LWSD - Logging into laptops for the first time

 Getting Started - Setting up your school laptop for Microsoft Teams 

After picking up a school laptop for our 5th grader this week, I got things set up for our upcoming first week of remote learning.  I wanted to share some nitty-gritty details for other families getting ready.  Although this walkthrough is geared for the Windows Surface laptop we received, if it would be helpful to add sections for specific tablets or other platforms, please reach out and I’ll see what I can do! 

 

Step 1: Log into Skyward on another device & find 7 digit student ID: 

1. I always find the login page by going to https://www.lwsd.org/students-families/for-students-and-families and clicking on the green “Skyward” button. 
2. Log in.  If you don’t know your Login ID or password, click “Forgot your Login/Password” link.  As a hint, this Login ID is likely 5 digits of your last name, 3 digits of your first name, and 3 numbers.  Hermoine Granger’s login might look like GrangHer000.  You likely have a Skyward account in addition to your student having one. 
3. Click on “Student Info” tab 
4. Find the 7 digit “Other ID” number. 

Step 2: Log into new student laptop 

1. Student name should already be available as a login. 
2. For the password, replace the zeros with the 7 digit student number and enter this: 21Stu#0000000 
3. Note that the “S” is capital and “tu” are lowercase.  If T’Challa’s student number was 1234567, his password would be: 21Stu#1234567 

Step 3: Logging on to the internet 

1. In the lower right corner of the screen, find the icon that looks like a wireframe globe.  Click it. 
2. Find your home wireless router and log in. 
3. At the top of the list is something that says “Elementary DirectAccess.”  This may be where people can log in to hotspots, once you receive that info, although I don’t have any details on that yet. 

 

Step 4: Adjusting brightness (optional) 

If the default brightness is too dim, you can adjust it quickly.   

1. Minimize any open windows and right-click the desktop. 
2. Click “Display Settings.” 
3. Adjust the brightness bar at the top of the screen. 

 

 

Step 5: Change background picture (optional) 

This isn’t an urgent startup task, but after changing the display brightness it’s a quick thing to make the laptop fun and welcoming.  Note that this can be a great way to keep math tables, sight-word for reading, reminders, family pictures, or fun student-selected pictures nearby. 

1. Minimize any open windows and right-click the desktop 
2. Select “Personalize” 
3. Under “Choose your picture” click the “Browse” button.   
4. Select any picture that has been downloaded.  If you want to send a picture that isn’t on the internet, you can e-mail your student’s e-mail account or save it to their OneDrive account, and from either of those places it can be downloaded to the laptop. 

 

Step 6: Adding wired headphones (only necessary if you don’t have Bluetooth headphones) 

Have you ever been to an event and heard microphone feedback?  It happens when a microphone sends the regular microphone input + the background audio from speakers back to the speakers.  Then, the speakers project the microphone input that had repeated speaker audio and creates a “feedback loop” with ultimately distorted audio.  It doesn’t sound great. 

During conference calling, a smaller scale of this can happen if the laptop microphone picks up audio from the speakers.  Instead of a screeching sound that you might hear when big microphones & speakers create feedback loops at events, students might hear echoed audio in their speakers, which makes it really frustrating for them to participate in group discussions.   

The best way to prevent this is to wear headphones so that the laptop microphone doesn’t pick up audio.  Headphones with microphones aren’t necessary as the laptop microphone still works.  Some kind of headphones, whether wired or Bluetooth, are important, though. 

Here is some info on connecting wired headphones.  The next section will walk through connecting Bluetooth headphones. 

1. Click the white square Windows button in the lower left corner to bring up the Start Menu. 
2. In the textbox that says, “Type here to search” type this: Sound 
3. Click “Sound settings.” 
4. Plug in your wired headphones (if they’re not Bluetooth.)  If you have light up headphones that have both an audio jack & a USB plug, and if don’t have a USB port on your laptop, don’t worry.  Most headphones with both audio jacks and USB plugs are for lights on headphones.  As long as you can plug in the audio jack to the audio port, they should function fine, even if they don’t light up.   
5. Under “Choose your output device” select “Headphones” 
6. Under “Master volume” slide the volume bar around so that it’s the right volume. 
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8. If you don’t hear out of your headphones, check the headphones cord.  Sometimes there is a volume slider on fancy headphone cords. 

 

Step 7: Adding Bluetooth devices (optional) 

While school laptops come with built in pointing devices and speakers, your family may want the option of a Bluetooth mouse, keyboard, speakers, or headset.  Most laptops that support Bluetooth can have multiple Bluetooth devices paired, although it can depend on the laptop & devices.  It’s recommended to pair your most important thing first, and then pair less important things subsequently, just to make sure.  To pair Bluetooth devices: 

1. Click the white square Windows button in the lower left corner to bring up the Start Menu. 
2. In the textbox that says, “Type here to search” type this: Bluetooth 
3. Click “Bluetooth and other devices settings.” 
4. 
5. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on and click “Add Bluetooth or other device.” 
6. Select the type of device (most likely “Bluetooth” option.) 
7. On your Bluetooth device, find and click the pairing button. 
8. Device should pair.  Once it pairs, it should show up as a connected device.  After we paired a Bluetooth mouse it showed up.  Note that since this is a list of all connected devices, the Bluetooth mouse shows up above the wired headphones. 

 

 

 

Step 8: Adding a wireless printer (optional) 

Hopefully, it won’t be required to have a printer at home.  By default, Microsoft Teams prints to PDF, which will make things easy to send to teachers electronically.  If you do have a wireless computer at home, here is info on connecting it. 

1. Make sure the printer is on. 
2. Click the white square Windows button in the lower left corner to bring up the Start Menu. 
3. In the textbox that says, “Type here to search” type this: Printer 
4. Click “Printers and Scanners.” 
5. Click “Add a printer or scanner.” 
6. Find your printer and click “Add device. 

 

Step 9: Dealing with popup messages 

While setting up your computer, you may see popups appear as the laptop makes updates during the first login.  If you see some messages appear and then fade off the screen, you can always find them again by clicking the square speech bubble icon in the lower right corner of the screen.  They usually aren’t too important, though. 

 

Now that your laptop should be set up with internet, headphones, Bluetooth devices, and readable brightness, it’s time to launch Microsoft Teams! 

 

Step 1: Logging in 

Microsoft Teams should already be installed on your device.  

1. To log in, use your student’s e-mail, rather than the student number needed to log into the laptop.  If Dr. Seuss logged in, his login might look like s-DSeuss@lwsd.org.  
2. Use the 21Stu#1234567 password (with your student's 7 digit ID)

 

Step 2: Getting started with OneDrive 

OneDrive is a server-based way to store files.  This way, even if something happens to the laptop, the files will still be on OneDrive.  Also, if your student periodically uses different devices, OneDrive is available on any device.  I have Microsoft Teams and OneDrive installed on my phone and logged into my student’s account so that I can easily check status of various documents.  You can log into your student's OneDrive from any device by logging in with their student e-mail at https://onedrive.live.com.  It’s a great way to manage files.   

1. On the left side of teams, click “Files” and then find “OneDrive.” 
2. In OneDrive, find “+ New” near the top and click it. 
3. Click “Word document” and give it a name like “testing.” 
4. Type in something, and then at the bottom of the page find “ – 100 + “ 
5. Click the plus or minus on either side of 100.  By changing the zoom level of the text, you can make it easier to read on your screen, without actually changing the final font size of text.  It’s a little thing that can make reading much more comfortable for your student. 
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7. When you are finished, you can go to the “File” menu and just click “Exit” without saving.  By starting the Word document from within OneDrive, it is saved automatically.  You can also select “Save As” and save a copy of the document. 

 

Step 3: Making a test call in Teams 

With all of the basics figured out, it’s time to make a test call to make sure your audio and visual equipment is ready for online meetings!  Fingers and toes crossed, right? 

1. In the upper right corner of Microsoft Teams, to the left of the closing [x] icon, click on your student’s icon.  There is likely a green dot next to it indicating that you’re online. 
2. Under their name there’s an option to add or change a picture. 
3. Click “Settings.” 
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5. Next, click “Devices” and make sure the right headphones and microphone are selected. 
6. Click “Make a test call.” 
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8. You should hear a voice ask you to speak after the first beep.  After a second beep your audio should be played back to you.  If it sounds faint, try moving closer to the laptop if that is your microphone to see if that improves.   
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7. Once you have heard your voice repeated back to you, heard something through the headphones, and seen video of yourself, Teams is set up and your student is ready for their first Teams class this year!   

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