Skip Navigation

St. Pius X is a Google school. 

 

We have implemented a 1:1 program
  1. Increase student engagement with technology integrated content.
  2. Shared devices are limited and there is a greater need for access to technology among our students.
  3. Reinforce keyboarding and technology literacy skills daily.
  4. Increase individual access to online versions of school textbooks with enhanced content.
 
 
Why Chromebooks?
  1. Reasonably priced: Chromebooks cost about ½ of what a traditional laptop costs.
  2. Integrated with the Google platform.
  3. Students quickly become comfortable and productive on Chromebooks due to their simple approach to computers.
  4. Capability for the school to control the administration rights of the device using required school installed management software.

Students in Grades K-5 will be provided with a Chromebook to use in the classroom. These will remain at school.

Students in Grades 6-8 are required to bring their own Chromebook which will allow them to take the device home for homework and have easy access to on-line textbooks. In order for this Chromebook to be used at St. Pius X, the school will purchase a management software license for the device, so that it can be linked to our network. The Chromebook will be configured such that only school accounts may be used during the school day. It will not control what content the student can access off campus, at home, or on other Wi-Fi networks. That is all set up through your household security and with your family’s rules and expectations.

Students are welcome to bring any model Chromebook that works for their family, the only requirement being that it is a Chromebook. If you do not currently own a Chromebook, many options are available, online or from a brick and mortar retailer. The current school base model is a CTL NL7 with an Intel Apollo Lake N3350 Processor and 4GB RAM.

Be advised that Chromebooks have an Auto-Update Expiration (AUE) date.  The Chromebook will work after that date (usually 8 years from the original release of that model), but it will no longer receive security updates, bug fixes and new features. 

  • To check the AUE of a particular model use this list: https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366?#zippy=.
  • To check on an existing unit:  Open up your Chromebook's settings menu by clicking on the time in the lower right of your screen and then clicking on the Settings cog icon. At the bottom of the left navigation panel (you may need to click the three bars at the top left to open the panel), you'll see About Chrome OS. Click that, and then on "Additional details." That's where you'll find your AUE date. 

Troubleshooting & Frequently Asked Questions

I'm having connection issues.

Try powering down the Chromebook and restarting. It's a good idea to do this every night to help clear the cache and install any updates.

The camera/microphone/some keys are not working.

Hardware reset:  Turn off (power down) the Chromebook. Press and hold the refresh key  (above the 4). Tap the power button, and when the Chromebook starts up again, release the refresh key.

Chromebook reset: Log off. Press and hold (in order) Shift+Ctrl+Alt+r. Release and the Chromebook will ask if you want to "Powerwash" or reset to factory settings.  You do.  You will need to enter your email and password to log back in.

Any additional accounts can be added back after school hours by using "add person" at the bottom.

If neither of those fix the problem, please contact techhelp@stpiusdocs.org

 

What is my password?

For security reasons, we will not email passwords to students. In general, your password for most applications is the same as your Google password. During school hours, contact Mrs. Sussex and she will help you.

Can I add a mouse or external monitor to a Chromebook at home?

Absolutely.  Depending on the model Chromebook that you are using, you may need an adaptor to add an external monitor. Please be sure to remove the mouse USB receiver before returning the Chromebook.

Where can I find shortcuts and features?

Ctrl + Alt + ? will take you to a screen with more help.

Some common shortcuts are:

Ctrl + c : Copy

Ctrl + v : Paste

Ctrl + a: Select all

Ctrl + f : Find text

Turn off/off Caps Lock : Search  + Alt

Alt + [ : Dock a window on the left

Alt + ] : Dock a window on the right

 

 

 

What do the keys on the top of the keyboard do?

What is GoGuardian and how do I connect to it?

GoGuardian is a subscription service that we use to monitor the students during the school day. It enables us to see the screen of each student, limit the websites they can visit and to privately chat with them as needed.  We cannot "take over" their computers, but we can open & close tabs and temporarily lock their computer if necessary.

 

In order to better serve our students and maintain classroom control, all students must be visible on GoGuardian.  During Comprehensive Distance Learning ONLY, students are allowed to use a device other than a Chromebook during the school day. 

 
First, some clarification:
 
Chrome is a web browser owned by Google.
 
Google Apps (including Google Classroom, Docs, Sheets, etc. are Google services.
 

 

Depending on the type of device that you are using, the procedure to make sure you are correctly connected is as follows:

 

Chromebook:

Make sure that you are logged into the Chromebook itself with your school credentials, not a personal account. You can add a personal account to your Chromebook, but it may only be used after school hours.

 

Mac or Windows device:

  1. Change the default browser to Chrome. 
  2. Login to the Chrome browser with your school account:
    1. Open Google Chrome, and look for your user icon in the top right, between the extension list and the 3 dots. Not the one next to the nine-dot waffle (if visible).
    2. You can tell if you are signed in or not by what the icon looks like. If you are signed in correctly to your school account, it will be your school account photo. If it is not, you will need to create a new profile for your school account, or switch to a previously created profile.
    3. Click the profile picture and find the correct profile.  If it does not exist, click +Add.
    4. Choose a name for your profile. Something like your first name and School is good (i.e. Morty-School). You don’t need to choose an avatar, because it will use your school profile picture.  You can choose whether or not you want a desktop shortcut for this user. Click Add.
    5. You are already a Chrome user, so click Sign in under the “Get Started” button
    6. Sign in with your school credentials.
    7. Link data (required)
    8. Click “Yes, I’m in” to turn on sync and keep all of your bookmarks, passwords, etc. across any devices you use.
  3. Now, the Chrome profile picture and the Google profile picture just below and to the right will be the same and you are logged in correctly.
  4. To switch back to a personal account (after school hours) you can click on the Chrome profile picture and change back and forth as needed. This will eliminate the need to log in and out of your different accounts in Google and avoid confusion.

 

If you have any questions or need extra help, please contact techhelp@stpiusdocs.org, we’ll be happy to walk you through the process.

 

If we cannot see you on GoGuardian, we will contact you to find out why. Consequences will be given to students who deliberately circumvent GoGuardian.

I'm having trouble with videos and Google Meet lagging/freezing.

Try clearing your cache. 

  1. Go to the 3 dots at the top right of your screen and choose "Settings".
  2. Under Privacy and security, choose "clear browing data".
  3. Make sure the Time range is set to "All time".  Cookies and other site data should be checked, along with Cached images and files. Do not click Passwords and other sign-in data unless you want to lose all of your saved passwords!
  4. Click "Clear data".

 

Use the Meet Troubleshooting feature:

  1. Click the 3-dots in the bottom right of your Meet.
  2. Choose "Troubleshooting &help"

 

You can see your Network stability (WiFi) connections. 
  • If it is consistently above the dotted line, check your network and/or your internet service provider website for issues.
You can also see your System Load.
  • If your CPU usage is high, close any unneeded tabs and programs.  Try rebooting your Chromebook to end any hidden uses of resources. 
My camera app has "file system error"

You'll need to do a Chromebook reset:

Log off. Press and hold (in order) Shift+Ctrl+Alt+r. Release and the Chromebook will ask if you want to "Powerwash" or reset to factory settings.  You do.  You will need to enter your email and password to log back in. 

Any additional accounts can be added back after school hours by using "add person" at the bottom.

 

How do I connect a printer to my Chromebook?

If you are at school, just choose the appropriate printer from the list that appears when you click "Print". Be sure to verify that you are printing only what you need (if you are printing from a website, for example, it may try to print many more pages than you want).

If you are not at school, you can print one of a few ways:

If you have a WiFi printer on the same network that you are on, it should appear in the printer list. 

  • If someone has installed a network printer on the same network that you are on, it should appear in the printer list. 
  • If not, you can add it manually by finding the IP address of the printer (print a network report from the printer itself) and "add printer."
    • Name: Whatever you want to call it 
    • Address: this is the IP address.  Should be something like 192.168.168.305
      • Don't use the "subnet mask" or IP gateway 
    • Protocol: change to HTTP (or HTTPS if needed)
    • Queue: don't change this value
  • Select your printer make and model (or as close as you can find, i.e. if you have an MFC-L2715DW, MFC-L2700DW is close enough)
  • Connect directly to the printer with a USB cable.
  • Some students have printed with outside services such as FedEx.  If you choose to do this, you will need to contact techhelp@stpiusdocs.org to whitelist the company so you can email to them.  Currently, FedEx is on that list.

 

My Chromebook screen is zoomed too far in

Press ctrl+alt+decrease brightness (key above the 7 & 8) until you can see the toolbar, then click the time, open Accessibility, turn off full-screen magnifier

I am leaving St. Pius X School. How do I save my data?
  1. Log into your school account.
  2. Click on your photo in the top right corner
  3. Choose "Manage your Google Account"
  4. Go to Transfer your content and choose "Start transfer"
  5. Enter your personal Google account email address.  If you don't already have a personal Google account, create one here.
  6. Click "Send Code"
  7. Log into your personal account email and verify that you want to get a code. Copy the code back to your school account where it asks for it.
  8. Choose the data you want to transfer (files, email or both)
  9. Start Transfer

It can take a few days for everything to transfer over depending on how much there is. Please be aware that personal G Suite accounts are limited to 15 GB of free storage. You may need to delete some files first in order to complete the transfer (or create a new account for this purpose).

Google Classroom Questions

Does Classroom keep my student's information safe?

Yes. Every account issued by St. Pius X is protected by privacy and security requirements. As long as students are using their school account, Google will not collect any information about the student. For more information, see https://edu.google.com/why-google/privacy-security/

As a parent, how can I see more information about my child's Google Classroom?

You can always login as your student to see what they see. Another alternative is to ask your student's teacher or techhelp@stpiusdocs.org to be added as a guardian on their account.  You will not see the classroom stream, other people or grades, but you will receive an email summary about missing and upcoming work in your student's account. 

I'm getting too many emails from Google Classroom OR I'm not receiving any notifications.
1.  Go to Google Classroom and click the 3 bars in the top left corner. 
 
 
2.  Scroll to the bottom and click "Settings"
 
3.  Adjust the settings here. If you turn off all the settings, you won’t know if a teacher returns an assignment for you to correct, so be aware.
 
I'm having trouble with the camera on my Chromebook. Can I submit work with my phone?

Yes. You will need to install the Google Classroom app on your phone or tablet and login to your account.  Then you can take a photo and upload it directly to your Google Classroom.  Please only use the phone or tablet for this and not for regular Meets or classwork.

My account is showing a class from last year. Can I remove it?

Yes. Click the three dots in the upper right corner of the class tile and choose "Unenroll". Please be careful not to unenroll from current classes. If you do so, please contact your teacher or techhelp@stpiusdocs.org to be added back in.

Google Meet Questions

I'm having problems with my Meet
  • Make sure you only have one Meet tab open at a time. Close any open browser tabs, windows, or apps that aren't currently being used.
  • Turn off any Chromebook extensions, especially Meet-specific ones.
  • Put your device on a flat and elevated surface to prevent your device from overheating. Avoid using your device on the floor or bed for a long period of time.
  • Change your Meet layout to Spotlight view.
  • Change the quality of your device's video to a lower resolution. 
  • Power down the Chromebook and restart.
  • If you are using a device other than a Chromebook, be sure that you are logged into Chrome (not just Meet) with your school account.
I can't see everyone on my screen.

In Meet, go to the 3-dot kabob in the bottom right corner of the screen and choose 

Choose "Tiled" and slide the Tile bar on the bottom to the right to add more tiles to your view.

I need the instruction screen to be bigger.

Hover over the image you want and click the pin to make it your main view.  Unpin to return to grid view.

I can't hear (or see) anyone else on the Meet.

Click the lock icon on the left of the address bar to make sure that all the settings are set to "Allow". If you've verified that your sound is on in another tab, try leaving the Meet and rejoining.

If that doesn't work, try a Hardware reset:  Turn off (power down) the Chromebook. Press and hold the refresh key  (above the 4). Tap the power button, and when the Chromebook starts up again, release the refresh key.

How to I add or remove myself from the grid?

Hover over the small image of yourself in the upper right corner. Click the grid icon to add or remove yourself from the larger grid view. 

I'm on a phone or tablet because I can't use my Chromebook right now. Why can't I see the Classroom Meet link?

The Meet app must also be installed on the device. In classroom, you will then see a video camera icon on the top right instead of the link you usually see on the Chromebook.  Please return to using your Chromebook as soon as possible.

Can I have a meet with someone outside of St. Pius X School?

Teachers may invite external users such as a guest speaker to a Classroom Meet. The teacher must admit them to the room, just as if they were physically visiting a classroom. Students may not admit guest users. After school hours, and with parental permission, students may use personal gmail accounts to meet with outside users.

My student would like to have a Meet with his/her friends after school, can we do this?

Our safety requirements are that only teachers can create Meeting rooms, so they can monitor any use of school accounts. Students are free to use a personal gmail account to socialize with their friends after school hours with the understanding that parents are responsible for monitoring those interactions.

Email Questions

Why can't students email their parents?

For safety reasons, only school accounts can correspond with student email accounts with the few exceptions of approved sites (Google services, Khan Academy, etc.) We encourage parents to know their students' usernames and passwords so that they can supervise any use of technology.

 

 

 

If you can't find what you are looking for here or continue to have problems, please email us at techhelp@stpiusdocs.org

Mrs. Sussex

 

Mr. Hodgson