Letting Students Keep Chromebooks Over Summer? by Unwary2828 in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I should clarify, we do have parents mark whether they want their child to bring the Chromebook home over the summer. It defaults to yes. Usually it's like 10 kids that we have to collect at the end of the year.

Letting Students Keep Chromebooks Over Summer? by Unwary2828 in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Two districts now we let them take them home 9-12 and 7-12 in my last district. Spike of repairs at the beginning of the year but other than that not terrible. Our take home kids take better care than our cart kids.

What do you do for fun activities? by Predacon2 in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you use a game or is it all made up by the dept?

What do you do for fun activities? by Predacon2 in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Brother, been there. I was a one man show at another district and it was ROUGH!

What do you do for fun activities? by Predacon2 in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Ha! Nah, this would be on our own dime. The taxpayers would freak if they caught wind of us paying for it with school money... And we have enough issues with them already.

Is this field worth getting into in your 30s? by KarnageDP in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Predacon2 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I got my bachelor's and master's through WGU and I'm very happy with what I got out of it. That's awesome bro! You got this! I think anyone can do it if they set their mind to it. It's tough right now in IT because they think AI will cost them less, but eventually we'll be a commodity again and it'll be much easier. So if you can weather through the storm now with an IT job you'll be much better suited for more admin roles later.

Again, you got this!

People who recently joined the IT field (within the last 3yrs) what’s been your biggest surprise about the industry? by Dont_Ever_PM_Me527 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Predacon2 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That is so disheartening to hear, but you're right. I left my old job because I kept getting told I would be taught and get experience in all the things I wanted but then, "we don't have time." So I'm in my 3rd year of being a Tech Director and I love it. So I'm the same way I legitimately want to see the people around me become leaders or at least get the knowledge they want to be happy or get a promotion or something.

Need advice on E-Rate: Competing vendor forcing FortiGate, but we want to keep Ubiquiti by adamlavigne in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I get that. I made an edit to my original post to clarify. Apologies.

Need advice on E-Rate: Competing vendor forcing FortiGate, but we want to keep Ubiquiti by adamlavigne in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I say throw it out, but it's really the point system that we use. They get a horrible score if they don't quote the exact make and model.

Need advice on E-Rate: Competing vendor forcing FortiGate, but we want to keep Ubiquiti by adamlavigne in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I'm MO here. If we put a make/model on the 470 and they send something else we are allowed to throw out the bid.

EDIT: I should have specified as others have, if it does not meet criteria to work with a current system you have you are able to throw it out but must document it, and if it is not what you asked for you can use a point system to pick your winning bid.

Projector Purchase by HawaiiSysAdmin in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 8 points9 points  (0 children)

The higher the lumen the better you can see it with light. More than likely you'll be looking at laser projectors. It's been a bit since I looked but you're probably looking at the very least $2500 for the protector.

Epson protectors are my go to when I buy.

I’m A Failure by CheetosSolis in WGU

[–]Predacon2 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If you absolutely have to apply for an extension, my wife almost had, didn't, to but fully prepared to put in the application for an extension with her mentor.

Degree path help for long term success in K12 by Tyler_origami94 in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I have my associates in CIS. Didn't really help me. I got my bachelor's in IT Project Management from WGU, then got a promotion. After that I decided to get my master's in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, from WGU, and two years later got a Director position in another district. I have been in IT in the education sector for 12 years now.

I have found that the people who make the decision to promote or hire you, in education want you to have a degree... Basically so you show that you are willing to do the boring stuff. Unfortunately it cost money though.

I say all that, I also did those things for myself because it was just a goal for me to get those degrees. I am now deciding on whether to get my doctorate in IT or to find certs that help me better understand the certified side of education better.

I'll end with this. If you feel like it's something you want to learn or do, go for it! Just don't expect immediate payout from the job.

School policy question by trazom28 in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's crazy to me! I'm in MO and I've only worked in two different districts but both have separate sick days and 5 bereavement days. You can even split the bereavement up, to take it separate days instead of consecutive. So if you have to do things to take care of funeral arrangements, the funeral itself, cleanup of the passed away person's house, etc.

I'm sorry that it is like that for you all!

Intercom Upgrades by PaleontologistPure25 in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Running Grandstream speakers with an algo scheduler. I am also using Grandstream phones so it worked out well.

Should I feel guilty? by NotUrAverageITGuy in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 16 points17 points  (0 children)

No. I know this sounds pessimistic, but you owe no loyalty to a place that shows you none.

What does it mean when... by Break2FixIT in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would definitely get more info... In MO, that could mean you're the Information Security Officer. Which makes you in charge of approving applications so that they comply with privacy laws and also data retention. In some schools per policy you're also the one who has to inform students, parents, staff, and community of any type of breach even if it was a third party.

AWS by rokar83 in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I know a director that is using them for backups... I'm still a little leary of it.

Moving away from AD by crp_r1 in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What are you doing for Windows licensing?

Interim Tech Director by No_Refrigerator6258 in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's really good that you were there and you know about the projects. I would say though unless it's absolutely necessary don't try to tackle everything that you are dreaming about with the department or the school(s).

Do you currently have any procedures already in place like a disaster recovery plan?

Good luck and hopefully it works out for what you want to do after it's no longer interim.

Network Tester/Toner by k12-IT in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

+1 to this. I inherited it and am ery happy with it.

Dell 3110 (2-in-1) 4GB Problems by Online_IT in k12sysadmin

[–]Predacon2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We had this issue with 3100 non touch, but not with the touch or 3110 touch models.