BOWIE HIGH SCHOOL

INTRODUCTION TO SCHOOLMAX’s PARENT PORTAL

•The purpose of SchoolMAX’s Parent Portal is to ensure that all p plegally responsible family members can have access to accurate and timely information about their student(s).

If h I h P P l I •If you can go on the Internet, you can get on the Parent Portal. It is a web-based portal that’s accessible to any web-enabled computer with a live internet connection.

•It is the Board of Education’s intent to have this information available as soon as possible but PLEASE BE PATIENT, this is a work in progress We are organizing dates and times for you to work in progress. We are organizing dates and times for you to receive your access codes and participate in workshops to better understand this new communication tool.

SchoolMAX Parent PortalThe Parent Portal in SchoolMAX includes views of:

Att d ( l ti f th )•Attendance (cumulative for the year)

•Schedule (this quarter’s classes)

•Gradebook (grades assignments scores weights for this •Gradebook (grades, assignments, scores, weights for this quarter)

•Progress reports (progress [P] and previous quarter [Q] grade )types)

•Discipline (all recorded incidents and responses will be input in the near future.) )

•My Profile (to request attendance notifications, to submit info changes which will require further verification in person.)

SchoolMAX Parent PortalParent Portal is accessible with any web-enabled computer with

this web address:

https://family.sis.pgcps.org

You may access this link from the county website or from home or You may access this link from the county website or from home or work. Just enter this address into the address bar of your browser

and make it a favorite or bookmark

Screen shots explaining how to get started/registeredand a downloadable instruction manual are here:

http://www1.pgcps.org/schoolmax/family/index.html

SchoolMAX Parent Portal

Parent Portal will be available for the first time after you receive a letter from our school containing an access key and register

Upon login, student information is visible based on information provided in the enrollment record

If a family has multiple students in the system, persons of record will be able to select which student’s info to view

Downloadable instruction manual here: http://www1.pgcps.org/schoolmax/family/index.html

Registration A K U /P dAccess Keys, Usernames/Passwords

•The school will be provided with a document for you containing your access key for each parent/guardian. g y y p /gMrs. Spence will issue a letter with more details.

•The letter will list two workshops dates held by Bowie High and the PTSO.

•Your access key/password will be distributed at these meetings and workshops which will further help those meetings and workshops which will further help those who would like a brief training session.

Registration continuedRegistration continued...

• During registration the access key is used on the first screen along with the I need to register link to gain access for the first time.

• As you register you will create your username and password. You will also h t h th ti f th d hi t d d have to choose three questions from the password hint drop down menu (what is your favorite color, mother’s maiden name, etc). You will have to be able to answer these questions if you try to retrieve your password using the I forgot my password link.

• As with all initial access codes and username/password combinations, it the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian to safeguard access keys and usernames/passwords.

• If the access keys and username/passwords are compromised, whoever has your username/password has the same privileges as you.

• The school and school system is not responsible if you give out your access information to other people including your childreninformation to other people including your children

Resetting/Retrieving your password

•Once you have registered for the first time you can change your password using My Profile and get your password if forgotten using the password using My Profile and get your password if forgotten using the I forgot my password link.

•If all self-help fails regarding the resetting of your password you can come to the school in person with proper identification and see the Parent Portal Administrator to try to reset your password or retrieve your username/password.your username/password.

•But this is the last rather than first resort and the scheduling coordinator may not be available when you arrive.

NO PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, or any other COMMUNICATION can substitute for your in person visit.

Access Key Letter

Your access key will be printed in the body of a letter to be distributed to each parent/legal guardian listed as legally responsible.

SchoolMAX Parent PortalOn the login page:

S h lMAX L d H li k (t i ht) SchoolMAX Logo and Home link (top right) returns participants to the general information screen

Help is not functional presently in the Parent PortalHelp is not functional presently in the Parent Portal

Auto Logout in: if there is no activity after 29:15 minutes within the portal you will be automatically logged outthe portal you will be automatically logged out

you will get a screen warning about automatic logouteach chang screens/menus will reset this to 29:15g /

Academic Year shows current year but you may view other years as we use SchoolMAX into the future

The user registration page looks like this:

The next user registration page looks like this:

The Password Hint drop-down questions look like this:

When finished with these click Create Account.

After you create an account and you go to the web addressthe logon page looks like this:

The next page looks like this if you have more than one student enrolled:

And looks like this if you have one student enrolled:

01-01-01

Attendance

•Attendance displayed is cumulative.•Attendance in the elementary schools is taken by•Attendance in the elementary schools is taken by the day and in the secondary ( high and middle ) schools is taken period by periodschools is taken period by period.•No county schools record hourly attendance.Q ti di tt d tt d•Questions regarding attendance or attendance

discrepancies should be directed to the specific teacher of the class in questionteacher of the class in question.

The Attendance page looks like this:

000xxxxxx

Schedule

•The schedule displayed is the current schedule your student •The schedule displayed is the current schedule your student should be attending PLEASE NOTE: As of 2-1-2009 the schedule times are inaccurate as displayed.

•The page defaults to a schedule depicting Today’s Classes as the term code . To see all classes change the term code to ALLi th d d t t Ch T C din the drop-down menu next to Change Term Code

•Questions regarding a specific class should be directed to •Questions regarding a specific class should be directed to classroom teachers. Direct email links to teachers are provided

The Schedule page looks like this:

Gradebook

•The gradebook displayed is the current gradebook in each class your student should be attendingyour student should be attending.

•This page can display grades, scores and details about assignments in specific classes. PLEASE NOTE As of 2-1-2009 the current Grade Period Weighted Average is incorrect please ignore this for nowWeighted Average is incorrect, please ignore this for now.

•The Current Grade Period Weighted Average displayed is not the official grade for the course and can be updated at any time. Offi i l d bli h d d t d t i tOfficial grades are published on grade reports and transcripts.

•Questions regarding grades should be directed to the specific classroom teacher, direct email links to teachers provided on the Schedule page may auto start your email client.

The Gradebook page looks like this:

000xxxxxx

When you get to Grades the Grade Period Weighted Averageon this page is cumulative:

000xxxxxx

Progress Reports•The progress report screen displayed are all of the most recent P grade types (progress report grades), Q grade types (quarterly

t d d ) d FG d t (fi l d ) i h report card grades), and FG grade types (final grades) in each class your student should be attending. PLEASE NOTE: as of 2/1/2009 the final grades are displayed and are inaccurate, please disregard for now, the county is working to fix this ongoing problem. (The software is generating and displaying final grades for courses that haven’t ended yet)

•By the end of the year you should see 9 grades per year long course and 5 grade per semester course for each class attended

•In very few cases a “W” grade appears in those courses that •In very few cases a W grade appears in those courses that were dropped after the 20th day of school and approved by the principal. The “W” grades will appear on transcripts

Q d d h ld b d d h f•Questions regarding grades should be directed to the specific classroom teacher

The Progress Report page looks like this:

000xxxxxx

Discipline•The discipline screen displays all of the recorded incidents and responses about the student in question

•Questions regarding discipline incidents should be directed to the specific grade level administrator

My Profile

•The My Profile page displays an option for changing your phone b d dd t i il d h i f number and address, entering your email, and some choices for

Communication Medium for Printed Material.

•Entering information here DOES NOT change the record, it sends a request to change records to the Registrar. Initially, your request can take some time to be accepted or declined your request can take some time to be accepted or declined because of the high volume of requests. Requests for an appointment to change data should be directed to the Registrar's Office (301)805-2608.( )

Edit Profile continued...d t o e co t ued

• You can enter an eMail address by pressing the Edit Profile link and choose some

ti i C i ti M di f options in Communication Medium for Printed Material PLEASE NOTE: As of 1-29-2009 the Communications options don’t work but please pick one, they are supposed

to work in the future.

• The eMail address entered is used only for ythe communications options on this page and not for direct contact between

h / ff d / diteachers/staff and parents/guardians

IN PERSON... PLEASEIn order to facilitate communications the data in the enrollment

record has to be maintained.

It is the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian of record to It is the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian of record to provide accurate information and updates to the registrar’s office.

In order to comply with FERPA and county registration procedures we can only accept or decline changes to data made in My Profilewe can only accept or decline changes to data made in My Profileafter verification which has to be in person at the Registrar’s office with proper ID and original documentation (no copies).

i h ll d b h d b kData in the enrollment record can be changed by making an appointment with registrar’s office, coming to school in person, providing proper identification, and proper documentation for the data changedata change

NO PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, or any other COMMUNICATIONcan substitute for your in person visit to change data

Updates submitted electronically in My Profile will be evaluated and then accepted or declined based on your visit

The My Profile page looks like this:

I cannot sign in Look carefully at the symbols and letters given to you.I cannot sign in Look carefully at the symbols and letters given to you.The opening password is case sensitive and must be typed in exactly as written.

I forgot m pass ord Follo instr ctions on the opening pageI forgot my password Follow instructions on the opening page.

I am “timed out” Session has been unattended and expired, simply start again.g

I am locked out After 3 failed efforts, you are locked out for one hour.

I edited my profile Address & phone changes must be verified by the schoolI edited my profile Address & phone changes must be verified by the schoolbut it didn’t change Registrar and will take some time to become effective.

Please do not resubmit additional requests.

Frequently Asked Questions... continued

I found no  Only current quarter grades are posted.  To see grades/scores  previous  are posted for  Quarter grades, please go to 

“P  R t”  f    i   t“Progress Report”  for  previous quarters.

Current quarter  Please email the teacher directly.grades/scores or gassignmentsare not posted

The percentages  Yes  we know  this is being correctedThe percentages  Yes, we know, this is being corrected.are wrong

Explain “Flag  Your student is located at the main campus.for Bowie Main”

Explain “Advisories”  Your student is at the Annex  in Advisory Groups.

PLEASE EXPERIMENT ON YOUR OWN FIRST

The downloadable instruction manual has more detail and is available here:

http://www1.pgcps.org/schoolmax/family/index.html

Remember, we are scheduling workshops for you to learn how to use the Parent Portal Look for dates and details on how to use the Parent Portal. Look for dates and details on

the BHS or PTSO websites, in Mrs. Spence’s letter and through our auto-phone calls to your contact number.

Bowie High’s Website: www.pgcps.org/bowieBowie High PTSO website: www.geocities.com/bowieptso

Email us at: BHSportal@yahoo.com

With special thanks to Mr. Horn