ParentConnect

Beginning in a few weeks, we will be starting to phase in, ParentConnect, a secure, on-line tool that will directly connect parents to their child’s grades and attendance. Beginning in the 4th quarter, eight teachers have volunteered to pilot the program with their students, which will offer any parents that have children in those teachers’ classes the opportunity to monitor their child’s academic performance throughout the fourth quarter. I think this move to a more public system, both with our graduation portfolio, through Richer Picture, and with grades and attendance, is an important step in demystifying some of the frustrating communication between the school and home that have plagued high schools across the nation.

We plan to have all teachers utilize the on-line grading system during the first quarter of the 2010-11 school year, with more teachers piloting, and will have all teachers participating beginning second quarter. Both Curtis Corner and Broad Rock will be adopting ParentConnect next year as well. Much of the support for implementing such a system came from teachers who live in communities where similar types of systems already exist. This is a pilot program this quarter so there will probably be some glitches but I am pleased that we are moving towards assessment practices where parents – and students – can better track academic progress on a continuous basis, thereby having a more participatory role in the educational process.