PPS Instructional Technology

Logging into computers, and learning passwords can be an annoying, frustrating, but critical aspect of using technology with our students.  Setting up accounts, and deciding what passwords to use for students on outside sites can also be a challenge. We know we should be using strong password protocols , but we also need students to be able to remember the passwords and be able to get into the sites in a timely way.  Whenever you can find a site with the “Login with Google” button, that is the best bet.  However, even though we all love the "Login with Google" button for its ease and security, that isn't always an option.  So, what do we do? Use a password that is NOT their PPS password.  Why?  Students' PPS passwords should not be shared, even with other websites.  Students' passwords are the keys to all their personal data within Skyward, our PPS network, and Google.  By entering their PPS passwords on sites outside of PPS, you are giving ...

Let's be honest, we have all been guilty of poor password practices at some point in time or another.  Maybe you have kept a notebook on your desk with all your passwords, used the same password for "everything", used a simple password (ex: Winter2017) or kept your password on a sticky note next to your monitor.  Unfortunately, all these practices set us up for having our passwords compromised or stolen, and in return put our data at risk. There are many things we can do to increase our security when online, including avoiding phishing scams .  In this post, we are going to focus on what makes a strong password. What do I need to make a strong password? When creating a strong password, it's recommended that we... Have at least 8 characters Include upper and lower case letters Include numbers Include characters, like ~!@#$%^&*_-+=`|\(){}[]:;"'<>,.?/ Avoid using words found in the dictionary Avoid using your username as part of your passw...

Hi PPS Staff.  As we move through the week, I know that many of you would like a list of your students' usernames and passwords before you break out the chromebooks/laptops or take the kiddos to the labs.  Individual student usernames and passwords can be found on the student's profile page in Skyward, but going through each profile to write them down can be a time consuming pain. Luckily there is a very simple way to do this in Skyward.  Here we go... Step 1: Login to Skyward and select the blue gradebook for the class you want to print usernames and passwords for - elementary staff, you can just select any of your gradebooks. Step 2: Go to the reports menu at the top of the screen and select Class Roster. Step 3: Choose Student Name & Student Info, then select Clone Template. Step 4: Give your new template a name, such as Usernames and Passwords.  Click Save. Step 5: Select how you want he Names to Display, then UNCHECK all the bo...