PSI Staff Computer Update! Important Information!

Since I talked to you last week regarding the laptop update....

there has been a slight change of plans!

You now have 4 options to choose from to get this done!

Oh my.....choices-choices!!

OPTION 1

There are 16 slots available before school is out!
Four spots on each of these days!

OPTION 2

Keep your computer until the end of the last day (June 11)

Turn it into the office and it will be picked up by IT for the update.

You will then make an appointment to pick your computer up on one of these 2 dates

June 20        or                 June 26

OPTION 3

Keep your computer until the end of the last day (June 11)

Turn it into the office and it will be picked up by IT for the update.

Make an appointment to pick up your computer during Workshop week.

OPTION 4

Say the heck with the whole thing and 

go back to doing everything on paper and chalkboard!

 

For those people choosing option 1:

The update takes 48 hours.  

You will receive a "loaner" laptop for those 2 days!

Any documents you need for those days need to be 
loaded on a flash drive and moved to the "loaner"!
(this is true for those opting for 2 or 3 as well....but that is pretty obvious)
There are no "loaners" for folks choosing Option 2 or 3....but hey those are the first weeks of summer vacation....go outside and play!

REGARDLESS Of the option you choose:

 YOU Need to complete all the items on this check list before you drop your machine off!!! If you don't......the tech folks will send you away until you get it done!

 

I told you that I would "translate" this for you.....

Some steps are pretty easy!

But.... fair warning....this will take some time!

1.  Pretty self-explanatory.  If you put your desktop items in a folder, the best thing is to put that folder in your Documents folder.  I call mine....Desktop Storage!

2.
This item is about all of the "i" stuff.....and the one that takes some time.  iPhotos need to be exported...if you don't know how to do this....ask a friend or me!  Same with movie files in your Movie folder...  the stuff that has .mov or other file extension can just be moved. 

3. Just more about the "i" stuff.....my advice is to just put all this on a storage device unless you have huge amounts of school stuff.  I have lots and still think 16 G is plenty of room. So don't think you have to spend a lot of money on a storage drive!

4. This is pretty simple: Just make a folder name it yournamemedialibrary and put them in there.  Put that in your document folder.

5. If you are like me, you forget to clean out your downloads....look at the stuff that has piled up there....delete the stuff that you don't need and move the other stuff into appropriate folders in your Documents.  Great chance for "cleaning".  Stuff you leave in Downloads will go away!

6. If you have bookmarks in Firefox, Safari or Chrome that you don't want to lose, you need to export them to a file. 

 

For Firefox:

Go to the bookmarks tab at the top of the browser.

Pull down the little star and select Export Bookmarks to html.

This file will go in your documents.

When you get your computer back you will reverse the process.

For Safari

Go to the File tab.

Choose Export Bookmarks

save that file

Put it in your documents

reverse the process when you get your computer back.

7. Open iCal 

 

pull down the file tab

choose Export

an ics file will go to your downloads...

put that in your documents folder

reverse the process and import that file when you get your computer back!

8.  I don't think many people use the address book on their computers, but if so it is a similar process 

This file will be a vcard file...

9.  You can do this....but if you have put the folders in your documents you don't have to.

10.  I doubt many of you have authorized your itunes on your school computer.  If you have and purchase stuff through this...call 7315 and get help if you don't know how.

11.  Do this relatively close to the time of your appointment to turn in your computer.  Allow time if you have LOTS of STUFF!

12.  I assume that if you check YES I use Stickies, they will be preserved!  As a JUST IN CASE....I arrange ALL of my stickies on the desktop and take a screen shot that I save in my documents (rename this photo of stickies).  At least then if they somehow disappear....you have the information.  Just sayin' !!!

13.  Be sure to write down any applications that are specialized to your situation.  If you aren't sure....call 7315 and ask!!!

There you have it.....my best "translation" for getting this long list taken care of without too many questions.

You are Welcome!!!

End Of Year Schedule

As I write this......there are only  15 more student days of school left!

Here is the book check out information for the following weeks!

This week is a regular book check out week!

Students in grades 3-4-5 will not be able to check out new books if they have even 1 overdue!!

Students should return books as usual.

Students will be allowed 1 new book-if all other materials are turned in.

All library materials are due.

Please send your books to the media center each day as they are turned in.

I will place a sign-up sheet on the counter for you to sign up for a 

time to bring your kids for a read-a-loud...15-20 minutes!!!
 

 Please return all BOOK BOX books by Thursday June 6th!

Please return any teacher materials that you can.....as soon as you can live without them!

The Computer Labs and iPads will be available until the very last kid is gone!!!

iPad Procedures....or the never ending saga of how to manage shared iPads!

I have a serious LOVE-HATE relationship with iPADs!

I LOVE the great things that we are doing with them.....

I LOVE the enthusiasm and excitement when kids are using them.....

I LOVE the possibilities,,,,


BUT.....
I HATE HATE HATE trying to figure out the best way to manage them....
They are sort of like that gifted child in your classroom.....lots of fun and very interesting....but sometimes hard to figure out how to get the most out of them!!!!




The other day, I looked at the counter in my office and realized that the 20 iPADs sitting there in plain sight were worth upwards to $8000....and sometimes my office is not locked....

So here is the new plan!

The sets of iPads in the crates and the teacher iPads in boxes are no longer just sitting on the counter.....

now there is just a notebook

But just open the cupboard and.........

There are the crates and the boxes safely hidden away.....

I had to convince Lisa that there COUND NOT be a label on this cupboard....oh my!!

No use advertising!  

You DO NOT need to ask to pick up the iPads you have signed out....just have at it!!

BUT....

Please make a note of which crate/set you are taking on the notebook.  

Sometimes students are using single iPads for a project (short term....) 

and they are signing them out on this notebook too!  

The reason for this is to keep track of items that might need to be saved on a specific iPad.

When you take a teacher iPad (in the boxes).....just put your name on a post it note and put that on the chart that is hanging inside the cupboard door!

One last thing.....about the stylus pens....

I bought cheapies....only $1.50 each

I had to buy a lot so thought that made sense....

But....

Our kiddos seem to be having trouble keeping the tips on them...

These are just a few of the stylus's as they came back....

Remind them to be careful and please make sure to take any broken on out so that they don't get used by accident and scratch the surface of the iPads!

Yikes....now do you see why I LOVE/HATE the iPads?

I think I will go sit on the back steps and look at the flowers.....they don't need any managing....!!!

What's An Animoto?

No....an Animoto isn't some kind of robotic toy!

It is a very cool website/program that makes it easy to create an animated slideshow!

If the little video that introduced Maestro Misterioso was something that intrigued you, then Animoto is for you.

I  especially like how intuitive the program is to use.
I am using it with 5th grade students with little or no "angst"

PSI has a paid PRO-Account which you are welcome to use!  I am happy to share the user name and password for the account if you want to try!

You can also sign up for your own free personal account that is slightly more limited.

Educators can sign up for an account to use with students....again free....but limited.


Stop in and I will give you more info if you want it!

Wait 'til You See THIS!!!!

Weekly Reader has been around a LONG Time!

Soooo long, in fact, that I remember reading my Weekly Reader when I was in Elementary School!

.....and you know that was a long time ago!!!


When I was in the classroom, I used Weekly Readers....but they were kind of a hassle!!!





Fast Forward to 2013!!!!

Check out the new tab on the Student Resource Page called Revistas!!!

Yup!  Scholastic Weekly Magazines

• Online
• In Spanish
• FOR FREE

You are welcome!

iPads Galore!!!

The 15 new iPads have arrived.....Hurrah!

These iPads are divided into 3 sets of 5.

They can be checked out in sets of 5.

The sign out is part of the iPad Sign Out in Google Docs.

The LMC Dept. will keep these charged up and ready to go.





Remember, if you as a teacher, wish to check out an iPad for yourself....and even keep it for several days....there a 5 of these available.  Check them out using the library system and let us know how long you need to keep it.

We had a great discussion during the iPad Tech Academy about procedures and expectations for using the iPads.
Student iPad users need to take responsibility for using this equipment properly in a shared environment.  I am having a lesson/discussion with each class (grades 2-5) during book choice time about the following expectations:

• All Photos and Movies that are not taken for a specific project need to be deleted after each use.
• ONLY uncluttered images may be used as a back ground.  Older students have agreed to change the background to a simple one if they discover one that is cluttered.
• NO student photos may be used as a background.
• APPS should be closed periodically.  (I am demonstrating this process to the older kids)
• iPads should be stored in the correct slot and plugged in when returned.

 

 Finally....I am working with the Tech Support and Nate to come up with a way to sync all the ipads at once to keep the apps organized.

I realize that the way the apps are now "all over the place" is not the best.....the librarian in me would like them alphabetized and organized by the dewey decimal system....

ALAS....that is not to be!

I will keep working on this and let you know as the work progresses.

Hurrah for Read Across America Day!

Dr. Seuss' birthday falls on Saturday this year.


  Read Across America Day will be celebrated nationwide on Friday, March 1st!









 At PSI we will keep our celebration simple!

 Listen for the announcement at 8:30 Friday Morning!
I will read a Dr. Seuss inspired poem telling kids to go out in the hall and read!

ALL you need to do is have kids ready with books that will keep them busy for at least 10 minutes!

Here are some additional resources if you want them!

• We will display all of the Dr. Seuss Books that we have and "reserve" the Spanish Titles for staff.
• Please remember to "be nice and share"....meaning.....return the books when you are done with them.
• I will be giving out book marks to all the kids...I found one in SPANISH...yeah me!
• There is a link to Seussville on the Main Student Resource Page....alas...this is NOT in Spanish!
• Here is a link to some things that you might enjoy doing with your class....ideas that need tweaking for the Immersion environment....but ideas non the less!

Huevos Verdes (You Tube Video)

Interesting clip with Danny DaVito learning to speak Spanish for the movie "The Lorax"

Finally....a link to a well written (as best this rookie spanish reader can tell) SPANISH biography of Dr. Seuss 

 Have a great Day!