Noteworthy Stuff: Updates and Upgrades

• Things of note:
• Please pardon the progress:   Lots going on with FC upgrades and infrastructure updates, etc....
• FC Calendars and Contact lists will take some time to 're-discover' so please be patient, since our primary goal is to ensure the migration is complete and functional including the archive server installation
• Remember your new email address is first initial last name@rsu36.net and you should receive mail from the sad36.org address
• Change your FC password from fclivermore10
• We worked on the long log-ins during Feb break for those still experiencing long log-ins.  Remember RD on the Macbooks is quicker and if you must log in to the local computer please do so.
• We have not set FC email spam filters but we know MSLN is catching spam
• There will be more painful but fruitful growth...
• There will be a learning curve for the new FC version so anything you discover please share.  A few of us will be attending an FC training in March since FC 9.1-10.1 is quite dynamic. 
•  For FC webcasts and tutorials visit tutorials
• The tech dept is aware of all the pains of growth and we feel it as well (trust us, here) and are sensitive to the transitions that have added frustrations and concerns...and we still have a long ways to go...and we have a plan and we are working it...
• We have devleoped training times in all schools:  LES -Thurs (Tanberg video conf); LHS - Wed.(Student logins); and LMS-Tues.(Remoting)  All imeetings in the media centers/libraries and at 2'sh.  These will focus on the new stuff coming into your schools like  FC, remote desktop, TS etc...but feel free to bring any issues......The main goal is to establish these times and to consistently meet.
• Things of interest:
• We are still tranisitioning the LMS and when complete it will be a total Mac School complete with a new Mac server.  Reallocating many PC's will be complete by April vacation.  
• The tech team will be sending out short surveys  over the next few weeks and months about tech use (I know, nothing new here) and would like to meet individually and through teams to develop a professional development model for next year.  This year has been about necessary infrastructure replacement and repair and next year will be about using the technology relevant to our needs.
• We are developing and modifying staff acceptable use policies since these not only protect us but educate us about professional use.  Read http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8523807.stm.  Student use policies will follow.....
• A bare bones website should be published by the second week of March
• We met with a Tanberg video conferencing grant writer and one will be submitted for the high school.  We hope to use the Tanberg for the Mega Deaf Conference Feb 24.
• We met with the Apple sales rep to discuss the implementation of the Macbooks and discussed issues with interactive whiteboards.  We will set up training with mimio boards and have discovered that the Sunburst boards are incompatible with the Macbooks, so as we reallocate PC's and other equipment in April, we will have to make a plan for this.
• We will be purchasing 10 ipod touches to assist with data management - and to keep up with the students:)