David Kalk's Coaching Corner

9/28/26 - 10/2/26

Monday - BHS

Tuesday - BFA

Wednesday - BHS

Thursday - MTEC (a.m.) | BFA (p.m.)

Friday - BHS

Looking for a faster way to set up student materials? TCEA highlights five Google Docs templates worth trying: class notes, research reports, reading lists, to-do lists, and classroom newsletters. Each gives you a starting layout you can adapt for your class.

Open a new Doc and select Templates at the top, or go to File > New > From template gallery. Choose one, then make it your own.

🔗 Read the full TCEA article and see examples

Did you know you can publish a Canva design as a website without needing to know anything about web design?

Students can use Canva Websites to turn their work into interactive, scrollable webpages that include text, images, video, links, graphics, and more.

Try it with students: Instead of another slideshow, have students create a website for a research project, digital portfolio, historical exhibit, book study, science topic, or persuasive campaign.

💡 Teacher Tip: Keep the focus on the content. Give students a clear rubric for what they need to communicate, then let them decide how to use the website format to tell the story.

The shift:
Presentation ➜ Published digital experience

You probably open ClassLink every day, but it can do more than simply get you into Schoology or PowerSchool. A few small changes can turn your ClassLink LaunchPad into a much faster workspace.

Add the tools you use every day to Favorites so you spend less time searching through your LaunchPad.

Group apps into folders that make sense for your workflow. You might create folders for Instruction, Assessment, Communication, or Teacher Tools.

Can't find an app? Use the search feature rather than hunting through pages of icons.

ClassLink provides single sign-on access to many of our district resources. Starting in ClassLink can also help ensure you're using the district-provided version of a resource instead of accidentally creating a separate account.

ClassLink is also where you'll find district resources and services beyond your everyday instructional apps. Take a minute to explore your LaunchPad. You may discover something you didn't realize was available.

Spend two minutes cleaning up your ClassLink LaunchPad. Favorite the apps you use most, organize a few others into folders, and remove some of the visual clutter.

Coaching Corner Tip: The goal isn't to have fewer digital tools. It's to spend less time finding them and more time using them effectively with students.

Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + B

What it does: Show or hide bookmarks bar

Teacher use: Give yourself a little more screen space when connected to your ActivPanel

District Five will begin using ClassLink AppTrack for digital resource requests. If you want to use a new website, app, extension, or digital service, open Request App from ClassLink and submit the request before creating student accounts, entering student data, purchasing the resource, or using it with students.

AppTrack allows you to explain the instructional need, provide pricing and funding details, attach vendor documents, and track the request through the review process. Submitting a request does not mean the resource is approved, so wait for the final decision before using it.

🔗 View the AppTrack Workflow

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