Monday, December 23 Synergy/HCPSS Connect Planned Maintenance - The vendor for Synergy has scheduled a mandatory maintenance window to complete updates on Monday, December 23 at 8 p.m. The window will last until all necessary updates have been successfully applied, which is anticipated to be approximately at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, December 24. Users may experience times of no or sluggish response during this maintenance window. Once the work is complete, users may continue to log in as usual.

Google Gemini for Staff

Google Gemini is a powerful AI language model that can help you with a variety of tasks, from writing emails to creating lesson plans. At this time, it is only available to all staff members.

To Access Gemini:

  1. Log into G Suite using your HCPSS Active Directory login
  2. Go to Gemini.google.com
  3. Select - “Chat with Gemini” to initiate the Terms and Conditions
  4. Ready to use - Use the Prompt bar to enter your information

For future access, Gemini will appear in your waffle menu, located on the top right corner of your HCPSS Google Drive. 

When using AI, remember:

  • Never include staff or student personal identifiable information. Once entered, it cannot be removed from the service and may be used by the service.
  • Define prompts clearly.
  • Start small.
  • Check the facts to ensure any AI-generated output used with students, families, community, and staff is appropriate and accurate (Not all bots provide accurate information).
  • Consider engaging colleagues in collaborative conversations about the effective and appropriate use of Gemini. Share ideas and offer suggestions or alternatives to prompts.

Interested in learning more about AI in education? Check out Embracing AI: Enhancing Classroom Innovation and Integrity a self-paced module.