The 2006/2007 school year has marked the start of a new program that is available to students and their parents. SchoolView is a system that gives parents access to their child's attendance, transcripts, lunch account, test score and grade information online. The program was started as a pilot last year in other schools in the district, and Osseo Area Schools decided to expand it this year.
The program was started as a way to better relay information to parents regarding student progress. The use of SchoolView alleviates the need for a parent to wait until mid-tri to see their child's progress. It is recommended by Park Center Counselor Kathy Holladay that all parents use SchoolView and check it at least every other week to stay up to date. At the last set of Parent/Teacher conferences 74 families signed up for the program, bringing Park Center's total count to about 500 enrolled families.
'How does one go about signing up for SchoolView?', you might ask. It is quite simple really but it must be done in person for your student's privacy and security. A parent may go to Park Center's counseling office anytime from 7:00 am and 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Parents must bring a valid picture I.D. with them to receive an access code for SchoolView. Sign-ups are also available at Mid-Trimester conferences, which are coming up next on April 26th. If a parent has a child at either a junior high or elementary school they may sign up there for all of their students if it is more convenient.
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By the looks of it, parents are very satisfied with the program so far. "I really enjoy how quick and easy it is to use. Its easy to just check items quickly and then return to doing other things," said one parent. "I like how I can check grades from practically anywhere," said another. According to the parents surveyed, the grade section is what they primarily use SchoolView for, but the schedule and transcript sections are also used frequently. Parents who have students with attendance problems particularily like the ability to check on their child's daily and hourly attendance. For the most part, there are little to no areas of dissatisfaction for parents.
The lunch balance function of SchoolView is another useful area. Parents are able to check how much money is left in their student's account whenever they wish, which means that there is no more guessing on when to send a new check in. The lunch balance page also has an option to alert parents when it is almost time to send in more money. Using a credit card, parents have the option to add money to their student's balance online.
SchoolView can be accessed from the Park Center Homepage
If you are interested in using SchoolView, you may stop by Park Center's counseling office with a picture ID. If you have any questions or concerns regarding SchoolView, Ms. Kathy Holladay can be emailed at HolladayK@district279.org.
