November 5th District PD

The district professional development session held on November 5th featured a diverse range of offerings provided by the technology department. Educators had the opportunity to explore six different topics, each designed to enhance their instructional practices and integrate technology into their classrooms effectively.

The sessions included comprehensive training on the Promethean Board, which is an interactive display that allows for dynamic teaching and engaging student participation. Additionally, participants learned how to utilize Canva, a versatile graphic design tool that can help create visually appealing educational materials.

Furthermore, the training covered Lightspeed Classroom, a platform designed to streamline classroom management and foster collaboration among students. Educators were also introduced to Screencastify, a powerful tool for creating video tutorials and screen recordings that can be beneficial for both in-person and remote learning.

Moreover, MagicSchool was presented as a valuable resource for educators to access a variety of teaching materials and support. Finally, Nearpod was included in the offerings, providing teachers with an interactive platform to create engaging lessons that captivate students’ attention and enhance their learning experiences.

Overall, the diverse offerings aimed to equip educators with the necessary skills and tools to effectively leverage technology in their teaching practices.

Here is a link to our session resources click here

MCAS November Retakes 2024 

The November MCAS retakes took place at Durfee High School on Monday, involving around 300 students who participated in this important assessment. In preparation for the event, all necessary technology was meticulously set up to ensure a smooth testing experience. As the sessions progressed, there was only one instance where a student was booted from their testing session, indicating that the overall administration was well-managed and effective. This careful planning and execution contributed to providing a conducive atmosphere for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. Thank you to all that made this a successful first day.

Teaching with Tech Week of Nov 1

 

Week of Nov 1

Network Security Update

This week, our network experienced a series of spam attacks that raised significant concerns regarding our security protocols. Early in the week, we detected suspicious activity indicating that an external party was attempting to access our Onelogin platform using the default password.

Upon gaining access, this unauthorized user began resetting staff members' passwords and subsequently logged into their email accounts. The intention behind this malicious activity appeared to be an attempt to steal sensitive information by sending deceptive messages.

In response to this security breach, the district took immediate action by enforcing a mandatory password reset for all users. We also changed the default password for both staff and students to enhance security measures. Additionally, we removed all users in the Onelogin system who had the capability to perform password resets until we could verify that they had changed their passwords to something more secure.

Since implementing these security enhancements, we have not encountered any further attempts to breach our network. However, it is important to note that this malicious activity initially flagged our network as a threat, resulting in our being placed on several blacklists across the internet. This situation caused users to experience 502 error messages when attempting to access certain sites, including Soundtrap, WIDA, and others.

Fortunately, after instituting stricter security measures, we have been able to rectify our standing. Our network has since been removed from those blacklists, and we are pleased to report that internet traffic is now flowing freely once again.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this critical time as we continue to prioritize the safety and security of our network.