6 Quick Tips on being a PowerSchool Parent

1. Getting started
2. Accessing current grades and attendance
3. Reviewing attendance record
4. Automatic e-mail updates/e-mailing teachers
5. Viewing school bulletin
6. Meal balance

6 Quick Tips on being a PowerSchool Parent
Getting started:

Hello….and welcome to Cedar Bluffs Public Schools PowerSchool training. This will get you started using the PowerSchool program yourself. PowerSchool is easy to use and will allow you take a more active role in your son or daughter's education.

PowerSchool offers parents real-time access to grades, attendance, homework assignments as well as class information. You can even e-mail teachers or ask for automatic updates on your student's progress and view the school bulletin.

The PowerSchool link is available anywhere in the world, just by dialing into the Internet.

So, let's get started…

To enter the PowerSchool program….log onto the District's website at http://cedar1.cedar.esu2.org/public/ Click on the PowerSchool link.

Once you're in the PowerSchool screen, enter your student's confidential user name. On the next line, type in the password, exactly as it appears on your password card.

Remember this parent password is confidential…for your eyes only….and shouldn't be shared with anyone.

Once you're inside the PowerSchool Program, you have access to a variety of information at the click of a button. If you have Internet access at home at work…even your school library or media center…you can view information on your student at any time.

PowerSchool is a great communication tool…but remember…any questions you ever have about your son or daughter can still be answered the old-fashioned way…just by talking to our teachers or administrators.

6 Quick Tips on being a PowerSchool Parent
Accessing current grades and attendance:

In this section, we'll show you how to access current grades, attendance, and class information from PowerSchool. Once you've logged into PowerSchool, you will see a menu bar at the top of the page. On this screen, you also will find a complete listing of all your student's courses, teachers, grades and attendance information. By clicking on the teacher's name, you can send an e-mail to your child's teacher. Remember your computer must be set up to send e-mails from your browser. Contact your own Internet service provider for help with this feature.

The blue links give you more information about your student. If you click on any of these links, it will take you to another screen that displays a list of individual assignments, projects, or class information. Click on those underlined items to find out the details for the assignment.

The date at the bottom of the screen shows you the last time the information was updated.

To return to the first screen, simply click on the "Grades and Attendance" icon at the top of the page.

The “Grades and Attendance" screen also shows when your student was tardy or absent. Click on the numbers in blue to find out the days and classes in which your son or daughter was late or absent.

You can also look at the grades your student earned earlier this school year. Simply click on the icon marked "Grades/History" for a complete listing of student grades.

6 Quick Tips on being a PowerSchool Parent
Reviewing attendance record:

Under the "Attendance History" icon, parents can see their son or daughter's attendance record. On days when school isn't in session, a dash will appear. For a complete listing of all other attendance codes, scroll to the bottom of the screen.

6 Quick Tips on being a PowerSchool Parent
Automatic e-mail updates/e-mailing teacher:

We'll show you how to receive automatic e-mail updates and how to e-mail Cedar Bluffs teachers. After you've logged into PowerSchool, click on the “E-mail notification” icon.

To receive automatic e-mail updates from the school, check off the information that you'd like to receive about your son or daughter, how often you'd like to receive it…and whether you want that information sent to you immediately. Be sure to include the e-mail address where you'd like the information sent and press the blue “submit” button. To stop receiving these automatic updates, simply unclick the boxes and press “submit.”

You can e-mail teachers from the “Grades and Attendance Screen” or from the “Teachers Comments” screen. From time to time, teachers will include remarks about your son or daughter. To respond to any teacher, simply click on his or her name. Remember your computer must be set up to send e-mails from your browser. Contact your own Internet service provider for help with this feature.

Since teachers work with a large number of students, they may not respond right away….but please be patient…they'll get in touch with you as soon as they can.

6 Quick Tips on being a PowerSchool Parent
Viewing school bulletin:

The PowerSchool program gives students and parent access to the latest information happening in the school. Click on the school bulletin icon to pull up that day's activities and events. At the bottom of this screen, you can also access information from the previous day's bulletin by clicking on that date.

All screens give you the option of printing a hard copy of the information.

6 Quick Tips on being a PowerSchool Parent
Meal Balance:

At the top of the PowerSchool screen, you’ll find an icon called “Meal Balance.” Clicking on this icon shows you how much lunch money your student has in his or her account at the end of the day.