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Reddit’s r_k12sysadmin Credits: @r_channels @reddit2telegram
One-to-One charging at school
Working with my director to convince our supers to go one-to-one when our current lease is up. Years ago when we ditched computer labs we went to carts on wheels but our numbers are high enough to cover every student now. It just doesn't make sense to keep using carts given the current situation. Anyways, how do you guys handle charging in the classroom if needed? Or students that forgot their device at home? Any other advice would be appreciated!
https://redd.it/krfxxc
@r_k12sysadmin
Chromebook Wi-Fi not reconnecting after sleep mode
I'm seeing this across multiple models and manufactures. When teachers or staff close the Chromebook lid, and go into another area the Wi-Fi does not reconnect. This behavior has been reported at home as well.
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Is there a policy in Google Admin that could be impacting this? Students and staff have their own SSIDs in on every AP.
https://redd.it/kr6qj8
@r_k12sysadmin
CISC ASA Dropping packets with increased traffic
Im troubleshooting a slow internet issue: 1 gig circuit. One engineer that ran a test said that what he is seeing is the ASA is dropping packets as traffic increases. What would cause this? Bad ASA, Cable, confg. thanks for your insight. no major changes to config. Been in place for years.
https://redd.it/kr35zu
@r_k12sysadmin
Google Meet - Default Layout
I have a teacher saying she has to change her layout to tiled - 49 participants every time she starts a Google Classroom Meet. Layout settings say "selection is saved for future meetings". Every time I open up one of my Classroom Meets its going right to tiled - 49 participants, and I set that layout weeks ago as a test...
Anyone else run into this?
https://preview.redd.it/7ho48zalfj961.png?width=327&format=png&auto=webp&s=a7ef7f3e8384c706a0977a8401c71f9eac8f8758
https://redd.it/kr1co7
@r_k12sysadmin
Edmentum / Plato & Flash
Anyone have any suggestions or workarounds for Edmentum / Plato still requiring flash player?
https://redd.it/kqyicc
@r_k12sysadmin
Student Offboarding Announcement
Does anybody happen to have a sample student offboarding announcement they share with their students?
Japan is a tad behind when it comes to all things IT-related and this March we are going to have our first cohort of students graduate who have had school e-mail accounts and chromebooks. I am hoping to send out an announcement in early Feb with instructions and tips for them to consider.
> Check that their school account isn't their recovery email for personal services
> Google Takeout
etc
Any advice and samples would be much appreciated.
https://redd.it/kqrplm
@r_k12sysadmin
Issue with Google Classroom, looking for some help
Hey all!
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I have a student who attempted to move all the folders built by Google Classroom into a single folder. In doing so, he seems to have unlinked the folder from Google Classroom, and now all the assignments he had, both new and old, can no longer be accessed by either him or the teacher. He "undid" it, however, the effect remains the same. Has anyone else been through this before, and if so, how did you resolve it?
https://redd.it/kqbd1l
@r_k12sysadmin
Voice assistants?
What do you folk do about people wanting Google Homes, Amazon Echos, etc. in school? So far, I've been telling teachers that this is a privacy nightmare and strongly discouraging it and so far they've listened. Recently, a principal showed up with a device they bought for themselves and want to set it up in their office. I told them that the device being in a room where student data is discussed is a probable FERPA violation. They pointed out that all of our phones have the same feature and insisted on it being set up. They threatened to go over my head if I didn't give him what they wanted. They also said they'd just use their phone's hotspot if they didn't get what they wanted.
Obviously policy needs to be consulted. Can you think of anything else that would be relevant? Do you think that there is merit to the position that IoT devices specifically designed and licensed for consumer use shouldn't be in a principal's office? The counter argument is, of course, that our phones (iOS and Android) are consumer goods with consumer-oriented licenses, microphones, and an always-available Internet connection. So I can see their point, but I'm not sure that this is the same thing.
https://redd.it/kqmc3l
@r_k12sysadmin
Questions about 1 to 1 take home system. What % of Chromebooks are lost/damaged each year? What refresh cycle should I plan for?
2020 is the first time that we implemented a 1 to 1 take home system for our students. I have a couple questions for you folks.
1. What percentage of your fleet ends up either lost or damaged beyond repair by students each year? Should I expect to lose anywhere from 3 to 5 to 10% of my Chromebooks annually?
2. In the before times, we were on a 5 year replacement plan for student machines. I imagine that with a full 1 to 1 system, that our refresh cycle should be closer to 4 years given that usage is significantly higher. Greater wear on the battery, keyboard, etc. Do you folks typically refresh student machines on a 4 year cycle in a take home system?
3. Any other advice or recommendations, to help plan for a 1 to 1 system? Do you have charging stations in classrooms or on sites in the library/MPR? Do you supply 3-5 additional units in each classroom as spares/backup?
https://redd.it/kqfni0
@r_k12sysadmin
Airplay Disconnects on Ads & Video Ends
Not sure how many of you are using a similar setup, but we have AppleTVs hooked up to TVs in our classrooms and teachers using MacBook Airs to Airplay to them. Probably since Sept 2020, i've had most of my teachers who use AirPlay to show videos on the TVs tell me that they are constantly having to reconnect to their AppleTVs throughout the day. After witnessing it, it seems to be only disconnecting when the video plays an ad or when that video ends. I've Googled this as much as I think one can and the few things I have found (like changing access type to "Devices on the same WiFi Only") haven't fix it for us. I've updated all the AppleTVs (14.3) and updated the teacher MacBooks (10.14.6) and still no dice. This seems to be happening in Chrome and Safari which are both also up to date. Someone told me that you need to be on Catalina (or Big Sur can't recall) in order to resolve this. However, there are a few things that aren't supported yet by those version. Anyone else out there have this issue and possibly have anything else to try?
https://redd.it/kqg2rz
@r_k12sysadmin
Do you allow TikTok?
We currently have a ban on Snapchat on any device connected to our wireless network, and I am getting more and more requests from parents to block TikTok on student Chromebooks.
Do any of you block TikTok on offsite student devices, and can you give me a reason why I should allow TikTok on mobile devices on our network while blocking Snapchat?
https://redd.it/kqc5i7
@r_k12sysadmin
does anybody have the URLs to block in order to disable Youtube Chat?
i'm trying to block the built-in chat on youtube live pages for all of my students. in the past, i've had to add URLs to google's URL blocking in order to turn off parts of youtube. so far, i've added these URLs to the block list, but i'm still seeing the chat window on my student test device.
youtube.com/livechat*
www.youtube.com/livechat
youtbe.com/add_contact
youtube.com/addme
youtu.be/addme
youtube.com/live_chat
youtube.com/addme
youtube.com/addme
youtube.com/addcontact*
www.youtube.com/livechat
does anybody know of other URL's i can try to get that pesky chat window to go away? it's amazing to me that on a video that is restricted and will not display, the chat window is available.
has anybody else managed to block this 'feature'?
https://redd.it/kqc011
@r_k12sysadmin
3rd interview tomorrow, any tips?
Tomorrow I have my 3rd interview for a college system admin position. my background is being a sys admin in the hospitality industry (hotels and restaurants) for the last 3 years and a software specialist for many years before that. I am super excited for this position as I feel IT in education seems like a cool place to be and I feel like there may be more opportunities there than in hospitality. I feel alright with the technology that they mentioned in the previous interviews (vmware, switching, firewalls, AD, o365) but they do use SCCM and I have never touched that product (thinking about making a quick lab tonight to show I care enough about the position to get a basic outline of the product). My normal interview strategy is to show I am excited about the position and I am happy to grow and learn their technology and procedures. I am checking to see if there are any specific tips as far as interviews go when it comes to IT in the schools?
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also bonus question what are some things you like and dislike about IT in education? one thing I am excited for are the hours, I have been on call for 15 years, every year I try to go to the beach for 4th of july and the last 3 years I have had to leave to go work on something, also hotels are a pain when night audit breaks at 2am and you get woken up to fix it. looking forwards to none or less of that.
https://redd.it/kq9fey
@r_k12sysadmin
1:1 Program for Small Private School
I am looking to develop a 1:1 written initiative and user agreement for an under 500 student school. Does anyone know of some examples of 1:1 plans at similar size private schools? We will be a 1:1 chromebook school for grades 1-8.
https://redd.it/kq8ip5
@r_k12sysadmin
Still can't mute all in Google Meet?
With schools about to come back here in the UK all working remotely I was hoping for some Meet improvements.
They've added backgrounds but no option to mute all...?
Is there a workaround. Surely that's been the most want request since day one?!
https://redd.it/kovrfr
@r_k12sysadmin
Leaving K12 (UPDATE)
This community had alot of good feed back on my original post so I wanted to post a brief update and share my current perspective.
I went through with my initial interview for the position I was being courted for. CIO liked me alot and I had a positive experience. Came back for a second round of interviews with the CEO and other team members and made a great impression. While I was waiting to hear back I took some time away from the office to reflect as well as reaching out to my old mentor. I was pretty frustrated in my OP. The year was ending and I felt like I hadn't made much progress in changing our infrastructure or in getting support from my Director to make future changes.
However despite my frustrations I had to look at my job objectively. I go home at 330 everyday, I took 11 days off for xmas, I am never on call, and I enjoy working on projects when they get approved. Working for the bank's IT department in a management role would have been an entirely different expirience. The expectation would have been to stay late and bleed the company colors & prove myself worthy of transitioning to CIO in the next decade. They really wanted someone to eat sleep and breathe the bank. And that's not what I ultimately want to do. I just want to make an impact in our orginazation and become the smartest network professional that I possibly can. The CIO and I had an honest discussion about expectations and we agreed that this position probably isn't the best fit for either of us, although she thinks I could absolutley do the job well. I felt like I demonstrated my passion for technology well and she feels that I might not feel as satisfied as an analyst taking on more management responsibilities over time. This resonated alot with me. So I added her on LinkedIn and they've got all my information in case they need a network admin in the future, and we parted ways.
Today is my 2nd day back to work and ironically I had a long meeting with my Director. He just approved a huge wireless authentication project I have been begging for which I count as a massive win. We have a follow up meeting next week to begin the early stages of planning a server/backup solution project. This is huge for me and our department. I am feeling alot better about my role knowing that some of my suggestions are finally being taken seriously.
There is still a long way to go before I feel like our District is in good shape, and I know I will have frustrations in the future. But taking some time off when needed and playing the patient game can go a long way, at least for me it did. This whole expirience has been a great learning opportunity, and on the plus side I expanded my professional network. But I think I can keep my current job and still make an impact in our department if I can be patient as they (slowly) grow and adapt to change. Thank you all for your feedback and in general for all the professionals in this community, this is hands down my favorite tech reddit thread.
Happy New Year!
https://redd.it/krft0h
@r_k12sysadmin
I'm throwing in the towel after almost 6 months.
I need to let it out to people who get it. I'm just done with this school district.
- I didn't get a raise, was supposed to go from 11/hr to 15/hr. Instead my $200 bonus is the raise, and I am supposed to be thanking God for it. Literally. I was expected to say short prayer. P.S. we're not a religious school...sooooo inappropriate much?
- I am the department. They refuse to hire any other person onto the tech department and I am it. I'm falling apart from the inside out because of it. Super intendent is also doing shit behind my back, like giving out hotspots and chromebooks without letting me know, and then I get 5 calls asking if I was the one who forgot chargers for all of it. Oh and the relabeling of devices without my permission or notice. So that then when I go recheck the inventory to see who's checked out, it's all wrong.
- Infantilism because I'm 25. Apparently I'm not "adult" enough because my lack of kids, as if I don't have bills to pay already. I keep getting asked if I'm going to go home with my parents even after I said I literally can't, I don't live there. Also, NONE. OF YOUR BUSINESS.
- Sexism. "Would you pretty please do X for me?" "Why aren't you happy like the teachers? Are you suicidal?" And then low and behold the constant "are you getting married. I bet your brother/father might have something to say about x.". Talk about inappropriate. Especially the suicide question. Seriously wtf man.
- Talking shit in the next room over. I'm a graduate student and I'm always asked about if I might be around the virus etc. Even though my program is online and I stay home except for work days. Like...hello? Y'all are the ones getting sick with it and then coming in the next day. How is that not a violation of some sort? Take your walmart wandering butt and take several seats.
I'm just done. That's it. Today someone who's been outsourced to install cameras is going to be here and I'm just supposed to exist in the general vicinity. I'm just glad it's during my hours. Because originally I was supposed to "volunteer" over break. I'm applying for jobs, and I might just up and leave. Me and my housemate especially have poor immune systems. Our health and my sanity is not worth Dr. Pepper covered chromebooks and grown adults' irresponsibility. Know your worth. Do not let schools treat you like crap. If you see a red flag, you best being hauling immediately.
https://redd.it/kr4nqw
@r_k12sysadmin
"Hey Whoa_Bundy, please contact parent(s) and help them out with this issue".....
I, like many of you, might now have the pleasure of dealing with parents to provide tech support during remote learning. After having too many teachers waste their time being the ineffective middleman...I decided to share my phone number and email with parents/guardians to contact me directly for tech support. I've got my number in my email signature, plastered all over our website and in a weekly newsletter. We're a very small private school so I wasn't worried about being over encumbered with calls and I'm not.
So far the system has been working out great. BUT what I don't like and I've emphasized this many times...are teachers who talk with the parent(s), can't resolve the issue, get off the phone with said parent, and then email me to contact them..
I've told teachers repeatedly to give the parents my contact info. This puts the responsibility on the parent to reach out for help, not me calling them and playing phone tag. Am I in the wrong here?
https://redd.it/kr222r
@r_k12sysadmin
Student Password Scheme
For those of you out there who give students an assigned passwords, what format do you use? We want our elementary age kids to have a predictable password that staff can figure out by logging into Infinte Campus and putting some pieces of info together. So for instance 'TBDtext<GradYear><LunchID>'
Thoughts?
https://redd.it/kr0bot
@r_k12sysadmin
Changing managed Chromebook WIFI password
How can you change/enforce WIFI password change for managed Chromebooks? Of course this can be done in the admin console, however, if the change occurs while the Chromebook is turned off, this will not allow the Chromebook to "receive" the new policy along the new WIFI password, therefore when the Chromebooks are turned on again, these will be disconnected as for the WIFI password change
Any hint?
https://redd.it/kqwy1h
@r_k12sysadmin
Video lessons for Google Classroom
I tutor privately, and I have a Google Classroom I use to give/receive assignments, post daily lessons and tasks, and provide students with extra resources. I want to upload video-recorded lessons, but now that Google Meet is not an option for that (at least not for free), I'm wondering what the next best option is. Any suggestions? Should I just upload videos to YouTube and then post links to them?
https://redd.it/kq7y0s
@r_k12sysadmin
Basic training on C-Cure?
Inherited a mess. C-Cure is the door access system and I need to go through and clean it up. By that I mean, create appropriate clearances, user groups, and just generally clean up a whole mess of cards called 'temp loaner' and such.
I have only gotten up to speed on the very basics (how to add/remove card/user, assign clearances, badges, etc), but the online docs and training all seem to be super advanced.
Does anyone have a good resource on the basics?
Thanks!
https://redd.it/kqfvo5
@r_k12sysadmin
Had a fun one the first day back of vacation...
Teacher emailed me at the end of the day that one of her kids couldn't get into her Google Meet. OK, pulled up the Meet Quality Tool, kid was in every class except hers. This has happened before, usually the kid just comes up with an excuse. Then I get the screenshot of the error - GoGuardian blocked message. Hm, strange, that looks legit. She says she doesn't use GoGuardian for class, but we do have a basic home-school filter set up. I look at the URL and it matches with her Meeting ID for that class...which I then see the generated letters contain 'vpnh' in the middle 4 characters. We have a rule set to block vpn in GoGuardian, and apparently this was the only kid in her class using a school issued Chromebook today.
https://redd.it/kqlxq5
@r_k12sysadmin
Question about the protective cases
Have you guys ever used any protective case on your school laptop or tablets? Are those case really improved the protection for you devices?
And what are the most important features of the protective cases for you?
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View Poll
https://redd.it/kqic74
@r_k12sysadmin
What is your institution’s email policy for students who have graduated? See details inside
I have a former student who would like to access his old school email account to do a password recovery for some other online system like LinkedIn or something or other... Our current policy is that once you have graduated your account is permanently suspended. Anyone else in this same boat? Is this too draconian? TIA
https://redd.it/kqflyk
@r_k12sysadmin
uBlock and abuse
We had a few kids get popup ads for certain blue pill medications when we first started 1-1, so we ended up pushing out uBlock to moderate ads.
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In the past few weeks our Middle School kids have developed a rash of using uBlock to black out specific URLS in our LMS. This hits our online ticket system as "missing folders" in our online classes.
This is fixable by either surgically cleaning out the uBlock "my filters" list, or clearing out the chromebook user profile, or sending a powerwash to the cb.
I have one case where the parent is convinced the cb is adding to the list on it's on ("My Angel isn't doing THAT!!!") Now we are being told our Chromebook are taking their home cable modem offline because it is creating DDOS attacks....
Has anyone been able to mod uBlock to remove the "block element" option from the right click menu, or to limit a student's options on adding to block lists?
Any other suggestions about maintaining uBlock for blocking ads without giving kids a way to break their access?
https://redd.it/kqenbj
@r_k12sysadmin
Old Google Cloud Printer
Is there a way to make the old printers disappear?
https://redd.it/kqatb1
@r_k12sysadmin
Google Meet Chrome extensions for teachers?
Hey all,
Has anyone come across any good Chrome extensions for Meet? After seeing the post about the mute all feature, I wonder what else is out there.
Thanks!
https://redd.it/kq7gxf
@r_k12sysadmin
LaCros Project for Chromebooks / implications for AUE & standardized testing?
I asked this about a month ago, but no one seemed to have a definitive answer. Figured I try again. If the LaCros project is up and running in the next couple of years, would AUE dates not really matter, for our ability to launch a secure browser to student Chromebooks for standardized testing? Anyone have any insight?
https://redd.it/kpuoaj
@r_k12sysadmin
A non G-Suite user invited my team on G Suite to an indefinite recurring training event
I can only delete each event 1 by 1. I have asked a supervisor if someone could remove this as it's marked every Friday 2pm through Sunday 9 pm or something close to that, but he just said "he's checking on that" Is there a way I can remove this indefinite recurring event? It's been there for 5 months or so already. It's distracting on my calendar.
https://redd.it/kojr2n
@r_k12sysadmin
