Subject: I’m Andrew Peterman, and here’s what to expect this summer with Google Workspace
Dear District 211 Staff,
My name is Andrew Peterman, and I am honored to serve as District 211’s new Director of Technology & Digital Learning. I am excited to join the district at a time when we are working to create a more unified and consistent digital environment for staff and students.
As I step into this role, I will be leading districtwide communication about the Google Workspace migration and the support available to you. This transition is rooted in staff feedback, including the district technology survey in which 844 employees participated and 72% supported standardizing on Google Workspace Plus for staff. Our goal is to reduce digital friction, simplify collaboration, and better align staff tools with the Google platform students already use every day. It’s important to note Microsoft Suite tools will remain available to staff during and after this migration.
Over the summer, the migration is being completed in several phases:
- Staff Google Workspace Plus accounts will be created.
- Email and calendar data will be migrated so staff can work in Gmail and Google Calendar.
- Files and shared resources will be transitioned according to the district migration plan.
Based on the current plan, we expect this work to be completed by August 3rd, before the start of the school year, with support from district staff and implementation partners. At this time, no action is required unless you receive a direct message with account‑specific instructions. If any staff action becomes necessary, communication will include clear steps, deadlines, and available support.
As I begin my role, you will also see strong support from technology leaders across the district’s schools. Paul Kim at James B. Conant High School, Christina Ordonez at Hoffman Estates High School, Keith Sorensen at Fremd High School, Alex Larson at Palatine High School, Kurt Conley in his information technology infrastructure role, and Scott Weidig at Schaumburg High School in his district technology and library leadership role. These leaders will help with school‑based implementation, reinforce updates, and serve as visible local contacts throughout the Google migration. This work is further supported by Chief Communications Officer Maria Robertson, who is leading the overall communication strategy for the migration.
The Google Migration Hub is the central place for project updates, the detailed timeline, FAQs, training resources, and archived communications. Over the coming weeks, I will continue sharing updates with clear notice of any required staff action or confirmation that no action is needed.
Important notice for staff who currently use the Gmail app on their phone to manage work email: once the migration of historical emails begins, your Gmail inbox will receive previously unread messages. As a result, you may see notifications for these older emails.
To reduce unnecessary notifications, we recommend the following before and during the migration:
- Mark or clear any unread messages in your current Gmail work mailbox ahead of time.
- Silence or disable email notifications on your phone during the migration period (starting July 8th).
Thank you for your flexibility, your professionalism, and your continued commitment to District 211 students. I look forward to working with you throughout this transition and beyond.
Sincerely,
Andrew Peterman
Director of Technology & Digital Learning
