[BHS etree] ADMIN: Student Absences, PowerSchool Codes, Directory

[bhs at idiom.com]

DO NOT REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL, please contact: Janet Huseby [mailto:jhuseby at pacbell.net]

1. Charles Keefe, our Attendance Officer, has been overwhelmed with calls from parents concerned about the number of unexcused absences on their child's Attendance/Progress Report.  He cannot return individual calls but he writes: 

How to read your student's recent Attendance/Progress Reports:  Even if you excused your child's absence, it is listed as an absence. The absent column reflects both excused and unexcused absences, which go back to the beginning of the year.  Students' grades, however, are only influenced by 2nd quarter attendance and not 1st quarter attendance. 

2. PowerSchool Codes: This summer the school switched to a new student tracking system. As always, switching programs is challenging. One of the long-awaited features of the new program is a parent portal which will allow family access to grades, attendance, and, depending on the teacher, assignments. In order to access this information, families need a login code.  This code will be included in the next mailing which will be mailed out on January 6.  The portal itself will be up and running on Feb. 7 after the semester grades are input.

3. The BHS Directory is now available.  This powerful resource contains contact information on programs, student support services, teacher and staff contacts, as well as contact information for those students who turned in release forms allowing their contact information to be included. (Forms were included in the summer mailing.) Parent volunteers have been handing out the Directory at lunch from the steps of the Community Theater this past week. Few students have picked up a copy. We are now distributing from the Front Desk.  Parents: tell your student to come by the front desk and get your family's directory!  Even if your child is not listed, you will appreciate the information. Or, come by and pick one up yourself.