OFFICE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

1. OFFICE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS Making your job as stress free as possible

2. Dissemination of Information • The first thing to remember when you receive a call from outside the department requesting school information such as mailing labels is that all requests are to be made in writing. In writing means an email request to dmjones@access.k12.wv.us. • Never tell callers you will get the necessary information for them and send it to them. Unless it is for an educational institution, we charge a fee for the data file. Many times we are contacted by businesses that want to contact schools about their products. • Even with a written request for information or a telephone call to the department, we do not provide e-mail addresses of county superintendents or school principals. It is best if you refer callers to the directory website (http://wvde.state.wv.us/ed_directory/) if they require more information than is provided to them. • The Office of Information Systems maintains an elementary and secondary principal listserv to distribute information for department staff as necessary. Listservs are never to be used for solicitation purposes by anyone in the Department of Education on behalf of a vendor/business. The principal listserv is used exclusively by the Office of Information Systems, and though we are happy to send information out on your behalf, you will not be subscribed to send the information yourself.

3. What is a Listserv? • The purpose of a listserv is to reach large groups of people for a variety of purposes that might include informing them of meetings, establishing a forum or having a discussion on a particular topic. • There is a maximum number of recipients you can have in a distribution list on your access e-mail. When you exceed that number, you will receive an error message from the K12 Administrator.

4. Sending Attachments Via a Listserv • If you are sending information via a listserv, keep it simple and remember the following: • The listserv does not like publisher files or anything that contains a lot of graphics. • Most counties may not have the same software installed on their computers that we are using here at the department. If your attachment is a Word document, always remember to save your attachment in the previous version of Word (97-2003) format. • Another option that works well is saving documents in pdf format.

5. How Do I Get a Listserv? • All listservs are requested through Donna Jones. • To request your listserv, send an e-mail to dmjones@access.k12.wv.us. • Include in your request the purpose of the list and your preference for the listserv name i.e., K12-ELP@listserv.wvnet.edu (ELP stands for elementary principals). Your list name must be less than 20 characters. • Your request must also include the name(s) of the listserv owner(s). Owners are the individuals who will keep your listserv updated as necessary. A listserv that is not kept up-to date is worthless. Donna Jones is always listed as an owner on a list in the event a circumstance arises where the designated owners are unavailable and a problem needs to be resolved. • Once a request has been made for a listserv, you should allow at least one week for WVNET to process the request. • As soon as the Office of Information Systems receives notification that the list is ready, you will receive an e-mail containing step by step instructions on what you should do next. If you still need help, please contact Donna Jones at extension 53341 for individual help/training.

6. What To Do While You Wait Be working on getting your data ready. • Your data will be the addresses of individuals who will be receiving information from your listserv. • Under the start menu of your computer (accessories option), open a notepad file. • Enter your data as shown below in the notepad file: dmjones@access.k12.wv.us Donna Jones WVDE klarry@access.k12.wv.us Karen Larry WVDE gkburdet@access.k12.wv.us Gloria Burdette WVDE • Always put a location indicator after the person’s name to make it easier to find that person if you need to update subscriber information. • Save the notepad file in a convenient location on your computer so that it can be found easily.

7. Let’s Get Started • Go http://listserv.wvnet.edu • Bookmark the website to return to it easily. • Follow the instructions on this page to obtain a password for the listserv. • Once you have confirmed the password you selected (this is done by responding to an e-mail from the listserv), you are ready to get started. • On this page, enter your full e-mail address and whatever password you selected for the listserv.

8. Mailing List Management Interface • Select this option to manage your lists.

9. Listserv Dashboard • Any list that you own appears here.

10. Managing Subscribers and General Listserv Management • With an existing list, occasions may present themselves that require you to make a change to a subscriber. This is easily accomplished. Select the list you need to edit. • Under the List Management Heading, there is an option for Subscriber Management. From this option, input the person’s name to make changes to a subscriber.

11. Continuation of Managing Subscribers • From this page you can change a person’s e-mail address, location, or delete them completely from the listserv if necessary. You can either choose to notify or not notify the person of the change to the subscription list.

12. Adding A New Subscriber • When a new subscriber needs to be added to the listserv, simply input the e-mail address, name, and location. When you add the person to the list for the first time, always select “send email notification.” • If you are notified that an existing subscriber to the list is no longer a contact and should not receive information from the listserv, search for the individual by name or location and select delete.

13. Bulk Operations • This is a function that is primarily used for new lists, but can be used for an existing list if the entire list of subscribers has changed. • Remember the notepad file that was mentioned previously in this presentation? You will use it to upload several subscribers in one function. • Locate your file using the “Browse” option, and select “Import.” If you are utilizing a new list, select the “Add” option. If you are removing and changing who is subscribed, select the “Remove all subscribers” option. • This option does not notify the subscribers that they have been added. It is always best once you have everyone subscribed to send an e-mail to the list to let them know they will be receiving mail from the list.

14. Listserv Error Reports • As an owner of a listserv, you will receive an error report via email whenever a problem occurs with a subscriber receiving mail. • Error reports can inform you that a person is not reading the mail (over quota or mailbox full), the e-mail address is unknown, or an unknown or unusual error code has occurred. • If the problem is over quota or mailbox is full, call the subscriber and indicate your e-mail was returned due to a full mailbox. Politely ask the individual to download mail. • If the problem is an unknown “access” e-mail account, go to http://access.k12.wv.us:1026 to resolve the problem. On the 1026 site you will sign in with your full e-mail address and whatever your password is for your e-mail, not the listserv. You can search for an individual in the box provided and make the correction to your listserv. If you cannot find that person’s e-mail to correct the error, go back into your listserv and delete the subscriber from the list. Inform your supervisor, or if you know who to contact on the outside to determine who should be subscribed to get the information, do so. • Unknown or unusual error codes only occur when a person hasn’t downloaded mail from the access server. Again, contact the individual to let him/her know that he/she is not receiving your information and ask for mail to be downloaded from the access server to resolve the problem.

15. MAIL MERGE & EXCEL Creating a professional mailing label and/or letter from your own computer

16. What To Do First • Request a data file from Donna Jones at dmjones@access.k12.wv.us. • Your request should include the particular grade levels for which you are preparing your mailing. • If you want principal names, ask for those as well. • Do not request county superintendent or RESA director labels. These labels are available from the deputy superintendent’s secretary who provides regular updates via the department listserv. When updates occur with county superintendents, be sure to update any files you use on a regular basis. • You will receive an Excel spreadsheet with the requested information.

17. Sample Excel File(The file you receive will have all of these headings). Modify the excel file and move columns/delete columns as appropriate.

18. Sample Data File Ready For The Merge

19. Open Microsoft Word To Begin • Select the “Mailings” option shown below.

20. Step Two – Select Recipients Select “Use Existing List” Function(The Excel Data File Contains The Recipient Information)

21. Step ThreeSelect “Envelopes,” “Labels” or “Letters”

22. Haven’t Used Word a Lot To Do a Merge? Follow the Directions Provided by The Wizard

23. Survey Questions & Answers – Where Do I Start? • If your supervisor asks you to get a number on a survey, here are the steps you need to follow for both web based and mail surveys: • Bring the survey to the Office of Information Systems for review. • Once the survey has been reviewed by Nancy Walker, Executive Director, to make sure the survey is not asking for information already being collected, a number will be assigned. • If your survey is something that we do collect data on already, a number will not be assigned. • Provide our office with a copy of the survey for record keeping purposes.