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Jupiter grades comes to Similkameen Elementary Secondary School

Online program has the capability to keep parents in daily communication with their kid's instructors

Jupiter Grades is a new program to Similkameen Elementary Secondary School this year.

The program is intended to improve school-to-hoome communications for student success.

“It’s a big focus of ours this year,” said SESS Principal Cate Turner. “We hope to improve communications between students and parents, and the greater community.”

The online program allows teachers to send progress reports and messages directly from the teacher’s grade book to parents and students. Students and parents can then (using passwords) login to check such things as grades, homework,  lates and absences, announcements and calendar notices. The program allows parents to track their children’s progress on a daily basis, hopefully correcting errant behaviour before it becomes a bigger issue.

“We’re currently collecting email addresses from parents,” Turner said, adding that the program has been introduced as a voluntary one to the staff, with  all but two teachers signing on. The program under went a pilot introduction with last year’s grade seven class.

Turner said the program’s data collecting ability also helps her to see trends developing in the school.

“For instance, I see there are a number of ‘not in class’ complaints this year, that might be an issue,” she said as she scanned the program.

 

“Overall, we’re pretty excited about Jupiter Grades,” she concluded. “It should be interesting to see how our communications with parents improves as the year progresses.”