Getting started on PowerSchool (Our attendance and grading program) To get started go to https://ps.msd281.org/teachers/pw.html This is the screen where you will sign in with your login and password. Please check with your buildings secretary for these codes. You will get to a screen that looks like this

PowerSchool Key Features Use the “fork and knife” for lunch counts Use the “chair” for attendance List of your classes by period The “backpack” takes you to student and parent info. Grade book PowerSchool Key Features

Lets start with the “backpack” Student names Here This screen will appear when you click on the back pack and you will be taken to the corresponding class list. To access a student just click on their name. If you want another class click here

When you click on a students name (I’ve covered them here) you will see their name, picture, class schedule, etc. This drop down will provide you with many options to look up data like parent contact, etc. Student names here Student name, grade, etc. here

What you can find on the drop down menu Here are the most common ones you will use. “Demographics” gives you student and parent contact “Quick Look up” will give you the student’s class schedule and grades “Student Photo” Others may come in helpful at other times…feel free to check them out

Attendance Take attendance every period within the first five minutes of class by clicking on the “chair”

Click “Submit when done In the attendance box there is a pull down menu. Click on “A” Absent or “TDY.” You do NOT have to count each person present…just absent or tardy. If you make a mistake just click “present” and the absence or tardy will go away. Student Names Here Click “Submit when done You’ll know your done when a green dot appears next to the “chair”

Lunch Count 1- Check your email for the selection of the day from the cooks 2- Post or announce selections and have the students choose 3- Go to PowerSchool and click on the “knife and fork” for your 1st class of the day 4- This screen will appear and you enter the first choice count under “Student Lunch” and the second choice count under “Student A La Carte” and then click submit

Grade Book In PowerSchool click the “Gradebook” link Grade book

The first time you enter gradebook you will need to run the installer The first time you enter gradebook you will need to run the installer. Click installer and follow the directions After you have installed the program then you just have to click “Launch”

Make sure you change this to the correct year and semester “Assignments” is where you will enter the name and point value of your assignments “Student Info” will provide you student photo and parent contact info “Reports” will allow you to run progress reports, class grades, etc Student names Here “Class Content” is where you can add messages and a link to a web site “Scoresheet” is where you will enter your grades Gradebook basics

1-To add an assignment click the “+” sign Assignments 3- After saving the assignment it will appear here and you can right click to copy the assignment to other classes or to delete it 1-To add an assignment click the “+” sign 2- Add assignment name, category, points possible, date, and description

Student Info Click on the students name to find parent contacts, birthdays, etc. Student names here Picture

Class Content You can use this box to type in a note about your class or to create a link to your web site, etc. For more tips on creating this message please see the “Adding text and links in Power School” tutorial at the http://msd-mentoring.weebly.com/

Reports These are pretty self explanatory. The most commonly used ones are the “Attendance Grid;” the “Individual Student Report;” and the “Score sheet.”