Technology Medley

Email

If you are using the school division’s webmail, are you taking advantage of the extra features? Email addresses of people in your contacts list as well as the school division’s contact list will be completed for you, but you need to check the following:

• Click on Settings
• Click on Settings again
  • Click on the Mail tab
  • Make sure that all 5 boxes are checked.
  • Click on the Mail Composing tab
  • Click the Choose Folders button
  • There are 2 different Contacts folders. They both need to be checked
    • The first one is your personal contacts.
      • You will probably see it just above your Deleted Items folder.
      • Make sure it is checked.
    • The second one is public (school division) contacts.
      • Scroll down until you see Public Folders
      • IF you don’t see anything underneath Public Folders, click the + sign
      • Scroll down until you see Contacts
      • This checkbox should also be checked.

Now you can type in just a portion of a person’s name, press the tab key, and the email address will be entered for you. This is probably my favorite feature of this entire program!

Calendar

You can keep your own personal calendar that you can access anywhere you have an internet connection. In fact, you can set up multiple calendars and share them with your coworkers. The instructions for this are included in the Kerio handout located in the Box widget in the sidebar.

Under Public Folders, you will find calendars for each school. If you would like to have information added to these calendars, the secretaries, principals, and I can all add items, so just let us know. You will also find folders titled South Technology Schedule or West Technology Schedule. These calendars are being used to reserve the laptop carts, so make sure you sign up when you plan to use the laptops with your students! You can find the instructions here.

Tasks

Keep your own “to do” list by using the tasks feature. Set reminders for your tasks and you’ll never forget to make that important phone call or send home a special message again. If you are memory challenged like me, this feature can be a life saver!

Notes

Notes are simply very small text files, but I find myself using them all the time! Any time someone gives me directions for something that I know I’ll forget but will need again, I create a new note. Then, all I have to do is open my email and find the note with those directions. This would be a great way to keep up with specific AR directions such as how to delete tests or clear locks. I’m sure you’ll think of other uses of this very cool feature. The very first line of the note will show up as the title, so make sure the beginning is something you will recognize.

Take advantage of all that our webmail has to offer!

It’s great to see so many of you using the laptop carts with your students! When you see the excitement on the faces of the students and observe their increased level of engagement, you know it’s worth the extra effort it takes to move the cart to your classroom. These children are growing up in a world filled with mobile electronic devices, and the more we educate them in the proper use of those devices, the more prepared they will be for their own future. Hopefully, all of you will become more comfortable using the laptops with your classes as the year progresses. Remember, I am here to lend a hand or to teach the class along beside of you, so please don’t hesitate to ask!

To reserve the laptop cart, open up your email account in Kerio. Browse to the bottom of the folder list, and expand the Public Folder if necessary. Find either South Technology Scheduler or West Technology Scheduler. You will find instructions there. Go ahead and click on the + sign if you do not see the laptop carts listed. Click on the laptop cart or other item you would like to reserve. Then double click the date(s) you need and enter your name and time. Click Save and Close and you’re done!

Creating secure passwords and changing them often are good strategies for all computer users in this age of privacy concerns. Ideally, a password should be a combination of letters and numbers, but be sure to create one that you will be able to remember. Leaving your password taped to your computer is never a good idea!

Changing your email password:

You need to first add an “s” to the URL in the address bar, so the address looks like this:
https://mail.salem.k12.va.us
or this from school:
https://mail

Log in as usual
Click on Settings
Click on Change Password
Enter your old password, then the new one twice
Click OK and you’re  done!

Changing your network password:

Log into the network as usual.
Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete.
Click the Change Password button
Enter your old password
Enter your new password twice
Click OK

Keep your passwords secure, and try not to share them unless absolutely necessary.