook
The Skyward Gradebook is completely date driven. This means teachers need to be mindful when entering assignments into their gradebooks to ensure the grades are counted in the correct grading period. The dates not only drive the grading period but also how the information displays in Family Access.
After a grading period has ended, teachers have a limited number of days to enter grades for that grading period. This is called the posting window.
When entering assignments:
- Make sure the proposed due date is set to a date prior to the end of the current grading period. If the proposed due date is not in the current grading period, it will be part of the next grading cycle.
- Remember that the end of the grading period is not the same as the end of the posting window.
Gradebooks For Secondary Teachers
Attention all secondary teachers. Are your categories and
percentages set up for each of your gradebooks? All secondary-level gradebooks
need to have categories and percentages set up prior to the end of the
first progress report period.
Once the first progress report period ends you will no longer be able to
set up your categories and percentages.
If categories and percentages are not set, your students' progress report
grades will show as a zero.
If you need help setting up your categories follow the steps below.
1. Open one of your gradebooks and click the Categories tab.
2. On the next screen, click the Add/Edit Categories button.
3. Click the Unselect All button to remove the checks from all the categories.
4. Place a check next to each category that will be used in your gradebook.
5. Enter the percent (weight) for each category that will be used in your gradebook. Be sure that the total percent adds up to exactly 100.
6. Click Save.
7. Do this for each one of your gradebooks! Do this before the end of the first progress report period. Once the first progress report period ends you will no longer be able to set up your categories and percentages.
If you need help setting up your categories follow the steps below.
1. Open one of your gradebooks and click the Categories tab.
2. On the next screen, click the Add/Edit Categories button.
3. Click the Unselect All button to remove the checks from all the categories.
4. Place a check next to each category that will be used in your gradebook.
5. Enter the percent (weight) for each category that will be used in your gradebook. Be sure that the total percent adds up to exactly 100.
6. Click Save.
7. Do this for each one of your gradebooks! Do this before the end of the first progress report period. Once the first progress report period ends you will no longer be able to set up your categories and percentages.
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