The New Google Sites is Now Live!

The long-awaited new Google Sites is now live in the apps4pps domain. The new editor has an easy-to-use interface and attractive design and integration with G Suite apps. You can read more information about the new Google Sites here.

From Google support:
Migration tools to transition your classic sites will be released in 2017.  Both classic and new Sites will continue to be supported during this time. Timelines and instructions regarding the gradual depreciation of classic Sites will be released in 2018. The specific depreciation date will be announced at least one year in advance.

Until the recommended migration tools are released, you can migrate an existing classic site using the following methods:

• Rebuild your site using new Sites.
• Copy and paste content from classic Sites to new Sites.
• Add a banner to your classic site redirecting people to the new site URL.

New Google Sites learning resources:

• G Suite Learning Center: Sites
• New Google Sites Cheat Sheet from Jenn Judkins
• New Google Sites Tutorial from Teacher's Tech

Google Cast Now Built Into Chrome

Read more here.

Google Apps Updates

Some recent Google news:

Google is killing off Hangouts on Air in September [The Verge]

Meet Google Duo, a simple 1-to-1 video calling app for everyone [Official Google Blog]

Taking learning beyond classroom walls with new features for Back to School [Google for Education Blog]

• Parents and guardians stay informed with Google Classroom email summaries
• Annotations help students color outside the lines — and the classroom
• More Expeditions thousands of miles away or inside the human body
• More Google for Education features for busy teachers and curious minds

New Google Drive search feature makes for easier filtering to find your stuff (hasn't hit the apps4pps domain yet)

Updates from ISTE: 4 new tools to help teachers do what they do best

Posted by Jonathan Rochelle, Director of Product Management, Google for Education and
Cyrus Mistry, Lead Product Manager, Devices and Content, Google for Education

Editor's note: This week our Google for Education team will be joining thousands of educators at the annual ISTE conference. Follow along here and on Twitter for the latest news and updates. 

"Teachers are great communicators, collaborators, creators and critical thinkers. It takes a teacher to empower students with these skills and create the leaders of our future. As technology becomes an increasingly integral component of our classrooms, the role of teachers becomes even more important.

Today at ISTE, we’re announcing four more ways for these everyday heroes to engage their classes and empower their students using Google tools. Look out for a deeper dive on each of these launches on the blog throughout this week."

Read the full post here.

NEW! Google Slides Q&A

From the Google Docs Blog:

Check this out..."a new feature in Google Slides: Slides Q&A. This update—rolling out globally today—helps speakers connect with their audience and collect real-time feedback. With a simple link displayed on a Slides presentation, audience members can submit questions from their phones, laptops, and tablets—and vote on those they want answered the most.

Slides Q&A makes it easy to interact with your audience—without having to worry about mics or moderators. Slides also helps you get your big ideas and stories on screen—without having to worry about wires or set up stress. Starting today, we're improving this "Show up, don't setup" experience in two ways:

You can now present your slides to a Hangout from your iPhone or iPad. So with just your phone or tablet and the Slides app, you can present to any screen using Chromecast, AirPlay or Hangouts.

And for those of you who like presenting from a computer, we're introducing a new laser pointer on the web. Just in time for May the 4th (be with you)."

Google Apps for Education Privacy & Security Information

Updated information on Google for Education's trust page. Worth reading through again.

Google Forms Gets Templates, Add-on Support and More

From TechCrunch by Frederic Lardinois (@fredericl):

"With today’s release, you can now select from a number of templates for standard surveys like customer feedback, quizzes and event sign-up right from the Google Forms home screen. Until now, forms dropped you right into the editor when you started a new form, but you always had to start from scratch. These new templates should make it quite a bit easier to get started with the service."

Read more about the updates at the link above.

Educate & Engage 2016: The Parent-Teacher Conference

*Posters have been PONYed to all schools this week.*

EDUCATE & ENGAGE 2016: THE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCESaturday, March 12, 2016, 9am-noon
Lewis Elementary School / 4401 SE Evergreen
Sponsors: PPS & Concordia University
Audience: Parents

Technology is changing how today’s students learn. The creativity and innovation of teachers is advancing educational opportunities – allowing students to connect with and learn from teachers, the world and each other more than ever before. On Saturday, March 12, 2016, local school districts are partnering to host Educate & Engage 2016: The Parent-Teacher Conference, offering parents an opportunity to hear from teachers about the roles and implications of technology both in and out of today's modern classroom. A device is not necessary, but you can bring your own (laptop, tablet, smartphone) if you want.

Space is limited to 150 participants. If you are pre-registering, supervision will be available for a limited number of children ages 5 and older.

Sessions Include:

• Social Media in Education
• Google Apps for Education (also in Spanish)
• Coding and Computer Science
• Parenting in the 21st Century (also in Spanish)
• How Technology is Changing Teaching and Learning
• What is STEM/STEAM?
• Cyberbullying

Registration is open Feb. 1-29. For more information and to register, visit http://bit.ly/educateengage2016. Questions? Contact Melissa Lim, mlim@pps.net.