Category: Google

How staff change their network password

IMPORTANT: Before changing your network password, staff should remove the PCCSK12-Staff Wi-Fi network from all personal devices (for elaboration, see details at bottom). Failure to do so could lock your account. After changing your password, you can re-add devices with your new password.

Option 1 (before your building date) – you must be signed into a district Windows desktop or laptop to do this

Press CTRL + ALT + DEL
Click on Change a password
Enter your current computer password in the Old Password field
Type in your New Password (see New Password Policy at end of the document)
Type it again to Confirm Password
Press the Enter key to continue
Option 2 (On your building’s enforcement date or after, a prompt will appear if your password is not in compliance)
- Reboot a district Windows computer by pressing the Windows key on the keyboard
- Then click on the Power icon in the lower right corner of the pop up window
- Click on Restart
- After the reboot, login with your computer user name and computer password
- You will be prompted to change it
- Enter your current computer password in the Old Password field
- Type in your New password (see New Password Policy at end of the document)
- Type it again again to Confirm Password
- Press the Enter key to continue
- Notes:
  New Password Policy:
  - Minimum 15 characters.
  - Complexity is optional (no mandated uppercase, lowercase, numbers, or symbols).
  - No forced expiration: Passwords only change if compromise is suspected.
  - Suggestion: Use a passphrase; combine unrelated words for easy recall [e.g, ocean-sun-grape (Do not use this password)].
  PERSONAL DEVICES guidance to remove the PCCSK12-Staff Wi-Fi network
  
  MOBILE PHONE: On a cell phone – Go to your phone’s Wi-Fi settings, find the PCCSK12-Staff network, tap the “Forget” ,”Forget This Network” or trashcan option. If you don’t see it immediately, look for an advanced option or a three-dots menu. The exact steps and menu names can vary slightly between Android and iPhone, but generally involve going to Settings > Wi-Fi and then accessing the settings for the specific network, in this case, the staff network, so to remove it, temporarily from your phone.
  
  After your password has been changed, you can again discover and connect to that network, and will then input the updated password. See http://links.pccsk12.com/staffwirelessinstructions
  
  APPLE MAC: To forget the PCCSK12 Staff Wi-Fi network on a Macbook, go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS) > Wi-Fi. For macOS Ventura or later, click Details next to the network and select Forget This Network, or click the three-dots icon next to this network and choose Forget This Network.
  
  After your password has been changed, you can again discover and connect to that network, and will then input the updated password. See http://links.pccsk12.com/staffwirelessinstructions
  
  CHROMEBOOK To forget a Wi-Fi network on a personal Chromebook, go to Settings > Network > Wi-Fi > Known networks. Find the PCCSK12-Staff network, click the three dots (More options) next to it, and select Forget.
  
  After your password has been changed, you can again discover and connect to that network, and will then input the updated password. See http://links.pccsk12.com/staffwirelessinstructions
  
  WINDOWS 11: To forget the PCCSK12-STaff Wi-Fi network in Windows 11 either go through the Quick Settings menu by right-clicking the network and selecting “Forget,” or through the Settings app by going to Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks and clicking “Forget” next to the network.
  
  After your password has been changed, you can again discover and connect to that network, and will then input the updated password. See http://links.pccsk12.com/staffwirelessinstructions

Video Toolkit: Quick Guide to Google Vids

You might remember we first mentioned Google Vids on the tech blog back in December 2024 when it was first announced. Well, as part of our new “video toolkit” series, we wanted to dive back in and highlight this fantastic tool!

If you’ve ever finished a great Google Slides lesson and thought, “I wish I could turn this into a short, engaging video for review,” or you want your students to create digital projects that go beyond a slide deck, Vids is for you. It’s a simple, collaborative, and familiar app right in our Google Workspace.

What is Google Vids?

Think of Google Vids as the perfect mix between Google Slides and a simple video editor.

It lives right in your Google Drive and has a familiar, easy-to-use feel. But instead of creating static “slides,” you create dynamic “scenes” to build a video. You can add text, images, stock video clips, and even record your own voice or screen.

For many of us, this is a fantastic new option that simplifies our tech toolkit. If you’ve used Canvas Studio for quick recordings or screen-sharing, Vids is a powerful, built-in replacement. And for our middle school teachers (6-8), this is a great, collaborative alternative for the student projects you might have done in WeVideo, all living right inside our Google environment.

The best part? It’s collaborative, just like a Google Doc. You and your students can work on a video project together, all from the comfort of your Google account.

Classroom Applications

This is where Vids really shines. It’s not just another tool; it’s a new way to present information and a new way for students to show what they know.

A Quick Note on AI: You’ll see many options for AI-powered features like automatic video creation and AI voiceovers. Please note: most of these advanced AI features are not enabled on our district’s (P-CCS) account. But don’t worry! The core tools for recording, editing, and importing are incredibly powerful and easy to use.

New Feature Alert: Vids has recently added support for vertical (9:16) and square (1:1) video formats! This is a fantastic update for student projects, allowing them to create content that feels modern and engaging, just like the videos they see on platforms like YouTube Shorts or TikTok.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Teacher Idea: The “Slide Deck Refresh”
- What it is: You have a great Google Slides presentation you use every year. Instead of just posting the slides, import them directly into Google Vids!
- How it works: Vids will turn each slide into a “scene.” You can then easily record your voice over each scene, explaining the key concepts. (A perfect replacement for a simple Canvas Studio recording!)
- Student Outcome: Creates a perfect, self-paced video lesson for flipped classrooms, absent students, or review before a test.
Teacher Idea: The Weekly Recap Video
- What it is: Quickly create a 2-minute video for parents and students recapping the week’s highlights and previewing what’s next.
- How it works: Use a template, drop in a few photos from class activities, and record a quick, friendly voiceover.
- Student Outcome: Strengthens the home-school connection and keeps families engaged in a format they’re more likely to watch.
Student Idea: The Video Book Trailer
- What it is: Instead of a traditional book report, have students create a 90-second “trailer” for the book they read. (This is a perfect project for our 6-8 graders as an alternative to WeVideo).
- How it works: Students collaborate in Vids to pull (or create) images, add compelling text, and use stock music to set the tone, all while summarizing the key conflict and characters.
- Student Outcome: This moves beyond simple comprehension and into creative expression, media literacy, and persuasive writing.
Student Idea: The “How-To” Guide
- What it is: Have students create a video tutorial explaining a process. This could be anything from “How to Solve this Math Problem” to “A Walkthrough of Our Science Lab.”
- How it works: Students can use the built-in screen recorder to capture their work and use their voice to explain their thinking, step-by-step.
- Student Outcome: This is a fantastic assessment tool. To teach a concept (even to a camera), students must truly understand it.

Getting Started

Ready to try? It’s easier than you think.

Find It: The easiest way to start is to just type vids.new into your Chrome browser’s address bar. You can also find it in your Google Drive by clicking New > Google Vids or in the Google “waffle” app launcher.
Try the Best Feature First: Open your first video and find the “Import” or “Convert” option. (It’s often under the File menu). Select a Google Slides deck you already have. Watch as it instantly turns your slides into a video timeline. This is the “a-ha!” moment.
Change the Video Size: Want to make a vertical video for a “Short”? Go to the File menu or the Video size button in the toolbar to change your format from widescreen to vertical or square.
Explore the Toolbar: Add a new “scene.” Look for the stock media icon to add a free video clip or image. Find the “Record” button to add your own webcam or voice.
Share It: Notice that “Share” button in the corner? It works exactly like Google Docs and Slides. You can easily share your video with students or colleagues as a “Viewer,” “Commenter,” or “Editor.” It’s already in your Google Drive, so attaching it to a Google Classroom assignment is a breeze.

Conclusion

Google Vids bridges the gap between static presentations and complex video editing. It gives you and your students a powerful tool for creativity, collaboration, and deeper learning, all within the safe and familiar Google environment you use every day.

It’s a fantastic addition that simplifies our work, replacing the need for separate tools like Canvas Studio or WeVideo for many of our everyday tasks. Don’t be afraid to just open vids.new and import an old slide deck. You’ll be amazed at what you can create in just 10 minutes!

More Support:

Video Toolkit

Update to Your Google Calendar Settings

I mage of paper calendar and the text, "Spam! No thanks!"

Ever open your Google Calendar and see a strange, spammy event invitation from someone you don’t know? It’s cluttered, annoying, and, honestly, a little concerning. To help clean up our calendars and boost our district’s security, we’re enabling a new Google Calendar setting.

Don’t worry! This is a simple, positive change. This post will quickly explain what’s new and the one simple step you might need to take.

What is this Google Calendar Change?

Think of your calendar like your physical mailbox at school. Until now, anyone could slip a flyer (a calendar invite) into your box, and it would just appear there.

With this new setting, your calendar gets a “hall monitor.”

From now on, only event invites from people your calendar “knows” will be automatically added. This includes:

Anyone else in our school district
People already in your Google Contacts
People you’ve emailed with before

So, what happens if someone new (like a parent, a guest speaker, or a webinar you signed up for) sends you an invite?

You will still get an email invitation just like always. The event just won’t automatically appear on your calendar grid until you click “Yes” in the email.

Next Steps

There is one simple action you should take to make sure you don’t miss important meetings from people you trust.

Add Your Trusted Connections to Google Contacts.

The next time you get an email from a parent, a regular guest speaker, or a community partner, take 5 seconds to add them to your contacts.

Here’s the easiest way (in Gmail):

Open an email from that person.
Hover your mouse over their name at the top of the email.
A small card will pop up. Click the “Add to Contacts” icon (it looks like a little person with a plus sign).

That’s it! Once you do that, all future calendar invites from that person will be automatically added to your calendar, just like you’re used to.

A Cybersecurity Month Reminder: Stay Vigilant Against Phishing Attacks

As we continue our efforts to maintain a secure digital environment for our school community, the Technology team would like to provide a timely reminder about phishing awareness and the tools at our disposal.

First, we want to extend our thanks to everyone for your engagement with our KnowBe4 cybersecurity initiatives. Since we began our simulated phishing campaigns, we have seen a positive increase in awareness across our staff. However, the landscape of cyber threats is constantly evolving. Attackers are using more sophisticated and personalized techniques, making it more critical than ever to remain skeptical and vigilant. To put this in perspective, the latest Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report found that 74% of all breaches involved the human element, such as falling for a phishing scam. This highlights that our awareness is truly the first and most effective line of defense.

Our simulated phishing campaigns will continue periodically throughout the school year. Remember, these are not tests designed to catch you out, but rather practical exercises to help us all stay sharp. Think of them as fire drills for our digital safety. The goal remains purely educational: to provide a safe space to practice and hone our skills in identifying and reporting suspicious emails. As before, there will be no disciplinary repercussions for interacting with these simulations. Our focus is on continuous learning and improvement for everyone.

One of the most powerful tools at your disposal is the Phish Alert button. Your active use of this button is essential to our defense strategy. When you report a suspicious email using this feature, you are not just deleting it from your inbox; you are immediately notifying our technology team. This allows us to analyze the threat, block the sender, and remove similar malicious emails from other inboxes across the district, protecting your colleagues before they might even see the threat.

As a quick refresher, the Phish Alert button is located in the Gmail side panel on the right side of your email window, alongside your Calendar and Tasks icons.

Phish alert screenshot

We want to address a common question: “What if I’m not sure if an email is a phishing attempt?” The answer is simple: When in doubt, report it! It is always better to be overly cautious. There is no penalty for reporting a legitimate email by mistake. Your vigilance helps create a safer environment for our entire school community, including our students’ data and our shared resources.

Your continued partnership in this effort is crucial. By staying alert and using the tools provided, you are an active participant in safeguarding our institution. Together, we can build a resilient “human firewall” against cyber threats.

Should you have any questions or need a refresher on identifying phishing attempts, please do not hesitate to reach out to our IT department by submitting a service request.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to keeping our community secure.

Google Drive Link Tips

Sharing Google Drive files is easy, but the standard link doesn’t always work the way we want. With a simple trick, you can change a link to do exactly what you need, saving you and your audience time.

Four Handy Link Modifications

By slightly altering the end of a Google link, you can change its function:

Preview Link: Gives a clean, clutter-free view of a Doc or Slide.
Make a Copy Link: Forces the user to make their own copy of the file.
Template Link: Shows a professional preview with a “Use Template” button.
PDF Link: Instantly opens your file as a PDF in the browser.

The Best Tool for Student Assignments

A quick reminder: For student assignments, our #1 recommendation is to use the Google Assignments integration in Canvas. When you attach Google Docs or Slides to an assignment this way, Canvas automatically gives each student their own copy to work on and attaches it to the assignment so the student doesn’t accidentally duplicate their work in multiple places.

These link-altering tricks are fantastic for other situations, especially when sharing resources with colleagues and families.

The Easy Way: Linking in Hand

Instead of memorizing these tricks, use the free Linking in Hand tool. Just paste your regular Google share link, and it will instantly generate these special links for you.

Bookmark it for the next time you need to share a template with your PLC or send a read-only PDF to families!

Google

Google Vids

Vids can help deepen learning opportunities, up-level instruction, and inspire the next generation of storytellers in a variety of scenarios, for example:

Educators can support diverse learning styles and help students retain information with instructional videos and deep dives on complex concepts.
Students can work on video projects and review recorded lessons.
Education leaders can easily incorporate video in their school newsletters and create internal training videos for staff. Vids is also integrated with Google Workspace for Education tools like Google Assignments, empowering educators to easily assign video projects or post video explainers right to their students.

Why you’d use it

Similar to other productivity tools like Docs, Sheets, and Slides, Vids includes an easy-to-use interface and the ability to collaborate in real-time and share videos securely from your browser. You can easily get started with a variety of templates organized by use cases to create a new video. From there, you can add motion with animations, transitions, and photo effects, and customize your video using the Vids royalty free education-friendly stock content library or your own media directly from Google Drive or Google Photos.

To start, open Google Vids and choose an option to create a new video. You can create a new video or make a copy of an existing video for editing.
You can use Vids on your computer with the two most recent versions of these browsers:
- Chrome
- Windows only: Microsoft Edge
- Other browsers may work, but you might not be able to use all of the features.
Dive into Google Vids with their free, self-paced online training course, designed specifically for educators and available now in the Google for Education Learning Center. You can also leverage this one pager to get a quick summary of what you can do with Vids.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about getting started with Google Vids.

Upcoming Changes to Google Products: CS First and Applied Digital Skills

Here are some updates regarding the future of two Google for Education resources many of you may be familiar with: CS First and Applied Digital Skills. Please read carefully to understand how these changes might affect you.

CS First is Being Turned Down

After many years of supporting computer science education, Google’s CS First will no longer be available after June 30, 2025.

Access to the website will end after June 30, 2025.
All data on the CS First website will be permanently deleted after this date. This includes account information and project data.
To preserve your work, you can save CS First projects by moving them to a personal Scratch account. Instructions on how to do this can be found in the CS First Help Center.
You can also download your course data as a JSON file via your CS First Profile before June 30, 2025.

Looking ahead, Google is supporting the Raspberry Pi Foundation in the development of a new curriculum called Experience CS.

Experience CS will be available to teachers in time for the 2025/2026 school year.
It will offer Scratch-based learning units in a safe and scaffolded environment for students aged 8-14 and will always be freely available.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation is committed to creating 18 new project-based learning units covering various topics and skills, aligned with national and state standards.
They will also provide professional development and support for teachers using Experience CS.

Link to FAQs

Applied Digital Skills Lessons Are Moving to a New Platform

Google’s Applied Digital Skills, which has provided valuable technology skills since 2017, is transitioning to a new Google for Education learning platform on June 30, 2025.

The existing Applied Digital Skills website will no longer be available after June 30, 2025. It will automatically redirect to the new Google for Education Learning Center.
No Applied Digital Skills accounts or data will be transferred to the new platform.
All account and data on the current site will be deleted after June 30th.
If you wish to retain any account information, you must download your data in JSON format before the transition date. You can do this by signing into your Applied Digital Skills account, selecting the “Profile” tab, scrolling down, and selecting “Download”.
Data being deleted includes teacher, student, and learner profiles, quiz and survey responses, created classes, class membership, certificates, and Google Classroom rosters synced with Applied Digital Skills.
Importantly, any projects students created using Google tools (Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.) will not be deleted.
While most popular lessons will be available on the new platform, some will be discontinued for quality purposes. A list of migrated lessons will be shared in the coming months.
You may want to download materials like lesson videos, starter projects, lesson plans, rubrics, or certificates from your favorite lessons on the current site before June 30, 2025.
The current teacher and student dashboard will not be available on the new website. Users are encouraged to use Google Classroom or their preferred Learning Management System (LMS) to share lesson links.
After June 30, 2025, you will be encouraged to create a new account on the new platform.
More details about the transition and getting started on the new platform will be shared in the coming months.

Link to FAQs

Please take the necessary steps to save your data and prepare for these changes before June 30, 2025.

New in Chrome – Customize your toolbar!

A new way to customize your toolbar in Chrome!

Pin your favorite features and shortcuts as toolbar buttons.

At the top of your browser, select Chrome menu > More Tools > Customize Chrome .
From the side panel, review the list of toolbar buttons that make it easy to quickly access things like bookmarks, print, Search with Google Lens, and more.
Choose the toolbar buttons you want to pin and they will appear in your toolbar.

Did You Know? Focus Mode in Chromebooks

Distractions are a major challenge for students. Chromebook’s built-in Focus mode can help. This simple tool minimizes interruptions, creating a dedicated work environment.

What Focus Mode Does:

Sets a timer for focused work.
Silences notifications.
Integrates with Google Tasks (optional).
Offers calming sounds (optional).

How Students Can Use It:

Study Sessions: Block out distractions during homework or test prep.
Writing Time: Concentrate on essays or creative writing.
Project Work: Deep dive into research or project development.
Reading: Focus on comprehension without interruptions.

Tips for Teachers:

Demonstrate: Show students how to access and use Focus mode.
Encourage Regular Use: Suggest incorporating Focus mode into daily routines.
Discuss Benefits: Talk about the positive impact of focused work on learning.

Focus mode is a simple yet powerful tool to help students develop concentration skills and improve their academic performance. Encourage your students to give it a try! Here’s a guide from Google on how to activate it. https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/15642977?hl=en

Save Time with Chrome Toolbar Customization

Chrome 132, the first major update of 2025, brings a long-awaited feature: customizable toolbars for desktop users.

How to Customize:

Access Customization: On the New Tab Page, click “Customize Chrome” in the bottom right corner.
Choose Your Tools: Select the buttons you want to appear to the left or right of the address bar from the following categories:

- Navigation: Home, Forward
- Your Chrome: Password Manager, Bookmarks, Reading List, History, Delete Browsing Data
- Tools & Actions: Print, Search with Google Lens, Translate, Create QR Code, Reading Mode, Copy Link, Send to your devices

Rearrange and Enjoy: Drag and drop icons to organize your toolbar. Most will open in the convenient side panel.

Teacher Tips:

“Send to your devices” is helpful to send links from your phone to your laptop (if both logged into Chrome)
“Search with Google Lens” provides quick access to visual information, perfect for exploring images and concepts.
Create QR Code: No need for a fancy extension, Chrome can generate a QR code for you.
Enhance Workflow: Pin frequently used tools like “Bookmarks” or “History” for easy access.
Translate: Support multilingual learners with quick access to translate materials.

Note: Toolbar customizations sync across all your desktop Chrome browsers.

To Update Chrome:

Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner.
Go to “Settings.”
In the left sidebar, select “About Chrome.”

By customizing the Chrome toolbar, teachers can create a more efficient and personalized browsing experience.

Important Note: This is available on desktops and laptops but is not currently available for Chromebooks. Hopefully, it will be incorporated soon so students can take advantage of these features.

Chrome Google