There are lots of exciting things happening in the Bradley County Schools Instructional Technology Department.
Network Upgrade – We are proud to announce one of the largest network upgrades in district history with 1000% upgrade to our school to school connections and 500% more Internet access. This summer, we also launched the beginning stages of our Promethean Panel upgrades with 55 new panels installed across the district.
On-Demand Coaching – Phase One of our on-demand approach to technology training starts with our new appointment style system. Our new system is designed to offer training when you have the time. Schedule one-on-one training, small or large group training, or even co-teaching experiences. To submit a request for assistance, visit bcstechnology.org and select Tech Coach Help on the top menu bar.
Upgraded BCSTech Website – We have recently completed a major overhaul to the BCS tech website. Our site will be the hub of all things tech in Bradley County Schools as we look to create more on-demand learning opportunities for educators. Bookmark our page, https://bcstechnology.org/ and visit often as we will have the latest tech news and tips. Drop-in and listen to one of our podcasts or dig deeper into a topic with our blog posts.
New Podcasts – Speaking of podcasts, we have two new shows joining the BCSTech podcasting family this year – The Tech Coaches is a monthly show hosted by the BCS instructional technology coaches. Join us as we discuss the latest in edtech trends in Bradley County and beyond. Tech Tip Tuesday is a weekly short-form podcast that offers straight-forward tips that you can use in your classroom the next day. All of the BCSTech podcasts can be found on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and on our website at bcstechnology.org.
Snapstream – We are extremely excited to announce a new service for Bradley County Teachers: Snapstream! Snapstream is a web-based television service that will allow any teacher to view select cable TV networks through your Internet browser. Snapstream offers a guide channel similar to all other major TV providers. The service offers a DVR system which will allow teachers to record programs to be used in class at another time. Programs stored in the DVR are viewable by all teachers in the district, even if it was recorded by someone else! There is an extensive search function which makes it easier to find programs featuring specific content. Both high schools will also have the ability to host student-created programming on their own dedicated channel.
Clever Portal – The single sign-on option you have been looking for. Introducing the Clever Portal. Your one-stop option for accessing all digital curriculum. You and your students will be able to access digital instructional content using just your BCS Google information. Coming soon BCS Technology will be introducing Clever badges for our K-2 students allowing them to sign in with a QR code.
And there’s more to come. As always, if you are experiencing any technology issues, please submit a technology trouble ticket. The beginning of the school year is very busy with technology issues, so please allow additional time. Please submit only one ticket per issue. NOTE: Tickets have priority over emails. When in doubt, submit a technology trouble ticket. The link to the helpdesk is available online at bcstechnology.org on the main menu bar. Don’t forget to follow our Facebook BCS Instructional Technology Page, Twitter @TechnologyBCS, and coming soon our new Instagram account. Or just search for us using the hashtag #BCSTech.
If you are not receiving emails from all of your groups – All BCS, Elementary or Secondary, and your school group – please complete the BCS Email Groups form. We will send a test email to Elementary and Secondary groups.
A quick reminder – Bradley County Schools network and email system are in place to facilitate your role as an educator. We want you to keep in mind the policies that we have for email and internet use. Remember, there is no expectation of privacy on the network or on your machine. In fact, it may be public record and certainly, it is subject to subpoena. Please look at the BCS Acceptable Use Policy. Please view the Technology Department Policies on the BCS District site. For students, here is the link to the Internet Safety Page on the BCS District site.
It’s going to be an exciting year in Instructional Technology. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me – Scott Webb – swebb@bradleyschools.org. We wish you the best of luck this school year.
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