Instructional Technology
Welcome to the Cheektowaga-Sloan UFSD Instructional Technology Department
The Cheektowaga-Sloan Union Free School District is dedicated to creating an engaging and supportive learning environment where technology is seamlessly integrated into the curriculum. Technology can inspire students and enrich their educational experiences. By nurturing technological literacy and providing students and teachers with modern equipment, we help students navigate the complexities of the digital world confidently.
We aim to ensure that all Cheektowaga-Sloan students graduate with essential technological literacy and skills. In today's fast-paced information landscape, effectively finding, evaluating, and utilizing information is crucial for academic success and thriving in an information-driven workforce.
As we enhance our teaching practices with technology, we aim to inspire our students to become informed and responsible citizens. We are committed to providing them with the foundational skills they need to excel in an information-rich society and make meaningful contributions to the world around them. Together, we look forward to fostering a brighter future for our students and the community!
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- Data Privacy - Education Law 2d Compliance
- Parent & Student Technology Help
- Student Acceptable Use Policy
- Smart Schools Investment Plan
- Technology Plan 2022-2025
Data Privacy - Education Law 2d Compliance
The Cheektowaga-Sloan Union Free School District is committed to protecting the privacy and security of student, teacher, and principal data. In accordance with Education Law §2-d, Cheektowaga-Sloan UFSD wishes to inform parents (including legal guardians or persons in parental relationships) and eligible students (students 18 years and older) that they can expect the following:
- A student’s personally identifiable information (PII) cannot be sold or released for any commercial purpose. PII, as defined by Education Law § 2-d and FERPA, includes direct identifiers such as a student’s name or identification number, parent’s name, or address; and indirect identifiers such as a student’s date of birth, which when linked to or combined with other information can be used to distinguish or trace a student’s identity. Please see FERPA’s regulations at 34 CFR 99.3 for a more complete definition.
- The right to inspect and review the complete contents of the student’s education record stored or maintained by an educational agency. This right may not apply to parents of an Eligible Student.
- State and federal laws such as Education Law § 2-d; the Commissioner of Education’s Regulations at 8 NYCRR Part 121, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA") at 12 U.S.C. 1232g (34 CFR Part 99); Children's Online Privacy Protection Act ("COPPA") at 15 U.S.C. 6501-6502 (16 CFR Part 312); Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment ("PPRA") at 20 U.S.C. 1232h (34 CFR Part 98); the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) at 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq. (34 CFR Part 300); protect the confidentiality of a student’s identifiable information.
- Safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices including but not limited to encryption, firewalls and password protection must be in place when student PII is stored or transferred.
- A complete list of all student data elements collected by NYSED is available at http://www.nysed.gov/data-privacy-security/student-data-inventory and by writing to: Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234.
- The right to have complaints about possible breaches and unauthorized disclosures of PII addressed. Complaints may be submitted to NYSED at https://www.nysed.gov/data-privacy-security/parents-and-students-file-privacy-complaint, by mail to: Chief Privacy Officer, New York State Education Department, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234; by email to privacy@nysed.gov; or by telephone at 518-474- 0937.
- To be notified in accordance with applicable laws and regulations if a breach or unauthorized release of PII occurs.
- Educational agency workers that handle PII will receive training on applicable state and federal laws, policies, and safeguards associated with industry standards and best practices that protect PII.
- Educational agency contracts with vendors that receive PII will address statutory and regulatory data privacy and security requirements.
Supplemental Information Regarding Third-Party Contractors
In the course of complying with its obligations under the law and providing educational services, Cheektowaga-Sloan Union Free School District has entered into agreements with certain third-party contractors. Pursuant to such agreements, third-party contractors may have access to "student data" and/or "teacher or principal data," as those terms are defined by law.
Each contract the CSUFSD enters into with a third-party contractor where the third party contractor receives student data or teacher or principal data will include the following information:
- the exclusive purposes for which the student data or teacher or principal data will be used;
- how the third-party contractor will ensure that the subcontractors, persons or entities that the third-party contractor will share the student data or teacher or principal data with, if any, will abide by data protection and security requirements;
- when the agreement expires and what happens to the student data or teacher or principal data upon expiration of the agreement;
- if and how a parent, student, eligible student, teacher or principal may challenge the accuracy of the student data or teacher or principal data that is collected; and
- where the student data or teacher or principal data will be stored (described in such a manner as to protect data security), and the security protections taken to ensure such data will be protected, including whether such data will be encrypted.
If you have any questions regarding the application of these provisions, or the manner in which the parents' bill of rights is being implemented, please feel free to contact the District Data Coordinator, Brian Zybala at BZybala@cheektowagasloan.org or (716) 897-7800 ext. 2124.
Student Data and Teacher and Principal Data
Data Privacy Agreement - Supplemental Information
Data Privacy Agreements through Erie 1 BOCES
Questions, comments, and requests for changes can be directed to our school district's Data Protection Officer, Mr. Brian Zybala, 716-897-7800 ext 2124, bzybala@cheektowagasloan.org.
Parent & Student Technology Help
- ClassLink
- eSchool Parent & Student Portals
- Google Classroom
- Kami
- LanSchool
- Logging into Chromebooks
- Restarting Your Chromebook
- Zoom With Your Web Browser
ClassLink
Our school district is now using ClassLink, a single sign-on platform that will allow teachers and students to use one username and password to access everything they need. Single sign-on is an essential tool for productive remote learning and ClassLink will serve as your child’s homebase for education, whether it’s in the classroom or on the couch at home. Please see the links below for more details about ClassLink.
Resources for Parents
eSchool Parent & Student Portals
Students and parents at both JFK Middle and High School can now access online information about student schedules, grades, report cards, and even make course requests. Our student information system, eSchool, provides students and parents with a secure, password protected, web based program that is available from any computer and smart device with internet access. Here are links to the Cheektowaga-Sloan UFSD eSchool Parent & Student Portals login pages...
Please use the links below to learn more about eSchool or to get help with a particular aspect of eSchool.
Google Classroom
Help Center
Here you will find resources to help you use Google Classrooms
Kami
LanSchool
Logging into Chromebooks
Depending on your child's grade level, there are two ways to login to tha Chromebooks:
- Grades 6-12: To log into a Chromebook a student needs to enter their school email address. This may be confusing because only students in grades 6-12 are currently provided with District email addresses. Once you enter the email address into the Chromebook, you will be taken to the Western New York Regional Information Center (WNYRIC). On this screen, enter the child's email address again along with the password.
- Grade PreK-5: Students will login to their Chromebooks using a QR code - called a "QuickCard". these QuiclkCards are provided by your child's teacher. When a Chromebook is first opened, the camera will load on the screen. Hold the QuickCard up in front of the camera and the Chromebook will scan the QR code and login automatically.
If you are still having trouble logging in, please contact Mr. Peter Fuchs at pfuchs@cheektowagasloan.org. Mr. Fuchs will assess your situation and help troubleshoot the reason why you are not able to log in.
Restarting Your Chromebook
If you are experiencing any glitches or odd issues with your Chromebook it is a good idea to do a restart. There are two (2) ways you can restart your Chromebook...
1. Shut down the computer and then turn it back on.
- Click the lower right area of the screen where the clock is and click the Power icon
.
- You could also press and hold the Power key on the keyboard, and then click on the Power
icon that appears
- After the computer turns off, press the Power button on the keyboard to turn the computer back on
2. Perform a reset...
- On the keyboard, press and hold the Refresh
key, and then tap the Power
key. Continue to hold the Refresh key until the screen comes back on. You may need to repeat this process twice if it does not work on the first try.
Zoom With Your Web Browser
Sometimes, when the Zoom app is giving you trouble, you will need to join a Zoom meeting using your web browser (Google Chrome). Here is how you can accomplish this...
- Click the link for the Zoom meeting like you normally would do.
- If the Zoom app opens but is giving you issues, click on the icon for Google Chrome at the bottom of the screen. If the Zoom app does not open, you can skip this step.
- You will see a screen that looks something like this...
Or this...
- At the bottom of that screen you will see a link that says "Join from your browser"...click there.
- On the next screen, enter your name as you want it to appear in the meeting and then click "Join"
- You should now be all set to participate in your Zoom meeting using the web.
Student Acceptable Use Policy
Smart Schools Investment Plan
SMART Schools Investment Plan – Adjustments Due to Changing Conditions
The COVID-19 Pandemic created a need to accelerate our 1-to-1 initiative and adjust our technology plans to address the changing learning environment. This is a short description of how the SMART Schools Investment Plan is being revised to meet our current needs.
Changes to the Educational Environment
- The District now has enough Chromebooks for every student in grades Pre-K to 12.
- Chromebooks have an average lifespan of 5-years. At the end of five years, Google no longer updates the Chrome Operating System creating possible security risks.
- Students in grades 6-12 take the Chromebooks to and from school every day.
- Students in grades Pre-K to 5 leave their Chromebooks in school, locked in a Chromebook cart, unless we pivot to remote instruction or the student is on an extended leave, such as an illness or quarantine. This has reduced the need for Chromebook carts as middle and high school students do not store their Chromebooks in a cart at night anymore.
- The National demand for Chromebooks throughout the Pandemic and inflation has caused the price of Chromebooks to increase.
Changes to the SMART Schools Investment Plan
- To standardize the repair and management of Chromebooks we have decided to utilize the Dell 3100 Clamshell Chromebooks rather than the HP CB11G7 Chromebook.
- The price of a Chromebook has increased by $54 per device.
- As students are taking Chromebooks to and from school, we are protecting the devices with a Gumdrop case that is rated for drops from 5 feet.
- The price of the Google Chrome Management License has increased by $8 per license
- The 27 Chromebook carts that were going to be ordered are no longer needed and are therefore being eliminated by the revision to the plan.
- We are eliminating the HP 3-year warranty. This warranty does not cover accidental damage and we have found that almost all manufacturing defects are discovered within a year of receiving the device. This has eliminated the need for a 3-year warranty.
Smart Schools Investment Plan
See below a summary of the Smart Schools Investment Plan proposal for the purchase of Chromebooks to reach the level of 1:1 device saturation. If a community member has questions or wishes to comment, there will be a Public Hearing date set by the Board of Education.