REMC October courses can support your new school year initiatives

REMC October courses

REMC courses are designed to enhance your teaching toolkit and foster engagement and student learning. Whether you’re looking to inspire your classroom with innovative teaching methods or simply want to refresh your approach, REMC courses provide the perfect opportunity.

With the convenience of virtual learning, you can complete these courses from the comfort of your home, at a time that fits your schedule. Plus, upon completion, you’ll earn 10 FREE SCECHs!

Registration deadline is Thursday, October 3rd, each course begins on Monday, October 7th. Thanks to the generous support of REMC SAVE’s vendor partners, all courses are FREE and there are no SCECH fees. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to expand your skill set and strengthen your classroom!

Register for October courses here:

Register by Thursday, October 3rd. You will receive a welcome email with the course information prior to the course start date. If you have questions or need further assistance with your course registration, please click here.

miGoogle Conference on November 5

miGoogle banner

Each year, the “Google expert of Michigan.” John Sowash puts on a conference called miGoogle. This has been hosted in several locations and this year it will be at Northville High School. Even better, it takes place on November 5th, a non-school day. The day will feature workshops led by local educators on a variety of Google topics related to education. Lunch is also included. The keynote is Dave Stuart Jr. speaking on “The Will to Learn: Cultivating Student Motivation in a Hyperconnected, AI-powered Age.” The keynote topic is described as:

“Students only learn when they do work with care. Whether that work is listening, or writing, or reading, or creating — the work, done with care, is what produces transformation. So, here’s the question: as we continue teaching in an AI-powered, hyperconnected age, how do we cultivate a genuine, strong care for learning in our students’ hearts? In this keynote, we’ll explore the Five Key Beliefs and how to cultivate them in the classroom.”

While the district is looking into ways to send some P-CCS educators, if this feels like a “can’t miss” opportunity then you might consider submitting a proposal to present at the conference! Approved speakers can get free admission to conference and a t-shirt, plus a bag full of goodies. Submit your session proposal by October 1. https://www.miedtech.com/rfp/

Learn more here: https://www.miedtech.com/

 

Reminder: Connecting to WiFi

This time of year you may be encountering several students or staff having trouble connecting to the WiFi. Please direct them to this resource for the most updated information on how to do so.

[How-To] Connect to the P-CCS Wi-Fi Network

Main Points:

  • Staff: Connect to the PCCSK12-Staff network using your network account credentials (not Google/Chromebooks).
  • Students: Connect to the PCCSK12-Students network using your network username (without @pccsk12.com).
  • District Chromebooks: Connect automatically to PCCSK12-Devices network.
  • Disallowed Devices: Home assistant devices like Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Apple HomePod are not allowed.
  • Network Frequency: Most areas offer only 5 GHz WiFi. Devices needing 2.4 GHz won’t connect.
  • Connection Guides: See the provided guides (from the link above) for specific device connection instructions.

FAQs

Staff:

  • How do I find my network account credentials? Answer: This is the same information you would use to login to a district laptop or desktop. If you need a reminder, submit a tech ticket.
  • What if I forgot my password? Answer: Submit a tech request
  • Can I connect my AppleTV or Chromecast? Answer: Yes, but it needs authorization through a form

Students:

  • How do I find my network username? Answer: This can be found in MiStar student connect, it is the first part of your school email (without the “@pccsk12.com”)
  • Can I connect my phone or device to the Staff network? Answer: No, student credentials only work on the Student network

General:

  • Why can’t I connect to the WiFi? (Answer: Check if your device supports 5 GHz or consult the connection guides)

Action Required: MiStar Gradebook SetUp

Middle and high School teachers, please ensure that your MiStar Gradebook setup is complete. If just one of a child’s teachers has not completed this step, students and families will not be able to view assignments in MiStar.

Go to the grade book and locate the Configurations area. Make sure you don’t see red Xs or yield signs in the first three columns. If you do, go to the specific area to see what is missing in set up.

Locations for MiStar set up

For more information about using MiStar, see this training guide.

Classwize–Digital Classroom Management

decorative graphic for Classwize

What is Classwize?

Classwize is a cloud-based classroom management software designed to help teachers monitor and control student devices in real-time. It provides a comprehensive set of tools that allow you to guide your students’ online activities, keeping them focused and engaged during lessons. This is available for grades 2-12. These features work for district chromebooks and laptops with students logged into Chrome with their P-CCS account. It will NOT work for phones or iPads.

Key Features for Teachers

  1. Real-time Monitoring: View your students’ screens in real-time, ensuring they stay on task and use their devices appropriately.
  2. Web Filtering: Block or allow specific websites to create a safe and productive online learning environment.
  3. Messaging: Communicate with individual students or the entire class without disrupting the lesson flow.
  4. Internet Control: Pause internet access when you need your students’ undivided attention.
  5. Activity Reports: Get insights into students’ online activities to inform your teaching strategies and identify potential issues.

Benefits for Your Classroom

– Increased Focus: By managing distractions, you can keep your students engaged with the lesson material.

– Personalized Learning: Use activity reports to tailor your teaching approach to individual student needs.

– Time-Saving: Spend less time managing behavior and more time teaching.

– Peace of Mind: Ensure a safe online environment for your students.

Getting Started with Classwize

location of bookmarks

  1. Click on the P-CCS Bookmarks folder in the upper left corner of Chrome, select “Classwize”
  2. Open the appropriate class
  3. Click “Start Class” and enter the end time of the class (so students get released)

Dig into more options with the Classwize Guide.

Secondary: Observers Added to Canvas

Starting September 3, parents and guardians of students in grades 6-12 will automatically be granted observer status in their child’s Canvas courses. This means they can view their child’s assignments, grades, and announcements without needing to locate a pairing code. This change aims to make it easier for families to support their children’s education. There will be a slight adjustment to the login process for parents and guardians. If families reach out, you can send them this link to the directions. They are also located below.

Once logged it, you can also direct students and families to the P-CCS Student & Family Canvas Orientation. They can also find it in Canvas when they click the Help icon on the global navigation menu, see below for more details.

student and family orientation

This will not affect parents of elementary students at this time, but we are exploring the possibility of adding them as well.

 

 

New Tech Helpdesk

This year, you’ll no longer have to go to two different places to submit a tech request and a maintenance request. They are both housed through Master Library. It is conveniently located in the waffle (Google Apps Launcher). Scroll down to find the green “M,” it will launch the site and automatically log you in with your Google credentials.

location of work orders in waffle

Please note, accessing through the “Waffle” is the recommended pathway! Getting to MasterLibrary through the direct link and signing in with Google credentials may not work if you have not first visited through the waffle.

When you submit a new request you’ll have the option to choose:

  • Maintenance
  • Technology Request Form

new request

From there the options and procedure are similar to our previous systems.

To reiterate, staff members should raise maintenance and technology service concerns/requests by either clicking on the Google apps launcher (aka waffle) and selecting the green Master Library Work Orders icon (preferred way) OR browsing to https://helpdesk.pccsk12.com/ (feel free to bookmark) and signing in with their district Google credentials.  

Finally, please note, some information you initially enter can be saved to your profile so that it auto populates when you return to the site.

More resources:

MISTAR-Q: Supportive Training for (New) Teachers

Registration is open for Q ACADEMY: TEACHER EDITION (formerly Monarch)
Aug 26 through Dec 2, 2024
Registration fee: $0

Teachers are invited to participate in Q Academy: Teacher Edition, an asynchronous online course formerly known as Monarch. While this course is rebranded and reorganized, the learning activities remain the same as Monarch.

Working online at your own pace, you will complete activities designed to increase your skill and knowledge of MISTAR teacher apps including Class Attendance, Grade Book, Seating Chart, generating reports, and more. This course is especially beneficial for teachers new to MISTAR.

You may earn between 1.0 and 17.5 SCECHs, depending on which topics are completed by Dec 2, 2024. At least two topics must be completed to qualify for SCECHs and you may select which topics to complete:

Q Academy training

Should I register for Q Academy if I previously participated in Monarch?
The activities are the same – if you completed Monarch, you completed all content in Q Academy.  If you participated in Monarch but did not complete the course, you are welcome to register for Q Academy but your progress will not transfer from Monarch.

Register here  – After registering, watch for emails on Aug 26 with details on how to get started.

Please register only if you fully intend to participate as there is high demand for this course.

Goodbye Zoom, Hello Google Meet!

Hello, Google Meet

Important Announcement: District-Wide Transition to Google Meet

We’re excited to announce that our district is transitioning to Google Meet as our primary video conferencing platform. To streamline operations and enhance our digital learning environment, we will no longer be utilizing paid Zoom accounts.

Google Meet offers a user-friendly interface, seamless integration with Google Workspace, and robust collaboration tools, making it an ideal platform for our classrooms. Whether you’re hosting a live lesson, meeting with families, or collaborating with colleagues, Google Meet provides the features, including breakout rooms, polling and more, you need to connect and engage effectively.

We understand that this change may require some adjustment, but we believe that Google Meet will work well for our needs.

Please review our Google Meet Teacher Guide for information on how to set up and use Google Meet. Canvas offers an integration with Google Meet that allows for easy student access, when needed. The guide will also show you how to set up a Meet with students without the Canvas integration. We recognize that your Google Meet use cases may be with families or colleagues, so the guide shows you how to set up a Meet through Google Calendar or creating an instant meeting.

If you have questions about Google Meet, please submit a tech ticket.