You Asked: Yes or No

Sometimes all you want is a simple yes or no answer. This one's for you...


Will we have access to Google@CPS before the start of school? YES
Will training be available over the summer? YES
Will there be online training options? YES

Will my FirstClass email, calendar, and documents get moved over to Google@CPS? NO
Will you tell me how to move my data over? YES
How? On this website? YES
Will I have enough time to move the data? YES
Through September? YES

When we switch, will mail still go to FirstClass and Outlook? NO
Only to Google@CPS? YES

Will there be an icon on my desktop for Google@CPS? YES
Is it the colorful square icon? YES
And that will take me to the new login screen? YES

What if I use Outlook, will my email, calendar and contacts get moved over? YES
I heard that my rules, filters and delegations will not get moved over. Is that true? YES

If I continue to use Outlook, will I run into issues with mail delivery, notifications and calendar invitations/events? YES
So, I should stop using Outlook and only use the Google@CPS interface? YES

Can I access Google@CPS from home? YES
On my smartphone? YES
From a hotel in Singapore? YES
From an airplane that offers Internet access? YES
Will you tell me how to set up my smartphone? YES

If I have a personal Google account that uses the @cps.edu address, will I be able to keep it? NO
I’ll have to change it? YES
You’ll provide instructions? YES

Will I be able to create Groups for my classrooms? YES
Will I be able to collaborate on Google Doc with other CPS users? YES
Will I be able to collaborate on Google Docs with outsiders? NO

If I’m a teacher, will I be able to create Sites? YES

Will you answer all of my questions if I submit them through the Contact Us link? YES

Personal Accounts with @CPS.EDU

Within the next couple of week, you may be affected by the following issue:

If you use a personal Google account that uses the @cps.edu extension, you will be asked to change the username the next time you log in.

Unfortunately, in order to continue using that personal account, you will need to change the username. Once your new Google@CPS account is created, your personal account will not be accessible until you make the username change.


Fortunately, Google has step-by-step instructions to make this conflict easier to resolve:

Step 1: Visit www.google.com/accounts and sign in with your personal Google Account
Step 2: Click ‘Change email’ under ‘Personal Settings’
Step 3: Enter a different email address where you can receive mail, enter your password, and click ‘Save email address’ (If you don’t have different email addresses where you can receive personal mail, you can resolve the conflict by renaming your personal Google account to an @gmail.com address instead.)
Step 4: Check your other email address and click the link in the verification message from Google to confirm your change
NOTE: If you already have an @gmail.com address and you have your @cps.edu address as an alternate, you will need to remove the alternate address to avoid conflict.

What happens if you don’t change your address now?

The next time you try to access your personal account, you will be asked to change it before you can log in. You’ll be presented with three options:

• Change to an account with a Gmail address (jane@gmail.com or another available gmail name)
• Change to an account with a different email address (use your jane@yahoo.com address)
• Log in with a temporary username Google provides (jane%mydomain@gtempaccount.com)
  NOTE: If you choose this final option, you will be presented with the same options every time you log in until you choose a permanent username. 

Just so you know, the data in your personal account will remain safe and accessible with all three options.

You Asked: Do we get new email addresses?

Everyone will use the cps.edu email address!


If you are a FirstClass user with a cps.edu email address, you will keep your address. The only difference is that you’ll start checking your email in Google, not FirstClass.


If you are an Outlook user with a cps.k12.il.us, you will start using the cps.edu address with your current username. And, like the rest of the district, you’ll also start working in Google, not Outlook. (You don’t have to worry about your contacts not finding you because your old email address will simply forward to your new address.)