Technology Allows LEUSD Parents To Track Kids Attendance, Performance

Modern computer technology will give Lake Elsinore Unified School District parents a rundown on how their children are doing in school and what’s coming up including class schedules, assignments, report cards, test scores and credits earned for graduation.

They can also find out if their kids have been missing school. The system has attendance by term.

Known as the Parent Portal, the program is part of the district’s new student information system developed by Minnesota-based Infinite Campus.

Teachers use a program called Grade Book to enter information into the Parent Portal. Not all teachers have started using Grade Book, but plans are to phase the system in.

“About 60 percent of teachers are using the Grade Book,” said Jason Scott, district database administrator.

It will take one year to convert over and implement the new system, Scott said.

He said that teachers using the program decide what assignments will be placed in Parent Portal.

Scott provided a demonstration on how to enter and use Parent Portal during the district's regularly scheduled July 14 meeting.

District board members were impressed.

“Parent Portal is great for immediate information,” said board member Stan Crippen. “It’s huge. Parents will be able to stay on top of things. I’m thrilled as a teacher.”

Board member Heidi Matthies Dodd had much the same assessment.

“I’m very excited about the portal,” she said. “It’s a fantastic tool for day-to-day workings of students at school.”

Information about the system will be put on the district’s Facebook and Twitter pages. It will also be part of presentations at back-to-school nights.

Teachers will learn more about the system through staff development training programs.

Scott explained that parents will have to sign with a user name and password before entering the Parent Portal.

Students will also be able to sign into Parent Portal using their own accounts.

The main Parent Portal page features district notices, school notices and an inbox with information for the parent. Assignments are shown on a calendar page.

The student’s photo, grade level and student number appear as well.

Assignments are broken down into classes the student is taking. For instance, if the parent clicks on U.S. History, grades and assignments will come up for each semester.

The Parent Portal can automatically be translated into Spanish and Asian languages.

“This will be a good system for us,” said LEUSD Superintendent Frank Passarella.

Passarella said the district will need to provide information about Infinite Campus to the Lake Elsinore Teacher's Association as well.