How I Use ProgressBook
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​GradeBook:  Before ProgressBook, any time I got a call from a parent asking about their child, I take a phone number, contact all the teachers, get the student’s grades, and then call the parent back.  Now, I have grades and teacher comments at my fingertips.

Jim Grey, High School Principal, Arcanum High School, Arcanum, Ohio

​SpecialServices:   The district-to-district transfer when students move in or out of our district is fabulous.  When new students transfer to our district, we can simply and quickly digitally import their information from another Special Services district.  We have all the information we need to initiate services without waiting for hard copies to be mailed or faxed.

Jennifer Noxsel, speech-Language Pathologist, Ross Local School District, Hamilton, Ohio
 

​GradeBook:   I avoid looking up grades for kids that incessantly ask what they got on a test or an assignment or if they’re missing work.  I just tell them to check ProgressBook and after a while, they stop asking because they can see for themselves!”

Jeannine Stape, Science Teacher, Elyria High School, Elyria, Ohio

​ParentAccess:  I attribute a lot of my son’s success with high ACT scores and receiving college scholarships to the Parent and Student Access Portal in ProgressBook.  In his junior and senior years of high school, he used it daily to see assignments and check grades.  I viewed it a few times a week.  Together we agreed on performance expectations and ProgressBook truly drove him to improved study habits and held him accountable for better grades.

George Arsic, Parent, Norton City School, Norton, Ohio
 

​DataMap:  In just seconds, I see details on classes and can identify kids’ strengths and weaknesses. Then I zero in on test topics that need extra attention.  I can see disparity, for example, in a student’s 4th and 5th grade results, as well as state standards differences, such as 100% in vocabulary but 55% in literary text. Furthermore, DataMap helps ensure the value-added growth that’s required by the state.  With DataMap I’m working smarter with all students at all learning levels.”

Lisa Edwards, Teacher, Goshen Local Schools, Goshen, Ohio
 

​GradeBook:  Lessons are entered once, shared between teachers, rolled from year to year, and standards are linked to lessons and assignments.  Teachers can disclose their records to other teachers on their team for a total student performance snapshot.  With grades entered into the grade book as they occur, report cards are tallied in just seconds, comments entered, and teachers are done.  It takes a few minutes instead of hours.  In addition, ProgressBook’s ParentAccess eliminates routine questions from parents.

Deborah Vasenda, IT Coordinator, North Royalton City Schools, North Royalton, Ohio

​ParentAccess:  Our team of teachers post homework documents and worksheets in ProgressBook so there are no excuses for missing homework. 

Jim Lee, Teacher, Brecksville Broadview Hts. Middle School, Broadview Hts., Ohio
 

​StudentInformation (DASL):  Student demographics are right in front of staff, scheduling works really well, assessments are managed nicely, and it’s incredibly easy and fast to track and look up student data by last name, phone number and ID.

Diane Cavanagh, SIS Coordinator, Brecksville-Broadview Hts. City Schools, Broadview Hts., Ohio
 

​Parent/Student Access:  I write a blurb of the day in ProgressBook for each class.  That way, absent students can read about everything that went on in class.  Even if the student doesn’t check ProgressBook while out, I can easily print it for them and I don’t have to review and explain what was covered in class.  The blurbs are also helpful when planning lessons for the next year.  You know exactly what you covered each day.

Diane Cornett, Teacher, Brecksville-Broadview Hts. Middle School, Broadview Hts., Ohio
 

​DataMap:  Once practice or state test scores are available, DataMap results are ready for our teachers within hours.  It used to take days and frequently weeks to use this type of information effectively.

Mark Slagle, IT Director, Goshen Local Schools, Goshen, Ohio

​GradeBook:  I put lesson plans in ProgressBook and share them with other teachers.  It’s very helpful when our team of teachers don’t have common planning times.  And, our inclusion teachers check the planned lessons so they’re prepared for class. 

Valorie Stowell-Hart, Teacher, Brecksville-Broadview Hts. Middle School, Broadview Hts., Ohio
 

​GradeBook:  Every day I check attendance for my athletes.  If a kid is absent, I can call their house to see if they’ll attend school for the required half day to be eligible to practice or play that night.

Joe Schiavone, Head Football Coach and Math Teacher, Twinsburg High School, Twinsburg, Ohio
 

​SpecialServices:  I have a case load of 55-65 students each year, so I possibly write and manage the most ETRs and IEPs of anyone in our district.  To save time writing IEPs, I typically start with a student’s latest ETR and/or previous year’s IEP as the template to create the next year’s IEP, tweaking the therapy goals and objectives as needed.  It’s great not having to start each IEP from scratch.  And with everything online, I can start and finish work anywhere.

Jennifer Wilbanks-Simmons, Speech/Language Pathologist, Marietta City Schools, Marietta, Ohio

​ParentAccess:  Our district holds ParentAccess logins until student fees are paid.               

Jim Grey, High School Principal, Arcanum High School, Arcanum, Ohio

​ParentAccess:  My son is getting an award tomorrow at school for most improved because of Parent/Student Access.  He went from D’s to being on the merit roll!  I go to work and can still be a conscientious mom by checking homework and grades online each day and addressing anything that needs attention when I get home.  And, my son – who is the most unorganized boy ever – actually pulls ProgressBook up every day himself to stay ahead of his “mom” catching him with any missed assignments.

Lisa Monroe, Parent, Maple Heights City Schools, Maple Hts., Ohio
 

​GradeBook:  We rely on our technology center, so we don’t make backups, we don’t have to load software on servers, we don’t worry about hardware failures – it’s truly very liberating compared to our old system.

Jennifer Farthing, Library/Educational Tech Coordinator, Twinsburg Schools, Twinsburg, Ohio

​ParentAccess:   When I see a missing assignment or low grade, I call my 9th grader just as school is ending, and make sure he goes to the after-school-teacher-assist program.  I depend on ProgressBook to help me keep him on track and to get him extra help when it’s needed.

Maia Dixon, Parent, Shaker City Schools, Shaker Hts., Ohio
 

​GradeBook:  With pseudo classes in ProgressBook, I can be sure my athletes are doing what needs to be done both on the athletic field and in the classroom.  If I see a student not doing what needs to be done, I get the assistant coaches and teachers involved.  Sometimes it’s just a one-time thing, but once in a while we find a student that’s in jeopardy of becoming ineligible to play in our Friday night games.  We get help, find a tutor – really steer the kid in the right direction.  As the coach, it’s all about the sports, but as an educator, we’re also ensuring the student is good as a whole.

Joe Schiavone, Head Football Coach and Math Teacher, Twinsburg High School, Twinsburg, Ohio
 
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