Information Technology Support Services

Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives

The Information Technology Support Services (ITSS) department at Alum Rock Union School District (ARUSD) provides support for networks, systems, applications, databases, voice & data communications, and other technologies used in the classroom and the district. ITSS department has the responsibility to provide a secure infrastructure and a safe browsing experience for all its users that comply with District-wide, state, and federal technology standards and policies.

Our Vision is to direct, support, and participate in the building of innovative, secure, and accessible technology to build secure modern-day classrooms, streamline administrative processes, and improve communications with the community.

Our Mission is to provide secure, reliable, and integrated technology solutions in alignment with the educational and business objectives of the district while delivering excellence in customer service.

Our goal is to make the best and optimal use of available resources to deliver excellence in operations and services.

Our Objectives are:

To be a reliable and secure support wheel to deliver excellence in education.
To provide helpdesk/ technical support with the goal of achieving an average of 1-day response for all users.
To utilize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Return On Investment (ROI) models for technology purchases.
To show empathy, respect, and compassion to all users.
Automate and secure services while reducing the friction needed to access resources
To provide end-user technical support with a high level of security and safety
The management, support, and securing of servers, networks, databases, SIS, websites, workstations, telecom, and classroom technology.
The utilization of various funding options available to the District to accomplish our Vision, such as eRate, Grants, and other resources.
To provide recommendations, piloting, and implementation of innovative technology for student academic achievement and proficiency.
To provide informed direction of technology purchases through the Approval of District-wide technology acquisitions.
To continually improve services by holding and participating in meetings, surveys, and feedback from tech committees, stakeholders, and administrators.

Brett Littrell
Chief Technology Officer

Tech Readiness

Student Use of Technology form

Device Collection and Distribution

Alum Rock Union School District seeks to maintain a 1 device to 1 student ratio in order to maximize the learning experience of our students. The following are the types of devices based on grade:

TK/K Students : iPads
1st-8th Students : Chromebooks
Tk-8 Students : LTE Data Enabled (as needed basis)
School Site administrators are collecting iPads back from new 1st Graders and issuing them Chromebooks and hotposts(where needed)
Temporary arrangements: If school sites are short of iPads to issue to Tk/K students, please contact the district ITSS department for replacement with existing surplus iPads.
Devices for Independent Study can be collected from ITSS department @ District Office
How-to Videos on how to add Hotspot to Chromebook or iPad Distance Learning Page

Network Access

There are two Networks users can access, ARUSD and ARUSD-Guest. Instructions for each are below.

***Please be aware, to ensure the safety of our students, all traffic on district networks may be inspected for harmful content. This includes secure sites on the Internet ***

ARUSD Wifi Access

ARUSD maintains one Wifi network for Staff and Students of the district. This Wifi network's name is ARUSD and should be visible at all school sites where wifi is available.

Windows
Macintosh

Windows

District laptops that are managed by ITSS should have the configuration for Windows-based access pushed down to the machine; however, if there is no configuration, the following are the steps that may be used to access the ARUSD Wifi Network:

Step 1: Connect to the ARUSD Wifi Network.

Step 2: Enter your district user credentials to log in.

If this is a personal computer that you are using for school business, you may also need to download and install ARUSD Certificate Authority Certificates in order to gain unhindered access to the Internet.

Macintosh

Very similar to Windows, Mac connection to ARUSD Wireless network is as follows:

Step 1: Connect to the ARUSD Wifi Network.

Step 2: Enter the user's district credentials at the login prompt.

Guest Wifi Network

Guest Wifi Access is allowed at school sites after a user registers with the Wireless system. This includes supplying the user's name and email address.

Upon Successful login, the email credentials will be sent to the supplied email address and will work for 24 hours.

Longer access to the Guest network is possible if a school site sponsor logs in and creates the credentials for the Guest.

***Warning*** All access to Guest Wifi may be subject to inspection by ARUSD firewalls for both unsecured and secured traffic to ensure the appropriateness of content and the protection of our Students.

Step 1: Connect to ARUSD-Guest Wifi.

Step 2: Read and Accept the Traffic Inspection disclosure by pressing the Proceed button. *Note*: if you decline, you will not be allowed to use the Guest Wifi Network.

Step 3: If you previously registered and your login is still within a 24-hour period, you may log in with the credentials provided; otherwise, click the Register as Guest link.

Step 4: Enter your name and email address, other information is optional.

Step 5: You will receive a popup with your credentials, you may copy these for future reference. If you put in a valid email, you will also receive the credentials in an email.

Step 6: The credentials will autofill into the login window when you press okay: you may then log in to Wifi.

You now have access to the Internet for 24 hours on the ARUSD-Guest wifi network

Certificate Installation for Computers to Access the Internet

For Computers Managed by ITSS all certificates should have been installed on your computer

Windows Certificate Install
Macintosh Certificate Install

Windows Certificate Install

Installation of Certificates to your computer is a bit more complicated and does require the user to have Administrator access to your computer.

Step 1: Download the following Certificates to your computer ARUSD Root CA, ARUSD Sub CA 1, ARUSD Sub CA 2.

Step 2: Once downloaded you will need to install each one, find the location of where the certificate was downloaded and start with the ARUSD Root CA by double left Clicking the file

Step 3. On the first page of the Certificate there is a Install Certificate button, click this.

Step 4. When prompted select the local machine radio button for installation

Step 5: For the ARUSD Root CA certificate you must install it to the "Trusted Root Certificate Authorities". for the ARUSD Sub CA 1 and ARUSD Sub CA 2 you must install into the "intermediate Certificate Authorities"

For ARUSD Root CA Only

For ARUSD Sub CA 1 and CA2

Step 6: Complete the Import of the Certificates

Step 7. Repeat these steps for each of the certificate files you have downloaded.

Macintosh Certificate Install

Installation of Certificates to Apple Macintosh computers is straightforward but will require administrative access to the Apple Keychain.
***If this is a District managed computer, the certificates should already be installed.***

Step 1: Download the certificates to the local computer: ARUSD Root CA, ARUSD Sub CA 1, ARUSD Sub CA 2

Step 2: Double Click each Certificate

Step 3: When prompted to Access the Keychain, log in with an account that can modify the Keychain. Press the Modify Keychain button after typing the credentials

To ensure proper certificate installation, you may view the certificates in the Keychain

Certificate installation is complete; the computers should function normally on the network from this point on.

ParentSquare

ZOOM Accounts and training resources

To access ARUSD Zoom account please you may login via ARUSD Zoom. From the Zoom application you should select the SSO option for logging in, enter "arusd-org" in front of the "zoom.us". If you are already logged into Google then you will not need to login to Zoom.

Teacher's and staff's existing arusd.org zoom account will be upgraded to Zoom for Education. Here is the Data Sheet. No change needed.
Please visit the Zoom Video Tutorials, (available but not limited to Scheduling a Meeting / Meeting Controls / Break Out Rooms / Host & Co-host Controls) use the SSO button
Student Zoom's background control - Currently not possible

Student logins

Student passwords are visible to Teachers through TAC (Teacher Access Center), passwords are placed in the nickname field. All student usernames begin with "stu4XXXXXX"
Schools are providing new student logins at the time of assigning the devices.
Clever Single Sign On Portal can be used by both students and staff https://www.arusd.org/clever
The Curriculum Programs Contact info for student logins for online programs.

Home Access Center

Grammarly

Grammarly is a relatively new addition to the applications offered to Staff and Faculty. Grammarly is a plugin to your browser or desktop applications that will help correct Grammar based errors as well as describe the over all tone of a document, email or other types of communication.

Quick video of Login to Grammarly Single Sign-on.

Step by Step setup of Grammarly

Device Issues/ repair and replacement

First Call tech support @ (408) 928-6917 to resolve issues.
If the problem is not fixable over the phone, tech support may send a techician onsite, if the device is located off district property tech support may ask you to bring the device in-person.
If usage of the device is required for the user or student to do their work ITSS will make every effort to supply a temporary replacement while the device is being repaired.

ITSS Apps

ITSS Application Cheat Sheet

Application Abbreviation or Nickname	Application	How to Access	Credentials
District Single Sign On	Clever Single Sign On Gmail Technology Helpdesk Web Site Management Intranet Grammarly Vivi ScreenShare	https://a rusd.onelogin.com	Username or Email Address with Password Staff will require MFA
HAC	Home Access Center	https://hac.arusd.org/homeaccess	(Student/Parent Accounts)
TAC	Teacher Access Center (eSchoolPlus)	https://eschoolplus.arusd.org/TAC/	firstname.lastname, same pwd as email
ESP	eSchoolPlus	https://eschoolplus.arusd.org/eschoolplus	Network Account
EAC	Employee Access Center	https://eac.arusd.org/eac51/	Same as TAC
ParentSquare	ParentSquare	https://www.parentsquare.com/signin	Sign-in with Google