Must constantly "Reset Connection" in the emulator

When using the emulator in AI2, my students have to regularly (5 - 10 times per student per class)  reset their connection to the emulator.  It occurs when they have to add or change a block.  Based on the conversation in a previous, but now closed thread, I have updated Chrome as well as tried multiple browsers. The problem occurs with both existing, as well as newly created projects. Some test projects contain only a single block; very basic.   Students have logged in with both school and personal Google accounts.  We run iMacs on a school network running OS 10.9.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!  

P.S.  Apologies for originally posting on the wrong forum.

There is no wrong forum Scott.  Thanks for your post here, we are the software guys here but our Masters also have us answer technical questions too about AI2 and its operation/installation.

Switching browsers is/was a great idea (doing so actually works in some cases, I do not know why).  Lots of stuff can interfere with AI2 operation.  There used ot be lots of questions about S L O W blocks with Ai Classic and the early version of AI2 but it seems the developers solved that issue .... except for you.

I am gonna' throw this up to higher authority and let them provide some advice...be patient, they wizards are busy getting ready a roll-out of an improved version of AI2 ...perhaps they will call it AI3?   So, here is my two cents:

1)  This could be a network issue.  Does this happen less frequently when there is less PC activity on the school's network?

2)  I would expect this ordinarily might be to huge projects, but you say only a few blocks and kabam.

3) This is a Mac issue and I just know how to run LINUX and Windows so you can't log in as Administrator and find out if it is a firewall issue.

4) Virus checkers:   we know AVG, Eset and AVAST have issues running along side of AI2.   You got any of these programs?  They could be throttling throughput by continually checking for malware?

5) Out of Mac ideas...perhaps one of the other bottom dwellers here will have additional ideas and post...check back frequently.   I will forward this to someone who might be more clever.