PowerSchool Resources


Power Grade Tips and Suggestions

EMail from Dona Lerew orig Sep 13, 2007 and corrected Sep 14
List of the comments from the comment bank: Report Card Comments
Additional Comments - EMail from Dona Lerew on Nov 16, 2007

EMail from Sheila Glenn - Report Card Comments June 9, 2008
If you can share this information with your teachers I would greatly appreciate that. There has been some question about where to put comments for the 3rd Trimester. All comments should be put under T3 not F1. Entering comments in T3 will allow comments to print on the report card for the 3rd trimester.

Power Teacher Grade Book Tips
Oct 2, 2007 by Sheila Glenn
PowerTeacher Grade Book User Guide
Using these directions, teachers can:
- Run an attendance grid report
- Run final grade and comment report
- Run an individual student report
- Run a missing assignment report
- Run a Scoresheet report (for you to have a record of all the grades you have given in a particular class... save to your desktop) So many of these items would be helpful to have in front of you for conference time, if a parent is questioning where you obtained the average for the student.


A PowerGrade Tip - EMail from Dona Lerew Nov 2, 2007
I know there has been a concern in kindergarten about being able to document the students' progress without being punitive to their progress.

For example, as you are assessing letter recognition throughout the trimester, many have expressed an interest in posting the student results so parents can see it but not counting the results in the final grade until the last assessment of the trimester. In order to do this, just uncheck the box that says “Include in final grade” in the assignment set up window.

This allows you to enter scores but not count them in the student’s average. So, the parent can see the progress but the student is not penalized. There will be an indication on the parent portal so the parent knows this is not in the final average.

Then towards the end of the trimester when you are ready to have the scores count, be sure the box that says, "Include in final grade" is checked.


Printing individual student reports Directions

Instructions for checking to see if a parent is accessing the parent portal
- Log into PowerTeacher portal
-Click on the Back Pack icon for one of your classes
-On the left pane select a student by click on their name
-On the right side of the screen you will see a drop down box
   that says select screens, select Net/phone access
You will then be able to tell if a parent has accessed the parent portal
on what date, time and duration of visit.


Printing reports from within your grade book
Click here for instructions
When you click on the reports icon though, you will see a gray bar most likely
at the bottom of the screen, just point your mouse to it until you get the
double headed arrow and then drag the bar up. Then you will see the options for
running your reports.


Rubric Scoring Conversions for Power Grade Kdg
Rubrics - EMail from Dona Lerew on Sept 17, 2007
The rubric conversion chart is meant ONLY for rubrics. Remember, a rubric is used for scoring something in qualitative terms, such as characteristics of writing or a reading conference, or a journal, or a science process. Characteristics could include thorough descriptions or explanations or understanding. There are rubrics in the report card manual to use for reading workshop, writing workshop, and math. The FOSS science program has a plethora of rubrics to use for science writing and processes. You can also create you own rubrics for specific processes that need a quality judgment. This conversion chart should not be used for tests such as a spelling test.

When grading a spelling test or a test with specific answers, use regular percentages. Enter 64 for every F score. For example, a ten word spelling test should be graded as:
10 correct = 100
9 correct = 90
8 correct = 80
7 correct = 70
6 correct = 64
5 correct = 64
4 correct = 64
3 correct = 64
2 correct = 64
1 correct = 64
0 correct = 64
I hope this helps you think through the grading process with Power Grade. Please keep in mind that your instruction should not change. It is only the reporting system that is changing.


IEP Designation - EMail from Dona Lerew Sep 18, 2007
Each report card and interim report will contain information about whether or not the child has an IEP. Under each student name the following information will appear:

GIEP (yes or no)
IEP (yes or no)
and (learning support, or emotional support, or speech/language, or autistic support, or other support)

The specific type of support should be recorded in the comment section of the appropriate subject. These comments can be found in the comment bank.

For example, if a student has an IEP and receives in-class learning support, that comment (In-Class Learning Support) should be placed in the comment box in the subject area that applies to the support.

Hopefully, this will give the parent a clear indication of what type, if any, of learning support the child receives.

Assessment data info - EMail from Dona Lerew Nov 13, 2007
Exact wording for PowerSchool
Please be sure to precisely follow the directions and copy and paste the assessment name into your PowerGrade grade book exactly as it appears on the list so that a report can be generated. This is the only way we can do this so that you do not have to enter the data into a separate spreadsheet.

In case you need help with copy and paste directions:

1. Click on the cell with the assessment name in it and drag across to highlight it.
2. Press command (open apple) key and “C” to copy.
3. Open PowerGrade and go to the indicated category for that assessment.
4. Begin a new assignment.
5. Paste the assessment name into the assignment name by pressing command (open apple) and “V”.
6. The assessment name should appear.


EMail from Sheila Glenn 610-534-1900 X-1148 on April 16, 2008
Checking individual student attendance:
1. Log into the PowerTeacher portal
2. From the Start page click on the back pack
3. Click on a Student Name from the left side of screen
4. On the Right Side of the screen where it says 'Select Screen' click the down arrow and choose Quick Lookup
5. Then scroll down a little you will see YTD (Year To Date) totals for attendance
6. If you want to see the detail of the absences then click on the number and you will then see a break down of days absent.


EMail from Dona Lerew: Transferred students on June 4, 2008

If you have students in your building who transferred from a different building or even a different class, they may be missing grades from one of the trimesters which will affect their final grade. To alleviate this problem, teachers should follow the steps below. Please share this information with any teachers involved.

1. The classroom teacher should log onto Power Teacher and select the backpack.
2. Choose “Term Grades” from the select screens pull down menu.
3. Record the final trimester grade(s) missing in the grade book.
4. Select the class.
5. Select the reporting term of the missing grade.
6. Double click on the final grade of the student with no grade.
7. Manually override the final grade by entering the grade recorded from the “Term Grades” view.
8. Repeat this procedure for every trimester final grade that is missing for the student.
9. The final grade for the year should then calculate correctly for the report card.


End of Year Processes for PowerSchool and PowerTeacher Grade Book

Teachers:
Enter Grades and Comments through PowerTeacher Grade book
Run Grade Verification Report and Print
When logged into teacher portal click on the A+ icon
Verify final grades and comments
Scroll to bottom of screen enter a check in the box that says,
"I verify that these grades and comments are correct"
Enter current date and click Submit

School Administration:
Run Teacher Grade Verification Report for verified sections and Print
Once log into PowerSchool from the start page select Reports
Select Grade Verification Report ­ Web
Select Only Verified Sections and Submit
****Optional Click and drag to highlight whole report results and copy
then open Excel and paste and save file.
Run Teacher Grade Book Report
Select Teacher Grade Book Report
Select All Teachers
Meetings leave all unchecked
Assignment Header select Assignment name and due date
Print in Name Column select Student Name
Print Final grades type in T1,T2,T3,F1
(include all trimesters and Final grade separated by comas)
Check letter grade and percent
Click Submit

The teacher grade book may take a bit to run. I would burn this report to a CD as a record for the year. Once done process and print the final report cards as usual. Burn a copy of the final report card to a CD and keep. Grade Verification and final report cards can be burned to the same CD.



EMail from Dona Lerew June 9, 2008 - Assessment forms
Please be sure to place a copy of the Fountas & Pinnell
Assessment Summary form for each student in their permanent file.


EMail from Dona Lerew June 1, 2008 - Question about Reading Level C
This year, fluency is not required to be reported.
It certainly is something that can be entered and counted.
Next year, we will probably report this score.


EMail from Dona Lerew June 10, 2008 Permanent Folders
It seems clarification is needed concerning what to keep in the permanent folders. I have created specific procedures for all to follow so that we have consistency. Please see the procedures below.

1. Through PowerGrade and Power School all grades will be stored for students. Grades do not need to be recorded on the old cumulative record cards.

2. All demographics are available on Power School and should be updated regularly by the school office. There is no need to update information on the old cumulative record cards.

3. Parent conference information should be recorded on existing cumulative record card. For those students without a cumulative record card, teachers can use the attached file to record the dates of parent conferences. If another form was created by building, that form may be used.

4. PowerGrade displays student pictures. There is no need to add pictures to old cumulative record cards.

5. The following information should be placed in the permanent folders:
Fountas & Pinnell Summary Forms for grades K-2 assessments
IRI forms for grades 1-2
ESL report cards
Reading Support/Title I permission forms and exit forms as applicable
Spring Performance Assessments from grades 3-5
Math checklists for grades 1-5
IEP, Service Plans

Remember to ask teachers to verify grades in every subject and then building secretaries should burn all grades to a CD.


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