Blackwell's Bits and Bytes Newsletter for Tangipahoa Parish School System

A Technology Newsletter for the Tangipahoa Parish School System

September 2001

Sixth Edition...

21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant

Tangipahoa Parish School System received the 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant for 2.5 million dollars over a three year period. Senator Mary Landrieu and Congressman David Vitter presented the check to Superintendent Virgil Allen and the advisory committee at a ceremony on July 2, 2024 at SLU Alumni Center. Jake Ragusa, Technology Director, Dr. Beth Moulds, Administrator at Large, and an advisory committee wrote this grant to provide quality after school classes for students and adult programs for the community. These after school centers will be at Hammond Junior High, Independence Middle, Kentwood Elementary, and West Side Middle School in Amite. The projected opening date of these centers is late September, 2001. Site Coordinators for each 21st CCLC are ; ; ; and ; If you have any questions or suggestions email one of these site coordinators or , project director.

HOTT Team

One or two teachers from each TPSS school is a member of the HOTT Team...."Hands On Technology Teacher". These teachers serve as liasons between the Instructional Technology Office and the individual schools. HOTT team members help to disseminate information, give input concerning the needs for staff development, and help coordinate system wide workshops. If you have any questions about schedules,upcoming events, or available resources contact the HOTT Team member at your school. The HOTT team member also is your contact person for reporting hardware or networking problems with your computers.

www.tangischools.org

All Tangipahoa Parish School System employees have an email address available to them through our website www.tangischools.org. For detailed directions on how to activate your email account, please see the HOTT team member at your school. They will give you a step-by-step direction sheet for accessing and activating your email account.

World Book Online
Gale Group Databases

All Tangipahoa Parish Schools can access World Book Online by clicking on these links from any computer connected to our Wide Area Network or from home. This is a free resource to Louisiana schools provided by Louisiana Center for Educational Technology. Contact your school librarian or for login and password.

The Gale Group is a huge collection of databases that includes Student Resource Center Gold, Junior Reference Center, InfoTrac Student K-13, InfoTrac Junior Edition , InfoTrac Kid's Edition, General Reference Center Gold , Professional Collection Online (NEW), Student Resource Center - Health Module (NEW!). Contact your school librarian or for login and password to access these resources after your school has registered.

AUP

All Tangipahoa Parish School System employees should have a current Acceptable Use Policy on file in their school office. Once this document is signed and on file, you have rights to use the TPSS Wide Area Network.Click here to see the Acceptable Use Policy.

Page Two...

FEATURED SITES OF
THE MONTH

Microsoft Classroom Teacher Network

Discover lesson plans and tutorials to help you learn Microsoft applications and implement them in your classroom. This site has an endless source of resources for classroom teachers.
http://www.microsoft.com/education/?ID=MCTN

Discover the stories of America's past in pages like Meet Amazing Americans, Jump Back in Time, Explore the States, Join America at Play, See Hear and Sing. http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi

Welcome to the U.S. government interagency Kids' Portal. It provides links to Federal kids' sites along with some of the best kids' sites from other organizations all grouped by subject. Look for state report information as well as music and transportation.
http://www.kids.gov/

LACUE conference

The Seventeenth Annual Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators Conference, will be held once again at the Riverfront Convention Complex in Alexandria on November 29, 30 and December 1, 2001. You can preregister online at www.lacue.org. Tangipahoa educators that are interested in attending should contact for details.

TECH TIP OF THE MONTH

Adding Drop Caps

A drop cap is the first letter of a report, chapter, or story that appears in a larger and more interesting font than the other characters. Here's how to add a drop cap to your document:
1.Select the first character of the first word at the start of your text.
2.Choose Format, Drop Cap.
3.Select a drop cap style.
4.Click OK.
5.Click the mouse in your text (not on the drop cap) and continue editing

JAKE'S TAKE ON TECHNOLOGY

"I am very excited about and proud to be a part of the results that were achieved by the teachers and students in the 2000-2001 school year. I expect the trend of increasing scores to continue this year. As we begin this new school year, I hope everyone takes time to remember why we all work so hard. The children in our schools are worth the work and the effort. We are swamped with things to be upgraded as the new year begins, but the School Board and Mr. Allen are providing greater resources for all of us to continue to help you accomplish great things. Have a wonderful first month as we begin a great year."

If you have something you would like to add to this newsletter please email me at ...

WWWords to Live By

The principle goal of education is to create people who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.
- Piaget

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