A parent sent in the following question:
Why do early dismissals show as absences on PowerSchool?
A: For those of you who have children who leave school earlier than dismissal time, for example, leaving at lunch time, the child has not completed a full school day. Attendance records are important documents and must reflect the child's absence for part of that day. Our system is set at this time to show attendance on reports as either present or absent. With this in mind, since the absences must be recorded per state regulations, the half absence is reported as an absence. For those parents who can view their child's absent and tardy records on the system you will see the code either ED, or E, or LE to show your child did not complete the entire 6 hour day. It is considered a half day absent. We are looking into future revisions on printed reports to show the distinction between a full day absence and a half day absence.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Helpful Instructions
PowerSchool Website Overview
Each of these pictures located at the top of the website will bring you to a different page with your student’s information. Anything blue on each screen can be clicked on and will link you to further information. You can return to the first screen at any time by clicking on the green PowerSchool logo. Following is a brief description of each:
· Grades and Attendance: Grades and attendance for the year and by quarter. Detailed attendance for the last week and current week are shown – by clicking on the total number of absences it will give you a detailed description of each absence (excused, unexcused, late or early dismissed.) By clicking on a current grade you will be connected to any assignments, tests etc. that are included in that grade.
· Grade History: Final grades for previous marking periods. By clicking on the final grade you will see any assignments, tests etc. that made up that grade.
· Attendance History: The attendance codes marked for the current marking period.
· Email Notifications: To sign up for automatic email reports. Select what information you would like to receive, when you want it sent and what email addresses you would like the reports to be sent to. To email your student’s teacher, simply click on their name (in blue) on any of the screens.
· Teacher Comments: Comments that have been given by your student’s teacher. Comments are separated by each subject that your student has.
· School Bulletin: School announcements will be posted here such as upcoming events. The Diocese will use this feature to also make you aware of any time the system will be down for up grades and other useful information. (Notices from schools will also still be sent home at school discretion.)
· Class registration: Not in use at this time for our high schools. Not used for elementary schools.
· Balance: Not used at any of our schools at this time.
My Calendars: This tab is not in use at our schools, PowerSchool is working on correcting its functionality.
Each page that you visit can be printed by clicking on the Print Page icon in the lower right-hand corner of each screen. This will bring you to a printer-friendly page with a little description of the information on that page.
If you have any further questions about PowerSchool please feel free to email Ms. Ellis at aellis@diometuchen.org.
Welcome to PowerSchool. The website to access PowerSchool is:
https://powerschool.diometuchen.org/public
When you visit the website you will be asked for your username and password. Keep your username and password secure. You will have a separate username for each child.
Username
Password
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Questions and Answers from the January Parent Survey
Parents,
Here are the questions and answers from the first survey:
1) Is there a problem with the i-cal function? I can't get it to synch with my calendar?
A: Yes, since the last upgrade from PowerSchool, the i-cal function is not working properly. The company will let us know when the function is working again.
2) Can you have the grading system available? What number grades correspond with the letters?
A: If the student is in grades 3-8, the default grade scale is as follows:
97-100=A+, 93-96=A, 89-92=B+, 85-88=B, 80-84=C+, 75-79=C, 70-74=D, 69 and below=F.
3) Where do I go if I have problems logging on to the system to see my child's grades?
A: If it is a password or ID problem, contact your school. If you are having trouble getting onto the website, try the link on this page or email aellis@diometuchen.org.
4) When will our school move the homework assignments to PowerSchool? It's too time consuming to look in two places.
A: The intent is for you to find homework on the PowerSchool site as well. The schools should move to homework and grades for the September 2008 school opening.
5) Why can't we change the ID and password to one we can remember easily?
A: ID's and passwords are set by the system. Unfortunately, if we set the system to make the ID's and passwords easier, others can figure out your passwords and enter your child's account. It is for security purposes that we allow the system to choose the passwords and IDs.
6) Why then can't we have one password and ID to see all of our children instead of having a separate ID for each child?
A: Again, because of security purposes, each file has its own password and ID. However, this is an issue that was sent to PowerSchool and hopefully it will be offered in a future upgrade.
7) How can I contact the teacher through PowerSchool?
A: If the school has email addresses for each of the teachers, you can contact the teacher by clicking on their name if it is listed in blue text. Please do not respond to the email notifications if you signed up for them. It does not get sent to the teacher, it goes back to the PowerSchool server.
8) How often are grades and assignments updated?
A: Diocesan policy is that teachers have a week to post grades. If the project is graded across the curriculum, teachers have 2 weeks to post assignments. This does not pertain to special subjects in elementary schools. Teachers of special subjects see the students at a maximum of 1 day per week and may post only twice a quarter.
9) Can the teacher actually post the date of the assignment instead of the date the assignment was graded?
A: Yes, teachers have the ability to set the date in the system. Contact the teacher if you have a question about the date of an assignment.
10) Can the system send one email instead of 10 when I sign up for notifications regarding grades and assignments?
A: Unfortunately, the system is set to provide individual class information. This is another request sent to PowerSchool to consider for a future upgrade.
More Questions? Send them to Adele K. Ellis at aellis@diometuchen.org
Happy Catholic Schools Week!
Here are the questions and answers from the first survey:
1) Is there a problem with the i-cal function? I can't get it to synch with my calendar?
A: Yes, since the last upgrade from PowerSchool, the i-cal function is not working properly. The company will let us know when the function is working again.
2) Can you have the grading system available? What number grades correspond with the letters?
A: If the student is in grades 3-8, the default grade scale is as follows:
97-100=A+, 93-96=A, 89-92=B+, 85-88=B, 80-84=C+, 75-79=C, 70-74=D, 69 and below=F.
3) Where do I go if I have problems logging on to the system to see my child's grades?
A: If it is a password or ID problem, contact your school. If you are having trouble getting onto the website, try the link on this page or email aellis@diometuchen.org.
4) When will our school move the homework assignments to PowerSchool? It's too time consuming to look in two places.
A: The intent is for you to find homework on the PowerSchool site as well. The schools should move to homework and grades for the September 2008 school opening.
5) Why can't we change the ID and password to one we can remember easily?
A: ID's and passwords are set by the system. Unfortunately, if we set the system to make the ID's and passwords easier, others can figure out your passwords and enter your child's account. It is for security purposes that we allow the system to choose the passwords and IDs.
6) Why then can't we have one password and ID to see all of our children instead of having a separate ID for each child?
A: Again, because of security purposes, each file has its own password and ID. However, this is an issue that was sent to PowerSchool and hopefully it will be offered in a future upgrade.
7) How can I contact the teacher through PowerSchool?
A: If the school has email addresses for each of the teachers, you can contact the teacher by clicking on their name if it is listed in blue text. Please do not respond to the email notifications if you signed up for them. It does not get sent to the teacher, it goes back to the PowerSchool server.
8) How often are grades and assignments updated?
A: Diocesan policy is that teachers have a week to post grades. If the project is graded across the curriculum, teachers have 2 weeks to post assignments. This does not pertain to special subjects in elementary schools. Teachers of special subjects see the students at a maximum of 1 day per week and may post only twice a quarter.
9) Can the teacher actually post the date of the assignment instead of the date the assignment was graded?
A: Yes, teachers have the ability to set the date in the system. Contact the teacher if you have a question about the date of an assignment.
10) Can the system send one email instead of 10 when I sign up for notifications regarding grades and assignments?
A: Unfortunately, the system is set to provide individual class information. This is another request sent to PowerSchool to consider for a future upgrade.
More Questions? Send them to Adele K. Ellis at aellis@diometuchen.org
Happy Catholic Schools Week!
Welcome to our Parent Blog!
Welcome Parents, Teachers, and Administrators!
In January, I posted a survey for the parents of the schools who had grades available on line for parent view. There were a number of questions that parents asked on the survey. Since the survey was anonymous, I decided we needed a way for parents to ask and get answers to their questions, hence, the birth of this blog. The next entry will be some of the questions already asked and their answers. If you have other questions, please email me and I will post the question with the answer.
I look forward to enhancing your experience with the PowerSchool system.
Sincerely,
Adele K. Ellis
Assistant Superintendent of Technology
Diocese of Metuchen
aellis@diometuchen.org
In January, I posted a survey for the parents of the schools who had grades available on line for parent view. There were a number of questions that parents asked on the survey. Since the survey was anonymous, I decided we needed a way for parents to ask and get answers to their questions, hence, the birth of this blog. The next entry will be some of the questions already asked and their answers. If you have other questions, please email me and I will post the question with the answer.
I look forward to enhancing your experience with the PowerSchool system.
Sincerely,
Adele K. Ellis
Assistant Superintendent of Technology
Diocese of Metuchen
aellis@diometuchen.org
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