Educator Support

Virtual Platforms for Communications and Support

The Clarkston Community Schools Instructional Technology team seeks to provide faculty and staff with the necessary services, systems, devices, and trainings in order to improve teaching and learning. We collaborate with faculty to find innovative, technological solutions which engage students and expand their scope of learning.  Google Classroom resources and passwords can be found in the Virtual Learning document shared with you by Assistant Superintendent Nancy Mahoney on March 19.

Using Personal Devices to Contact Students & Parents

• Staff can utilize Google Voice to protect their personal phone information from being displayed.  This option does display a phone number that is not your own. The instructions for Google Voice can be found on our website (Employee section, Teacher Tech Tools) or click here for instructions.
• If you dial *67 before entering a phone number, it will not display your personal number. When using this, the recipient will see “UNKNOWN”.
   

Here are a few tips to streamline and simplify our digital communications as much as possible for parents and students: 

• Please take a moment to update your email signature using our district template.
• Relationships are important! Please add a professional photo of yourself in your Gmail account so that parents can help put a face to a name. Steps for updating your photo can be found here.
• Please invite parents & guardians to be added to your Google Classrooms.
• To help students and parents organize the bulk of school emails they will be receiving, please use a clear format for your email subject lines that include the class/subject. 

Our district's distance learning and Clarkston Virtual platforms rely on high-speed internet connections at home in order for students to access class meetings and curriculum materials. District  devices are configured to allow connections to home and public WiFi networks. The CCS Technology Department is unable to provide support for home networks.  If you are experiencing slow or dropped Internet coverage, here are some tips for improving your connection.

Poor Internet Connectivity?

• Make sure Wi-Fi is turned on.
• Make sure airplane mode is off on tablets or phones.
• Make sure you are logged out of any personal Google accounts. (Here's how to sign out and switch between users on a Chromebook)
• Run a speed test.
• Reboot your device: Try restarting your device by powering it down for 60 seconds and then restarting it.
• Reboot your router and modem: Try restarting/power cycling your WiFi router by unplugging the power for 60 seconds and then plugging it back in.
• Make sure not too many tabs are open. (Here's how to close all tabs.)
• Clear your browsing history and cache.
• Make sure Chrome is up to date.
  How to Update Chromebooks
  • Click the bottom right corner of the Chrome OS desktop.
  • Select the Settings icon.
  • Click "About Chrome."
  • Click Check for updates.
  • To apply the update, click the arrow icon and select Restart to Update.
• Turn off Wi-Fi on cell phones and other devices not in use.
• Make sure no one is streaming movies (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc.)
• Make sure no one is gaming (Xbox, Playstation, etc.)
• Make sure no one is streaming music (Pandora, etc.)
• How Old is Your Wireless Router? It might be time to replace your router.
• Where is your Wi-Fi router in relation to the student? If the router is in the basement or upstairs and student is on a middle level, you may need a WiFi range extender from your Internet Service Provider.
• Elevate the router to the highest point possible, do not place on the ground or inside of a cabinet, instead set it on top of a desk or table
• Do not place objects, especially metal objects, on top of or around the router that may block or obstruct the wireless signal
• Avoid using your wireless devices near common sources of interference, such as power cables, microwave ovens, fluorescent lights, wireless video cameras, and cordless phones.
• Keep other small electronic devices like phones and handheld gaming devices at least 3 feet away from the computer, Chromebook, or tablet you are trying to use to reduce the number of active devices that use the same wireless frequency band. Both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices use the 2.4 GHz band, but many Wi-Fi devices can use the 5 GHz band instead. If your Wi-Fi router supports both bands, it might help to connect more of your Wi-Fi devices to the 5GHz band. Some dual-band routers manage this for you automatically.

• If you are still unable to connect to your home Wi-Fi, please check with your ISP or network hardware manufacturer’s website for support links.

  • Netgear
  • ASUS
  • Linksys
  • D-Link
  • TP-Link
  • Google Nest Wi-Fi
• Still stumped? Please call your Internet Service Provider for further troubleshooting or to improve Internet connectivity in your home.
  • Verizon
  • T-Mobile/Sprint
  • AT&T
  • Comcast Xfinity

Other Technology Issues?

Visit the Family Tech Support website or email your building IT:

• Andersonville Elementary - aetech@clarkston.k12.mi.us
• Bailey Lake Elementary - bletech@clarkston.k12.mi.us
• Clarkston Elementary - cetech@clarkston.k12.mi.us
• Independence Elementary - ietech@clarkston.k12.mi.us
• Pine Knob Elementary - pketech@clarkston.k12.mi.us
• North Sashabaw Elementary - nsetech@clarkston.k12.mi.us
• Springfield Plains Elementary - spetech@clarkston.k12.mi.us
• Sashabaw Middle School - smstech@clarkston.k12.mi.us
• Clarkston Junior High - cjhtech@clarkston.k12.mi.us
• Clarkston High School - chstech@clarkston.k12.mi.us
• Renaissance High School - rhstech@clarkston.k12.mi.us

For device distribution information, please visit our 1:1 Technology website or call your building's main office during business hours.