Tech Connect - May 2025

Connecting YOU to Instructional Technology in DCS

As the school year winds down and summer approaches, our May Newsletter is here to celebrate some of the amazing things that have happened in DCS this school year. We’ve also included resources and professional development opportunities to help you finish the year strong and prepare for the future. Thank you for your commitment to empowering students and embracing innovative instructional technology!

"If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." —Roald Dahl

🚨 🚨 IMPORTANT REMINDER 🚨 🚨

Please remember to turn off scheduled classes in GoGuardian once exams begin. While scenes/schedules are great for limiting student access to only allowed websites and blocking distractions, leaving them on after exams have began can interfere with the ability to access needed items for testing. To ensure students have the right access during tests, be sure to disable or switch off schedules when exams start or finish.

🔆 🔆 Spotlight on the DCS ITAC 🔆 🔆

The district’s Instructional Technology Advisory Council (ITAC) has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of technology integration and digital learning in our schools. In August, the ITAC Team met for the first time and has continued to meet throughout the school year. The ITAC team has demonstrated exceptional leadership and collaboration, guiding the district through the development, revision, and approval of key initiatives that will impact teaching and learning for years to come.

One of ITAC’s most significant accomplishments has been its work on the district AI Guidelines. The team brought together diverse perspectives from administrators, teachers, and technology leaders to draft comprehensive guidelines that ensure the ethical, responsible, and effective use of artificial intelligence in our classrooms.

In addition, ITAC was instrumental in drafting and approving the district’s Digital Learning Plan. This plan outlines a vision for technology access, digital literacy, and innovative instructional practices across all grade levels. The team's collaborative approach ensured that the plan reflects the needs of students and educators, setting baseline expectations for technology access and providing a roadmap for future investments in digital infrastructure and professional development.

The commitment of this team continues to drive meaningful progress, supporting teachers and students in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Below is a list of the current ITAC team members whose contributions have made these achievements possible:

💻 💻 Google Slides Updates 💻 💻

Google Slides now features a new design sidebar that makes creating presentations much easier for teachers. Instead of searching through different menus, you’ll find all the main design tools-like templates, images, and pre-made content blocks-organized in one convenient spot on the right side of your screen. This means you can quickly add things like key facts or images without interrupting your workflow or leaving your slide.

In addition, Google Slides has introduced a wider variety of ready-made templates designed for different classroom needs, such as lesson plans, student projects, or parent presentations. You can easily browse these templates from the sidebar or by going to "Insert > Templates," and you have the option to use the whole template or just pick the slides you want. These updates are designed to save you time, help your presentations look polished, and let you focus more on teaching and less on formatting.

📚 📚 ISTE Benefits in NCEdCloud 📚 📚

ISTE Central is your main hub for making the most of your ISTE membership, offering easy access to resources, professional learning, and special perks just for educators. One of the best benefits each year is a free ebook chosen to support your teaching practice and help you stay current with new ideas in education technology. This year, ISTE members can download Dive Into UDL, Second Edition for free. This book is a practical guide to Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which is all about creating lessons and classroom environments where every student can succeed, no matter their background or learning style.

Promethean Tip of the Month

AI Highlight: GEMS in Google Gemini

What are Gems?

Individualize your AI experience by creating custom Gems in Google Gemini. Gems are tailored AI experts that can be utilized to perform routine tasks according to your specifications through prompting. Use Google's Premade Gems such as the Brainstormer or Learning Coach or create your own Gem to meet your specific needs. Remember you can provide context for your custom Gems by uploading your own files to guide the chat responses.

Learn more about Gems in Google Gemini by visiting this link.