DWA: Riding the wave of technology

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DWA-Student Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Below are questions and answers about the Student portion of the DWA. (For questions about the DWA in general, see DWA FAQ. Or, for questions about the other two DWA systems, see Human Resources FAQ or Financial FAQ.)

The following questions were asked by teachers, site techs and other school staff at DWA presentations given by Denis Dolbey, DWA-Student Project Manager, at various school sites.

Questions are grouped as follows:

Computer questions

Will all computers be replaced for the DWA? Will the district pay for it?
No, all computers will not be replaced. Many computers in the district already meet the requirements for running the DWA applications. The IT (Information Technology) Department is currently surveying all sites (beginning with the pilot schools) to determine if existing equipment meets the DWA requirements. Any computers not meeting the DWA requirements will either be upgraded or replaced as part of the DWA project. In short, everyone will have an appropriate computer on which to do his or her work.
Will I be getting a computer in my classroom?
If your classroom does not have a computer, then you will get one.
Our classroom computers are for children. Teachers do not have computers.
Teachers will only need to use the computer for a few minutes during class to take attendance. The remaining activities that teachers will perform on a computer (such as using other ZangleTeacherConnection features or GradeBook) can be done at any time or on any computer with Internet access and an appropriate web browser, such as Internet Explorer 5.0 or better.
Will I be able to choose a Mac or PC for my classroom?
If your classroom does not have computer, you can choose a PC or Mac from the district's standard list of approved computers at http://edtech.sandi.net/. (Click on "Price List" then "District Standard Computers".)
Where will they put it? In a corner or where I want it?
If you will be getting a new computer, the IT department staff will work with you to place it in a convenient location.
If we need to move computers, will someone help us?
Yes. The IT staff that will be configuring and setting up computers will assist you.
Will I get an email address? (I don't have one now.)
Yes. All teachers, counselors, administrators and school office staff will have an email address.
Will we still have folders and hard copy data for emergencies when power is down?
Yes, you will still have hard-copy student cum folders. Also, IT will make sure that student system data is backed up and secured.
Will my data (i.e., lesson plans, etc.) be transferred to the new computer?
Yes. You will have an opportunity to transfer your files to the new computer.

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Network questions

Our wide area network is slow. Will that be updated?
Yes. As part of the infrastructure portion of the DWA, the district's wide area network is being upgraded significantly. This new network will at least triple the current bandwidth and easily support the increased traffic expected with the DWA applications.
Will the servers be up 24 hours a day?
Aside from any routine maintenance or unexpected outages, the applications should be available at all times.
Why are they rewiring all our classrooms if we have wireless technology?
In some cases, it is necessary to rewire schools with wireless technology in order to increase their bandwidth and reliability.
Will we get a new drop for workstations?
All workstations that will be used for DWA applications will be connected to the network. Whether that network connection is wireless or wired, or whether a new drop is needed, will be determined on a site-by-site basis.

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Printing questions

Will I be able to print from Zangle and 4GL? Will we get new printers?
All workstations identified for DWA access will be able to print on-site. However, it is not within the scope of the DWA project to purchase new printers.
What about paper? Now that we'll be printing report cards at the site, will you increase our paper budget?
We are looking into that.
I use a Mac. Will I be able to print IEPs (Special Education forms from 4GL) to my classroom printer?
Yes. You can print IEP forms to any printer from either a Mac or PC.
What do we do when printers don't work? We need someone on site to help. (From an elementary school.)
The district recognizes the need for technical support at elementary schools and is looking into how best to address this need. (Currently, each secondary school has a site technician, whereas elementary schools do not.)

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Security questions

Do you have safeguards against computer viruses?
Yes. To protect the district from computer viruses, a new anti-virus product, Sophos, is being implemented. This will be installed on all workstations and servers, and will be updated automatically each day, as needed, to protect against new viruses.
How will sensitive student information be protected?
Confidentiality of student information is maintained with user accounts and permissions. Only those employees with a need to view or work with certain types of data will be given an account for the DWA applications containing that data. Within each application (for example, Zangle Desktop or 4GL ENCORE!), authorized employees will be given permission to view or update only those screens and fields pertaining to their job. As an employee, the most important thing you can do to protect student data is to keep your password confidential.
Where are the password protections?
Your user name and password are required to log in to any application. If the application closes due to a period of inactivity, you will need to reenter your user name and password in order to regain entry to the application.
Will the system time out if I haven't used it in awhile?
Yes, the new systems will time out after a short period of inactivity. This is a security precaution to prevent unauthorized access to confidential information.
We have some brilliant students; what are you doing about hackers?
We have some brilliant IT security staff. Seriously, district security is being upgraded to protect DWA information. The DWA servers, network and web connections will be wrapped with multiple layers of security, including an additional firewall to protect servers from internal or external attacks and encryption of all traffic to prevent "sniffing" of information. Again, employees play an important part in preventing hackers by keeping our passwords secret.
What security precautions do teachers need to take?
DO NOT GIVE OUT YOUR PASSWORD! Your password is the key to the security of the system. Also, if you must leave the computer for a few minutes, lock it to prevent unauthorized use of your computer.
Can you put a computer on hold and have it secured during time away periods?
Yes. On a PC, you can lock the computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL together, then clicking "Lock workstation". You will need to enter your password again to unlock the computer. On a Mac, you can set your screen effect (screen saver) to require a password in order to "wake". These methods will keep your computer secure while you are away.
With the new systems will you do away with the maximum three attempts to log in before you're locked out of the system?
There is no plan to implement this practice with the DWA applications.

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Access questions

Can we access our records from home?
Yes, the web-based applications, such as TeacherConnection and 4GL ENCORE! (for IEPs), can be accessed from home, provided you have a PC or Mac computer with Internet access and a web browser such as Internet Explorer version 5.0 or better.
What browsers can I use from home to log into TeacherConnection?
The recommended browser is Internet Explorer, version 5.0 or better.
Can a stranger access information?
No. The systems are password-protected. This means a person must have a valid user account (user name and password) assigned by San Diego City Schools in order to access any DWA application, such as Zangle Desktop, TeacherConnection, ParentConnection, or StudentConnection.
Why can't we access other teachers' student information?
To protect the confidentiality of student information, each teacher can access only his or her students' information as it pertains to their class(es). However, teachers can also see grades posted for their students by other teachers.
Will we be able to access students at other schools?
School sites will only be able to access students at their own schools.
Will students have an ID number?
Yes, students will have a unique ID number in Zangle. The number will be different than the current ID number. Also, when StudentConnection is implemented, students will be able to apply for an account to use this application. At that point, they will be provided with a user name and password to use when logging in to StudentConnection.
Can we block students out of the Internet if they don't pass a test? Is there a field to note they are blocked out?
Before using the Internet at school, students must sign a Student Network Responsibility contract, stating they agree to abide by the district's Internet usage policy. However, there is no way to block students from using the Internet.
Will the secretary have access to student data at all campus sites?
Yes. For schools with multiple campuses, such as Twain, the secretary will have access to all campus sites.
As it stands now, we (teachers) are locked out of attendance, discipline, and grades. Now on the new systems we'll see this?
Yes. You will be able to see attendance, discipline and posted grade information for students in your class(es).
Will itinerant special education service providers have access?
Yes. Itinerant staff, such as nurses and special education service providers, will be able to access their students' records at any of the locations they service.
 

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Attendance questions

Is my job as an attendance secretary going to go away?
No. Even though teachers will be taking attendance online, attendance secretaries and clerks are still needed to verify absences and ensure that student attendance is coded properly in Zangle Desktop.
Can we see previous school attendance for individual students?
Yes.
Can we go back and change data in attendance if necessary?
Yes. Attendance staff in the office can correct data according to the Pupil Accounting guidelines.
Will we (teachers) update attendance if a student is late?
Yes, teacher can repost attendance to show the change from absent to tardy.
Will I be able to mark 21 minutes late?
Just as you do currently, sites taking negative attendance will be able to mark students as "tardy" or "tardy-over 30 minutes."
If attendance is not recorded weekly, i.e. contract students, is this a problem?
You will be able to do contract attendance in Zangle.
Will the teacher or office clear the absence if a teacher marked the student absent but the office knew the student left for a field trip or an athletic event?
The office will make these kinds of updates to attendance.
What if the computer or power is down and we can't take attendance?
You can take attendance on paper roster and enter it after power returns or turn in the paper to the office for data entry.
How will P.E. Coaches take attendance?
PE coaches/teachers will need to return to a workstation to enter attendance.
Will teachers still need to sign attendance sheets?
At this time, yes, you will need to sign sheets. District staff are currently reviewing this policy with the California Department of Education.
Will taking positive attendance be slower than it is currently?
Taking positive attendance in Zangle will be faster than bubbling.
Once you (a teacher) post attendance, can you edit it?
Attendance office will lock it at the reporting period but before then you can change it.
Will we be able to do attendance reports as we have in the past?
Zangle supports all required attendance reports.

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Counselor questions

Will graduation requirements be visible?
Yes. Graduation requirements are easily viewable and printed from the Zangle Desktop.
Do counselors have secured access with no breach of confidentiality?
Yes. Counselors have a secured area that is not viewable by others in which to store confidential information. However, any information to be kept truly confidential should be kept off-line.
Will counselor notes go under behavior?
No, counselor notes are not stored under behavior. They are stored in a secure area to maintain confidentiality.
Can the system do credit calculations based on hours?
Yes.

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Discipline questions

Will Zangle track suspensions?
Yes.
When I make a phone call to a parent on a discipline issue, will I be able to enter it there?
Teachers will continue to work with the counselor on recording discipline issues.
Can we do discipline referrals through the system?
No.

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General questions

When will Zangle be at my school?
Please see the DWA-Student Time Line to find out when Zangle will be implemented at your school.
When will 4GL be implemented?
4GL will be implemented along with Zangle. See the DWA-Student Time Line to find out when 4GL will be implemented at your school.
Will we upload current student information?
Yes. The DWA-Student Tiger Team is working on converting data from SIS and SISCS to Zangle and 4GL.
Will we have access to emergency numbers and health issue alerts?
Yes. Zangle has a contact screen with student emergency phone numbers that both teachers and school office staff can access. Zangle also displays an alert if a student has a health issue.
Will parent contact information be wiped out each year like it is in AERIES?
No. Parent contact information is carried forward each year.
Can a parent choose not to have their child's information on this electronic system?
No. This is the district's student information system for managing student information. Student information is kept strictly confidential and only those employees with a need to know are given access.
Does Zangle have a track record?
Yes. Zangle is being successfully used at many K-12 school districts in the country, including Clovis Unified School District and Ventura Unified School District in California. SDCS took this into account when evaluating student system vendors and selecting Zangle.
Does 4GL have a track record?
Yes. 4GL's special student populations products are being used at a number of school districts in the country, including Poway, which recently went live with the system. School districts using 4GL are showing increased compliance records and are collecting millions of dollars in Medicaid funds that were previously uncollected due to poor record-keeping and inability to bill for services. In addition, 4GL won Technology & Learning’s 2002 Awards of Excellence and has been designated a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.
Will the budget crisis affect the DWA and specifically, Zangle?
As of this writing, funding for the DWA project, which was approved by the Board of Education in November 2002, is not threatened. The project is funded with designated capital funds that cannot be used for instruction or salaries. These funds come from Prop O, Prop X, Prop YY, and return on eRate.
Will information in Zangle automatically be saved?
This depends on the module you are using. In some modules, you may be required to press Save.
Will we be able to query information, old, new data, etc.?
Yes. As part of the DWA project, the district will be implementing a data warehouse, which will provide us with more flexibility and complexity of reporting against old data, new data, and data from different systems than was previously possible.
Will the new system use our existing dialing system to contact parents?
Yes.
Are student debt records summarized?
Yes. Zangle Desktop shows student debt, such as library fees or ASB fees.
Are there special features for at-risk information, such as learning contracts?
There will be. This is one of the modifications being made to Zangle for SDCS.
Will forms be in Spanish?
No.
Will the new systems track mandated costs? (e.g. zero tolerance, suspension)
Not at this time.
What do you mean by "Track" in Zangle? It sounds different than our SIS track, which is a calendar.
A "track" in Zangle is different than how we've used it before. Track in SIS meant a calendar. In Zangle, teachers and students are attached to a track, which includes a schedule of classes, a calendar of days, courses and sections, and blocks of time, such as 6, 12, or 18 weeks. For example, a school could have a regular track for it's regular day courses, and a separate track for Extended Day courses. This would enable the school to take negative attendance for the regular classes and positive attendance for the Extended Day classes.
Are comments by teachers public documents? If I (a teacher) am subpoenaed, can my notes on the Zangle system be subpoenaed?
Yes.
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Grading questions

Will we be inputting grades?
Yes. You will be posting student grades (called "marks" in Zangle) in TeacherConnection. If you choose to use Zangle GradeBook to manage assignments and calculate grades, once calculated they will automatically be posted in TeacherConnection.
Will the GradeBook do assignments? Will it do weighting?
Yes. The Zangle GradeBook does both.
Will GradeBook calculate percentages?
Yes.
Will the GradeBook record +/- grades?
District policy does not permit the use of + or - grades.
What will the standards piece look like?
That has not been determined yet.
Can we post 9-week grades in the classrooms?
Yes, you can use GradeBook to post 9-week grades.
Will the GradeBook work on our new PC?
If you will be getting a new PC or Mac that is based on the district standard (developed to meet DWA requirements), then GradeBook will work. (The district standard for computers is at http://edtech.sandi.net/. Click on "Price List" then "District Standard Computers".)
Does the comment section have a spell check?
No. You can type your comment in Microsoft Word, spell check it there, and then copy and paste it into the Zangle comment area.
Do you have to use the GradeBook?
No, but many teachers find that using an electronic grading program such as GradeBook saves them time and effort in calculating grades.
What happens if a teacher needs to change a grade after it is posted?
Once grades are posted, any changes must be done by the registrar.
What if the teacher doesn't put a grade in? Will site techs be able to check that grades are all there before posting?
Yes.
If we're keeping grades online, what if the system crashes?
There will be regular back-ups of data that can be used if the system crashes.
Does the GradeBook have worksheets?
You can create categories of assignments to track in GradeBook, including worksheets.
Is GradeBook like Micro Grade?
Yes, it is very similar to Micro Grade.
Will we have access to GradeBook before September?
Yes. Pilot schools will be trained in GradeBook before school starts.
Can we work on grades off-line?
No. GradeBook is a web-based application. You must be connected to the Internet to use GradeBook.

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Health questions

I keep tons of health information in SIS. Will I be able to keep that?
We are converting health information from SIS to Zangle.
Will we be getting the Nurses' Choice product?
No. Zangle has a robust health module that we will be enhancing.

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Household questions

If multiple families dwell in one house, will that be identified as one household group?
No. A household is comprised of a student and his or her siblings that live with a parent or guardian at a particular address. If more than one family lives at an address, the families are treated as separate households.
What if there is joint custody of a child, and the daughter lives with the mother and the son lives with the father?
In this case, each sibling would be in a separate household, since a household is comprised of a student/sibling/parent group that live together at a particular address. Zangle also provides the ability to specify in detail which parent has rights to which type of information about their child, such as grades, attendance, or behavior.
How does data stay accurate if the elementary school changes the student's address but their middle school sibling didn't notify the school of the address change?
Through the use of households in Zangle, if a parent changes a student's address at one school, and the student's sibling is in the same household, the sibling's address at the middle school or high school will automatically be updated.

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ParentConnection questions

What can the parent see from home using ParentConnection?
Parents can see academic grades, attendance and any announcements or special events the teacher has entered. See the For Parents page for more information.
Can parents see information on the whole class?
No. Parents can only see information for their child(ren).
When students are from two households, will parents have separate permission levels and IDs?
Yes.
Will parents be able to click on Spanish/English versions?
Zangle online information is available in English only.
What if parents don't have a computer or web access?
Public libraries have computers with Internet access that parents can use for free.
Can parents see discipline records online?
By permission, for their own children.
Will there be an email link for parents to update demographics?
To report an address change, parents will need to follow district procedures and present evidence of address change at the school office.
Will parents be trained?
Parents have found the Zangle ParentConnection so easy to use that no training is required. Most parents need no training to use web sites such as Amazon.com or Yahoo. ParentConnection is just as easy to use.
Will you collect parents' email addresses?
Parent email addresses will requested during enrollment. An email address will be required in order to obtain a ParentConnection account.
If a teacher already has a web page, will it be linked from ParentConnection?
The teacher can create a link to a web page by typing the HTML for the link into the Classroom News section of TeacherConnection. It will then be visible to parents.
Who will set up and maintain ParentConnection accounts and security?
An individual at each school will be assigned that responsibility.
Do parents get passwords?
Yes. In order to view their child's data in ParentConnection, a parent must be assigned an account with a password.
We have quite a few students at our school who come on an affidavit. Who would get ParentConnection rights for them?
ParentConnection can be used by any legal guardian of the student who is interested in keeping up with the student's educational information.

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Seating chart questions

Does the program allow seating charts?
Yes. Zangle TeacherConnection gives the teacher the ability to create classroom seating charts.
Do seating charts have to be in the format shown?
The form can match the room layout. You specify the format.
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Special Education questions

I use a Mac. Will I be able to print my IEP forms with my classroom ink jet printer?
You should be able to print your IEP forms from you Mac to any printer.
How will we handle concurrent enrollments, such as when a child has special education two periods a day at a different location?
Zangle has a dual-enrollment feature, which allows you to specify the child's primary school of enrollment and a second or additional school that the child attends for part of the day.
Does 4GL monitor my special education time lines?
Absolutely. That's one of its main advantages.
Will itinerant special education service providers have access?
Yes. Several of the 4GL modules the district is purchasing are web-based, allowing you to access them from any computer with Internet access and a web browser such as Internet Explorer 5.0 or better. Thus, itinerant service providers will be able to access the appropriate 4GL modules and student records they need.

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Student photo questions

Who supplies student photos?
Generally the photographer who supplies school pictures also supplies electronic versions of the photos that can be used in Zangle.
After photos are up, can they be used to create IDs?
Yes.
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Student records questions

Will student cum folders still exist?
Yes.
Will we have document imaging to create electronic cum files?
That is not part of the scope of the DWA project.

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Substitute teacher questions

How will substitute teachers take attendance?
For now, substitutes will take attendance on paper, and submit it to the office attendance staff for data entry. A new Zangle module for substitute attendance taking is currently under development and will be available in the future.
Will long-term substitutes get permission to access grades and other student data?
Yes. Long-term substitutes will be given an account on TeacherConnection as if they were a regular teacher. This will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Can we have a separate login for subs?
Initially, substitutes will take attendance on paper, as described above. In the future, when the Zangle substitute module is released, all substitutes will use the new module (not TeacherConnection) to take attendance. Substitutes will have their own logins, not the teacher's.
 
Will substitutes have your (the regular teacher's) pin number?
No.
Will lesson plans be online for substitutes?
You will still need to print your lesson plans for substitute teachers.

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Testing questions

Will sites enter their own test scores?
Tests that are scored on-site, such as DRAs and the oral CELDT scores, will be entered on-site. Tests that are scored by the state will be posted to Zangle by the district.
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Training and support questions

What kind of support will be provided?
The DWA is committed to training all system users to accomplish their required tasks on the new systems. After training, school site users will be supported by on-site experts and will have comprehensive documentation to assist them.
When will training take place?
The DWA will provide just-in-time training. So, you will be trained the month prior to your site receiving Zangle and 4GL. After training, you will have access to the DWA applications and a "sandbox" or play database to practice in, to help you feel confident and comfortable with the new applications before going "live". In addition, 4GL staff will be available for follow-on training as needed.
Will there be web-based training?
Training materials and documentation will be available on the web.
What do we do when printers don't work, etc.? We need someone on site to help. (From an elementary school.)
The district recognizes the need for technical support at elementary schools and is looking into how best to address this need. (Currently, each secondary school has a site tech, whereas elementary schools do not.)

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The mission of San Diego City Schools is to improve student achievement by supporting teaching and learning in the classroom.

This page was updated on October 22, 2003.San Diego City Schools

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Copyright 2003 San Diego City Schools