Post #25: PARCC, Programming, Printers, Teacher Laptop Updates,

Thank you for your time at staff meeting this week. I found it very helpful to learn more about your printing challenges as well as the daily teacher laptop updates you have been receiving. I was able to use your feedback to address these issues with the technology department. Below is an update and hopefully some resolutions to these issues. Please let me know if you have any questions or problems. Have a wonderful weekend!

PARCC:  Week two of PARCC went well. We had a few minor laptop issues but for the most part things ran smoothly. Next week, 5th graders will be taking PARCC Monday -Thursday. Teachers in grades 3 - 5, please continue to shut down and charge the computers every night! Thank you for you assistance with making sure the computers are ready for testing days. 

Programming: Thanks to the PTO - this week Dash and Dot and KIBO robots arrived! I cannot wait to get them in the hands of our students.

Printers: The color printer is back up and running. Please be mindful of what you are sending to all printers. 

MCX Issue: If you see a printer called MCX in the printer list, it is the last printer that you printed to. If you don't know which printer that is, then in the print window click on "Change" then "Show all" printers. The printer that is missing from the list is MCX. If you still cannot figure out the printer, then select a different printer in the building. 

   

Asa an alternative to avoid the MCX issue, select - print (just like you normally would), then click on "Print using system dialog" (see images below). In doing so, a separate print window opens which lists all of the printers and the MCX problem is GONE! Select your printer and click PRINT!

   

Lastly, Joe has reinstalled the print drivers on student laptops which should resolve the printing issues with google docs and the pages coming out with characters along the top of the paper! 

Teacher Laptop Updates: Thank you again for bringing to my attention that many of you are receiving daily update notifications. The techs have done some troubleshooting and believe this was a result of printer drivers being updated. They believe they have resolved that issue. However keep in mind that keeping up with important computer updates is here to stay. 

Below is more detailed information about the process:

1.You get the request to install to do updates (should only occur after 3:00)

2. You close all applications, plug into power and accept the updates.

3. The updates that can occur at this time download (are not dependent on this update being done).

4. It asks you to restart

5. When you restart it actually installs the updates

6. When it is done installing them, it asks you to login.

7. When you log in that means that update is complete

8. It then looks to see  if you need another update and if you do it will ask you again.

9. You go through this process until all the updates are complete

The important things are:

1. plug into power and close all applications

2. re-start when it asks

3. don't unplug or close your laptop cover until it asks for login and you have logged in.

Technology Dates:

Tuesday, May 10th: Technology Committee meeting in the computer lab @ 3:30. All are welcome to attend
Thursday, May 12th: Technology 1-to-1 Day. Sign-up via Doodle Poll. This time together can be one-to-one to answer your technology questions or I can work with you and your students on a technology project.