• You should always take care to protect your password! If you feel that someone has discovered your password, please change it as soon as possible. Please do not write down your password and store it next to your computer or anywhere else that someone could easily find it. Anyone with your password could access your files, email, gradebook and other information!
• CCS Staff have one main password, for logging into the network and your Gmail. You likely have other program-specific passwords to log into PowerSchool or other applications. Some staff also have AS/400 passwords.

Follow these guidelines when choosing a password:

• Your password should be at least 5 characters long The longer the password the harder it is for someone to guess. Don’t make it so long that typing it in becomes a chore. A good rule of thumb is 5 to 8 characters long. NOTE: Mac users should use passwords no longer than 8 characters.
• Your password should be a mix of alphabetic, numeric, and special (!@#$%&*?) characters. This also makes it harder to guess. A good rule of thumb is to have at least two non-alphabetic characters in your password.
• Your password should not be a word found in an English dictionary. There are programs that are readily available that will try every word in the dictionary against your login and can do so in a matter of a few minutes. If you use a word make sure that you mix numbers or special characters with it.
• Your password can have both upper and lowercase letters, but most programs are case sensitive when it comes to passwords, so remember your password exactly as you entered it.
• Your password cannot contain spaces.
• Your password should not be something easily associated with you. You should not use things like: your first or last name, your birthday, your nickname, your child’s name, your school’s name, etc.

Follow the steps below to change your network password — the password you use to log on to a computer.

Windows XP systems (Novell Client)

1. Simultaneously press the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys
2. Click the Change Password button.
3. Type your old (initial) password and press Tab.
4. Type your new password and press Tab.
5. Type your new password again and click OK.
6. You should receive a message that states your password was successfully changed, click OK and you are finished.

Mac OS X systems (MacAdministrator Client)

Mac passwords should be between 5 and 8 characters long.

1. Log in using your current password
2. Once the OS X desktop loads, click on the Key icon in the upper right section of the OS X menu bar, and select “Change Password”
3. Complete the dialog with your current & new passwords as prompted
4. Click OK