VAPSUG: PowerTeacher Gradebook & Standards Bob Cornacchioli DERO Technical Services CEO

Agenda/Participants will be engaged in: Introduce Web Gradebook/Log in – Short cuts to save keystrokes – Final Grade Entry – Creating Assignments & Associating Standards – Teacher Options Discussion regarding Comment Writing Ask Questions- this is your time for more resources

CEO - DERO Technical Services Contractor/ - PowerDataSolutions Trainer- ANCGroup Evangelist/Process Assistant- Level Data Marketing- ParkBench Software Director of Technology and Media Services – Shrewsbury Public Schools (16 yrs) PowerSchool Administrator ( 6 yrs) Bob Cornacchioli

The “how to enter” grades is the easier of the two! ENTERING GRADES GRADING PRACTICES

Gradebook can be used to: 1) Enter Standards Final Grades 2) Recording Evidence ( tests – quizzes – homework ) 3) Tie Standards to Graded Assignments 4) Auto Calculate Standard Grades from Assignment Grades

Ken O’Connor – aka The Grade Doctor Far more important than the keystroke of a grade is how the district has trained teachers in the proper techniques in determining that grade. The information Ken and others are saying about student achievement is mission critical. PowerTeacher has been designed with these principles.

Learning Conversations: The Culture of Grading Same Curriculum Across all classrooms HOPEZERO’s MISSING WORK EXTRA CREDIT TENDENCY MAKE UP WORK Evidence Same Grading Practices Across all classrooms??

Average Temperature in Vegas Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Rick Wormeli – check him out on YouTube

What does a 4 or a C really mean? With teachers at your Grade Level With teachers at your School With teachers in the District What does it mean for next placement? Setting Expectations & Emphasize Consistency

Change to your grading choices? Academic Performance Indicators 4 = Advanced 3 = Proficient 2 = Progressing but need improvement 1 = Warning N/A = Not accessed this term** Avoid homebound confusion by sending home letter grades and percentages on assessments! ?? Developmental and Habits Indicators C = Consistently U = Usually B = Beginning to demonstrate N = Needs Assistance

Launch my Gradebook from school or home? Direct Launch Link to Launch PLUS

If Gradebook doesn’t launch – use click here link to Java assessment

Always Allow The Web Gradebook is a JAVA application, if it is NOT OPENING on the computer, you may be running an older version of JAVA. Contact your tech department. LITTLE TECH TALK

Latest version Designed to handle standards better

What’s on this screen < < TABS < < YEAR < < CURRENT COURSES << LINK TO DIFFERENT STANDARDS < < TERM- VIP

What’s on the Student Info Tab? All Demographic Info – Capabilities to Class/Groups/Individuals enlarged phone number plus Notifications

Reports - usable teacher run reports

Times out for added security

Don’t walk away from your screen, but if you do….

Your SBRC looks like this… How do I enter grades

Are you using the Co- Teaching Function of PowerSchool?

I can’t read these standards- either! Click on the arrow to expand it, click on the X to close descriptions!

Gradebook vs. Grade Entry Exploring the Assignments Tab Click the + in the lower left

Optional - Creating Assignments

Tying Assignments to Standards

Connecting Assessments to Standards

Assignments - Standards

Visual Cues-What does it all mean? auto-calculating standard grades from scored assignments

Allow Assignment Scores to Auto-Calculate Assignment Standards Scores Modified Screenshot

Auto Calculate Higher Level Standards

Control Click in the Box to access Grade choices.

Quick Fill – click on the standard header

Fill Scores saves time! Selecting the Fill Scores option requires a strategy Opt 1- Give everyone a default grade first then change those who were UP or DOWN Opt 2 – Give those few students the exception and then fill all others… applying grade to those with none.

Option for Enter Grades Individually - Score Inspector

Fill Down Saves Time….YOUR TIME! Strategy needed Fill and Change Enter “High and Lows” Fill Majority Fill Majority

Summative comment can be associated with HR and scroll to the right! Fill down doesn’t really work for comments! The “C” implies comment saved. You can cut and paste. Beware of the gender or name mistake!!

Comment space on your report card may be limited. Please ask! 4000 is a default setting so before you write a novel ask someone!

PS V. 7.1 – Limit Comment Length

If you or your teachers Copy and paste from Word to Powerschool, deselect straight quotations to avoid special characters in advance of typining your comments

I need another Category? Remember - you can never delete a category once an assignment has been associated to it – unless you remove all assignments- YEAR to YEAR

PUBLISH PUBLISH ASSIGNMENT With or without score !

Assignments that are √ “Include in Final Grade” MUST be Published Or…. You get an alert

Calculations Using PT Admin- your district will have to set policy on grading standards. The Gradebook will have to be set per school to look: Default setting for final grades Allow teacher modifications OR NOT Calculations for Most Recent Scores

Gradebook Preferences: Standards By default standards are not selected Teachers must check both boxes and set the final grade method Can’t lock preferences - discuss this and set expectations!

YOUR EVIDENCE In Student View- if a standard was assessed multiple times in a term ( associated to multiple assignments) the summary tab provides access to evidence. The calculated grade is a 2 based on the last 3 assessments, if a teacher overrides score based on evidence – “none” would have a score!

Web Gradebook does: CALCULATES Final Score & PROVIDES evidence to support space teacher assessments: POWER still is in the teacher’s ability to override Final Score Mean Median Mode Highest Most Recent -3 (set by Admin) Times Standard was assessed

Set-up can save teacher keystrokes Standard ELA.5.12: Presentation (overall appearance is legible and visually appealing) Assessed 3 times in a term : 4,4,3 What should go on the report card: 4 or 3? Based upon your district’s response – CUT OFF VALUES

Grade Value of Conversions Scales When teachers assess a standard more than once associated to multiple assignments, PTG averages these scores. Grade Value can’t be ZERO as seen earlier in this presentation.

Conversion Scales Match Grade Scales

Optional Idea: Include the rubric as the “description” for each standard. Benefits: Teachers see rubric/Parents as well if assignment was published to the Parent Portal.

Optional Idea: Using the Class Content tab and Class Info Button, teachers could include Class Info/Syllabus/Rubric in the description area. This can be invaluable to parents using the Portal.

Let’s Talk Comments What makes a good comment? Who are you writing them for? How much should you write? Who reads them before they go home? How much time should I allocate? What kind of stuff should I reference? Have you communicated expectations?

Sample Term 3 Nancy was wonderful to have in class. I hope she has a great summer! This is an actual comment! Your DISTRICT may have: 10 Math Standards 15 ELA- Reading and Writing Standards 5 Science Standards 8 Social Studies Standards T3 also runs from the end of March through June

Sample Comment Writing Activity Pair up by grade level Work with colleagues from different schools Be sure to review standards for T1 Mention student by name Appoint a typist and a spokesperson The data tells you, student: Struggles or exceeds in some math concepts Very inquisitive, hand writing could be better Struggles or exceeds in reading or some other ELA standard Include a behavior and/or effort statement

Gradebook Preferences: Comment Bank Teachers can create their own comment banks – Discuss this Parents prefer Narrative Comments

Gradebook Preferences: Score Codes Teachers can create additional Score Codes for their Gradebook Visible through the Parent Portal

Are reports available for Admin?

Bob Cornacchioli DERO Technical Services Q & A