Google’s collaboration tool, Chat, has been enabled for staff.
To learn more about using it via chat.google.com please see this support document.
To learn more about using Google Chat in Gmail, please see this support document.
For an overview of its features, please see this support document.
For future reference, note these web pages report the current operational status and in service interruptions/outages, restoration details for…
Some of the above listed services have free email alert notifications that you can subscribe to — ours is one of them http://links.pccsk12.com/techstatusnotify
Simplek12 is again offering access to one of their recorded sessions on Canvas several times this week. Visit https://simplek12.lpages.co/event-canvas-v1/?cc=email-basic1-canvas to register for one of the sessions being offered Monday (9/14), Thursday (9/17) or Saturday (9/19). Deb Norton will review embedding Google Forms and Edpuzzles to building badges and making breakout sessions, all in Canvas!
SimpleK12 also offers several other free 30 minute sessions on other topics including Jamboards, Bitmojis, Choice boards and Edpuzzle. You can check out their listings and register at https://www.simplek12.com/tier/free-event/
We continue to populate new apps in Clever https://clever.com/in/pccs and have recently added Flipgrid and Canva.
Flipgrid is a simple, free, and accessible video discussion experience for educators, learners and families. Create a discussion Topic, share it with your learning community. Learners record and share short videos with you and your class. Richard Byrne has a getting-started-with-Flipgrid video to help teachers understand Flipgrid and what students see when they use the tool. Visit admin.flipgrid.com to log in or create your 100% free educator account.
Note, students can be provisioned through Clever as well as interact with your Flipgrids within CANVAS. See this support page or PDF if interested in integrating Flipgrid into one or more of your Canvas courses. The Canvas Community’s also reviews the integration here. Note, in your Flipgrid Admin account (admin.flipgrid.com) within the Actions button to Edit Grid. Under section 2. Security and Privacy, you have the choice to enable or disable a Canvas Only option for grids.
Canva allows you and your students to create presentations, infographics, websites, reports, worksheets, posters, flyers and signage. Teachers can sign up for a free, Premium Pro account by completing an application.
We continue to populate new apps in Clever https://clever.com/in/pccs and have recently added CommonLit.
CommonLit is a nonprofit education technology organization working to support all students with reading, writing, communication, and problem-solving skills. The CommonLit Literacy Model is built on a foundation of over 2,000 high-quality free reading passages for grades 3-12, complimented by aligned interim assessments, growth oriented goals, and expert led teacher development. Teachers can assign Mini Units (short, self-paced thematic units for grades 5-12) and Text Sets (relevant reading passages from a variety of genres). Their blog for teachers reviews much more.
Check out the quick start guide for teachers, quick start guide for students, and the quick start guide for parents.
Are you a teacher that wants to set up your Clever classes on CommonLit? Scroll down to the subheader that most accurately describes you below:
Once you click on the CommonLit icon in your Clever Portal, you’ll be brought to the screen below.
Since you’re new to CommonLit, select “No, not yet.” After asking you a few follow-up questions, we will create a new CommonLit account for you with all of your Clever classes and students.
You and your students will now be able to log in to CommonLit using Clever by clicking the CommonLit logo on your Clever dashboard, or by choosing “Log in with Clever” from CommonLit’s Login page. Plus, now Clever will regularly update your classes if any students are added or removed at any point throughout the school year.
Now that you’re all set up, do you want to learn more about how to use CommonLit? Check out this great video tour of CommonLit and our resources.
Once you click on the CommonLit icon in your Clever Portal, you’ll be brought to the screen below.
Since you already have a CommonLit account, select “Yes, sign me in!”
We’ll then ask you to log in to your CommonLit account.
After logging in, we’ll import your classes and students from Clever into your CommonLit account.
You and your students will now be able to log in to CommonLit using Clever by clicking the CommonLit logo on your Clever dashboard, or by choosing “Log in with Clever” from CommonLit’s Login page. Plus, now Clever will regularly update your classes if any students are added or removed at any point throughout the school year.
Now that you’re all set up, do you want to learn more about how to use CommonLit Digital? Check out this great video tour of CommonLit and our digital resources.
Interested is some Zoom screen sharing tips? Check out this video for topics including: keyboard shortcuts (Alt+S) for sharing your Zoom screen, how to optimize Zoom screen sharing for video, how to share only a section of your Zoom screen, how to poll your Zoom participants, how to annotate your shared Zoom screen, and how to stop participants from annotating in Zoom.
In case your Google apps launcher (waffle) 
isn’t available or doesn’t show the app icons you were expecting, please consider browsing to your Google apps dashboard https://gsuite.google.com/dashboard instead or log in directly to the specific app, such as the three shown below, with the urls below.
CANVAS — https://pccsk12.instructure.com
FRONTLINE — https://login.frontlineeducation.com/sso/plymouthcanton
ZOOM — https://pccsk12.zoom.us/signin OR https://zoom.us/signin and click Sign in with Google
While not in the apps launcher, another app that some staff have asked for the URL is
RUBICON ATLAS — https://pccsk12.rubiconatlas.org/Atlas/Authentication/View/Login?idp=5
We will have this information and more app links: Browse to the DIGITAL TEACHING HUB and bookmark that site for future reference.
With many staff members to support, it’s important to have a system to track issues, document trends, and assign support to the appropriate technicians or tech integration specialists. If you are needing assistance with anything technology related, we ask that you use our Service Request ticketing system.
As we head into a new and unusual school year, we will appreciate in advance your patience with our department’s sometimes uncharacteristically delayed responsiveness as we are also spearheading the issuance and support of many student devices and family tech concerns. We will get to your ticket. Thank you!
To access the system browse to help.pccsk12.com
Once there, to log in, you will input your district GMAIL Email address for your “Username”.
For “Password” you will input your network password (not necessarily your Google password) – Your network password is the password you would use to log onto a district desktop computer.
Then you fill out the service form with the details that best describes your situation and support needs.
We expect a change sometime today to our district Zoom account that will likely “break” the urls of any meetings that were scheduled, but hadn’t yet occurred, prior to the change. The domain url we have been assigned will be changed from https://pccsk12-com.zoom.us to https://pccsk12.zoom.us. After that change happens, it is our understanding that “upcoming” meetings will likely need to be rescheduled and invites / postings about them, updated to reflect their new meeting urls. The Technology Department regrets any inconvenience that this url change may cause.