The Department of Technology was made aware of network connectivity issues yesterday morning that intermittently prevented devices from connecting to network resources. Our investigation determined that the issues were caused by one of our network service providers, BrightSpeed. By midday, BrightSpeed had rectified the network issues. We wanted to share our thanks for your patience as we navigated these network connectivity issues yesterday.
In December, Congress passed a bill banning TikTok from being used on government-issued devices. The Governor of Virginia did the same through Executive Order Number 24 (2022). Accordingly, the County of Albemarle has mandated the ban, as will Albemarle County Public Schools. Beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, February 7, 2023, the Department of Technology will block access to the TikTok app on all ACPS-issued devices. As always, if you have questions or need technical support, please contact the Service Desk at 434-975-9444 or ServiceDesk@k12albemarle.org.
Attention K-2 Teachers: The Department of Technology will push the latest iOS update to all K-2 iPads this Friday afternoon, February 3. Please leave these devices on and plugged in at the end of the day.
Updating our K-2 iPads helps ensure that the devices are safe and secure to use and that they work properly for students. If you experience any issues after the update has occurred, please contact the Service Desk at 434-975-9444.
Whether you’re hosting virtual meetings on Zoom, using your personal cell phone to call families, or engaging with families through BrightChat, our instant messaging app, please keep reading for helpful hints and guidance on connecting with students and families. And, as always, if ever you’re in need of technical support, please contact the Service Desk at 434-975-9444 or ServiceDesk@k12albemarle.org.
The Department of Technology has received several reports of video not working properly when using Zoom. Updating the Zoom application by following the steps below should fix or prevent any video issues from occurring. We suggest following these steps before joining any upcoming meetings through Zoom. Continue reading
You may have noticed that the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has redesigned their website. The new VDOE website, including a new ChildCareVA site, launched on December 13 and includes an intuitive, modern navigation that aims to provide easy access to information and resources on dozens of topics. The redesign also incorporates a variety of features to enhance communication between the VDOE, schools, childcare providers, parents, and the general public.
With the launch of the new VDOE site, most links to VDOE content changed. Continue reading
Celebrate Computer Science Week this December 5-11 by participating in Hour of Code! Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify “code” to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with one-hour coding activities, but expanding to all sorts of community efforts. The Learning Technology Team encourages all ACPS students to participate in Hour of Code! Continue reading
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! That makes now the perfect time to bring awareness to ways you can protect yourself online as threats to technology and confidential data become more commonplace. Please keep reading for best practices that ACPS Technology promotes: Continue reading
ACPS is now certified by Common Sense Media as a Common Sense District! As part of this digital citizenship certification, schools are teaching students how to use technology in safe and healthy ways, addressing topics like maintaining a healthy digital footprint and staying safe in an online community. As a division, we would like to highlight the importance of this work during National Digital Citizenship Week, October 17-21.
In honor of Digital Citizenship Week, the Department of Technology’s Learning Technology team has launched a Digital Citizenship Week website featuring short, fun, and easy-to-access extensions to the existing digital citizenship curriculum. Continue reading
The Department of Technology will require all staff and students in grades 3-12 to change their password on or before October 14, 2022. Staff and students who have not changed their password since June 8 will be prompted to do so this Friday. You can manage your ACPS password through our Self Password Reset portal. If you experience technical issues or need assistance, please contact the Service Desk during normal business hours at 434-975-9444.