2024

How are you ventilating your server room over the summer break?

Heatwave temperatures can adversely impact your devices and other components in your data cabinets.

Turning off ICT infrastructure over the holiday period can stop important software upgrades, antivirus and security updates, and impact your back-to-school plans while devices upgrade.

It is strongly recommended that you DO NOT turn off the following infrastructure:

• all components in the main data cabinet
• components in any other data cabinets
• your school’s eT4L Server, UPS and Apple Caching Server 

Refer to the Holiday Period - Device Power Management guide.

In many areas of NSW, summer is storm and lightning season. Protect your equipment over the long break, by switching off power and unplugging the following devices:

• computers (desktops/laptops) and monitors
• notebook and iPad trolleys
• printers, projectors and other peripherals
• multifunction devices and copiers
• main learning displays (MLDs) and televisions

On Term 1's School Development Day – turn on all your school computers so they can receive security and Windows updates from your eT4L server. Also turn on your storage trolleys so device batteries can recharge. This will ensure that they are ready for use by students as school resumes. 

Refer to the Holiday Period - Device Power Management guide.

At this end of the year, several critical updates need to be applied to all managed devices at all schools.

Once switched back on after summer, devices will deploy updates and install silently in the background, requiring restarts.

We strongly recommend that all schools plan for the return to school and focus on powering up all devices, including those stored in trolleys.

Log on and allow for these security updates to install and wait for the prompt to restart before using them with students.

Over summer, eT4L servers in schools remain switched on and concerns are always raised about server and power supply operating temperatures. For schools with no adequate cooling or ventilation in the server room, consider leaving windows and doors open (where appropriate) and using pedestal fans on timers set to low to keep air flowing in the room. If ITD receives a critical alert from any eT4L Server, they may perform an emergency shutdown to protect the hardware and data. Critical alert thresholds are set at 47 degrees ambient temperature, or 90 degrees for the CPU.

Cybermarvel is ready to celebrate online safety in Feb! Live events will be held from 25 Feb – 19 Mar. Teachers can register now and add events to your calendars. Key topics are:

• students can learn about respectful online relationships, understanding responsibility and knowing fake from real.
• teachers can engage in PL to learn how to support students who may be experiencing tech-based abuse at home.
• parents can learn to support their child with online friendships when transitioning from year 6 to 7 and to protect from harms online with online algorithms that can influence and shape feelings and experiences.

Join free, hands-on learning sessions for teachers using iPad and Mac to kick off the new school year. Hosted by Apple Professional Learning (APL) specialists, APL Live virtual sessions include practical tips, curriculum integration ideas, hands-on practice and pathways to take your learning further.

View sessions available and register here.

In 2025, the test window for NAPLAN is Wednesday 12 March to Monday 24 March in Weeks 7 to 9. To ensure a smooth experience for students, it is important to confirm that all test devices meet the technical requirements provided by ACARA.

Refer to the department’s NAPLAN Technical requirements intranet page for important advice on department-managed and BYO devices (BYOD) across the four supported platforms: Windows, Mac, iPad and Chromebooks.

The NAP 2025 locked down browser (LDB) has been deployed to all department-managed Windows devices and department-managed Jamf Pro Consoles. The Chromebook NAP LDB will remain unchanged for 2025. ChromeOS Flex devices will not be supported.

Practice testing on the platform is now available in NAPLAN Training and Practice. NESA will email access details to schools at the beginning of Term 1. Schools wanting to practise on the platform in Term 4 can email the NESA NAPLAN team to request login details.

For more information, please refer to NAPLAN.

Outlook's ‘Focused’ inbox tool helps you prioritise important emails, streamlining your daily workflow.

This intelligent feature automatically sorts out clutter, bulk-generated and promotional emails, placing them in an 'Other' inbox. 

You can enable or disable this feature and create your own custom rules. Check out the support resources below for more information:

• Enabling or disabling Focused Inbox settings using Outlook Webmail
• Managing Focused Inbox – Outlook Webmail
• Managing Focused Inbox – Windows Application
• Managing Focused Inbox – MacOS Application
• Managing Focused Inbox  - iOS Application
• Managing Focused Inbox  - Android Application
  
   

Teachers and students from across NSW DoE schools have created more than seven million Canva designs to enhance their classrooms and schools.

To celebrate our success in 2024, check out Canva Wrapped, showcasing 2024 highlights, resources and ideas for a successful 2025 academic year. 

Don't miss Google for Education's Back to School webinars. 

Get the latest tips, tricks, and updates for your classroom. Register today – live and on-demand sessions are available.

Information Technology Directorate publishes three issues of news.T4L each term. Remember - share each issue with your staff! And if you aren't receiving an email notification as soon as a new issue of news.T4L drops, then you're missing out! So why not subscribe?