Google Drive

Google Drive is a core component of the Google for Education environment, providing cloud based storage for all LPS staff and students. Teachers must have familiarity with Drive in order to interact with students digitally. It is the central point where digital items can be created, stored, and shared within LPS.

Google Drive is the primary storage location for all devices in Lincoln Public Schools.

Google Shared Drives

If you are looking for information on the way LPS uses Google SHARED Drives, visit this resource.

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Support Resources from Google

From time to time, LPS Computing Services offers one-hour workshops on “Google Drive Basics.” Look for these sessions during summer conferences, or ask an Administrator to contact Kristi Peters to request the session in your own building!

Videos in Google Drive

Many teachers are finding Google Drive to be a great place to organize and share teacher or student created video clips. Learn more:

Sharing

One of the strengths of the Google Workspace tools is the ability to easily share files and collaborate on them. Before sharing with others, you should consider the information you are sharing and who should, and SHOULD NOT have access to it.

Our LPS Google Drive is used by staff AND students. In other words, when you share a file with “Lincoln Public Schools” this gives all staff and all STUDENTS access to the information.

To learn some appropriate strategies for sharing files with just the right people, please visit our page on Setting the Visibility of Google Drive Files.

Google Drive for Desktop

Google Drive for Desktop is an app installed on all LPS staff devices. It is a tool that connects your LPS device with your LPS Google Drive storage space. Use it to keep the files on your computer backed up to a safe place automatically.

Initial Setup

The Google Drive app on your staff device is not set up by default. You must log in, then tell it what folders (places) on your computer should stay backed up. Full setup instructions can be found at this Google Doc.

Set up Google Drive for Desktop on your device

Or, the following video offers a quick overview of the steps.

Check your Connection

Users should periodically check to make sure they’re still connected to, and syncing with Google Drive. This image depicts a current connection and successful sync. If your connection/sync is no longer working, review these directions to resume syncing your Desktop and Documents folders. As always, call the LPS Help Desk at 402-436-1735 if you need assistance.

Working with MS Office Files in Google Drive

Google Drive will store ANY kind of file. This absolutely includes Microsoft Office files.

Because they are so similar to Google Workspace files, Google Drive offers strategies for opening, editing, and saving Microsoft Office files in Google Drive, or converting them to Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides. Learn more about handling Office files at the links below.

Working with Microsoft Office Files in Google Drive
Working with Microsoft Office Files on macOS

If you are using Google Drive for Desktop (more info elsewhere on this page) you will get the best of both worlds. You can use that tool to sync the Microsoft Office files on your computer with Google Drive for safe keeping, while still opening them on your computer using Word, Excel, PowerPoint if you have them installed. Enter a help desk ticket for support if needed.

Google Workspace tools not meeting your needs?

If you have used Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) to meet a professional need that you do not believe Google Workspaces can also meet, please share that with Computing Services via a Help Ticket. They want to investigate and see if there is a solution for the use case that does not involve MS Office. Here is a list of the examples previously shared with Computing Services, and how Google Workspace can meet the needs.