GATS

Accessing Your Electronic Gradebook What you will need: an email address (smartinez@saisd.net) Password Birth month and birth day (0215) Internet access Know your campus GATS Contact - Your Principal Teacher GATS Manual online

Password Initially you will log in with birth month birth day as password (0314) At login, you will be prompted to change it The system will also ask you to change your password every 90 days District’s naming convention 6+ characters At least one in CAPS At least one in lower case Must contain at least one number Examples: Traine5 or 345621sAm

Setting Up Your Gradebook Turn OFF All Pop-up blockers. The gradebook window will open and close if you have ANY pop-up blockers on. IE Yahoo Google Login at http://www.saisd.net and locate GATS Place the shortcut link on your desk

E20 Grading Procedure Grading Categories “FIXED” Two grading categories determine student’s grades: Assessment Performance – which may include, but not limited to exams, to include semester exams, recitations, teacher-made tests, quizzes, interim assessments, projects, and other grade-level acceptable assessment measures. Assignment Performance – which may include, but are not limited to, projects, journals, labs, projects, classwork, homework, research, class participation and other instructional activities related to the content area.

E20 Grading Procedure Additional Grading Categories require the following approval by Sept. 1 Complete Request to Change Grading Categories or Grade Weighting (Form E20A)

ES Grade Weighting Grade Weighting – Elementary PreK and Kinder – No weighting of grades Grades 1-5 Grade weighting is NOT REQUIRED All categories will have a weight of a 1 multiple Campus and/or grade level may select to weight grades. If so, the campus or grade level MUST: Convene a CLT or grade level meeting Decision must be reached by consensus and ALL teachers affected will adhere to the new grading system Approval from Administrator (Form E20A) By Sept. 1 Maintain minutes/notes at the campus NOTIFY parents and students of grading system

ES Grade Weighting Grading Weighting Multiple Method Assignment Performance Assessment Performance Categories can be color coded Categories, Weights and Method of weighting grades are preset and need Principal approval to be changed.

Secondary Grade Weighting Grade Weighting Percent Method Assessment Performance no less than 40% Assignment Performance no more than 60% Campus and/or grade level may select to weight grades using a different percentile or ADD another category. If so, the campus or grade level MUST: Convene a CLT or grade level meeting Decision must be reached by consensus and ALL teachers affected will adhere to the new grading system Approval from Administrator (Form E20A) By Sept. 1 Maintain minutes/notes at the campus NOTIFY parents and students of grading system When weighting grades: Method of weighting grades will be set to Percent Weight for each category will meet the District policy The MINIMUM Assessment Performance measures shall constitute 40% of the student’s nine-week grade The MAXIMUM Class work and/or Homework shall constitute 60% of the student’s nine-week grade Categories, Weights and Method of weighting grades are preset and need Principal approval to be changed. If the campus chooses to increase the % of assessment, and decrease the % for class work and/or homework, or ADD another Category, then the following guidelines must be met: Convene a CLT, grade level meeting Ensure that the decision is reached by consensus and that ALL affected teachers will adhere to the new grading system Administrator approval – Form E20A Maintain minutes/notes at the campus Notify parents and students

Secondary Grade Weighting Grading Weighting Percent Method Assignment Performance Assessment Performance Will equal 100 When weighting grades: Method of weighting grades MUST be set to Percent Weight for each category MUST meet the District policy The MINIMUM Assessment Performance measures shall constitute 40% of the student’s nine-week grade The MAXIMUM Class work and/or Homework shall constitute 60% of the student’s nine-week grade Categories, Weights and Method of weighting grades are preset and need Principal approval to be changed. If the campus chooses to increase the % of assessment, and decrease the % for class work and/or homework, or ADD another Category, then the following guidelines must be met: Convene a CLT, grade level meeting Ensure that the decision is reached by consensus and that ALL affected teachers will adhere to the new grading system Administrator approval – Form E20A Maintain minutes/notes at the campus Notify parents and students

Number of Grades Number of Grades Grades Pre-Kindergarten-K Will follow developmentally appropriate practices to record student progress. Grades 1-12 Teachers will record NO LESS than 15 grades per grading period per subject. No fewer than 1-2 grades per week per subject. Elementary non-core specialty teachers will record no less than 6 grades per grading period. PK- student expectations are used

Progress Reports Progress Reports Every 3rd and 6th Week Dates set at beginning of school year PreK and Kinder not mandatory. Grades 1-12 All students should receive a progress report at the 3rd and 6th weeks within a 9-wk grading period. Students in danger of failing MUST receive a progress report. Should get dates from the Principal’s calendar and any weekly memos that supersede it are the official timelines.

Progress Report Steps Teacher inputs grades Administrator monitors teacher’s gradebook Administrator notifies teachers of last day to input grades for each grade reporting period. Administrator will Verify progress report period. This temporarily locks the gradebook. Data Clerk Creates, Saves and Prints Progress Reports Principal MUST Unverify Progress Report Period so that teachers can resume inputting grades This DOES NOT impact Attendance An Administrator MUST log in to the DBM to Teacher Verification Mode to verify the campus on the date and time shown on the calendar Timeline. Once the campus is verified, teachers will be unable to enter grades. The data clerk will then be able to create, save and print the progress reports. Data clerk should notify administrator when the administrator can perform the Progress Report Clear function. The teachers can then resume inputting grades for the next 3 weeks. Verify Campus Must be performed by an Administrator on designated date and time. Does not affect attendance. Notify data clerk Data Clerk then MUST create, save and print Progress Reports. Unverify Campus Performed by an Administrator after data clerk has created and saved progress reports. Teachers can resume inputting grades.

Report Card Steps Teacher’s input grades Administrator monitors gradebooks Administrator will notify teachers of last day to input grades for the 9 wk period Teachers verify gradebook Administrator will VERIFY the campus District processes report cards and places in AnyQueue folder District UN-VERIFIES campus NOT Adminstrator Data Clerk Prints Report Cards Teachers resume inputting grades Same as Progress Report Period EXCEPT – Administrator DOES NOT Unverify the campus – this is done at the district level -

Verifying Gradebook by Teacher (Report Card Period ONLY) means: All students appear in the gradebook. Grades for all assignments are entered for all students in all courses. (M,I,E, Blanks should have note) Each student is receiving the grade they have earned in the class. (M, I, E, Blank) Comments have been provided for ALL students. Citizenship has been marked for all students in all courses. If not marked the default is an S. There are NO additional changes. Report cards may be printed based on the results that are reported. The Cycle and Semester grades have been reviewed on the Cumulative Grades screen and are correct.

Elementary PE/Fine Arts Grading Scale Teachers should use the following scale: E=95 S=85 N=75 U=65 Teachers should be consistent for every child and cycle. Set the gradebook to show Alpha grades for these subjects. This caused concern at several campuses. Teachers and administrators must understand that an E and an S for one student may average to an E one grading cycle but on the next cycle the grade may be an S if teachers choose not to use a middle range grade.

Attendance Procedure F48 Elementary and Secondary teachers submit Official ADA Attendance at 10:00 am and post to 2nd period. Teachers MUST sign a Weekly Attendance Verification report for period 2 every Monday and return it to the attendance clerk within 24 hours of receipt. Tardies are posted by teacher only. The data/attendance clerks will not post tardy updates. Elementary teachers post tardies to 2nd period ONLY Left Early Posting is for Grades 1-5 ONLY Elementary teachers mark the L for Left Early to 3rd period ONLY and should Submit at the end of the school day. (preferably 3:00 pm) An L for Left Early is calculated as a Tardy. Parents must be notified of this policy. Attendance Menu Teacher verification report – generated every Monday for the previous week.

Attendance Procedure F48 Attendance Verification Report MUST be signed and dated every Monday. Attendance Menu Teacher verification report

Special Education Teachers Teacher of Record Responsible for inputting/recording students grades Itinerant Support, Co-teaching, and other Services Will use grade book for recording services. Grades will not print on official progress reports or report cards. Will not take attendance Courses will not print on schedules Reading Services Math Services LA Services

District & Custom Fields Use to access all the information necessary to fulfill emergency procedures Teachers are required to maintain a detailed class roster of students that includes Parent contacts, emergency phone numbers, and home addresses for each student in the event of an emergency. This information can now be exported from GATS to Excel.

GATS Support Grade level or lead teacher Campus GATS Contact Training Teacher Manual Online Help Desk 244-2929 Office of Instructional Technology 527-1400

Week 1 and Week 2 Day 1 Attendance Mass Activation – Enrolling Students

GATS - Roster Screen Verify that all students are on the class roster- notify clerk/counselor/administrator

Teacher Preferences (Access by clicking on Teacher’s name) Used to manage teacher information, control the way student data is displayed on the main gradebook page, or create custom fields for tracking student information. Use if Approved ONLY Use the “View” drop-down list to switch between user (teacher) information and student information. Under the View: User Profile, the teacher can change password, create custom fields, and set retake behavior. The maximum retake grade limits the score a student can receive if a retake grade has been entered for that student. The retake behavior setting determines how the system will calculate retake grades. You can also choose whether you want to view the gradebook, attendance page, or “Grades by Student” page when you first log in.

Create Custom Fields Under Teacher preferences teachers can Create Custom Fields for student information Refer to teacher’s manual

Custom Fields The page will be rearranged as necessary to allow the selected fields to appear. You can make appropriate entries into these fields, and click “Update” to save your changes. To remove a field from the display, un-check it on the left, then click “Refresh.” Any entries you may have made to those fields will be saved even while the field is hidden. These fields can be used to store student information in the gradebook. To select custom fields to be displayed, click on a student’s name on the main gradebook page. A student list will appear. To display the custom fields, check the box next to the desired fields on the left side of the page, then click “Refresh.” Textbook numbers Permission slip Picture money Etc.

New Assignment New feature to new assignment window: GradeSpeed allows you to associate specific state standards with each assignment. Rubric module not used **Special Ed modifications will appear on this screen.

Entering Grades for Assignment(s) Once you have created some assignments, you are ready to begin entering grades for students. Navigating the main gradebook page is easy – use the arrow keys or the mouse to select a cell, and enter a grade. Use the following codes for missing assignments: M for missing assignment A zero is averaged in E for Excused Leave Blank same as excused Justify the blank I for Incomplete Zero is NOT averaged in

Applied Modifications The “A” tells you that points were added to the grade. The “N” tells you that a note is attached to the grade. The “X” means that this grade will not be dropped, even if it is the lowest score. The “L” indicates that the assignment was late, and the “R2” tells you that the score represents the second retake opportunity. Hover the mouse over any of these symbols to see the details related to the symbol. Once you have entered the grade modifications for a student, click “Update” and then “Return” to the main gradebook page. You will see that your modifications have been applied, and that the grade will now have several codes surrounding it – each one explains the modification that was made.

Special Ed Modifications To select the special education modification codes, simply click on the modifications box and check box window will appear with the modifications. The teacher then checks the modifications that apply to the student then clicks OK. A code will appear around the grade to view the modifications applied.

Training Resources Materials posted on GATS website Teacher’s Manual Administrator’s Manual Online Tutorials Administrator Manual Teacher Manual Online Tutorial

Fall Training After-Hours Sessions 4:30-7:30 On-Campus training by campus GATS Contact

Have a Great Year! “The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn.” John Lubbock