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Reddit’s r_k12sysadmin Credits: @r_channels @reddit2telegram
Google Drive Trust Rules
Our district is looking into setting up trust rules for the district and want to see what everyone recommends the best way to implement this?
Are you shutting off the default rules to block everything and start only opening up what you need? Or are you going with the default rules and blocking the student OUs you know you want to change?
https://redd.it/1qdrk5u
@r_k12sysadmin
Looking for a Tablet to replace iPads
We currently have iPads in grades 1 and 2. I was looking to see if there was a Google Tablet that would be a good replacement for an iPad. Is anyone using a Google Tablet? My main concern is being able to have testing app on it like. NWEA testing but they only seem to have a chrome os app. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
https://redd.it/1qdkz6q
@r_k12sysadmin
Google workspace paid or free
How would you try to explain to upper management that we need to stick to our paid Google workspace and not move to the free Google workspace? Looking for thoughts and ideas.
Thanks in advance.
https://redd.it/1qd9qnq
@r_k12sysadmin
Red Rover with School ERP Pro
Does anyone here use Red Rover with Infinite Vision’s School ERP Pro? If so, what is the process like for getting RR’s data (i.e. absence balances) into ERP? We’ve seen/heard different answers. Thank you!
https://redd.it/1qd0s4c
@r_k12sysadmin
Youtube Bot Error
Recently, we started having this issue on our campus where Youtube videos that are embedded in a slide show, like Canva, will get a "Sign in to confirm you are not a bot" error. The teachers affected are signed into their school accounts fully on the devices and we still get the error. Now if we use a personal Gmail account then their is no error. Also, if we use a hotspot, the error is not there either. I am thinking YT has linked our IP address to bot "stuff". The only thing that changed was over winter break we installed a new gateway, but our IP stayed the same. Anyone have any ideas? An IP change would be a last resort option.
https://redd.it/1qcvnfe
@r_k12sysadmin
Students able to access Tiktok/Instagram through Google Short Videos?
A teacher brought to my attention that while Tiktok/Instagram is blocked if a student tries to visit it directly, they can bypass that block if they go to Google Short videos and open a Tiktok or Instagam reel and be able to view it.
I witnessed this on the student's device and account. Sure enough it's blocked if visiting the site or opening it from Google results, but they're able to access it through Google shorts.
Has this issue happened with anyone?
https://redd.it/1qcu7xc
@r_k12sysadmin
Athletic Events - Streaming
Is anyone using a wireless bridge for connectivity for streaming baseball or softball? Looking to see if anyone has had experience with this. We will be using a Hudl cam.
https://redd.it/1qcqgnv
@r_k12sysadmin
Love that first paycheck of the year, that's decreased since December.
The June/July time for raises (if you get anything) causes early year pain.
Edit: Yes 12% premium increases (with coverage decreases). Was 12% increase last year as well.
https://redd.it/1qcnl2b
@r_k12sysadmin
Letting Students Keep Chromebooks Over Summer?
I am thinking of letting kids keep their Chromebooks over the summer. The two issues I see are if a kid breaks or loses it. My question for the schools that do let kids keep their laptops over the summer: how do you deal with broken or lost laptops at the beginning of the year, and is it worth it?
https://redd.it/1qc78k7
@r_k12sysadmin
Computers acting slow
Well last week everything was going good and no real issues outside a few hiccups. Today all computers are acting very slow trying to connect to dc on network. Ping is good to DC and DNS. New users login login on computers are rough taking a long time to load user on Win 11. Seeing if anyone can give me some ideas why slow.
Thanks in advance
https://redd.it/1qb1blz
@r_k12sysadmin
macOS configuring user settings
My org collects student passwords. I’d like to get away from this practice for obvious reasons. We do this as we need to log into user accounts so the Mobile account is created and then run a few policies and configure some settings in Google. We prioritize minimal user work here.
What other methods can I use to ensure privacy for users while also ensuring their machines are pretty much ready to go at pickup?
https://redd.it/1qb4nkc
@r_k12sysadmin
What do you do for fun activities?
What do you do in your department to have fun, team bonding, or just raise morale?
Do you have a night where your dept goes out? Do you have a Friday where you all sit around for 20 minutes with your favorite sodas and candy bars?
Just curious!
I'm thinking of a night at a virtual golf range (it's too damn cold to go to a regular one).
https://redd.it/1q8sufb
@r_k12sysadmin
Google 2SV Enforcement - Sanity Check
Hi all:
We enforce 2SV for all staff members via OU assignments and have for a few years now. After winter break, I noticed that when viewing staff members in the Google Console and checking under the Security tab, it indicates that 2SV is not enforced and can be turned off.
I opened a ticket with Google and they had this to say:
|Hello. Thank you for your patience while we looked into your request. I have received an update from our internal team, who have thoroughly reviewed the case and provided their findings. Google has recently announced the enforcement of the 2-Step Verification (2SV) policy. This enforcement is being rolled out for organizations using Google Workspace for Education, Workspace for Nonprofits, Cloud Identity, or Android Enterprise. As per the internal update, this enforcement is expected to take effect toward the end of January. According to the audit logs, the 2SV organization-level enforcement was removed on October 6th, which aligns with Google’s enforcement timeline. Once the enforcement date for your Google Workspace organization is reached and 2SV becomes mandatory, the corresponding changes will automatically be reflected under the user security settings. Note: Google’s enforcement settings take precedence over organization-level settings. Since the Google enforcement policy is currently turned OFF, it is also displayed as OFF in the Admin Console. At this time, no action is required. Please allow some time for the enforcement to be applied, after which the changes will be reflected automatically.|
|:-|
Can anyone else who's enforcing 2SV confirm that you're seeing the same thing I am? That explanation doesn't make sense to me. Our org's 2SV settings have not changed and it is all enforced.
EDIT**
After further investigation, it appears that anyone with an Admin role assigned (Vault search, password reset, etc) is impacted by this "glitch", so Google support may be on to something. Normal staff are enforced. Can anyone confirm with an admin account?
https://redd.it/1q5j318
@r_k12sysadmin
What Windows devices do you issue to students
We are 1:1 with our student population and have been issuing Surface Go units. I discovered that those devices are no longer made, so we are looking foralternatives. We want to stay with a touchscreen, active pen, and either a detachable keyboard like the Surface or a 2-in-1 with a 360 hinge.
Does anyone have any suggestions? If you use the Windows OS, what are you issuing to your students?
https://redd.it/1q5rfmc
@r_k12sysadmin
Chromebook Recovery Utility
Has anyone had any issues with this today? Everything is fine until it tries to write to the USB.
https://redd.it/1q6l2t7
@r_k12sysadmin
Chrome Application Phase-Out, still got some questions
Hey everyone!
I'm sure you've all seen the banner about chrome app support ending in 2026. When I pull up my list, however, I see Google Classroom, Drive, Docs, Camera, Calculator, etc. These are all Google Applications, not anything I installed on these devices.
What will happen to these following the migration in 2026? Does google have plans to release updated version of these apps? Has anyone talked with Google about this preemptively, so I don't have to sit in a 2 hour chat with them?
https://redd.it/1qdpcjw
@r_k12sysadmin
Google Admin Console Extension "Friendly" Naming
Hey all, when you get to extensions and see awlrighioawrghoawoihawg as an extension, how are you keeping track of what it actually is?
We have about 8 loaded like this for students, and I am resorting to using Allowed Hosts with the name:
https://extension-name.extension
Like so:
https://preview.redd.it/he02d87jxidg1.png?width=553&format=png&auto=webp&s=898f951c6dba21d278de66319cb5671be07939e4
Do you all know a better way (besides a spreadsheet to reference)?
https://redd.it/1qdkzs5
@r_k12sysadmin
What student chromebooks are ya'll looking at?
Probably about that time of year. While we still haven't quite hopped on that train of buying chromebooks yearly to cycle in we are looking at buying a small batch partially for afterschool, partially to test as we are looking to move to cycle in batches yearly. So what are ya'll looking at for options? We haven't had to great of an experience with Samsung (4) and HP (HP 11MK G9) chromebooks ourselves. Though the later could have been exasperated by the clip on cases we were using (issues with hinge cover and extra pressure on hinge screws separating from top cover).
Tentatively we're eyeballing 8 GB of RAM full stop but I'm also curious if moving to DDR5 speeds up what little capacity 4GB has to be acceptable. Just trying to futureproof in case we have to start adding in more extensions or what Aluminum OS will require.
Have MediaTek processors/wifi chips come into their own? I seem to recall the last time we bought chromebooks a few years ago MediaTek was still having some teething issues, especially on their wifi chips.
Also curious about how repairing screens with all these models that are coming with touchscreens now. Seems like most in the 8GB RAM range are touchscreens.
https://redd.it/1qd2egp
@r_k12sysadmin
Chrome OS Flex Devices Policies Not Applying
Guest mode is enabled on devices along with sign in restrictions removed even though everything is correct in GAC/OU. Genuine Chrome OS devices policy's are applied fine.
Anyone ever run into this? What am I doing wrong?
Edit: Apparently this is some sort of TPM issue even though it is affecting different models of managed Flex devices.
Anyone have a fix for this? I'm a one man shop that could use the help! Already re-enrolled a few devices and still have the same issue.
https://redd.it/1qcuryj
@r_k12sysadmin
Anyone using IPAM tools? Any recommendations?
I'm looking into IPAM tools(IP Address Management). I've explored Netbox, EfficientIP, Infoblox off and on over the past couple of years. It would be nice to have a paid support product but cost seems prohibitive in K12.
Looking to get away from IP management via spreadsheet. Additional features on some of the tools would be nice.
I'm likely going to set up the free version of Netbox.
Any other suggestions or reviews?
https://redd.it/1qcp9no
@r_k12sysadmin
Help Desk Replacement for IT and Maintenance
I wrote a help desk page in PHP/MySQL 20 years ago and we're still using it today. It's basically one form where the end user enters their name, email, and chooses a department: IT or Maintenance. The request goes to all of those in that department where it's then assigned.
I don't have the time to maintain this anymore and I'd like to move to a cloud solution that will serve the needs of both departments but be simple and cost-effective. We have 4 in IT that needs access and 11 in Maintenance.
Any suggestions on the best product?
https://redd.it/1qcpauy
@r_k12sysadmin
The most 1st world problem I've ever come across in this job....
https://redd.it/1qcp5bc
@r_k12sysadmin
Chromebook policy and checkouts
Anyone care to share their Chromebook policy? Ours will not go home with students and have to be turned in each day. I just want to make sure im not being too extra on protecting these devices. (Private high school)
Still trying to figure out the logistics of tracking that borrowing process too. Curious what others are doing for check in/outl. Thought about mounting barcode scanners on each cart but, im a one man show and know that will get annoying quick. Also thought about just having the teacher enter in each device number into our SIS during their rolecall.
https://redd.it/1qcbtj8
@r_k12sysadmin
Google Drive File Structure
This is one of the few things from a management side I wish was like Microsoft. If I want to in a shared drive have different access based upon how far in the drives folder structure I am, the user should still be able to navigate from the root and only see what you have access too, not just a random folder that sits in the shared with me section.
https://redd.it/1qbynov
@r_k12sysadmin
Retention Policy - Deleted items in email
Do you have a retention policy on items in the Deleted folder of a user's email? I am considering permanently deleting items after 6 months.
https://redd.it/1qb4ihy
@r_k12sysadmin
802.1X
Just curious, anyone else doing 802.1X on their wired networks?
https://redd.it/1qbd1bm
@r_k12sysadmin
New Year, New Cyber Attacks
https://k12techtalkpodcast.com/e/holiday-break-spike-schools-under-cyberattack-%e2%80%94-prepare-now/ and all major podcast platforms
We discuss the New Year spike in cyber attacks on schools over the holiday break and practical strategies for vacation periods - automated alerting, third‑party monitoring, suspending or shutting down non‑critical services.
Other topics include what to look for when hiring technician, the rise of remote psycho-educational testing, early findings from the E‑Rate cybersecurity pilot, vendor liability caps in data privacy agreements, and a listener email about student account compromises from downloaded apps and VPNs.
https://redd.it/1q8amqr
@r_k12sysadmin
SANS Courses
Any ed-tech folks here done one of the SANS courses in recent memory? Apparently, after many years of my asking for them in an aspirational that would be cool fashion, we actually got a grant or something to allow me to take a single course, so now I have to figure what would be at least slightly on-target for the workplace.
https://redd.it/1q5zqdz
@r_k12sysadmin
AutoDesk/SheerID Verification help...
I sincerely hope someone is able to provide a direction to go with this issue. We have been stuck in the loop with AutoDesk/SheerID to verify that we’re a school. I’m going to attempt to boil this down for simplification.
We have an email address we used to log into AutoDesk with, we’ll say it’s Aschool@domain.com. The name on this account is AMember. Reason for this is that there are 3 of us in the department and we all have access to the account. I’ve went through “verification” numerous times, but it keeps getting denied. I’ve explained countless times that there is no “name” to verify on the account as it’s an admin account and it’s not tied to an individual. Every single time we get told that the verification has failed. There is apparently no phone number to call and actually speak with someone within the education arm of AutoDesk or at SheerID…chat/email are the only options.
Is there anyone else that has experienced something like this in the past and was somehow able to get it rectified/resolved?
Thanks to all of you, I’m going to go back to pulling out what’s left of my hair.
https://redd.it/1q6lf5q
@r_k12sysadmin
MS Powerapps licensing change
I'm not sure how many out there actually use MS Powerapps, but I know our state has had several seminars during educational conferences on app development for the past couple of years. Just wanted to let you know MS announced is ending per-app licensing, with end of sale basically immediately.
https://redd.it/1q6iziy
@r_k12sysadmin
