Hello Unionville-Chadds Ford! Welcome to another edition of our Technology Newsletter. While we are all dealing with uncertainty, communication is more important than ever. We are dedicating this month's issue to highlighting tips and resources to get all of us through the Coronavirus crisis. We're here to help with any of your technology needs. Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns!

Contact the Technology Team - Technology Hotline - 610-347-0970 x3366 OR https://helpdesk.ucfsd.org

Tech Wellness Tip

Concerts are postponed, sporting events are canceled, schools are closed and tourist hot spots are shut down. That's right: It's advised that you self-quarantine. Although remaining inside is a good way to protect yourself and others from the coronavirus it could lead to a lesser evil: boredom and stir craziness. What's there to do while stuck indoors? We've compiled fun suggestions to help make your time quarantined as interesting – and perhaps even as productive – as possible.

1. Complete a puzzle: The more pieces the better! Feeling extra saucy? Take on a Rubik's Cube. More of a word person? Crossword puzzle!

2. Download Duolingo, or a similar app, and teach yourself a foreign language. Or try to speak in pig Latin...... "ig-pay, atin-Lay."

3. Schedule an indoor camp out with sleeping bags, a tent, board games, and s'mores. Camping inside is a fun and simple way to unplug, reconnect with your family, and have a great time. Plus, you'll have indoor plumbing! If the weather is nice, camp outdoors in your backyard.

4. Make family TikTok videos. TikTok is an app that allows you to create and share short videos, usually featuring music in the background. Or, write a book with your family. Pick a character and each member writes a chapter about their adventures. Read aloud to each other.

5. Create an Indoor or outdoor scavenger hunt. OR Indoor Obstacle Course - Make an indoor obstacle course using pillows, toys, or other objects to burn off some energy and have fun.

6. Rearrange your furniture to make it seem like your home is a totally different space. Take this time to start Spring cleaning, organizing closets, junk drawers and the garage. Painting a room is also a great way to pass time and refresh the look of your home.

7. Go for a walk, get outside. You can leave your homes in most cases, just practice social distancing. Fresh air and exercise are good for not only your physical health but also mental health. You can walk around your neighborhood, go to a park.....but avoid the playground, go hiking or ride your bike.

around the district

Fun Tips for all ucf Zoomers

Since we will be working from home for the foreseeable future due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, you're going to be getting a lot more comfortable with Zoom video conferencing. Which is to say: your face is going to be plastered on the laptop screens of many of your coworkers (a fact that motivated me to put on some wrinkle cream — while remaining in my pajamas — in time for my team meeting.) Last week, Zoom had its biggest day of downloads in its history — 343,000 new users globally. With school shutdowns, more people than ever are turning to the online service to connect with their coworkers, teachers and students remotely. Below are some tips on how to make the most of your Zoom time — smile, you're on camera.

Tips for working from home - be mindful of what exactly your coworkers can see. For starters: what's behind you. Know what falls within the field of view of your laptop camera — as in, make sure you're wearing pants. Remember that you don't have to turn on both your audio and video. You will be prompted to first enable your audio, which thankfully means no accidentally turning on your video camera when you're not exactly camera-ready. To connect your video, you need to click the Start Video camera icon at the bottom of your screen. And be sure to mute yourself — your team doesn't need to hear your dog barking or the Friends reruns you're secretly watching in the background. To do this, click on the Mute microphone icon on the bottom left of your screen.

How to make your Zoom video look better - Zoom has two viewing options: active speaker view and gallery view. The former highlights and enlarges the photo of whomever is speaking at any given time. If you're like me and don't necessarily like all eyes on you, this can be a bit overwhelming. I prefer gallery view, which shows the thumbnails of all participants in a grid. You can also pin a participant so that you only view that specific person in the Zoom room. Or if the call is being led by someone, you can spotlight that person as the primary active speaker of the call. My favorite tip - If you want to make yourself look, well, better than you probably do in your 10-days-and-counting sweatsuit sitting on the couch, you can use a filter on Zoom. It's called Touch Up My Appearance, an option that you can select from Settings > Video > Touch Up My Appearance. This tool smooths out your skin tone with a softer focus. Sadly, though, there are no fun Instagram Story filters.

Virtual backgrounds on Zoom - Zoom offers an arsenal of virtual backgrounds and also lets users upload their own image. You can access this fun feature by clicking on the up arrow icon next to Stop Video in the bottom left icon of your Zoom room window. From here, select Choose Virtual Background, where there are a few preloaded Zoom options to choose from. Or click on the plus sign to upload a photo (or video!) of your own. At least we can pretend we're somewhere other than our couches.

behind the scenes

Check out the UCF Tech knowledge-base. This resource functions like a repository, containing critical information for the daily functioning of technology throughout the district. It helps our staff access important information to address student issues, resolve problems, and gain insight for workforce collaboration. Our self-service knowledge base shares a library of solutions including PowerSchool, Clever, Canvas and more.

tip of the month

Scam of the Week: Avoid Coronavirus Scams

As worries about the Coronavirus mount, cybercriminals are racing to capitalize on those fears with phishing emails designed to steal your personal information and your money. Here are some tips to help you keep the scammers at bay:

1. Hang up on robocalls. Don’t press any numbers. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from scam Coronavirus treatments to work-at-home schemes. 2. Don’t respond to texts and emails about checks from the government. The details are still being worked out. Anyone who tells you they can get you the money now is a scammer. 3. Watch for emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or experts saying they have information about the virus. For the most up-to-date information about the Coronavirus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). 4. Do your homework when it comes to donations, whether through charities or crowdfunding sites. Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. If someone wants donations in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money, DON'T DO IT.

As always, if you run into issues you may contact your local technology folks or submit a helpdesk ticket - https://helpdesk.ucfsd.org

Google Tip- Why should you use Hangouts?

As a communication tool Google Hangout is well-rounded offering text, video, and voice chat options. Besides chat and free voice calling, Hangouts is seamless with the rest of Google Apps ,especially Calendar and Drive, and you no longer even need a Google+ account to use it. Hangouts can seriously streamline your day-to-day workflow.....especially now that we are all working remotely. Here are a few ways how:

1) Faster communication - Most recently, Google added a sleek new Hangouts app in Chrome (which means it’s open to users on Windows, Mac, or Chromebooks), to keep your messaging closer to the surface of your browsing, without becoming intrusive. The sidebar version of Hangouts is still available inside a tab of Gmail, but once you’ve tried the app, you’ll never go back.

2) Easier collaboration with automatic video call scheduling - Syncing up schedules to make meetings can be difficult. With Hangouts just create a calendar event, invite your guests, and the event will automatically provide a link to a Hangout call! So simple!

3) Easily searchable chat logs - This feature is really a no-brainer—you can search your chat history straight from the search bar in Gmail! Chat history can be turned off, of course, but we’ve all had those moments where you need to retrace your footsteps to find that one link, or those directions that your colleague passed along via a Hangouts message.

4) Get in touch with any device - Computer, phone, tablet, it doesn’t matter – Hangouts works on all devices. No more setting up conference call numbers and emailing back and forth to get on the same page. Each Google Account also has a dial-able number associated with it.

Google Hangouts - Meet - https://meet.google.com/

helpdesk

Technology Resources and Information for Distant Learning: 1. How to Remote Call Forward your Desk Phone.  2. Google Classroom classes are available for all teachers/classes. 3. YouTube - Teachers Tech - videos and resources 4. Google Resources - Explore distance learning resources.

what else can you request in helpdesk?

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