CONNECTING EDUCATORS

Looking to boost engagement and 21st-century skills? The Maker-STEAM Tabletop Games collection is now available for checkout! From strategy favorites like Codenames and Qwirkle to fast-paced math games like Tenzi and Qwixx, these tools help students practice critical thinking and collaboration through structured play.

Why check them out?

• Ready-to-Use: Most games include video instructions for quick setup.

• Skill Building: Perfect for reinforcing logic, probability, and social-emotional goals.

• Easy Access: View the full inventory and Reserve Today!

Huge thanks to REMC and the educators who joined our Tabletop Games to Boost Brains professional learning! It was inspiring to see everyone at One North Kitchen and Bar sharing laughs and creative ways to engage students through play. Congratulations to our $60 game credit winners! We can’t wait to see those new games in your classrooms!

Students got hands-on with our new Robotical Cogs. They also combined creativity with tech by designing "All About Me" books using Book Creator.

Grades 3-6 joined Mrs. Barnes to kick off their journey with VexGo! Students started by mastering the "pieces and parts" of their kits before diving into partner challenges. The energy was high as teams competed to see who could engineer the tallest tower using only matching components.

Middle school students from Northwest Connect used CoDrone EDU drones to explore real-world applications of drone technology and how drones are used across various industries. Students learned to code the drones using their Chromebooks and then applied their skills by completing fun coding challenges.

This month, we are proud to highlight Bradley Bronson, a Network Engineer on our technology and engineering team. Known for being incredibly thorough, Bradley’s commitment to precision and reliability makes him an indispensable asset to JCISD. His hard work ensures our district's complex infrastructure remains seamless and our schools stay connected every day.

Tech Services has kept the momentum going throughout the shortest month of the year! We are proud to announce that during February, we successfully closed 1466 support tickets. From fine-tuning classroom displays to resolving complex network hurdles, our mission remains the same: providing you with seamless technical support so you can focus on what matters most, your student! Thank you for your continued partnership and for keeping those requests coming. We are always here to help!

While sharing documents via Google Drive is a staple in our digital classrooms, a new phishing tactic is targeting these notifications. Attackers are sending legitimate-looking emails stating a document has been shared with you, but the file itself contains malicious links designed to steal your credentials.

Stay SAFE:

• Be Skeptical: Question why a document is being shared with you, even if it appears to come from a known internal or external contact.

• Watch for Red Flags: Be cautious of unusual urgency or requests for additional authentication to view a file.

• Verify Directly: If you're unsure, don't click. Instead, reach out to the sender via a trusted method like a phone call or email to confirm they intended to share the information.

Google is rolling out a major security update that brings "Doc-style" sharing to Google Forms. Instead of just "on" or "off," you can now restrict form access to specific individuals, Google Groups, or target audiences.

Key Takeaways:

• Precision Control: Share forms with specific colleagues or student groups without making the link public.

• Automatic Upgrade: All existing forms are being updated automatically; your current settings won't break.

Boost classroom productivity with these free Chromebook Shortcut Guides created by John Sowash. Whether you need a desk reference or a classroom visual, there’s a version for you:

• Full List + Description: A deep dive into special keys like the "Everything" button.

• One Page Guide: A handy "cheat sheet" for Chrome, Drive, and accessibility.

• Classroom Poster Set: Visual cards perfect for bulletin boards or student desks.

You can now save PDFs directly to Google Drive without leaving the page if you are using Chrome on your computer. Easily get back to them later in the “Saved from Chrome” folder. Visit the Google Help Center to learn more.

Google is rolling out Lyria 3 (beta) in the Gemini app, allowing you to generate high-quality, 30-second music tracks from a simple prompt. Just describe an idea like "a calming lo-fi beat" or "an upbeat synth track", and Gemini translates it into a catchy, copyright-free melody in seconds. It’s a perfect tool for adding a unique audio element to student projects or digital lessons without needing any music production experience!

Try it out: Generate your first 30-second track in the Gemini app today.

Educators can now use Gemini in Classroom to turn topics into engaging, podcast-style audio lessons. This feature supports various learning styles by creating high-quality audio companions to your written materials.

What you can do:

• Customize: Tailor content by grade level, topic, and learning objectives.

• Personalize: Choose the number of speakers and the style (e.g., interview vs. conversation).

• Review: Always refine the AI output to match your local policies before assigning.

• Find the Gemini tab directly within Google Classroom.

• Find more information Generate podcast-style audio lessons in Google Classroom using Gemini

Get ready for Pi Day (March 14th) with a curated collection of free resources from Amplify! Whether you are looking to introduce the concept of pi or dive into digital challenges, these activities are designed for students in grades 6–12.

Highlights include:

• Hands-on Visualization: A new activity to help students see the connection between circles and pi.

• Digital Lessons: Introductory lessons and Amplify Classroom challenges.

• Crowd Favorites: A collection of Amplify's most popular Pi Day activities.

Access your Pi Day resources here to grab a "slice" of the fun!

Looking for ways to make reading practice more interactive and accountable? These three platforms help elementary students move beyond simple decoding to master automaticity and prosody, all while having fun.

• Book Creator: Perfect for digital fluency journals. Students can take photos of their reading passages, record themselves reading, and then use the "Read to Me" feature to hear their own progress. Teachers can provide instant audio or text feedback directly within the student's book.

• Adobe Express: Using the Animate characters feature, students can pick a digital avatar to "speak" with their recorded voice.

• Seesaw: A staple for younger learners, Seesaw offers ready-made fluency templates where students can set goals and self-assess their recordings.

• Source: 3 Tech Tools to Promote Elementary Students’ Oral Fluency by Tamara Letter via Edutopia.

  
  

The U.S. Semiquincentennial (250th birthday) is coming up on July 4, 2026. Want to celebrate without the extra prep? Peggy Reimers has created four ready-to-use, playful activities to help your students explore the milestone through math, wordplay, and geography.

What’s included:

• 250 by the Numbers: A trivia challenge focusing on the number 250.

• State Name Puzzles: Puzzles that analyze the structure of U.S. states.

• Fancy Words: A low-stress vocabulary builder using the word "semiquincentennial."

• Food-Named Towns: A quirky map exploration of real American cities named after food.

Each resource comes with an editable template so you can customize them for your specific grade level. Grab all the free activities on the TCEA blog!

In a world of 24/7 digital noise, teaching students to manage their digital well-being is essential. Based on recent Common Sense Media guidance, here are three key skills to share:

• Verify Sources: Encourage students to look beyond 15-second "bait" videos and verify facts across multiple trusted outlets.

• Master "Critical Ignoring": Teach them that not every post deserves their time. It’s okay to block, flag, or simply scroll past toxic content.

• Reset the Algorithm: Show students how to "clear" their feeds by resetting app settings or deleting history to break negative content loops.

Read the full article here for more tips on protecting student and teacher digital well-being.

Did you know you can search Canva by creator? Thanks to Matt Miller for sharing these five K-2 designers that are making incredible, classroom-ready content that you can use for free:

• Crafted by Rizza (@craftedbyrizza)

• Teach Cheat (@teachcheat)

• Sylph Creatives (@sylphcreatives)

• SoSwellEdu (@soswelledu)

• All Things Elementary (@allthingselementary)

Stop the splurges and start exploring these gorgeous, ready-to-use designs today! Read more on the What's New K-2 Blog. Want to try making your own? Check it out - https://www.canva.com/create/worksheets/

Follow them for free resources, educator tips, events, and updates you don’t want to miss. Like, comment, and engage with their posts and tag a colleague or friend who should follow or would benefit as well!
Instagram: @remcassociationofmi
X: @remcassociation
Facebook & LinkedIn: Regional Educational Media Center Association of Michigan

The 50th Annual MACUL Conference is heading to Grand Rapids! Join the Michigan educator community for:

• Cutting-edge tools and classroom resources.

• Keynotes from world-class speakers.

• Networking with 4,000+ peers.

• 📅 March 18–20, 2026

• 📍 Amway Grand & DeVos Place

• Registration is NOW OPEN! Head to maculconference.org

Ready to boost digital literacy in your classroom? Join our FREE, hands-on webinar series designed for grades 5–9! Whether you’re a tech pro or just starting out, these sessions offer practical strategies to make digital learning meaningful and fun.

Webinar Schedule (4:30 – 5:30 PM):

• March 10: Cyber Smart

• March 24: Data Detectives

• April 7: Design Thinking

• April 22: Computational Thinking

• May 6: Interactives

Each session includes a curriculum walkthrough, an interactive tool demo, and ready-to-use resources. Register now to secure your spot!

Ready to see how generative AI can elevate teaching, learning, and school operations? The REMC Association of Michigan is continuing its Generative AI Webinar Series - virtual sessions designed for everyone, from AI beginners to those ready for advanced applications.

• Practical strategies you can use right away.
• Tools and ideas to integrate AI responsibly and effectively.
• FREE SCECH credits while you learn.
• If you’ve been curious about AI (or want to go deeper), this is your sign. Register today: bit.ly/remcai2026

Check out this Digital Snacks Padlet developed by Tony Vincent. These are free web apps that don’t require a login and work well for short student breaks. The brain breaks are organized into categories, including Physical, Cognitive, Relaxing, Social, Humor, Sensory, Creative, and more.

AT Live! Training sessions will be hosted throughout the school year once a month on Wednesdays. Please see WisdomWhere for more information!

TeamJXN Disclaimer: Information and resources shared in this newsletter are for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement. While we strive for accuracy, it's always a good idea to verify details, especially those related to specific systems or processes, by submitting a support ticket or contacting the technology department. Please use discretion when implementing suggestions.

Email: kellie.delossantos@jcisd.org, paul.smith@jcisd.org, jeanelle.wonders@jcisd.org
Website: edtech.jcisd.org
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