For teachers with a new grade scale (primary grades and specials)

This year I have to assign the grade scales for grades 1-2 and specials to their classes. Once you have sent me your numerical scale and I have a chance to build and attach the scale to your classes it will be available. Thanks to Carolyn from Immaculate Conception, we have discovered there is a second step. In order to see your grade scale grades properly you will have to recalculate the final grade. This is very simple. Go to tools on the top of the gradebook page and click on "recalculate final grade." It will correct the grades already in your gradebook to the new scale.

What Parents see or don't see

As we use the new program and features, it has come to our attention that some of the wonderful features that we see are not visible to the parents. The checkmark and the little late "L" are not shown on the parent side. PowerSchool has been made aware of this not only by me but many other schools as well. Hopefully it will be available in the next upgrade. In the meantime, please add comments to the grade through score inspector as necessary.

Also, although the sections do appear on the PowerTeacher main page, they are still not visible in the Gradebook. That has also been sent to PowerSchool.

Please remember that all things new need evaluation and revision. This program is a great tool for communication and the adjustments for our needs are secondary to the valuable asset of greater communication with parents for the success of the children.

Adele

Having Password Problems?

The most common password problem comes from Internet Explorer. If at any time you answered "yes" to saving a password in Internet Explorer it will automatically enter it in a password entry box. Unfortunately, it will usually not be the password that you are using for PowerTeacher and you then will receive an error message. Since most users do not know how to delete the password from the automatic insertion, here's what you must do:



After typing in your user name, once you see the "bubbles" appear in the password box, delete the "bubbles." Once that is completed type in the correct password and hit enter. This should help you get into the program.

Looking to view section numbers next to the class info?

PowerSchool listens to feedback. Starting Monday, September 24th you will have the option to view the section numbers of your classes next to the description in the upper left hand corner.

As updates are available I will continue to keep you informed.

Adele

Parent Portal

Teachers,

The question has been raised regarding what parents see in the parent side of PowerSchool. You can see it yourselves - when you log on to PowerSchool Teacher and click on the "backpack" for a student go to the "Quick Lookup page." It's the page that has the attendance information and shows each of the classes the child has with the entered grade for the quarter. This is the grade that calculates as you add assignment grades in your gradebook. When they click on the grade itself they will be taken to a page with the assignments listed and the grade received for the assigments. If the name of the assignment is in blue they will see the instructions you have left for them to see. IF the grade is in blue they will click on it and see the comment you left for them to see. Try it. You WILL NOT be given the ID and password of the parents to get into the account at all. What you see on Quick Look UP is what they will see. Questions? Contact me.

Adele

Now available - Printable manual for PowerTeacher

Hi all!

I hope you are working on the free tutorial ~ remember, it is no longer free after October 30th. In the meantime, I can email you a paper guide (it prints to 54 pages) that was covered in my training. You can print it for yourself. The last pages describe what the parents will see when your school opens the parent portal. Unless you are a parent that received the parent password from your school you will not have access to the portal. If you want to see what parents do see choose one of your students to view and click on Quick Lookup. That is the screen that is accessible to parents.




Send me an email to aellis@diometuchen.org to request the PowerTeacher training manual. Save it to your computer once you receive it or print it out.



Adele