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.

Using Audacity to improve writing

Students in Kerry Bootsma’s 8th grade English classes at Stilwell Junior High have been using Audacity to edit and improve their written essays. Audacity is a free software program for recording sound.  After drafting their essay, students read and record their essay at the computer.  Then they play the recording back and by hearing themselves read their own writing aloud, students are able to listen to the flow of their writing and make changes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Here is some feedback from students:

“Hearing myself say the sentences pointed out some errors.  I shrunk a huge sentence into smaller ones, and I realized some things I had just didn’t make sense.”

“I thought it was really helpful because when you read it in your head you skip over words and only say what you meant to in your head.  But when you have to read it out loud, you actually have to look at the words.”

…………………….

Kerry Bootsma
7th Grade English Teacher
Stilwell Junior High
bootsmak@wdmcs.org