Staying Alert
There has been a significant increase in cyber crimes in the last month, with many of them targeting schools, including some here in Ohio. Here are a few recent reports: Groveport Madison in Ohio is currently fighting a hacker attack, there was a cyber attack on Glendale Schools in California, and Henry County Schools in Georgia are currently looking to get back online. Mentor Schools will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of your information, our student's information, and all of our online content. Please remember the IT Big Three:
The IT Big Three
Password Security
Update Operating Systems
Two Factor Authentication
January 28th is National Data Privacy Day
On the morning of January 28th, the Mentor Schools' staff gathered in the Fine Arts Center with a buzz of anticipation. Mr. Woodworth, the school's IT Supervisor, stepped forward, eager to share his knowledge about National Data Privacy Day with his colleagues.

"Good morning, everyone! Today is National Data Privacy Day," Mr. Woodworth announced, his passion for digital safety evident. In a concise yet engaging presentation, he emphasized safeguarding personal information in the digital age.

Mr. Woodworth delved into practical tips for fortifying digital security, stressing the significance of strong passwords and two-factor authentication. The staff pledged to instill a sense of responsibility in their students, preparing them for the challenges of the digital world.

Throughout the day, each teacher integrated digital safety into their lessons. By day's end, Mr. Woodworth's digital odyssey had united the Mentor School's staff in a shared mission – to responsibly guide their students in navigating the digital landscape.

As they left the building, ensuring all doors were secured, Mr. Woodworth and his colleagues carried a newfound sense of purpose – guardians of both the physical and digital realms, ensuring that Mentor Schools remained a haven of safety and knowledge.

Of course...AI assisted
Even over Winter break, we continue to see Loop used by our teachers, athletic coaches, and club advisors. Another great use of Loop is to send a quick positive message to a family about something that stood out about one of your students. Positive messages will make the day for parents and students and leave you feeling good about sharing the great things happening in your classrooms.

Below is a slide on how to adjust your email notifications. My daily notification hits my Inbox every day at 4:00 and is an easy way to ensure I have not missed any messages. See the image below to learn how to adjust your notifications. Thank you to Patti Talarczyk, and all our Instructional Coaches for supporting our teachers and staff using Loop!
Many staff have taken advantage of our new communication tool, Loop. The GIF here is a reminder of how simple it is to create and send an announcement!
A Little IT Humor
We have discussed The IT Big Three in this edition of IT News and Notes. Two Factor Authentication aka Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a key part of keeping our systems and data secure. For almost two years now we have required MFA on our accounts. Thank you for helping us take this BIG step towards securing our information!
Approved Programs
(In addition to District Purchased / Approved Programs)
District Approved / Non-Supported "FREE" Programs where a SDPA has been SECURED
While we prefer district-approved programs, we've secured agreements for specific "FREE" programs as well. We currently have secured 47 Student Data Privacy Agreements (SDPA) for distrcit-purchased / approved programs along with 23 "Free" programs where we have also secured SDPAs. The list of these district-approved / non-supported "FREE" programs is below:
  • Actively Learn
  • Blooket
  • Code.org
  • Common Lit
  • Conjuguemos
  • Delta Math
  • DESMOS
  • Edpuzzle
  • Eduflow
  • Explain Everything
  • Formative
  • Gimkit
  • iXL math
  • KHAN ACADEMY
  • Lucid Chart
  • No Red Ink
  • Noodletools
  • Padlet
  • Quill
  • Quizizz
  • Readworks
  • Story Board
  • Verso
Failure to protect student and staff information can result in financial and reputational loss, including significant costs for resolving a data breach or cybersecurity attacks and loss of confidence in the district by the public. Our district will continue to focus on maintaining the highest system and data security level!