Data Connect District Staff

PS Basics Part 1

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Objectives By the end of this session, you will know how to:

Explain how different user groups sign in to PowerSchool

Identify links and menus on the PowerSchool Start Page

Perform common tasks in PowerSchool

Identify reports and special functions in PowerSchool

Consult a student records both current and historical

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DataConnect Project Site

• All Student Information System users will connect to their Log In Page using links on the Data Connect Project Site http://dataconnect.nbed.nb.ca

• Support documentation and digital PD resources will be housed on this site.

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PowerSchool User Groups

Fours distinct groups use and access the PowerSchool Modules:

• Administrators

• Teachers

• Substitutes

• Parents (Guardians) and Students

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PowerSchool Users PowerSchool Administrator is used by principals, vice principals, administrative assistants, guidance counsellors, and district office access

View or edit student information Work with schedules Manage staff and student information Communicate with other PowerSchool users

Run Reports

PowerTeacher and PowerTeacher Gradebook are the classroom management tools used by teachers

Take attendance Access information about their students Communicate to families and administrators Launch PowerTeacher Gradebook

Enter assignment information, results and final grades

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PowerSchool Student and Parent Portals

View attendance data View assignments and assessment information Read comments from teachers View school announcements Make course selections

PowerSchool Substitute Teachers Portal

Managed by the school District generated password Limited to submitting attendance Long-term supplies will be granted teacher access

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Schools and Districts will determine when and how to grant and manage parent and student access.

Step 1: Log on to Administrator Training Server

http://dataconnect.nbed.nb.ca

Choose the Administrator Log in

Enter your training username and password separated by a semi-colon with no spacesUsername;passwordUsername = 2aghs1Password = aghs1Example: 2aghs1;aghs1 – all in one line

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PowerSchool Start Page

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Navigating PowerSchool

TIP: The PowerSchool logo will return you to the start page. Use either this logo, or the Breadcrumbs to return to Start, rather than the browser’s back button.

Using the back arrow in your browser is not recommended and may log you out of PowerSchool.

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PowerSchool Help

TIP: You can find a topic by browsing, looking through an alphabetical index, or searching.

Help topics explain the purpose of the feature and where you can find the feature in PowerSchool.

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Practice Navigation Activity

1. Can you identify how many teachers and students there are in Apple Grove High, Cherry Hill Middle and Washington Elementary Schools?

2. Can find out the oldest archived Term and Year that at Apple Grove High School?

3. Can you identify the five section headings on the Main Menu.

4. Can you find at least 3 different ways you can search for students in a school.

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Let’s Get Started - Morning Tasks

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Task 1: Personalize PowerSchool – Enable Smart Search

Step 1 of 4On the Start Page; In the Main Menu scroll down to locate the Setup section.

Step 2 of 4Under the Setup section, click Personalize.

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Step 3 of 4On the Personalize page, you have several options. Click Interface.

Step 4 of 4 Click the checkbox to the right of Enable Smart Search. Click Submit.

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PRACTICE: Repeat your steps to Personalize the Initial Student Screen.

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Check your workYou have been contacted by the school about providing supplementary assistance to AGHS student Kelsey Langness when she takes Swimming this semester. You need to confirm her schedule.

Start typing the student’s last name Langess in the search box.

Smart Search will start listing students, teachers, and fields corresponding to the letters you are typing.

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Choose Kelsey Langness’ name

Because you personalized and chose Schedule as the Initial Student Screen, Kelsey’s Bell Schedule appears. To complete the task, confirm what days and period she has

Swimming

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TIP: Smart Search MenuThe choices in the Smart Search menu are color coded and labeled with an icon.Search results for student and staff names are represented in Orange and labeled with an icon that looks like a person.

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Search results for Student/Staff field are Black and labeled with a database icon. Stored searches are Green and are labeled with a magnifying glass.

Task 2: View Enrollment Summary

Step 1 of 3On the Start Page; In the Main Menu scroll down to locate the Functions section.

Step 2 of 3Under the Functions section, click Enrollment Summary.

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Next on your list: For your meeting this morning you need to get the latest enrollment numbers at a Apple Grove High School.

Enrollment Summary Step 3 of 3 To complete the second task make note of how many total males, total females and total students you have in the school.

The enrollment summary shows, by grade level, the total number of students and totals for each gender. Check it out - they all link to additional information.

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Task 3: Check a teacher’s scheduleYou planned on debriefing with Elizabeth Carruthers today. Your next task is to check her schedule and see when she is free to meet.

.Click on Start Page in the Breadcrumbs.

There are two ways to view schedules: 1. Master Schedule

or2. Teacher Schedules

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Using Master ScheduleStep 1 of 4In the Functions section click on Master Schedule.

Step 2 of 4If you have used Master Schedule before you will have scroll down to Show Preferences to select a new teacher.

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Setting Preferences

Step 3 of 4For Periods choose All periods.For Days choose All Days.

Step 4 of 4Under teachers select Carruthers, Elizabeth and click Submit to generate her schedule.

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Note: With Master Schedule you have the option of choosing multiple teachers by holding the <ctrl> key

Review Teacher Schedule

To complete your task make a note of when Elizabeth is free.

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Same Task: Using Teacher Schedules

Step 1 of 3Click on PowerSchool to return to Start Page.

Step 2 of 3Click on Teacher Schedules in the Functions section.

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Step 3 of 3Select Carruthers, Elizabeth from left hand side. NOTE: This approach works when you need to select only one teacher.

Review her schedule to see what period she does not teach.

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Attendance Procedures

• PowerSchool allows recording of both Period (meeting/class) and Daily attendance. Your high schools take Meeting attendance for all classes and a home room period.

• Teachers are normally responsible for taking the class attendance for their students. This attendance is available in PowerSchool, Power Teacher and PS Parent Portal as soon as it is submitted by the teacher.

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Reporting on Student Attendance

Scenario: • Your district is focused on improving student

attendance at the high school level. • You have implemented standardized attendance

codes across the district so that accurate reporting is possible.

• You working with high school principals to assure schools have established procedures in their schools

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Establish Attendance Procedures

• All schools should be asked to establish attendance procedures.

• Principals will communicate expectations to teachers.

• Reports will only be valid if attendance is taken.

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Prior to Running Reports – Assure Attendance has been taken

There are different ways to check teacher attendance submission:

1. In Attendance select Teacher Attendance Submission Status or

2. In System Reports select PowerTeacher Attendance Report.

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Teacher Attendance Submission Status

! Partial Attendance

!! No Attendance Attendance Complete

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Power Teacher Attendance

• Indicates by period teachers who have not taken attendance.

• Click on the hyperlinked period 4(A) to view class detail.

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Task : Run Student Absentee Reports Return to Start Page

There are two locations for the Absentee report.

1. In Functions section select Attendance or

2. In Reports section select System Reports

Take a moment to explore both pages to see the many attendance reports.

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Step 1 of 4Under Functions click on Attendance.

Step 2 of 4On the Attendance page click Absentee Report.

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Task 4: Run Student Absentee Reports

Step 3 of 4Add filters to customize the Absentee report before running it:

Choose A (absent) from the list of attendance codes

Today’s date is the defaultSelect “1” for first periodSelect “Include Verification

Line”Click Submit

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Step 4 of 4On the Report Queue page, your report is listed with a status of "Running.“ Click Refresh to update the report status.

When the status changes to “Completed,” click View to open the Absentee report.

TIP: For long reports you can set a refresh rate time

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Absentee Report The Absentee report lists students who are marked absent in 1st period, along with their home phone numbers so you can contact their parents to find out why they are absent.

Check Your Understanding – Following the same steps, run the Absentee Report again for students who are tardy or absent in second period.

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Task : Check Enrollment in a Special Program

Districts are responsible for generating the list of possible Special Programs .

Special Programs have both entry and exit dates.

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Return to the Start Page to check enrollment in the Gifted and Talented Program

Step 1 of 5You'll access another set of functions by clicking Special Functions.

Step 2 of 5Scroll to the bottom of the list to Special Program Enrollment.

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Step 3 of 5To find a list of the students who are enrolled in the Gifted and Talented program, click Display next to the program’s name.

Step 4 of 5The Enrolled Students page lists the students who are in the special program currently. To print the list, you can click the Printer icon (in the corner).

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Task: Consult a Student’s Records Scenario: You are preparing for a meeting with a student’s parents. You want to familiarize yourself with that student’s performance.

Return to the Start Page and Pick a student in grade 12.

Consult the Quick Lookup Screen. • You can check attendance

for semester, or last two weeks.

• You can access the student’s results by quarters and semesters for each course

• Blue hyperlinked attendance and mark can be selected for more detail

Consult your students Historical Grades.

Is the achievement similar as in previous years?

• Check your students results on the required provincial assessment Test Results

• Click on test name to see detailed results

NOTE: this will be customized for NB

Check on the students graduation progress.

If your student does not have a graduation plan choose Graduation Plan Selection

Choose High School Diploma and Submit

• Check your students progress towards meeting the high school diploma requirements.

• Are their academic departments in which they are required courses ?

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• Check if your student has any emergency/medical issues or plans

• Medical Alerts can be added to a student that are viewable by administration and teaching staff.

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Medical AlertView warnings about a student’s health, such as dietary restrictions, medication schedules, and allergy information.

Guardian AlertView information about the student’s parents or guardians, such as whether an estranged parent is allowed to pick up the student from school.

Discipline AlertView important information regarding behavior at school, such as that the student is not to use library computers without supervision.

Balance AlertView the amount of student fees owed and the balance in the student’s lunch account.

Birthday AlertView a reminder of a student’s birthday within one week of the date.

Other AlertView reminders regarding the student’s status, as when the student should go to study hall.

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Check Student BehaviourFor an individual student, in the Main Menu - Administration section, select Incidents.

All of a school Incidents can also be viewed. Start Page > Functions> Special Functions In the list of special functions choose Incident Management

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Incident List for an Individual Student

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Task Completed

You are ready to meet with your students parents. You have checked their attendance, their academic performance this year by course, term and semester. You have looked at their historical grades and their results on provincial assessments. You have looked at their progress towards graduation and know what they need to graduate. You have checked for Alerts and behaviour issues.

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Conclusion You have completed the list of tasks. You’ve learned how to smart search, view schedules, run reports, find enrollment information, check student records, all while learning how to navigate PowerSchool.

For extra help and information on these topics, check out the Quick Reference cards on the SIS website. Recommended Reference Cards:

PowerSchool Basics for Administrator s Quick Reference CardManaging Meeting Attendance Quick Reference Card

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References

The images used in this document included:

• The copyright free mouse character from http://www.bidulz.com

• Teacher characters from licenced software Articulate Storyline

• Microsoft Office Clip Art • Screen Captures of PowerSchool Training Environment

This document was created under Creative Commons Licence 4.0