PowerSchool: Q & A

What is PowerSchool?

PowerSchool is a student information system that allows the school district to manage a wide range of information about the student, including the following: grades, attendance, tests, demographics, activities, courses/classes, health information, and photos. What makes PowerSchool different is that it uses modern software tools that allow us to connect parents and students to this information as well. We look forward to a time when the communication features of this system provide opportunities that are helpful to parents and assist students in exceeding their dreams.

What will I be able to see on the PowerSchool site?

• Current class schedules and grades in those classes, as well as the assignments that make up those grades

• Attendance records for the past two weeks, or the most recent grading period, including an explanation of the attendance codes

• Comments from the teacher

• The School Bulletin and Announcements

• Reports can be requested to be emailed to you on a regular basis – daily, weekly, monthly

Can other people see my child’s grades and information?

As long as you protect your password, others will not be able to see your child’s information. Each child/parent is issued a unique identification login and password.

How do I get a login and password?

The school office will provide these to you during parent/teacher conferences, or you can contact the buildings to get one. A photo identification will be necessary to receive this login information for security purposes.

Can I change my username and password?

You cannot change your password and id. Keep them confidential. This is a security issue and so should be treated like an ATM or credit card.

What do I do if I forget the login and password?

You will need to contact the office to have the password reassigned.

What is required to connect to the PowerSchool system?

Since PowerSchool is a web-based communication system, users will need the following:

• A computer with a connection to the internet

• A web browser – popular items: Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera, Safari

• A log in and password supplied by the school

Do all teachers post grades and attendance information to the server?

All teachers assign and post grades at different times. Some may give grades to their students everyday, others may give fewer grades during a grading period. Teachers will post grades on a regular basis. If you do not see grades for a teacher, but do for others, you may contact them via email, or request a phone call or meeting with them.

At the elementary level, teachers will post attendance in the morning, and attendance will be updated through the office after that time. Teachers that would not post attendance would be those who do not have a traditional classroom, such as physical education teachers.

How often can we expect attendance to be updated?

At the high school and middle school, attendance will be updated each period. In the elementary schools, updates to attendance will be made by the office throughout the day. Each attendance office will enter a wide range of codes to indicate a reason for the absence as they receive information from parents/guardians.

How often should we expect grades to be updated?

There are many factors that can determine how quickly a teacher can assess and return assignments. Quizzes can be scored more quickly than an essay or a research paper. The number of students a teacher meets with each day can also be a determining factor. All teachers will do their best to post grades in a timely manner, with a target of updating at least once per week.

What if I don’t have a home computer or access to the Internet?

There have been many discussions about providing access around the community. Other communities have been able to use local businesses as a point of access. Public libraries, community service centers and school libraries have been open for parents to access information.

How will the community be involved in this initiative?

Access to PowerSchool may provide the community opportunities to get involved. The community is an important asset in the success of the schools and our students.