November 15, 2018
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Chrome 70 Now Supported
AIR and ODE have announced support for Chrome OS version 70. Users are now able access the OSAS Online Systems using Chrome OS 70.
Farewell to Bryan Toller
The Assessment Team is saying farewell to one of our key members this month. Bryan Toller, our Mathematics Assessment Specialist, will be pursuing other professional opportunities starting in December. His career path in education has been varied. It began as a school bus driver to test if he liked working with children before pursuing a degree in education. As you may have guessed, that experiment was successful and led to thirteen years as a classroom teacher. Encouraged and inspired by long-term ODE staff Ken Hermens and Andi Morgan, Bryan took a leap of faith and joined the Department of Education. His five years at the department have been very rewarding and fulfilling - leading the statewide assessment and Essential Skills work. In that time, the Assessment Team successfully launched a new assessment in math and ELA with Bryan’s leadership. While that is a tangible accomplishment to point to, providing technical assistance to districts and teachers has been and remains Bryan’s favorite and most rewarding part of the job. We know that districts also appreciate the support that they’ve received from Bryan during his time at ODE. We’re all proud of the work that Bryan has helped the agency accomplish during his tenure.
We will be searching for a new Mathematics Assessment Specialist in the coming months. Please contact Director of Assessment Dan Farley at 503-947-5721 if you have any recommendations that might help us successfully fill this vacancy.
Please send any Mathematics assessment questions you have in the meantime to Renée Ledoux at 503-947-2545, and she will route them to the appropriate Assessment Team member.
TIDE Test Windows Module Re-Opening December 3
The Test Windows module in TIDE will be made unavailable until December 3, 2018 in order to conduct software maintenance. On December 3rd, the module will open with ELA, Math, and Social Sciences tests available. Science tests will become available in the Test Windows module the week of December 17 - December 28. An announcement will be posted once Science tests are available in the module. If your school is closed for winter break before the Science tests are available in the Test Windows module, and you wish to create a Science Test Window for your district or school before the turn of the year, you may contact the OSAS Help Desk for assistance. The Help Desk can set up a Test Window for Science tests for you as soon as they become available, and will send confirmation to you once the requested Science Test Window is set in TIDE.