Attention schools and libraries! Looking for extra funding for technology to support remote learning? Applications for the Emergency Connectivity Fund are open until August 13! Eligible devices include laptops, tablets, wi-fi hotspots, modems, routers, and devices that combine a modem and router. To apply or learn more about the ECF, visit https://www.emergencyconnectivityfund.org/

All schools and libraries that are eligible for support through E-Rate are also eligible to receive financial support from the Emergency Connectivity Fund. However, you will need to register with the Federal System for Award Management (SAM) first if you are not already registered. Information on how to register for SAM can be found at https://sam.gov/content/home

S3 Technologies is committed to helping you make the most of your EdTech investments.

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E-Rate 2021-22 Season is Fast Approaching

If your school is not taking advantage of E-Rate funding, you need to get started!  New applicants need to be registered with USAC by Mid-January (exact dates have not yet been published).  If you aren’t sure where to start or what services are/are not covered, let us know!  We will come to your school and do a free walkthrough with you to help you determine what you should consider applying for.

Click "Download" below to get this month’s E-Tip for an explanation of the E-Rate process and how your school can save money!

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S3 TechU Robotics Challenge

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Who:  S3 TechU member schools may pick any grade level to participate (6th grade is suggested).  Split the class into several teams. Please assign a robot and equipment to a team and wipe it down after each use. Students should have their own Chromebooks/iPads to minimize sharing devices. Please observe social distancing and other recommendations.  We want this to be fun, but safe! Not an S3 TechU school, click here to find out more and register today!

What:  Pick a popular winter/holiday story such as Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, etc.  Make a map of the story and program your robot to move through the map, telling the story/adventure.  Students can add in voice or light programming or make the robot move/dance wherever it is appropriate. Two or more teams could collaborate, each robot playing a different character in the story.  During the practice stages, each team should have their own map.  Once completed, they can come together and try to run their programs simultaneously on the same mat.

Be creative! Add obstacles, music, voice over, etc.  The final submission must include one continuous video of your team/teams playing out the story.  This can be embedded in a larger presentation or video with explanations of how you came up with the topic, how you developed the map and eventually programmed the solution. Please keep the entire final submission under 10 minutes in length.

Please obtain photo releases for the students to be on-camera and recorded if students are visible in the videos. S3 would like to post these videos on our website and via Social Media.  Full student names will not be posted.  Team and School names may be posted.

When: December 7- 11, 2020 is CSW/Hour of Code.  Final Projects will be due December 11 (schools may begin working on the project immediately). We would love to host a Zoom call on December 11 or any day the following week (we can determine an exact date at TechU) with all participating schools and share the projects with each other.  Depending on the number of entries, we will share all submissions or just 1 per school.

Where: At your schools, video submissions will be sent to S3 Technologies. ‍

Why:   To celebrate Computer Science/Hour of Code Week and to engage our students in coding using problem-based learning. ‍

How:  This contest is Robot agnostic. Use whatever robots and programming you have available to you at your school.

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With some schools hosting in-person classes, safety and sanitation are a top priority. Along with keeping the hallways squeaky clean, we cannot forget that our in-class technology can be a hotbed for germs and bacteria.

What are the best products you can use to clean your screens and keep germs from spreading? S3 Technologies has the answers! Here is what our research uncovered.

Click "Download" below to find out all about cleaning your screen in the latest S3 E-Tip volume.

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