Accessing SMART Notebook Express on Chromebooks

Many teachers have asked about home access to SMART Notebook and/or the ability to open Notebook files on a Chromebook. SMART Notebook Express is a web-based, slimmed-down version of the desktop equivalent and does not require a download or licensing. Since it is web-based, it can be used with Chromebooks. It can also be downloaded on a Windows/Mac Desktop to access files offline. SMART Notebook Express allows anyone to open Notebook files and make minor changes. The Screen Shade, the pen, and eraser are supported and accessible, but more advanced features are unavailable. SMART Notebook Express is also great if you’ve got lesson resources in SMART Notebook that you want to share with your class, as it’s accessible for free from any computer with a web browser.

Here is a quick reference guide for  SMART Notebook Express: http://downloads01.smarttech.com/media/services/quickreferences/pdf/english/nb_express_qr.pdf.

The quick start guide does point to the download button; however, you can skip this and click the blue button to open an existing smart notebook lesson or select the green button to create a new document on the web. The video link below walks through how to open an existing file saved in Google Drive.

Here is a video with directions for accessing existing Notebook files on your Chromebook: 

Depending on your browser settings and permissions, Adobe Flash may also have to be enabled in order for SMART Notebook Express to run in your browser. 

Securly Parent Portal Access

Our school uses Securly, a cloud-based Internet filter, to help keep students safe on their school issued devices.Beginning this week parents and guardians of students in grades 6-12 will have the ability to receive and review their students' home Internet activity. All parents with emails on file with the district will receive a weekly email from Securly.com that will show a preview of their child’s online activity at home.

The Parent Portal contains three categories for guardians to view:
1. Activity (shows an audit trail of  the student's online activity)
2. Flagged (shows posts made on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ that have been flagged by Securly as potentially related to self-harm or bullying)
3. Settings (allows parents to control content on the device at home only)

Here is an overview of the parent portal:

Parent Portal by Securly from Securly on Vimeo.


Here is a walkthrough of the Securly access for parents:
Parent Portal by Securly from Securly on Vimeo.

New Portal Pages & Digital Resource Review Process

In order to provide easy access to our most frequently visited district and grade level digital resources, the Technology Team has built an App Portal for staff and students. As part of this process, the team also enabled Single-Sign On (SS0) options when they were available.

The student portal pages automatically load as the home page for students when they are using Chrome.

Staff can access the portal page on the district website (Staff→Staff Tools→Staff App Portal).

Additionally, in order to comply with FERPA and COPPA to protect student data and privacy, we have created a list of digital resources that have been evaluated by our Technology Team. Websites and other digital resources that DO NOT require a student login can be used without review.

The following federal laws impact technology use and access for students.

FERPA - The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

• FERPA requires that schools have written authorization from guardians to release information from students' educational records.
• This means that only with specific exceptions, staff cannot share student information with apps and websites without guardian consent.

COPPA - The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act

• COPPA places restrictions on software companies about the information they are able to collect about kids under 13. 
• This means that students under 13 are not able to create their own accounts. In some cases, teachers may be able to create accounts for students; however, FERPA responsibilities still apply.

CIPA - The Children's Internet Protection Act

• CIPA mandates that districts take measures to filter internet access to protect students. 

Here is an outline of our SDMA student data and privacy practices guide: Link

If there are resources you would like to use that are not currently approved or under review, please submit an evaluation request linked on the district app portal page. Chrome apps and extensions will not appear in the Webstore for students unless they have been evaluated and approved. A complete list of reviewed apps is also linked on the district app portal page.