Central Office of Technology
The Latest Technology News for POBCSD!
School Year 2016-2017 Computer Network FAQs / User Guide
I am pleased to report our district has successfully completed the final major phases of our summer project implementations comprised of rebuilding our entire network operations center and re-imaging/rejoining all district-wide instructional/administrative computers to our new Microsoft Windows 10 network domain. Extra care has been taken to preserve the same look and feel of the previous network you are already familiar with in addition to re-configuring all of the software related icons/applications you require including access to your previous documents, folders, printers, and network share drives. Please note at this time our network technicians are continuing to perform final tests within each school building to ensure all computers and printers are ready for the first day of school.
Looking forward to a great school year!
Please find the following link for resources to support our Digital Learning/Google Platform initiatives:
Welcome! The purpose of the POBCSD Central Office of Technology is to lead, provide vision, advocate, manage, budget, implement, support, and sustain all district-wide Educational Technology related resources and initiatives. From classroom to boardroom - in collaboration with my dedicated staff, district and state-wide technology teams - our passion for cultivating the critical “triangle of success” between teacher/staff, student, and parent/community keeps us focused on our bottom line: “how technology affects the life, education, health and safety of children in the 21st century."
The POBCSD Strategic Long-Range Technology Plan provides a collaborative vision and blue print designed to meet the diverse needs of all students and staff. It is strategically developed in direct alignment with Board of Education goals and policy; administrative and student/parent/teacher curricula-driven needs and the prerequisite budget/funding, equity, infrastructure, and professional development required to support and sustain all Educational Technology related initiatives.
In addition, this Web page provides links to all planning, policy, project updates, safe computing, E-mail, Website tips and training resources; including, instructional videos for Smartboards, Infinite Campus, Microsoft Office Applications, lesson planning, Castle Learning, Library Media Center online resouces/research databases, and even a virtual tour of our Newsday acclaimed district Website. Enjoy your visit!
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UPDATE: HOW IS MY COMPUTER DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE?
Click here to access the latest
Frequently Asked Questions Staff Training Document
Our district has embarked on a major technology
initiative comprised of refreshing district-wide instructional and
administrative computer workstations in all buildings from grades K-12 (Click
here to review the FAQ document related to this summer project). To
date over 1,700 computers have been refreshed with the latest Microsoft 8.1
Operating System and Microsoft Office 2013 Suite in addition to browser, Java
and over 500 instructional and administrative software application and
productivity updates.
I am pleased to
report at this time we have successfully entered the final phase of our summer
implementation comprised of joining all district-wide computers to our network
and testing them to ensure all is ready for the opening day of school. In
addition, during the first few weeks of September there will be a final fine
tuning of our new system in response to any other feedback and requests we may
receive from returning staff members.
To provide as seamless a transition from old to new technology as possible –
our district implementation team has been working diligently over the summer
months to make the look and feel of our new system comprised of Microsoft
Windows 8.1 as close to Windows 7 and XP as possible. For example, our
highly skilled technicians have customized our new computers to boot directly
to the desktop environment you were previously familiar with in addition to
configuring all of the software related icons and applications you used on the
old system to the new system while ensuring access to all of your previous
document folders, printers, and network share drives. Although our team has
taken extreme measure to proactively anticipate as many possible issues that
can arise from a district-wide technology implementation of this magnitude – as
with any change related to today’s emerging technologies and its impact on how
society understandably adapts to change in general – we will continue to work
together to help iron out any unforeseen issues and potential bumps we may
encounter along the way.
In addition to experiencing the benefits of having a faster computer running on
our state-of-the-art district computer network, there may still be some
features you may need to get better acquainted with. To help you along the way,
our implementation team has been developing a four-pronged training/support
approach designed to accommodate your immediate and ongoing professional
development needs.
Four-Pronged Training/Support Model
1- General Training/Support Resources: Our team
has been proactively preparing a second FAQ document that will provide basic
information to help get our returning staff acclimated with the basic
differences between our old (MS Windows XP/7 and MS Office) and new (MS Windows
8.1 and MS Office 2013) computer system and where to go for further help.
These training materials and resources are being meticulously compiled
from questions based on an onsite qualitative assessment of staff members who
have been diligently working with our team throughout the summer months.
2- Onsite
Building Training/Support: Onsite building training dates are being
confirmed with each building principal for the start of the school year. These
sessions are designed for hands-on training for any staff member who may
require assistance and will take place at each school building location inside
instructional computer labs and administrative offices. In addition, our highly
dedicated building-based Computer Aides will continue to be available to
provide “just-in-time” support to help resolve technical and training related
issues in concert with the remainder of our extraordinary Central Office of
Technology Team.
3-
Direct Microsoft Office Application Phone
Support: CALL TOLL FREE 1-855-240-4407.
As part of our
collaborative effort with Microsoft, our district has a received a special
grant that provides “free” 24/7 access to expert live phone support for all
staff members. This help desk resource is a perfect resource for any “how-to”
type questions related to the new Microsoft Office 2013 Suite and Microsoft 8.1
environment – including applications such as Outlook (email), Word, and
Excel, for example. A unique high-tech feature of this service provides
you with a qualified training specialist who will be able to shadow your live
computer session and help you through any issue you are having as if he/she was
working with you inside the same room. Please note there is no cost or time
limit for each call and support is guaranteed to be provided until you
determine your question has been appropriately answered.
4- Central Office of Technology Help Desk
Support: Our in-district Central Office of Technology help desk can be
contacted at extension 3090 during regular school hours to answer questions, point
you to the appropriate training and technical support resource, and help
schedule any other onsite training your building may require. In addition, you
will be able to continue to find the latest links to training documents,
tech tips, and training videos on our
Central
Office of Technology Website as with prior educational and
administrative technology implementation training documents, tutorials, and
videos we have provided throughout the years.
Please keep an eye
out over the next few weeks for additional information about our new computer
system and I am confident that – as a team working in the positive
collaborative spirit of POBCSD – we will successfully get through this
most welcomed change of new technology together and get back to our purpose of
education and building futures together.
Guy A. Lodico, Ph.D.
Director of Technology
Plainview-Old Bethpage School District
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Technology Update
COMPUTER REFRESH IMPLEMENTATION FAQs
Over this
summer our district will be embarking on a major technology initiative
comprised of refreshing district-wide instructional and administrative computer
work stations from grades K-12. This means the remaining 1,041 computers
that have not been upgraded to date will be replaced and all district-wide
computers will receive a major software upgrade with the latest Microsoft
Operating System and Microsoft Office Suite. This critical computer
hardware/software refresh will greatly enhance computer performance required to
meet the progressing 21st century digital centric instructional and
administrative needs and digital security of all students and staff members.
With this most
welcomed initiative comes a few important changes that, as a district staff
member, you will need to familiarize yourself with in order to ensure as
seamless an implementation and end-user experience as possible. Although
our team has been working hard to proactively anticipate as many possible
issues that can arise from a district-wide technology implementation of this
magnitude – as with any change related to today’s emerging technologies and its
impact on how society understandably adapts to change in general – we will
continue to work together to help iron out any unforeseen issues and potential
bumps we may encounter along the way.
Ongoing
communication with all POBCSD stakeholders will be the key to a successful
implementation for our district. The purpose of the following FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions) section of this correspondence is to help set
clear expectations as to what this implementation means to all staff related
end users of our computer network. It will be become a living document
posted on our district’s website in addition to providing ongoing training
resources so any additional questions or concerns can be addressed as we
progress.
COMPUTER
REFRESH IMPLEMENTATION FAQs
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IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THE EDUCATION LINKS PREVIOUSLY LOCATED IN THIS AREA HAVE BEEN RECENTLY MOVED TO THE SIDE BAR LOCATED DIRECTLY TO THE LEFT OF THIS SECTION (THE COLUMN UNDERNEATH MY PHOTO)
