Computer Lab Signup Procedure

In order to facilitate the process of reserving computer labs, we have created a new signup procedure. This procedure will enable teachers, while working in their classrooms, to instantly reserve computer labs or to check each lab's availability.

Basically, the signup calendars are Microsoft Word documents located inside a new a folder in the "Public" folder, which is located on the T: (Teachers) drive. This folder is called "Computer Lab Signup Info." A shortcut to this folder should be created on your workstation's desktop. You will reserve computer labs with this shortcut. The one-time procedure to create this shortcut follows:

1. Double-click "My Computer" and its contents will be opened.

2. Double-click the folder entitled "Teachers on 'inst_safford' T:"

3. Scroll down, locate, and double-click the folder entitled "Public."

4. RIGHT-click the folder entitled "Computer Lab Signup Info" and select "Copy" from the menu that follows.

5. Close the window to return to your workstation's desktop.

6. RIGHT-click anywhere on your desktop and select "Paste Shortcut."

7. Congrats--you now have the shortcut tool needed to reserve computer labs!

To reserve labs, please follow this simple procedure:

1.  Double-click the shortcut folder that you just created, called "Shortcut to Computer Lab Signup Info."

2.  Inside this folder you will find Microsoft Word documents containing signup calendars for all school months.  Each file is titled by month.

3.  Open the appropriate file (depending on the month in which you want to reserve the computer lab) and follow the instructions on the page.

4.  Enter your name in the appropriate time slot (s), which are indicated by the WHITE boxes.  Be sure to SAVE your changes or they will be lost! Your reservation is now complete!

 To help ensure accuracy, here are a few tips:

1. If you hit a key and something bad happens, simply hit Control and Z to undo your last action.

2. If the calendar still doesn't look as it should, don't save your changes! Simply close the file without saving and reopen it. Then, try again.

3. If you're having difficulty reading the print, try adjusting your zoom (in the lower right-hand corner) to 100%. You will need to scroll around a bit, but this dramatically increases the readability of the text.

4. Need a refresher course on using Microsoft Word?  Click here for a terrific online tutorial!  

1.  Simply enter your last name inside white boxes corresponding to the date, time, and location that you want to reserve.

Example of a daily calendar:

(White boxes indicate availability.)

2.  Did you know that while you're making changes to the calendar, everyone else is locked out of it?  PLEASE make your reservations, save, and CLOSE the calendar quickly so that others may use it!  If you receive a message that the calendar is currently being edited by another teacher, kindly wait for them to finish.  You will also be given the option to have the system notify you when the document is available for editing.  If they're taking an unusually long time, please call them and request that they close the calendar quickly.  Please do not go ahead and open the calendar in read-only mode and then "Save As" to create another calendar--it creates major scheduling problems! 

3.  Please do not reserve computer labs any further than one month in advance.  

4.  Please do not reserve the same computer lab(s) for blocks of time longer than  five consecutive days. 

5.  Please do not reserve computer labs for days in which you will have a substitute teacher.  Have a backup lesson plan ready in case of your unexpected absence during a day in which you've reserved a computer lab.

6.  If you have reserved a computer lab and later decide not to use it, kindly remove your name from the calendar.  This will enable other teachers access to the lab.

7.  Please don't send students to computer labs to work independently from your class.  If you want your students to use a lab,  you must accompany them!

8.  You will find another folder entitled "Computer Lab Rules" located inside the "Computer Lab Signup Info" folder.  Eventually, we hope to have a copy of all computer lab rules (they're different for each lab) inside this folder.  Please take the time to print a copy of each lab's rules and discuss them with your students prior to your visit.  This will be tremendously appreciated by the computer lab teachers!

9.  Please be aware that open lab in Room #402 has fewer than 15 functional Apple computers and they may have limited Internet connectivity!

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