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*To install PowerGrade on your teacher workstation follow these steps:
IF POWERGRADE IS ALREADY INSTALLED & YOU ONLY NEED TO CREATE A NEW DATA FILE BEGIN WITH STEP 3
1. Download the PowerGrade installer from 162.127.122.2/teachers (you will need to log-in to this site). Click on the PowerGrade link on the left and click on the most recent version for Windows. Select the location that you would like to download the installer to (usually the C: drive). Click on "save" to download the installer.
2. Locate the installer that you just downloaded and double-click on it. Follow the steps in the wizard to install the program to the default location.
3. Once the program is installed, double-click on the icon on your teacher desktop.
4. PowerGrade will set up a "data file" on your local machine. Click "New" to name your data file, give the file a name that identifies it as yours and what term it is (i.e. weber0304). Click on Save.
5. Enter the IP Address of your PowerSchool server (162.127.122.2).
6. Select the school that you work at, and then your name from the following windows in the PowerGrade setup.
7. Contact your system administrator for the PowerSchool connectivity key.
8. PowerGrade will contact the PowerSchool server to locate your specific classes and information, and then give a message stating, "Your classes are now available to you. Use the classes menu to access them."
9. You are now ready to begin using PowerGrade to record class information.
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*To begin using PowerGrade to record grades and student information follow these steps:
1. Double-click on the PowerGrade icon on your teacher desktop. If prompted enter your password. PowerGrade automatically loads your classes and students for you.
2. Click on Preferences to set up the appearance and security of your PowerGrade system. If you would like to password protect your PowerGrade program enter your teacher name and your password on the General tab. You can also set up the color scheme and score recording method for PowerGrade here.
3. You must set up at least one "category" before you can begin to record scores. To do this click on the "Windows" menus and select "categories." Create a category name and give it a brief description, and then set the default points possible for most assignments. Click accept to save this category and repeat for other categories. When you have entered all of your categories Click X to leave this window.
4. Now you can begin entering assignments. Click on the assignments button. Choose which category this assignment will belong in, enter a name for the assignment, check the points possible, weighting, and date. Enter a short description of the assignment, keeping in mind that parents and students will be able to view this information. If the assignment correclates to a state standard, click on "Standards" button and select a standard to attach to the assignment. Click on Accept, and notice that the assignment appears on the left-hand side of the window in the assignments list. Repeat this process until you have entered all of your current assignments, and then click close to exit this window.
5. Note that the assignments that were just entered appear to the right of your class roster. To begin entering scores for students simple click on the row containing the specific assignment and student that you want to enter a score for. Enter a numerical grade and note that the average for the current term is automatically calculated.
6. When you have completed entering scores, click on the X to close this window. Be sure to click on SAVE, when prompted. Now you may exit the program or choose another class from the Classes menu.
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TO START A NEW TERM IN POWERGRADE
- Check to see which final grades terms are displayed.
- To the right of your class roster, each term can be displayed. You can change this view according to what term you are in or what final grades you would like to view.
- To change which final grades terms appear:
- Click on one of the headings that appears (i.e. Q1, Q2)
- A "Final Grades Setup" window appears. Choose the term that you would like to display from the drop-down menu at the top of the window, and check the box that says "Show on Spreadsheet." Click Accept.
- Repeat this process for other terms that you want to display. In the same fashion, you can choose to "hide" final grade terms that are already completed or not here. Simply choose the term from the drop-down menu, and make sure that the "Show on Spreadsheet" box in UNCHECKED.
- PLEASE NOTE: Grades on report cards are pulled from the final grades columns (Q1, Q2, S1, etc.) not from individual assignments. If you need to manually over-ride a final term grade (because the student will receive a non-numerical grade such as S for Satisfactory, or because of teacher discretion) please see instructions listed at the bottom.
- ELEMENTARY TEACHERS PLEASE NOTE: Do keep in mind that the elementary school awards Semester Average grades, so your terms are Q1, Q2, S1, Q3, Q4, and S2. Non-numerical grades such as S for Satisfactory cannot be averaged by PowerGrade. You will need to enter a semester grade for non-numerically scored classes. High school term grades are only Q1, Q2, Q3, & Q4.
- Check to see which assignments are displayed.
- To the right of the final grades terms, individual assignments are listed for your students. You may choose to hide assignments that are not part of the current term. To select which assignments are displayed:
- Click the Preferences button.
- Click on the "Display" tab, and note the Assignments section in the window.
- Check the box that says "Show only assignments in this date range" and enter the current term or the term that you want to view assignments for (i.e. Q3 would be 1/6/04-3/11/04).
- Check the box "Apply to Assignments Window" to display assignments from this date range in the window when adding a new assignment.
- This does not erase or get rid of the grades that you don™≠t see. It simply changes the display of your assignments and grades.
- Check the Grades Scale
- Click on the Windows menu, and select Grades Scale. Verify that you are using the correct grade scale.
- Check the category weighting of your classes (if you use category weighting method).
- To allow you more flexibility, you must set up your categories and weighting for each new term. To check this:
- Click on the Windows menu, and select Categories.
- To add a category, click New Category and enter a name for that category. Enter the default points possible (i.e. if you usually score assignments on a 100 point scale, enter 100). Click Accept. Repeat this process until all of your categories are entered.
- To set up weighting for these categories, Click on "set up weighting." From the pull-down menu select the term that you are working with. In the factor type column, select category from the pull-down menu. Select which category you want to weight from the window that appears. Enter the weight for that category (i.e. book reports 10%). Click on the + sign to continue setting up weighting until you have added all of your categories and they total 100 points. Click accept.
1. Elementary Teachers Weight Average for Semester Grades
A. In the elementary school, semester grades are calculated by averaging the final grade from Quarter 1 and the final grade from Quarter 2. If you do not set the Semester 1 and 2 grade to calculate this way it will automatically average all assignments included in the date range for that semester.
B. Open the class that you want to work with.
C. Click on Windows Menu/Final Grades Setup/ Select S1 from the "Which Final Grade" drop down box.
D. Click on the drop-down menu for line one and select "% from another final grade." A window will appear and you can select Q1/OK and then set the weight to 50 for quarter 1.
E. Click on the + sign to add another factor line.
F. Select "% from another final grade" on line two, and again a window will appear asking you to select the term. Choose Q2/OK. Change the weight for Quarter 2 to 50 as well.
G. Click Accept on the Final Grades Setup window.
H. You will need to repeat this process for Semester 2, substituting S2 for S1 at line C of these instructions.
- Check Class Rosters and Class Listings
- Click on the Classes menu and verify that the classes listed are the classes that you teach during the current grading term.
- Open each class and view the students listed at the left of the page to verify that those students are present in your classroom, or that a student is not inadvertently scheduled in your class. If you have errors in your class roster please contact Ronda Weber.
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*To Manually Over-Ride a Final Term Grade
- Manually over-ridden grades are most commonly used to award the student a non-numerical grade such as S for Satisfactory. However, it could also be used at the teacher‚s discretion. For example, if a student is "on the bubble" between an A and a B, but has show good effort you may want to manually over-ride their term grade to award them an A. To manually over-ride a grade:
- You must have at least one assignment entered for the class, before you can manually over-ride grades. The assignment does not have to be scored.
- To the right of each student‚s name, and under the appropriate term, double click on their grade (it should be in this format * (0/0) where * is the letter grade, and () shows the points earned out of points possible).
- A small window titled "Final Grade" will appear. Check the box "Manually override this grade."
- Click in the field labeled "Grade" and backspace until your cusor is at the beginning of the field. In all caps, enter the appropriate grade (i.e. A, S, etc.). Click Save. Repeat this process for each student in your class, making sure that their grade appears under the appropriate final grade term (Q1, Q2, S1, etc.).
- Remember that elementary teachers must enter a Semester average for all non-numerically graded classes, because PowerGrade cannot average non-numerical grades.