New family registration in August

Q1. I’ve heard the district will still offer new family registration in August, is this correct?  Aren’t they required to visit the District Registrar?
A1. Yes, this August each school will continue to offer new family registration at their school site as they have done before in prior years.  The paper work and verifications are required to go through the district registrar, but the family does not have to physically visit the district registrar.  In fact, during this past school year, most new families registered without having to physically visit the registrar’s office.

Q2. What happens if a new family visits the school on the new family registration day in August – and they haven’t completed anything yet with the district registrar, does the school then send them over to the district offices?
A2. No…  New families can fill out the necessary paperwork at the school building.  (In fact, schools can let Joy Zuber know how many new family packets you’d like, and we’ll send them to your school office so they are available).  The families are welcome to fill out the paperwork at the school, and then the paperword can then be directed to the District Registrar for processing.

Q3. Will the schools be able to get same day service during the new family registration?  In other words, if the family has everything needed (including address verification), can we get them registered that same day?
A3.  Yes, we are bringing in extra help during summer months and through August new family registration to help process new families as quickly as we can.

Q4.  What if the family visits the District Registrar over the summer and completes everything that the district needs… will the family still be directed to visit the school on the new family registration?
A4. We know that some schools have additional information that they want from families, so we can will direct them to your new family registration unless you tell us otherwise.

Q5. Can the district registrar come to our school during new family registration to help families?
A5.  No.  Since all new family registrations are on the same date, the district registrar is not able to be at all schools at one time.  Instead, we will be at the district offices ready to field questions and handle new family registrations.

Saying goodbye to Windows XP…

Goodbye Windows XP…

Q1. Is it true that Windows XP is no longer supported by Microsoft?
A1. Technically it is still supported by Microsoft until next April 2014, but it is time for use to upgrade the last remaining machines away from Windows XP.

Q2. Why did we keep it so long?
A2. Many of our elementary schools have stayed on Windows XP, because Breakthrough to Literacy software required Windows XP.   However, as we noted in prior updates, Breakthrough to Literacy is no longer being developed and the new K-6 reading adoption, Benchmark Literacy is coming in.  (see: Is Breakthrough to Literacy going away?)

Q3. Which sites still have Windows XP and what’s the plan to upgrade them?
A3. The following schools still have some or all of their machines running Windows XP and will be moved to Windows 7 this summer.

* All machines at Fairmeadows Elementary

* All machines at Clive Elementary

* All teacher desktops at Stilwell Junior High

* All machines at Jordan Creek Elementary

* All machines at Hillside Elementary 

* All machines at Phenix Early Childhood Center

Q4. When will this work begin and what does it mean to my classroom computers?
A4. Work will begin in mid-June.  This means your classroom desktop computers will be re-imaged to Windows 7, so you’ll lose any unique software that you’ve installed on your own.

Q5.  What about other software that is on my classroom computer?
A5. If you’ve installed any unique software on your machines, it will need to be installed.  

Q6.  What about Breakthrough to Literacy… will that be reinstalled on my classroom computers?
A6. No,  Breakthrough to Literacy is being removed from the machines.

Q7.  If we’re upgrading the machine, why not move them to Windows 8?
A7.  Windows 8 was built to add touch screen capabilities… since your desktops do not have this functionality, its best to stick with Windows 7.  Otherwise, adding Windows 8 becomes a huge training issue and there isn’t a strong need or reason to upgrade beyond Windows 7.