IMD Connection Educate, Celebrate, Innovate

Spring 2011

The safe, efficient transportation of students to and from school is a challenge faced by school districts across the country. As a key supplier of student transportation, GCPS also seeks to continuously improve the transportation services provided to students, especially those students with special needs. While there are a number of ways to im-prove efficiency, the powerful combination of technology and coordination among GCPS departments has regularly produced signifi-cant, positive results.

For example, a recent implementation project was completed through a partnership formed by IMD, Transportation, and Special Education and Psychological Services. For many years a ‘Red Folder’ process was used to inform Transportation of the special needs requests for students. The red folder process was established long ago to aid transportation administrators with the com-plex problems of transporting children with disabilities. As the name indicates, red office folders were used to pass on lists and docu-ments that informed drivers of the special requirements of their riders. Each March, teachers compiled red folder information with important special needs requests, and faxed change requests to Transportation. This practice was time-consuming and used both human and material resources.

Asked by Special Education to examine this manual practice, IMD formed a project team to explore opportunities to automate the red folder process. The team members included Coordinator of Student Informa-tion Systems, Charlene McGrath; Special Education Technology Coordinator, Lori Hall; Assistant Director of Transportation, Don Moore; Administrator on Special Assignment, Dorothy Edwards; and Special Education

and Psychological Services Director, Dr. Angela Patrick.

“We quickly realized that much of the in-formation contained in the red folders was already being entered by teachers into IEP Online”, said Lori Hall. So the project team focused their efforts on how to effectively transfer and use the student transport data so that all parties had access to the latest information. The team met with Don Moore in Transportation to consider how IMD could assist to streamline and automate the pro-cess. Since Transportation uses MapNet, an application to manage transportation servic-es, the team had to plan carefully to ensure the accuracy and quality of student data so that information was available on the right bus at the right time. Working in smooth part-nership, IMD redesigned the IEP data entry form to mirror the MapNet data fields while Transportation conducted training sessions using IMD-created documents and slides.

“With the help from IMD, we receive our Special Needs Transportation request forms electronically once a day from IEP OnLine. This helps us streamline our routing process and provides a valuable audit trail.” said Don Moore. After a successful implementation, GCPS began the 2010-2011 school year with a new, efficient process to handle the 4,000 special needs transportation requests received. Instead of using red folders, hand-written request forms, and faxed copies, the Transportation staff now receives daily updates and weekly reports electronically.

This collaborative solution produced im-mediate benefits for all the users. “Having Transportation special needs requests pulled directly from IEP Online has certainly taken one thing “off my plate” at the end of the

year, and it really saves time,” said Linda Breedlove, Department Chair, Brookwood HS. In addition, this new process aided more than just special needs students:

• It saved paper and faxing supplies• It furnished users with real time information that assists in their on-going processes

• It delivered greater data accuracy and accountability

• It reduced the schools’ workload by eliminating faxing and copying special needs transportation forms

• It improved communication between the Transportation office and school personnel

Even better, these resource savings can be used for instructional purposes in the schools. “I think everyone appreciates the fact that special needs transportation requests can be handled in a more efficient manner”, agreed Linda Breedlove. Teachers and Transportation staff echo that sentiment and are pleased that they can retrieve the information they need on their own and at any time. For that, our hats are off to IMD for a job well done!

GaininG Fleet eFFiciency throuGh Better operations

P2eTA: One Stop Shop

P3Social MediaFAQs

P5PasswordTips

P6DigitalDecorum

this issuea publication of the gcps information management division

supporting instruction and administration through technology

2

In the next few months, GCPS staff will be hearing more about eTA, which is the new PeopleSoft module that manages Employee Time and Attendance…and so the name, “eTA”. This new module is a major step forward for our district, because we are steadily moving toward a more efficient, and effective, process for substitute tracking, miscellaneous payroll, employee attendance and FLSA extra hours. eTA is also designed to complement our “eCLASS” initiative, the district’s strategy for providing more flexible education resources to students, teachers, and parents.

As you may imagine, PeopleSoft can be a very complex tool, but a collaborative development process with school professionals, central office teams, and PeopleSoft experts has resulted in a streamlined package. We relied heavily on feedback from many GCPS focus groups to create a workflow that will save you time and provide significantly

better local school reporting. For example, the new eTA will include many functions “under one roof,” such as employee leave (absence) tracking, substitute administration and payroll, GCPS sick leave bank, and FLSA overtime processing!

What eTA Can Do for YOU!

The eTA development team felt that the time was right to consolidate a number of different functions that were part of the GEMS programs and Lotus Notes databases

related to personnel time and attendance. eTA is the single place to go to process leave usage, substitute payments, extra-hours payments, temporary employee payments, and even stipend payments! School and office approval for substitute tracking, time entry, and absence entry are also part of eTA, making this an extremely useful module for supervisors and those responsible for classroom substitutes.

eTA also brings a whole suite of new reporting tools to examine and evaluate school or office personnel data. Even better… eTA can be used to manage miscellaneous payroll, stipends, and overtime hours and dollars as well as supply other reports to show the data needed to make effective decisions. Since eTA is online there is no need to receive standard “green-bar” reports periodically. This change conserves a huge amount of paper and is an ecologically-sound option for reporting, too!

As a part of the GCPS PeopleSoft application that includes HR, Benefits, Payroll, Pension, eRecruit, and Manager Self-Service, the data collected by eTA will be ready to incorporate into the employee portal, self-service tools for employees, and even eCLASS in the future. Once the implementation is completed in late June, we will be able to share unified information across GCPS to make smarter decisions with better information!

Introducing the Latest PeopleSoft Innovation: eTA!

“eTA provides an integrated PeopleSoft system which allows GCPS Administrators and timekeepers the ability to process in a single point of entry, leave usage, substitute

payment, extra hours, and miscellaneous payments.”

Ren Hallford, Director, Payroll Services

“We’ve been searching for the right tool to build a ‘one stop shop’ for employee attendance, substitute

management, and miscellaneous payroll. I am pleased that eTA has met, and exceeded, our goals.”

Rick Cost, GCPS Chief Financial Officer

TO ACCeSS THe neWSleTTeRS OnlIne, GO TO HTTP://GWInneTT.k12.GA.uS/GCPS-ImDWeb01.nSF/

PAGeS/neWSleTTeRS

3

Policy Corner

Q. A student was selected for recognition in the Gwinnett Daily Post. Do we need a media release to communicate this student’s recognition in our school announcements or newsletters? A. Good question. If the document is already public, then we should not have any problem promoting it further. However, a call to the parents is a good idea to make sure they are comfortable with the distribution of the recognition.

Q. I am in the process of setting up a Facebook and Twitter account for my high school to link to our homepage. Is there a GCPS protocol or a procedure/guideline for having these accounts? A. In addition to procedure P.EBCD (Laptop Use), the biggest challenge when setting up a social networking site like this is the need for a clear intent and purpose for the page. The user may not understand how much time it takes to create and manage a useful site.

Other suggestions:

• Read Open Leadership: How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead by Charlene Li. It is one of the BEST books on using social networking tools for business purposes, and is easily understood and applied to K-12 uses.

• Who will be monitoring the site? Without an ongoing monitoring and management plan, you run the risk of “less” than professional content. Also check if there are other spoof sites around your school name – and then inform community members of the CORRECT site, not the spoof!

• Make a list of responsibilities and uses of social networking, as well as the specific needs your school has for social networking sites. Will a web site really address the need, or is there a better way? Since Twitter and Facebook are not currently available through our network, will your principal give you leave time to go home (or to a WiFi hotspot) to get this done?

• Students and parents should NOT have access to a teacher’s personal life through social networking. It is best if a site is developed with the professional perspective in mind if students or parents can view it.

Advice to Teachers Using Social Media

Communicate at appropriate times of the day and through established education platforms (such as school web pages)

maintain a formal courteous and professional tone in all communications with students.

Avoid exchanging private texts, phone numbers, personal email addresses or photos of a personal nature with students

Decline student-initiated “friend” requests and do not issue “friend” requests to students

notify parents/guardians before using social networks in classroom activities

monitor all content you or others post to your personal social media accounts and remove anything inappropriate

Avoid online criticism about students, colleagues, or your employers

Assume that information you post can be accessed or altered

Source: Ontario College of Teachers

4

Intelligent Security: How strong is your password?Editor’s note: Due to requests, this article from a previous edition is being published in this edition of IMD Connection.

User passwords are the keys to the “network kingdom”, yet users throughout the English-speaking world choose overly simplistic passwords (like “password”) that anyone could guess. Network administrators, on the other hand, often require impossible-to-remember passwords littered with little used characters and random numerals. Every computer user must face the problem of password security. According to a British study (http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/ptech/03/13/dangerous.passwords/), passwords are usually obvious; around 50 percent of computer users select passwords based on names of a family member, spouse, partner, or a pet. Often, systems reject user-selected passwords because they are not long enough or do not meet complexity requirements to preserve network security. A typical computer user must remember dozens of passwords and users are expected to make passwords all unique and never write them down. For many users, the solution is easy: passwords that follow simple patterns. This article will offer examples of what not to do when creating passwords, and then provide tips on how users might select strong passwords that are easily remembered.

Savvy technology users know that a weak password is not “protected” by a simple monthly change, since it can be broken by a sophisticated hacker or malicious software program in a matter of hours. Instead, using 15 or more characters in passwords, along with

changing passwords more frequently, is a stronger deterrent to would-be hackers. According to new reports, one out of five users will still leave the digital equivalent of a key under the doormat: Users choose a simple, easily guessed password, such as “abc123,” “iloveyou” or even “password” to protect their data.

A list of the Worst 500 Passwords of all time can be viewed at http://mytechnoguide.com/2011/03/top-500-worst-passwords/. Be advised, not only are these passwords stupid, but some are downright distasteful.

If you see your password on this list, please change it immediately!

Why do so many people continue to choose easy-to-guess passwords, despite so many warnings about the risks? Security experts suggest that we are simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of things we have to remember in this digital age. So what’s the answer for the typical user?

Don’t Do Tips

Do not use personal information in your password that someone else is likely to be able to figure out. Obviously, things like your name, phone number, and address are to be avoided. Even names of acquaintances and the like should be avoided.

Do not use words, geographical names, or biographical names that are listed in standard dictionaries.

Never use a password that is the same as your account name.

Do not use passwords that are easy to spot while you’re typing them in. Avoid passwords like 12345, qwerty (i.e., all keys right next to each other), and nnnnnn.

Try this trick: If you are having difficulty picking a good password, one good method is to use the first letter of each word in a phrase you can easily remember. For example, “McDonald’s is your kind of place” is miykop. That will need some modification because you need an uppercase letter and a number too and it’s not long enough, so how about: M’5iykop . Another example: “Oh, I just can’t wait to be king” from the Lion King movie could be abbreviated as:

OIJCWTBK OiJcWtBk OeyeJcW82bK

Another method is to intentionally use misspelled words or words with a number or punctuation mark in place of letters. For example: Co77ege.

The best way to protect your online security is to have strong passwords that are difficult for others to figure out, and don’t tell others your password. Not sure if your password is strong enough? Run it through the Microsoft password checker (http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/password/checker.mspx) to test its strength. According to Yahoo’s Security Password Tips: “A password is like a toothbrush: Choose a good one and don’t share it.”

Editor: Please also refer to the email tip found here: IMD Web Site >Email Etiquette > Managing Your Email Passwords and Managing Your Email Passwords, Part 2

5

As users of CDs (or DVDs) for school, work, and pleasure, you may wonder what to do when that CD is no longer useable? How can you keep useless CDs from being thrown into landfills where the polycarbonate in them will hang around until pretty much the end of time? Don’t throw it away!

Old CDs can become new coasters, outdoor light-reflectors, candle holders, or even place cards (write on the shiny side with a Sharpie). If you can’t come up with a crafty repurposing for the disc, you can recycle them! Check out these websites that offer recycling services for CDs:

www.greendisk.comwww.cdrecyclingcenter.comwww.cdrecyclingforfree.com

Here’s another great idea! There’s also a pretty neat way to use scratched or worn CDs to help man’s best friends. Discsfordogs.org accepts CDs that have scratches. The CDs are re-sold in their “Used and Abused” bin, and all the proceeds go to the SPCA in Erie County, NY, to help rescued animals. They will even reimburse you for the shipping cost, or you can ask them to donate that money to the SPCA, too! Recycling CDs keeps getting easier, so be sure to check out one of the options above before you throw away your CDs.

Saving One Disc at a Time: Recycled CDs

Location, Location, LocationMS Word

easy AnD smart! Here’s a nifty tip for moving blocks of text around. Individual paragraphs can be moved up or down by using Shift-Alt-Up or Shift-Alt-Down.

Click anywhere in the paragraph (no need to highlight), hold down the Shift + Alt keys then use the up and down arrow keys to move the paragraph.

Tips

The Alt-Shift Up/Down arrow technique works in all versions of Word and is a super easy method for moving blocks of text.

Courtesy of TechRepublic.com

This technique also works with rows in a table and bullets. No need to select entire paragraph or row, nor to edit and re-edit to add and remove numbering! Watch out for line/page breaks and other formatting issues that may be a problem when you sort.

Congratulations to GCPS TV on 10 years of excellence in television programming! Educating students through live productions, artistic performances, author interviews, and lessons from teachers - the station is a valuable extension of the 21st century classroom. Since 2001, GCPS TV has consistently produced award-winning programming that informs viewers and connects students, parents, educators, and community members to the quality instruction taking place in classrooms all over Gwinnett. With a broadcasting reach to tens of thousands of homes, and online web streaming that makes programs accessible to anyone with an internet connection, GCPS TV, in its 10th year, is truly a world-class resource.

Below is a summary of accomplish-ments by the GCPS TV team:

• 18 awards - Georgia School Public Relations Association

• 7 awards - National School Public Relations Association

• 7 - Telly Awards• 3 - Southern Sunshine Awards• 1 - Southern Regional Emmy

Please join us in wishing Greg LaHatte and his team another decade of success!

GCPS TV Celebrates10 Year Anniversary!

6

Retrofit Corner16,127 Laptops/computers installed4,066 Printers installed42,852 Students served100% High Schools completed

send your comments, ideas, and news to christopher wells via

lotus notes.

To access The newsleTTers online, go To

hTTp://gwinneTT.k12.ga.us/gcps-imdweb01.nsf/pages/

newsleTTers

at imd communication web page, click on “newsletters”

under the Quicklinks to access previous imd connection

newsletters

Editor’s note: Occasionally, we find an article that is widely applicable to our entire teaching staff. This article is such an example, and we hope you appreciate the “British approach” to manners when using electronic communication tools.

In a bid to create a common code of ‘netiquette’, Debrett’s, the “modern authority on all matters etiquette, taste and achievement” published etiquette tips for Twitter and Facebook users. Founded in 1769, Debrett’s (named after London-born publisher John Debrett) publishes a range of guides on traditional British etiquette and manners, many of which date back to the mid-1900s. These handy hints aim to ensure that more of us start minding our Ps and Qs on the net and uphold a certain degree of digital decorum.

• most importantly, ensure your personal profile across all forms of social media reflects yourself in the way you desire.

• Avoid causing fear and chaos by wording your tweets correctly: a wrongly worded tweet can cause panic or distress.

• Do not overload the Facebook homepage feed with countless status updates. Be sure that your posts are written to enlighten others, not used as an exercise in vanity, or as a way to share too much information.

• Do not use social media under the influence. Few are the letters, conversations or electronic correspondence that are more lucid when intoxicated.

• Do not vent online. And take particular care if your personal Twitter account is also used for work purposes – tantrums on Twitter rarely resolve disputes with colleagues, customers or clients.

• Do refrain from airing your dirty laundry in public and keep your spats off the web.

• Do not bombard your various social media outlets with lots of pictures, updates and blogs all at once – sharing is not always caring.

• Do not let spelling and grammar fly out the window. 140 characters is not an excuse to be “sloppppy.”

• be selective in accepting invitations on business networks such as LinkedIn. This is your professional network. Consider that many recruitment officers will search and invite contacts en masse.

• And lastly, make sure you use other forms of communication once in a while… Pick up the phone, meet face-to-face, or even write a good, old-fashioned letter.

Courtesy of Mediabistro.com

Tips For Tweeters and Other Social Animals