“A new process will be enabled in January 2021 to allow students to show a preferred name in Synergy, Canvas, and Google. Students can follow this process.

1. Go to hcpss.me
2. Go to Synergy
3. Click on “Student Info” in the lower left
4. Look for the “Preferred First Name” field to see what is there now.
5. This name will show in Canvas and Google beginning the first week of January, 2021.

• If you do not want this name to show or would like something else to show, contact your administrator by December 21, 2020.
• If you do want this name to show, you don’t need to do anything. 

Note: The preferred name will carry over from year to year unless a change is requested. Once a requested change is made, that preferred name will remain for the student’s HCPSS career unless another change is requested through the school secretary/administrator. 

For students who are transgender or gender non-binary, there is an additional procedure to mask their legal name and/or gender assigned at birth, providing additional confidentiality. If you think this may apply to you, please reach out to your school counselor to discuss. Let your counselor know that you are interested in learning about the presenting name option/masking process.”