ICT Help Desk

Dual Platform Enhancement - Google Apps for Education and Microsof365

Following the decision to continue using both Google Apps for Education and Microsoft 365 platform at Dilworth to support our diverse needs, we are pleased to announce the upcoming launch of our Dual Platform Enhancement on Wednesday 20th August 2025 for all staff.

To ensure a smooth transition and clarify what to expect, let's outline the current situation and the upcoming changes.

Where we are now

Currently, we operate with two independent platforms: Google Apps for Education/Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.

• Your Microsoft 365 services (Outlook, Word, Teams) are accessed using your @dilworth.school.nz domain credentials. For example, a staff member like James Roe would log in with roe2534@dilworth.school.nz (a combination of the first three letters of your last name followed by your employee number). The address j.roe@dilworth.school.nz is often just a reply address or alias – it’s what recipients see when you email them, but it’s not your login username.

• Your Google Apps for Education services (Gmail, Drive, Classroom) are accessed using your @gapps.dilworth.school.nz credentials. For example, James Roe would use j.roe@gapps.dilworth.school.nz for Google.

The challenges with the current setup

From staff feedback and day-to-day observation, we know the current arrangement creates several challenges:

• Two separate usernames and passwords to remember.

• Confusion over which email address/domain to use for file sharing and platform access.

• Missed communications due to staff using Microsoft 365 email while students use Google email, leading to two separate mailboxes to check.

• Difficulty communicating with students from Microsoft when their details don’t appear automatically in lookups.

• Frustration when switching between platforms, particularly for staff who mainly use one.

• Students unable to access Microsoft products because their accounts only exist on the Google platform.

• ICT’s management of two fully separate systems is time-consuming, complex, and increases the risk of mistakes or security issues.

What’s changing

The Dual Platform Enhancement will:

• Unify logins → one username and password (your Microsoft 365 credentials) for both Google and Microsoft services.

• Use one domain → @dilworth.school.nz for both platforms (the @gapps.dilworth.school.nz domain will be removed from staff accounts completely, followed closely with a gradual change over of google groups domain).

• Move to a single email system → all staff email will be sent and received via Microsoft Outlook. Gmail will no longer be used for email but Google tools will remain fully accessible.

• Streamline calendars → Microsoft Calendar will be the main calendar and the sole calendar for all use. However you can still use your Google Calendar but please be aware that you should only use the Google calendar via a web browser for maximum effect. If your intention is to generate Google Meetings invitations on or via a calendar invite please do so from your Microsoft365 email calendar on your Microsoft Outlook application or M365 online. There is a Google Meet Add-in that we will push out to your Microsoft Outlook that will assist you in creating and attaching a Google Meet link based on your school Google Account to a calendar invite that you can send out from your Microsoft365 account.

Why this is important
This change will make our systems simpler, improve communication across staff and students, and reduce the time spent managing multiple logins and mailboxes. Please note that our focus are for staff only at this stage, student changes will follow at a later date.

Next steps
On Wednesday 20th, your accounts will switch to the new system. You’ll receive a follow-up email in next few days with clear instructions on what to do before and after the change so everything works as expected.

If you have any immediate questions or would like to discuss these upcoming changes, please contact ICT via our ticketing system or email ithelp@dilworth.school.nz .

for more information click here

Current Status:  Scheduled

updated:17 Aug 2025