School Start-Up Guidelines  2023 - 24

Please review this important information to help you prepare for a successful start to the new school year.  If you should need assistance in any of these areas, please contact the  Service Desk at  support@pps.net,  support.pps.net, or 503-916-3375.

Employee Accounts

• PPS accounts for all new employees are automatically created once the employee is added to the HR system and assigned an employee ID number. 

• Account changes for employees changing positions also take effect once the change is reflected in the HR system.  

• A PPS account provides access to the  PPS Staff page and district services and resources, including Office 365 email and calendar, GSuite for Education, Pepper, Employee Self Service, Staff Directory, and WiFi. Additionally, teachers automatically receive access to the Synergy student information system.

• All employees are required to read and follow the PPS Acceptable Use Policy for use of the PPS IT network and systems, which is available online  here. 

• Some applications such as the Dashboard, SchoolMessenger, and certain access within PeopleSoft and Synergy require a form and additional steps which may include training prerequisites. Account forms for these applications are available on  our website.

• Contractor/partner accounts expire at the end of the contract term. These are managed by the contract managers. 

Password Self-Service

Employees and students can manage their own passwords once they have set up their security questions on my.pps.net.  All staff should take a few minutes to set up their questions, and instructions are available  here.

Student Accounts

PPS student accounts are automatically created once the student is enrolled in Synergy, and provide access to GSuite for Education, StudentVUE, Destiny library system, and other services.   Please visit the student accounts web page  here for additional information.

Technology Support

The Service Desk is the initial point of entry for service requests, and is available daily from 7 am to 5 pm. Please visit the  Service Desk website for more information, including about using the  Support portal to submit requests, look up information, and check on the status of any of your open service tickets.

Please check out the  Service catalog to learn more about the many services available to PPS staff and students.

The Service Desk uses a distributed model to better serve our schools.  Service requests are initially handled by a central call center and resolved remotely when possible.  If the issue cannot be resolved remotely, the request is escalated for on-site support.

Site Technology Specialists teams have visited every classroom over the summer to help assure school technology readiness before the opening of school.

Classroom Phone Voicemail

Teachers can set up their voicemail boxes for their classroom phones without waiting for OTIS to process room changes.  Please review  this information for instructions on the process.

Phone Changes

Each classroom and staff location has an assigned  VoIP phone. If any phone changes are needed, please inform the School Secretary so a request can be submitted using the Phone Change Manager tool. Do not move any phones without OTIS assistance.

Pepper Professional Learning Platform

All employees use Pepper to complete their annual mandatory compliance training and access their completion certificates and transcripts. More information is available  here.

PPS WiFi

• PPS has two wireless networks, and both have content filtering.

  • PPS-Wireless - this network is to be used by PPS staff only.  Students who are on district devices such as mobile labs and classroom technology that are preconfigured for this network can also use this network. This network uses WPA2-PSK security and the password is not to be published or shared with students or guests.

  • PPS-Wifi-Guest - This network is to be used by students, families, volunteers, guests, and program staff on personal devices. Users connecting to the pps-wifi-guest network simply need to select this network, they do not have to complete any other steps to have basic internet access.

Please visit the  Staff website for the pps-wifi password and more information.

Only PPS-installed wireless access points (WAPs) are allowed in PPS schools and buildings. Personal wireless access points, 4/5G hotspots, or other connection devices can result in a significant interruption to network service, and potentially compromise the security of student and personal data. OTIS will treat these devices as potentially harmful and take action to limit or prevent their use on our network.

OTIS Maintenance Schedule

PPS IT systems will be down for periodic regular maintenance throughout the year, generally on one weekend per month.  You can review the 2023-24 maintenance schedule  here.

Learning Technologies
The Learning Technologies Team supports the application of technology for the enhancement of learning, teaching, engagement, and assessment. Learning Technologies supports student growth through the integration of technology, multimedia resources, networks, and communication systems. Visit our webpage for more information or contact learningtech@pps.net if you have questions or want to schedule an appointment.

• Digital Citizenship Curriculum
  The Office of Technology & Information Services and Library Services have collaborated to recommend curriculum for teaching digital citizenship concepts. This instruction is aligned with the  Oregon Library Standards,  Common Core Standards, and  ISTE Student Standards. See the  PPS Digital Citizenship Curriculum for K-12 lessons.
• Digital Resource Use and Purchase
  The digital application use and purchasing process has been redefined to meet PPS' long-term goals for digital application use. Previously vetted apps may need to be resubmitted.  When choosing digital applications, we must ensure that they are aligned with our instructional, technical, and security standards. In addition, applications must be vetted for appropriate student data privacy conditions and agreements. If your application request is for multiple licenses or a contract greater than $10,000, you will need to work with the Purchasing and Contracts Department using a PPS Digital Resources contract. This process is for small school or classroom purchases/use only. Visit the website for the steps to having a digital resource reviewed for student data privacy. This is required before the application is used/purchased for the classroom, school, or office. Don't hesitate to get in touch with the Learning Technologies team with any questions at learningtech@pps.net.
• PPS Digital Toolkit
  The Digital Toolkit resource page includes support for all district-adopted tools that Learning Technologies supports. Please read the PPS Digital Toolkit UPDATE with changes as of May 2023.

School Technology

As always, please see the  IT Purchasing page and guidelines for what equipment can be purchased for new staff.

Please contact the  Service Desk if any classroom no longer has the Tech Bundle that was originally assigned, or for assistance in locating or repairing this equipment. 

School Web Pages

Please review and update your building's "School News & Announcements", "Message from the Principal", and "Staff Contact" pages to ensure they are relevant for the 2023-24 school year.  Parents are already searching the PPS website for School Supply Lists, so please be sure those are posted.

Each school must have a secretary or other designated person responsible to keep the school website up to date. If you are a new secretary/admin, or have changed locations, submit a ticket to  https://support.pps.net to get access. 

Classlink Quick Cards

For the beginning of the new school year, each individual school will manage the redistribution of quick cards for students. Classroom teachers in grades PK-3 can print out quick cards for their students.  Quick cards can also be printed for Special Ed students. For additional information, please review the Solution Article.

Employee Self-Service

All employees can log in to Employee Self-Service to view and update certain HR and Payroll information. Please visit  this page for more information.

Synergy

Staff and teachers can access the Synergy student information system, teacher Grade Book, and Special Education module at  http://synergy.pps.net using their PPS username and password.

Parents and students can access student information using  ParentVUE and StudentVUE.  Classroom teachers and administrators also can use the TeacherVUE and AdminVUE mobile apps.

For more information about Synergy, please visit the Synergy Resources page to access quick reference guides and other helpful resources.

District Cell Phones

Employees can request a District-issued cell phone or hotspot for professional use. More information on how to request a cell phone and policies around cellular services can be found  here. If at any time there are questions about how to fill out the form or policies around cellular services, please email  mobiledevices@pps.net.

If you currently have a District-issued cell phone and no longer wish to use it, please email  mobiledevices@pps.net so we can cancel the line.

Administrator Cell Phones

The budget for School Administrator cell phones and stipends is managed centrally by OTIS.  Please email  mobiledevices@pps.net if you are not yet receiving this service.

School Technology Resources

OTIS manages a small inventory of surplus equipment which is used for replace non-functioning equipment in the classrooms. This inventory consists ofdonated and reclaimed technology equipment. Please contact the Service Desk to report non-functioning equipment and to request updates for your school technology.

eWaste Recycling

OTIS is using RA Solutions as our primary ewaste recycler.  Please contact OTIS if you have ewaste equipment or non-used technology in your building. Pickup and recycling of obsolete computer equipment can be requested  here. 

Computer Equipment Donation Process

As the new year begins, schools may receive computer equipment donations, including through DonorsChoose or other sources.  Visit the  donation website to review the donation process.  Please note that there are important steps that must be completed prior to accepting a donation and some equipment may not be accepted.

Equipment Theft or Damage Reporting

Damaged, lost, or stolen PPS devices, regardless of how they were purchased, must be reported using the Property Damage or Theft Loss Report to the IT, Risk Management, and Security Services departments.  There is very limited central funding available for damaged technology this year, so parts for repairs will need to purchased by the schools. Due to a reduction in staffing, some repairs may take longer than previously.

Please review these  procedures for a link to the online report and information about loaner devices and the replacement of stolen or damaged equipment.

Security Recommendations

Mobile devices including  laptops, Chromebooks, and iPads should be stored in a locked cart or another secure area. To prevent loss or theft of mobile equipment, please follow these safety practices:

• Lock up mobile lab carts and cases when they are not in use.  Computers that have not been used for several weeks may need time to update before use, so be sure they have been updated prior to conducting state testing.

• Move mobile lab carts or cases to an alarmed or interior room at the end of the school day.

• Secure individual laptops in a locking drawer, closet, or cupboard.

• Pull window shades (where available) in ground-level classrooms before leaving for the day.

• If you have a District mobile device or a personal device with District data on it, please take every precaution to prevent theft or loss. It is your responsibility to keep District property and data safe. Please review the  District Acceptable Use Policy for Staff and Students.