Good news! Plano ISD families now have access to GoGuardian Parent, a mobile app that gives parents/guardians the ability to manage and monitor student activity on school-issued Chromebooks during out-of-school hours (after 4:30). GoGuardian Parent is a companion to the classroom management and internet filtering tools that our district uses during the school day. 

What is included in this app:

• A Top 5 summary of student browsing (apps, extensions and websites visited)
• A 30-day view of websites, videos, apps, and extensions
• The ability to block websites on school-issued devices during out-of-school hours
• The ability to pause internet access on school-issued devices during out-of-school hours, either on-demand or at a scheduled time

To access the app, please follow the instructions below:

1. Download the app

• iPhone: Visit App Store, search for GoGuardian Parent, and tap the download button.
• Android: Visit Google Play Store, search for GoGuardian Parent, and tap the download button.

2. After the app is successfully downloaded and installed, open it up and enter the email address registered with the Plano ISD Parent Portal. (Note: If you forget your registered email address, please reach out to our Help Desk:  helpdesk@pisd.edu or 469-752-8767)

3. Login/Check Email: Check your email on your phone for a link to log in to the app. Tap the "Verify your email", and it will take you straight to the app. (Note: If you don't have access to your email through the device you used to log in, tap on "Login with verification code", and copy and paste the verification code from the email into the app.)

Webdesk

1. Teachers will sign into Webdesk and open the "PISD GoGuardian (Library)" app. 

2. Select the Login with Google option.

Alternatively, you can log in directly to teacher.goguardian.com. 

When students sign into their Chromebook, GoGuardian can monitor them. No student sign-in required.

Paraprofessionals/Substitutes 

Go to the Help page on the left for information regarding the access request form. 

Option 1 - Auto roster

Use the rostering option in GoGuardian that pulls your student data from TEAMS (Pinnacle). (Good option if you don't have several tabs per class period in Pinnacle. Even if you merge tabs, GoGuardian is ultimately pulling data from TEAMS).

Option 2 - Google Classroom (Recommended)

Click the Import with Google Classroom button. Then schedule your class times. If your students are not in Google Classroom yet or new students join, you can still add the class here and then click "Sync Students from Google" after the students have been added in Google Classroom. 

Option 3 - Manual

Create a Classroom Manually (Good option for special populations or if you're not a classroom teacher)

1) Create a Classroom - click the green "Add Classroom" button on the top right of the screen. 

• Fill out the classroom information (name, subject, etc.) and click Add Classroom to save it. 
• You can choose to schedule your class time or skip it for now.
• It is not necessary to add a "Scene" yet (you can do this later). 

2) Click "Add Students" - after you have created your classroom, the easiest way to add your students is to give them an enroll code to join. 

Adding Teachers/Helpers

To add a teacher/specialist/helper, go to the class Settings, click Teachers, then click "Add Teacher" button and enter their email address.

Non-Instructional Staff

Non-instructional staff (Administrators, Counselors, etc.) may need to follow student activity. To do this, the teacher(s) can add them as a "Helper" to that class.  

Please Note:

If you rostered your classes using Classlink, then you are not able to add co-teachers/helpers to your GG class. If you would like to use that feature, set up your classes using Google Classroom instead of Classlink. Instructions.

Permissions

Image from: https://help.goguardian.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005712763-Add-Classroom-Owners-Teachers-and-Helpers

 

Helpers can: view active sessions, end sessions, send commands, toggle teacher chat, apply/change scenes

Teachers can: add/remove students, start sessions, view active sessions, end sessions, send commands, toggle teacher chat, apply/change scenes

Owners Can: edit classroom info, archive classroom, add/remove teachers, add/remove students, start sessions, view active sessions, end sessions, send commands, toggle teacher chat, apply/change scenes

Scheduling Sessions

Important: Scheduling your class time is very important for secondary teachers and elementary teachers who departmentalize. Be sure NOT to schedule your class session for all day. Set each class session for its appropriate time. For example, you will schedule your first period session for 9-9:50 a.m. That way, you're not encroaching on the next class period teacher's session. See Scheduling Class Times page on the left for a closer look. 

Open Tab

Cut down on transition time by using GoGuardian's "Open Tab" feature. 

To open a tab on your students' Chromebooks, select the student(s), click Open Tab, copy and paste the URL, click "Open Tab", and the website will automatically load onto your students' Chromebooks.

Scenes

What is a scene? (links to GG support page)

"Scenes are designed to give teachers added control over students' web activity during classroom sessions." The link above explains what each feature of the scene does. Please read that first. 

How to create a scene (links to GG support page)

The link above explains the quick and easy way to create a scene.

Advanced Filtering Tips (links to GG support page)

Blocking/allowing websites

Create Multiple Scenes Within a Class  (block distracting sites (YouTube) for specific students)

Blocking/allowing websites based on student needs.

Important to note about scenes (the PISD way!)

1. Allow Webdesk. If you create a filter in block mode, be sure to add the following Webdesk URL as an exception for students: 

https://launchpad.classlink.com

2. Check the Student URL. Some websites are not the same for teachers as they are for students. For example, if you create a filter in block mode and need to add Dreambox as an exception, you will enter the URL that students use, which is play.dreambox.com. 

3. Example. Below is an example of a Math scene in which a filter with block mode is turned on and the exceptions are: 

• Webdesk - https://launchpad.classlink.com
• Google Docs (because the teacher uses Google Classroom) - added using the Quick List. Click on the Google Docs button, which allows 24 sites that Google Docs needs in order to operate.
• Dreambox - play.dreambox.com

The teacher also included all three of these sites in the Auto Open Tabs section so that it will automatically open for students when the session starts. 

4. Remember to click the "Update Scene" button to save your settings. 

Sample Math Scene

Sample Nearpod Scene

If you need to remove this distraction for your students, here's what you can do. 

Scene

Create a scene or add these websites to an existing scene's blocked sites. (See the "Scenes" section on this page for detailed instructions).

• hangouts.google.com
• https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-hangouts/nckgahadagoaajjgafhacjanaoiihapd?hl=en (This is the URL to add the extension. If students have it already, you'll need to ask them to remove it.) 

Important to Note

GoGuardian cannot monitor activity on an app on a Chromebook. You can block sites, you can block access to the URL to add extensions, but you can't block access to an app. That will be a matter of asking students not to use the tool. 

Off-task Alerts

GoGuardian has automatic alerts for off-task behavior for the following subjects: English, History, Math, & Science. 

Learn how it works - NEW: Off-task Alerts

Video Conferencing

"Connect with students and deliver instructions with audio calls, video calls, or a lecture/presentation option. Communicate with individual students or the whole class. To learn more and get step-by-step instructions, go to https://www.goguardian.com/video-conferencing/"

GoGuardian has a new video conferencing feature, "Call Students," which allows teachers to communicate with students via voice call or a video call.  Teachers can also share the screen and deliver lessons in a presentation format.  

Overview video (1 minute) - Click on "Watch the Video"

Demo video (5 minutes)

Step-by-Step Video Conferencing instructions

GoGuardian will only monitor student activity on Chromebooks during these times.

Monday-Friday: 7am-4:30pm 

See "Scheduling Sessions" for when to schedule your class times. 

Archive VS Delete

💾 Archiving your GoGuardian classes removes them from the Active tab. You can still access snapshots, previous sessions, student reports, etc. but students won't be tied to the schedule and scenes. You can restore them at any time. 

❌ Deleting your GoGuardian classes will permanently remove them and you will no longer have access to snapshots, previous sessions, student reports, etc. 

Instructions: https://help.goguardian.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004056646-Archive-Restore-Remove-Delete-a-Classroom

Go to our Help & Requesting Access page.

Training

Download the 2019 GoGuardian Training Guide here

Online Training - GoGuardian has a great online training program that you can sign into and follow self-paced, brief how-to videos on your own. https://training.goguardian.com/ Click "Getting Started with GoGuardian Teacher" and then "Enroll in Course for Free" button. Create an account and you can then begin the training. 

Face-to-Face Training

• Schedule a training with the Digital Learning Team to come to your campus or train virtually! We can work with your principal to schedule a day for us to work with your team during planning periods, before/after school, or whenever is convenient for you. We are also happy to work with you one-on-one.