 Quincy Public Schools Parent Academy Developed and Presented by: QPS Educational and Informational Technology Teams Connecting Homes – Schools and Student Performance Empowering and Enabling Parents Access to Information through the Aspen Student Portal

Welcome and Introductions  Keith Segalla, QPS Executive Director Career & Technical Education and Instructional Technology  Members of the Quincy School Committee  Dr. Richard DeCristofaro, Superintendent of Schools  Superintendent’s Leadership Team  Middle School Principals Team  Educational Technology Team  Information Technology Team  QPS Aspen Champion Trainers

Agenda  Aspen Student Information System (SIS)  Overview  Planning / Implementation / Reflection and Assessment  Introduction to Aspen Student Portal  How QPS Staff are Integrating Aspen Technology  A Principal’s Perspective  Additional Supports and Resources  Break-Out Session: Student Portal ~ Interactive Workshop First Order of Business Hot Coffee, Water, Pastries ~ Donated by the QHS Culinary Arts Program Presentation Folder ~ Powerpoint Presentations and Additional Materials

 QPS Educational and Informational Technology Teams GOALS  To provide effective and efficient communication and information to key stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and students…  Support and promote educational technology resources that will work to enhance the teaching and learning experiences for both the staff and students…  Provide focused outreach (training/professional development) to our staff, students, and parents on using these technological resources to support and strengthen the home school relationship as it relates to student learning, virtual learning, library resources, and communication... District Improvement Plan Team Organization ~ 72 QPS Teams Establish SMART Goals Define Action Steps/Timelines Plan/Implement/Reflect and Assessment ~ Continuous Improvement ~

What is Aspen?  Aspen is a secure, web-based school information management system. Aspen manages all facets of student data, including attendance, assessments, grades, report cards, schedules, and so much more….  You may access Aspen from any computer that connects to the internet (home, work, or school).  Aspen is also available via mobile devices (cell phones and tablets).  Web address: aspen.quincypublicschools.com. Login and Password required.

Other Local Aspen Districts: North Attleborough Norwell Plymouth Quincy Rockland Saugus Scituate Seton Somerville South Shore Ed Collab Swampscott Swansea Tewksbury Triton Walpole West Bridgewater Westwood Weymouth Wilmington Abington Amesbury Andover Athol-Royalston Attleboro Barnstable Bedford Belmont Billerica Blackstone Blue Hills Tech Boston Braintree Brookline Burlington Chelmsford Chelsea Concord Dartmouth Dighton Lincoln Littleton Lowell Ludlow Malden Manchester Essex Mansfield Marblehead McCann Tech Melrose Middleborough Milford Millbury Minuteman Monomoy MontyTech NashobaTech Nauset NE Metro Tech Newburyport Dover Sherborn Duxbury Easton Everett Fairhaven Fall River Fitchburg Framingham Franklin Lawrence GNB Tech Hamilton Wen Hanover Haverhill Hingham Holbrook Hull Innovation Leominster Lexington South Shore Communities

Our USERS Include: District Level Administrators School Staff (1,047) Principals / Assistant Principals Teachers, Deans, Student Support Staff Nurses, Secretaries, Attendance Aides, etc… Students and Parents (2,126 QPS middle school students registered ) 1,418 (67% ) Users have successfully logged-in 708 (33%) Users have not logged-in

An Overview of Quincy’s Student Information System and Implementation of Aspen Components and Modules Published Reports AttendanceSchedulingAssessment Teacher Grade Book Special Education Professional Development State Reporting Curriculum and Learning Student and Parent Portal Quincy Public Schools Information Implementation Sept 2014 Implementation Sept 2013 Middle/High Schools Implementation In Process Implementation Sept 2013 Middle/High Schools Implementation Sept 2013 Elementary/Middle/High Schools Implementation Middle/High Schools December 2013 Implementation Sept 2014 Implementation August 2013 Implementation Sept 2014

Aspen Implementation/Timeline ASPEN MODULESTIMELINELEVEL(S)STATUS Fundamentals Fall 2013 Elementary/Middle /High Complete Attendance Fall 2013 Elementary/Middle/High Complete Grade Book Fall 2013 Middle/High Complete Student Portal Winter 2014 Middle/High Ongoing Teacher Pages Spring 2014 Middle/High Spring 2014 Curriculum and Learning Fall 2014 Elementary/Middle/High Fall 2014 Special Education Fall 2014 Elementary/Middle/High Fall 2014

Enables administrators, parents, and students to make informed decisions about student behavior, support, and performance. Student Attendance Student Grades Interim Reports Student Schedules Teacher Webpages Teacher Assignments Assessments Teacher Virtual Student Locker So much more… Aspen Student Portal is a component of Aspen that students and parents can access:

Aspen Student Portal Provides PARENTS a wide range of student data available for parental view:  Access to academic information for each student (instant access to monitor student progress)  Address any potential issues or concerns before they become serious Provides STUDENTS real-time access to your child’s own academic and activity information:  Store student files, recommendation letters and homework assignments in the “virtual locker”  Compare personal scores to the rest of the class  Manage extracurricular sports and club activities  Access to the Destiny Library Manager System  Enter course requests online (Grades 8-12)

Student/Parent View SAMPLE

How QPS Staff are Integrating Aspen Technology Laura Shea, 7 th Grade Special Education Teacher Central Middle School  Attendance ~ Ability to take homeroom/daily attendance and individual class attendance  Gradebook ~ Provides assignments, up-to-date grades, log of latest activity, homework/quiz/test averages, uploaded documents (assignments or project directions, rubrics, homework, etc…)  Homework ~ Daily assignments posted with detailed instructions listed under specific class periods  ~ parents, students, classes of students concerning specific grades or reminders or upcoming tests/quizzes/projects

A Principal’s Perspective Daniel Gilbert, Principal Broad Meadows Middle School  Collaborative Effort between Home and School  21 st Century Learning ~ Technology Integration  My Resources / Calendars / Student Locker  Class/Homework Assignments  Improve Student Performance  Real time access to grades and assignments

Additional Supports and Resources  Help within the Portal*  User Guides*  Quick Reference Cards*  Short “How to Videos*  QPS Website~Parent Links  Aspen Publications (monthly)  PTO Meetings * These tools were created by Follett Software and explains all functions of the Portal.

Special Acknowledgements!!!  Ms. Jennifer Fay-Beers, Principal ~ Central Middle  Central Middle School Custodial Team  QHS Culinary Arts Program  QPS Educational and Informational Technology Team Members  Chuck Phelan and the City of Quincy IT Team  Aspen Champion Presenters

Thank you!  Questions?  Please us at:  Breakout Session: Interactive Workshop  Exit Ticket/Survey

Breakout Session Student Portal ~ Interactive Workshop Team A : Room 101 Team B: Room 122 Team C: Room 222 Team D: Room 301A