Welcome to the Technology at Norris Schools

 

 

The purpose of this information packet is to familiarize you with some of the aspects of technology in our district.

 

General information:

Norris’s Home Page: www.norris160.org

Norris’s Parent Link on the web: Visit this site from our home page listed above.

Norris’s Web Email Access: Contact the technology department for the web site location.

Norris’s Intranet: http://norrisnet (This is only available internally on our network) (All our browsers automatically start to this page.)

 

How and who do I contact if I have Questions and/or Problems?

If at all possible…. please complete the form on the help desk web site found on NorrisNet.

Noel Erskine, Technology Coordinator  (Extension 2006)

Jim McConnell Network Administrator (Extension 2002)

(Remember…. do not be afraid to ask a colleague next door. You may get a question answered quicker than we may be able to respond depending upon our workload for that week.)

 

Our Computer system:

  • Each PC is connected to our district wide network system, which forces each user to logon to the network before you can use the computer. (All machines are PC’s…. we have no Mac’s in the district.) When students login to the system they are given a blue screen while staff members are given a red screen.
  • Every individual has a user id and password given to him or her for logging into the system. Guard this password!  (Students with a staff member login can do great damage to the district!)
  • We utilize a program called WinClass, which places software on the teacher and student’s start menu. WinClass allows you as a teacher to put students into a class and add software to their class. (Thus the software appears on the students start menu at the appropriate times.) As a teacher you can also distribute files to student in that class.
  • Computer labs are available for checkout. You must signup for a lab on the appropriate calendar in Outlook under the public folders. Location of computer labs include:
    • Elementary lab
    • Elementary Pods
    • Middle School Main Lab
    • High School South Lab
    • High School North Lab
    • High School W-15 (Scheduled most of the time)
    • Computers are also found in the elementary, Middle School and High School media centers but are not available for classroom checkout situations.
  • Each student and staff member has a “Z” drive, which is located on a network computer. We encourage staff and students to store all of their information on the Z drive. (Each year students “Z” drives are cleaned out.) (The Z drive is backed up on a regular basis.) Data stored on the C drive is not supported.  (When we work on your local computer your data could be lost…. If you save to the Z drive, your data is safe.)
  • Programs and documents located on the local machine may be lost at any time. (Due to failures or system installations performed by technical staff.)
  • Remember…. always keep backups of everything you do!!!!

 

NorrisNet

  • We have an intranet site entitled NorrisNet. This site is an Intranet site… it is only available internally on our network. (It is not available from the Internet.)
  • A wealth of information is contained on the site including software training and help. (You will find this handout as well as many other staff handouts and in-service information located there.)
  • Internet Explorer is set to automatically take you to NorrisNet

 

Software:

  • All software loaded on district computers must be cleared by the Technology Department. (Do not purchase or requisition programs before you clear them with our office.) Under no circumstances should students download or install software.
  • District wide, we support the following software packages:
    • Microsoft Office- (The latest versions) Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access.  (Publisher can be loaded on your machine upon request.)
    • Microsoft Encarta Reference Suite (May not be on all machines but can be loaded upon request.)
    • Microsoft Visual Basic (Computer programming language)
    • Microsoft FrontPage for Web Publishing and page development (Can be loaded on your machine at your request.)
    • Microsoft Internet Explorer (We no longer support Netscape)
    • Microsoft Outlook for Email, calendars, and public folders
    • SASI (School management system) Each staff member must take attendance each period using this system.
    • Integrade Pro (Mandatory for MS & HS. Available for use in Elem. also.)
    • STAR reading (Reading assessment program.)
    • Accelerated Reader (Reading management and encouragement)
    • STAR math (Math assessment program)
    • Type to Learn (Keyboarding development)
    • Skills Bank
    • NCIS (Nebraska Career Information System) (Information on careers)
    • Discovery (Career program)
    • Adobe Acrobat Reader can be installed on every machine. (The install is located on your start menu if you do not have that program already installed.)
    • Adobe PhotoShop, Illustrator and Premier are used in selected classes.
    • We have a site license for Macromedia studio which includes Flash MX, Freehand, DreamWeaver, and other Macromedia products.
    • Many specialized software programs that are purchased to develop specific skills.

 

  • The library system is also automated and available on each computer throughout the district. The library also offers The WoldBook as well as several online research programs available through the Internet. The video list and vertical files are found on NorrisNet. (There is also a link to checking out videos from the ESU NorrisNet.)
  • The SASI system allows staff members to pull up a picture, personal information, seating charts, past student history and a wealth of information to assist them in further management of their classrooms. Attendance is taken each period of the day using this system. Staff members also must keep their grades within the InteGrade Pro software package to allow for easy import and export of rosters and grades between the IntegradePro and SASI software systems.

 

Internet:

  • All computers in the District are Internet accessible. At the start of each year, students must have a parent permit form signed and returned to the district before they are allowed to access the Internet. (If a student is not cleared for Internet access they are not able to visit a site utilizing an Internet Browser. (Internet Explorer) (Our Proxy server is Titan at 10.1.1.1)
  • All Internet access for staff and students is filtered using a program called Symantec Security. Symantec is currently set to filter pornography, guns & violence, hate groups and other objectionable sites. Occasionally a site is blocked that needs to be accessed. If this happens, please send us an email with the address of the site that needs to be opened. (We will manually add this to the list of sites allowed by Symantec.) This may take several days…. So please be patient.
  • Along with Symantec all Internet logs are kept and analyzed for inappropriate behavior. Please reinforce the importance of appropriate Internet use with your students.
  • The Internet is provided for use for school related information and research. Non-School related internet surfing is discouraged.

 

Email:

  • Each staff member is provided with an email account to use for educational purposes. Your email address will be your firstname.lastname@norris160.org 
  • Mail Marshal software is used to monitor content and attachment types for all staff email coming and going.
  • All staff members should use Outlook to send and retrieve your email. You will also need to use Outlook to access information in Public Folders. (Outlook also provides many features including calendars, sticky notes, task lists, and many other useful features.)
  • Forwarding of “cute” email or attachments is discouraged.
  • A limited number of Generic student email accounts are available for class projects, epals, etc… (Let us know a week or two prior to your classroom needs.)
  • Students are not provided email accounts. Use of student's personal email accounts during school time is prohibited.
  • To check your email from home we encourage you to use our Outlook Web Access site. (Contact the Technology department for this URL.  (Put this URL in your web browser and you will be taken to a site for logging in to your email account.)

 

Printing

  • Network laser printers are located throughout the district so students and staff members can print to a fast, economical and high quality printer with ease. (For multiple copies of documents…. please use the copy machine.) (There is a charge for personal copies.)
  • The purchase of local/personal printers is not supported. If you currently have a local printer, you are responsible for ink cartridges and supplies.
  • All printing is monitored using a district-wide software program. Students are given 40 pages per 60 days, which accumulate to the end of the year. (After 120 days a student would have 80 pages if they had not printed anything up to that time.) All printing must be for school related activities. (We charge for printing personal materials.)

 

Digital Cameras and Scanners

  • Numerous digital cameras are available for checkout throughout the district. (These are available for student checkout as well.) Digital cameras are excellent for utilizing information in PowerPoint presentations, developing web pages, student projects and many other educational projects in the classroom. (Please see NorrisNet for the list and location of cameras available.) (Students have formal classroom instruction on the camera prior to checking a camera out.) Contact the HS or Elem media specialists for more information on digital cameras.
  • Scanners are located in the Elem. Media Center, Elem. Computer Lab,  High School Journalism and High School Media Center.

 

 

Distance Learning Lab and Cart

  • The distance-learning lab is open several periods a day for checkout. This lab provides the instructor with an Elmo, overhead, and computer projection system.
  • Staff members may schedule the lab through the Outlook calendar located in the public folders. Also talk to the technology department ahead of time to assure all of the equipment is ready for you and you are ready for it!
  • The distance learning cart is a mobile cart that is available to any staff member to utilize within their classroom. All staff members are encouraged to explore the many educational possibilities with this new mobile technology. (This cart can be checked out through the technology department.)

 

Staff Home Pages

  • Web space is provided for staff, department or organizational home pages.
  • We encourage each staff member to utilize his or her home page to provide educational value and reinforce positive public relations.
  • At the present time, each staff member is required to have a informational web site. You can contact Mr. Andrew Carlson for assistance in setting up your web presence.

 

Our Phone system:

  • We have a voice over IP phone system along with a voicemail system.
  • You can make local and toll free calls from your phone extension. (All long distance calls must be made from one of the office phones.)
  • Each staff member is assigned a phone extension and a voice mailboxe for you to use. 
  • As a staff member make sure you record a message for your inbound message box and your general information box immediately. You should also enter your name in the number directory.
  • See the handouts and NorrisNet for more information on how to utilize the phone system.
  • You can also setup outbound dial lists and have the phone system automatically dial that list and play a pre-recorded message. All students are in the outbound dial list. Staff members may setup their own outbound dial lists from within Parent Link. Each student is represented by his or her SASI ID number.
  • Patrons can dial the Parent Link number by dialing 791-0001. Internally we can dial 222 to reach the Parent Link system.  When dialing a staff member from the Parent Link System you will be directed to the general information box (zero) box first. (In the sample above that would be 2710.) From the general information box, staff members can direct you to their class boxes or their voice mailbox, where a message can be left.
  • Staff members will be notified via email when a voice mail message is left for them.

 

 

We are looking forward to working with you throughout your tenure here at Norris Schools…… and always remember the only constant thing in technology is change!