Reflecting on the Start

This image was created with Gemini.

It has been a whirlwind start. I know that is a cliche, but it is the truth. (There will be more cliches in this post, so if that bothers you — feel free to pass this post by without a read. Most of my blog is shouting into the void anyway, so your lack of engagement won't bother me.) Last week, we made it to the Chuseok holiday in Korea and it was the first time I felt like I could really catch my breathe. All transitions are difficult, even with the best laid transition plans in place, so the chaos isn't surprising or unexpected by me. This isn't my first rodeo as they say in Montana. But now that I'm having time to reflect, I want to look back at the successes and failures of the first few months as the Director of Technology at St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju.

Success #1: The team is coming together nicely. I need to commend my IT team. Jason, Kihyun, and Howon have really pulled together and stepped up to the challenges. It has been a pleasure to see. They seem happier, more confident, more ready to meet the problems we face daily. Teachers and students feel more comfortable asking for support. 

Success #2: Giving a facelift to some of the old and tired digital items. I have created a new digital subscriptions website where teachers can explore the digital tools that we have available. Previously it was a list of links on a Google Doc. Not very engaging and little explanation of the products. Teachers have limited time, so presenting some simple, quick explanations of what the tools actually are gives them the opportunity to decide if they want to invest time in learning about the tools. This led to another new website called Who-Should-I-Ask that explains the different roles of the IT and EdTech positions at SJA. Again, previously this was a Google Doc with an explanation of each person, but no photos or clear reason to look at it. Both are works in progress, but the change is an improvement.

Success #3: We made it to Chuseok! Things are working. Teachers are teaching, students are learning, and the admin team is making lasting changes for the better.

Failure #1: The paperwork involved in purchasing the digital tools is cumbersome. I didn't fully appreciate just how difficult the process was for Kihyun until really seeing it in action. Unfortunately, during summer, with the time difference and trying to squeeze in time to see family, the flow of the documents needed and the process wasn't completely clear to me. This led to confusion and frustration for both Kihyun and myself. But to be fair, this situation was mostly my fault. It was one part the system itself, and two parts my understanding of it. Once I was back on the ground in Jeju, I quickly started to see my errors and adjusted my approach. I was more careful about the quotes, invoices, and receipts that are all part of the documentation process. This definitely made things better, but the initially failure was mine.

Failure #2: There are always blindspots in any position, but PowerSchool is a definite one for me. I'm working on up-skilling my knowledge, but it is a huge hole. Luckily we have Jason King and Dave Griffith who both know the system, but they are continually having to "fix" things for me or help me understand the system better. I appreciate and respect their support, but I sincerely hope to reach a level where I will be able to know the answers with regard to PowerSchool.

I recall a job-a-like for tech directors and coaches hosted by Matt Harris for 21st Century Learning HK several years ago where he said we needed to lean on our skills, but be accountable to our deficits. Those words are just as wise and true today as they were when he said them back then. Thanks again for those words, Matt.

Director of Technology

It is time that I can announce my promotion at St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju to Director of Technology for the coming school year (2025-26). I have actually stepped into the role as of two weeks ago. The pervious Director of Technology had an emergency and needed to leave a little early, so I took over the end of the year processes. It is an exciting and busy time, but it has given me the opportunity to begin building the teamwork that I would like to see moving forward. The administration was offering me a new office in the Admin Building, but I have decided not to take it. Mr. Johnson (Head of School) and Mr. Jeong (Director of Business) have both supported this idea. The physical and mental distance it would create between myself and my team is counterproductive in my mind. Instead I will have a work station in the ES IT Office and in the MS/HS IT Office. I will move back and forth between the two areas. I have been currently doing this and the benefits have already been clear. The IT techs have gotten to know me better and I have gotten to know them. Genuine trust has started to be built and bonds beyond the simple employee and supervisor roles have formed. As a small team, trust and relationships are important. I want to continue these relationships in the next year and being in the trenches working with them is the best way for the bonds to continue to grow.

Google Drive Notifications in Chat

 

Some of my teachers started complaining about a new feature in Google. Now you can receive notifications about Google Drive in your chat and some folks think this is a very unwanted thing. If you are someone who simply can't deal with receiving notifications about Google Drive through chat, you can mute or uninstall them. Go to the chat window and look for the Google Drive chat. By using the three dots on the right side of it, you can select mute or uninstall. Enjoy!

Gulf of Mexico in Google Maps and Apple Maps

Google shows Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America) 
if you are outside of the US.

So there has been a lot of talk about #47's name change to the Gulf of Mexico. Several of my friends back in the US have posted images on social media of how the change looks for them. I was curious and checked my Google Maps and Apple Maps to see and, as I figured would happen, the place in question is still called the Gulf of Mexico for me. The services are complying with a directive from the President, but it is impacting people who have an IP address in the US. For my Korean IP address, I still see the Gulf of Mexico.

Apple shows Gulf of Mexico if you are outside of the US.

Glitch in Practice Sets in Google Classroom

I was experimenting with the Practice Sets in Google Classroom. The new feature allows for an practice assignment where students are supported in learning material. The idea is great and my students have said that they enjoy the low stakes feeling of the interface. They have opportunities to attempt the answer multiple times, but still complete the assignment for full credit, even when they initially got a few answers incorrect. 

Recently I used the tool again to provide some practice about the rhetorical appeals (logos, ethos, and pathos). This time, however, when students submitted the work, some of them were marked as if they hadn't submitted. Because one of the students, who always does her work, told me, "Mr. Bray, I honestly turned it in." I took another look and noticed that is still showed that she hadn't submitted the assignment. I had her bring her computer to me and I watched as she submitted the work... And the interface still show her as not having submitted. Weird! 

I contacted Google with the little question mark on the bottom lefthand side of the screen. I've wrote to Google before in Classrooms about other glitches or requests for features in the past, but I have never received a response— until this time. One of the support people wrote to me and asked for some follow up information about what happened and links to the assignment. It was nice to hear from them, because I have been told by fellow Google Certified Trainers and Google Education employees that Google is listening to our feedback, but it was great to see it in action. Thanks, Google! I have shared a screenshot of what the glitch looked like in my teacher interface so people will be aware of the issue. I will update this post when/if I hear back from Google again.