Download pdf - TeacherPlus Gradebook HTML5 Beta User Guide

TeacherPlusGradebookHTML5 GuideLEARN OUR SOFTWARE STEP BY STEP

Copyright © 2017 Rediker Software. All rights reserved.

Information in this document is subject to changewithout notice. The software described in this document isfurnished under a license agreement or nondisclosure agreement. The softwaremay be used or copied only inaccordancewith the terms of those agreements. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, or transmitted in any form or any means electronic ormechanical, including photocopyingand recording for any purpose other than the purchaser's personal usewithout thewritten permission ofRediker Software.

Rediker and the Rediker logo are trademarks of Rediker Software, Inc. Other trademarks shown are theproperty of their respective owners.

Rediker Software2 WilbrahamRoadHampden, MA 01036800-882-2994Visit our website at rediker.com.

This guidewas last updated on August 29, 2017.

ContentsContents iii

Introduction 5

CHAPTER 1 Get Started 61.1 Change Your Password 71.2 Select a Gradebook and a Marking Period 8

CHAPTER 2 Customize Your Workspace 92.1 Customize Your Startup Screen 102.2 Customize Gradebook Display Settings 112.3 Activate QuickLoad 132.4 Include Withdrawn Students in Your Gradebook 152.5 Optimize Visibility 16

CHAPTER 3 Templates 203.1 TeacherPlus Gradebook Templates 213.2 Add a Gradebook Column 233.3 Remove a Gradebook Column 243.4 Save Current Layout as a Template 253.5 Create a New Template 263.6 Edit an Existing Template 273.7 Delete a Template 29

CHAPTER 4 Manage Students 304.1 View Student Information in TeacherPlus 314.2 Enter Comments, Narratives, and Private Memos 334.3 Enter a Class Memo 364.4 View a Student's IEP 374.5 Delete a Student 39

CHAPTER 5 Take Attendance 405.1 How Attendance Works 415.2 Create a Seating Chart 425.3 Edit or Delete a Seating Chart 435.4 Print or Display a Seating Chart 465.5 Enter and Submit Attendance 475.6 Correct and Re-submit Attendance 515.7 Enter and Submit Lunch Counts 52

CHAPTER 6 Manage Assignment Score Columns 546.1 Score Columns 556.2 Add a Score Column 576.3 Copy a Score Column to Another Gradebook 596.4 Remove Score Columns 606.5 Score Column Privacy, Locking, and Visibility 616.6 Score Column Commands 62

iii

6.7 Sort Score Columns 646.8 Customize Header Rows 65

CHAPTER 7 Scores and Grading 677.1 Configure Score Settings 687.2 Grading Menu Features 707.3 Enter Assignment Scores 717.4 Batch Enter Scores 747.5 Undo Grading Edits 757.6 Drop the Lowest Score in a Marking Period 767.7 Generate an Audit Report 787.8 Submit a Gradebook 79

CHAPTER 8 Score Annotations 808.1 Add Score Annotations 818.2 Enter a Score Annotation 828.3 Advanced Annotation Entry 84

CHAPTER 9 Skill Grades 879.1 Customize Skill Grade Calculation Settings 889.2 Enter Skill Grades 909.3 View Skills Analysis 91

CHAPTER 10 Categories and Weighting 9210.1 How Weighting Works 9310.2 Add Assignment Categories 9510.3 Edit Assignment Categories 9610.4 Assignment Category Commands 9710.5 Customize Category Weighting 9810.6 Customize Column Weighting 9910.7 Customize Semester and Final Average Weighting 102

CHAPTER 11 Student Progress and Skill Reports 10411.1 Report Viewer Commands 10511.2 Create a Student Progress Report 10611.3 Create a Combined Progress Report 10811.4 Generate an Existing Progress Report 11111.5 Generate a Skill Assessment Report 112

CHAPTER 12 Class and Assignment Reports 11412.1 Generate Assignment Reports 11512.2 Save a Gradebook as an Excel Workbook 11712.3 View Class Attendance Report 118

iv Contents

Introduction

As a company that is committed to the best in upcoming technologies, we have introduced the newest versionof TeacherPlus Gradebook, built with the advanced framework HTML5. HTML5 offers cross-browsercompatibility without requiring plug-ins, meaning that our TeacherPlus Gradebook works on any computer, inany browser, including the newest versions of Google Chrome andMicrosoft Edge. HTML5 offers greaterspeed and a responsive user experience onmobile devices.

TheHTML5 version of TeacherPlus Gradebook features a brand new interface but with familiar functionality.Although some of the features work a bit differently than they do in the Silverlight version, most of themwork similarly enough to assure a smooth transition between versions. To make this transition even easier, wehave developed this get started guidewith step-by-step instructions for all the application tasksmostimportant to teachers.

Note that a few of our Silverlight TeacherPlus Gradebook features are still being developed and perfected fortheHTML5 version. We’ll continue to work throughout the year to bring you themost comprehensive, full-featured version of TeacherPlus Gradebook for HTML5.

Introduction 5

Get Started

1.1 Change Your Password 7

1.2 Select a Gradebook and aMarking Period 8

6

CHAPTER 1

1.1 Change Your Password

In the event that you need to change your TeacherPlus Gradebook password, you can access the changepassword page from any gradebook. The interfacewill check your new password’s strength as you type it,making sure it meetsminimum security requirements.

1. On the top navigation bar, clickWelcome: [Your Name], and then click Change Password.

2. On theChange Password page, enter your current password into theCurrent Password box.

3. Enter your new password into theNew Password box. This passwordmust contain the following:

n At least one lower-case letter

n At least one upper-case letter

n At least one number

n Aminimumof eight characters

4. Enter your new password into theConfirm Password box, and then click Change Password.

Note:Failure to create a new password can be the result of any of the following conditions:

n TheNew Password and Confirm Password input don’t match. ANew Password andConfirm Password do not match warning appears.

n TheNew Password doesn't meet one ormore of the security requirements. Theunfulfilled requirement(s) aremarked by red text.

Once any issues are resolved, click Change Password.

7 Chapter 1 | Get Started

1.2 Select a Gradebook and a Marking Period

You can navigate the TeacherPlus Gradebook using easily accessiblemenu options. From the side navigationmenu, you can switch gradebooks. Once you’ve loaded a gradebook you canmake sure you are in the correctmarking period, viewmarking period details, and change the gradebook marking period.

Select a Gradebook1. On the side navigationmenu, click Gradebooks to view theGradebooksmenu.

2. Click a gradebook from the list to load it.

Note: The open gradebook is emphasized by a green left border.

Select a Marking Period1. In the current gradebook, next to Current MP, determinewhichmarking period you're in. Formore

information, click to view eachMarking Period and the related Start Date.

2. In theView MP list, select amarking period.

Note:TheCurrent MP row’s text turns red to warn you when View MP isn't set to the current markingperiod.

Chapter 1 | Get Started 8

Customize Your Workspace

2.1 Customize Your Startup Screen 10

2.2 Customize Gradebook Display Settings 11

2.3 ActivateQuickLoad 13

2.4 IncludeWithdrawn Students in Your Gradebook 15

2.5 Optimize Visibility 16

9

CHAPTER 2

2.1 Customize Your Startup Screen

Customize the TeacherPlus Gradebook startup screen by choosing which gradebook the application opens to.You can set the startup screen to the last used gradebook or specify a particular gradebook.

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Settings, and then click theGeneral Settings tab.

2. In the Startup Screen group box, do either of the following to select a default gradebook:

n Click Last Used Gradebook.

n Click Specific Gradebook, and click a specific gradebook from theClass drop-down list.

3. At the top of theGeneral Settings tab, click Save.

When you open TeacherPlus Gradebook, the startup screen loads the template that was activewhen youclosed the program. Formore information on templates see "Create a New Template" on page 26.

10 Chapter 2 | Customize Your Workspace

2.2 Customize Gradebook Display Settings

At the beginning of a newmarking period, youmay want to customize TeacherPlus Gradebook to simplifyyour workspace. Depending on your school's current semester(s), quarter(s), ormarking period(s), you candisplay relevant gradebooks and hide gradebooks fromprevious terms.

Choose Which Gradebooks Are Visible1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Settings, and then click theGradebooks tab.

2. In theActive column, select which gradebooks to display in theGradebooksmenu.

3. Do either of the following to further customize the display, and then click Save:

n To display a gradebook's course number andmarking period in theGradebooksmenu, selectthe Line 2 check box.

n To show the quarter in the Title Bar, select the Section Length check box

Chapter 2 | Customize Your Workspace 11

Customize Gradebook Display NameTomake a coursemore descriptive, you can customize a course name alias different from the official coursename. For example, if a teacher finds that the course title "Latin 4" doesn't provide enough information, he orshe could customize it to say "Latin Literature."

Tip: You can optionally use theDisplay As name on progress reports and skill assessment reports(instead of using the official course name).

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Settings, and then click theGradebooks tab.

2. In theDisplay As column, click the gradebook row you would like to name.

3. Add the name to theDisplay As column, and then click Save.


2.3 Activate QuickLoad

Using theQuickLoad settings, you can limit the number of days your gradebooks loads. This can result infaster load times and a less cluttered gradebook, so you can focus on themost relevant assignments.

Activate QuickloadTo activateQuickLoad, do the following:


2. In theQuickLoad group box, underWhen a gradebook for a class is loaded, how many days ofcolumns should be displayed?, do either of the following:

n Select 1 Day for the fastest page-load.

n Select [x] Days, in which x is a customnumber of days between 1 and 99.

Note: The default setting,All, turns QuickLoad off.


When QuickLoad is on, columns are sorted by theDate field in descending order.


Navigate QuickLoadThe following table explains how you can navigateQuickLoad:

Task Action

Navigate gradebook columns.

Do any of the following:

n Click the single arrows to navigate forwardor back 10 days.

n Click the double arrows to navigate to theto the newest or the oldest 10 days.

Load all gradebook columns. Click All to load all columns from the currentmarking period.

Apply QuickLoad settings to gradebook columns. ClickQL to reset QuickLoad to the range thatloaded when you opened the gradebook.


2.4 IncludeWithdrawn Students in Your Gradebook

When students arewithdrawn from your class, they are hidden from your class gradebook. You can changethis setting at any time and in any gradebook. You can also change the font color of withdrawn students.

Include Withdrawn StudentsTo includewithdrawn students in your gradebook, do the following:

n In the current gradebook, below the gradebook columns, select Include withdrawn.Thewithdrawn student(s) appear in either red or gray, which you can set based on your preference.

Note: For each gradebook, you can find the number of withdrawn students in parentheses nextto Include withdrawn. This setting only applies to the current gradebook. If you want to includewithdrawn students in another gradebook, you can select that gradebook from theGradebooksmenu and select Include withdrawn there. Formore information on selecting a gradebook see"Select a Gradebook and aMarking Period" on page 8.

Set the Font Color for Withdrawn StudentsYou can customize howwithdrawn students appear in your gradebook. Withdrawn students' data can standout in red font, or be set to a less notable gray. This setting allows you to choose the display method thatworks best for you, and it can be changed at any time.

To set the font color for withdrawn students, do the following:


2. In theOther group box, under Font color for withdrawn students, select eitherRed orGray, andthen click Save.


2.5 Optimize Visibility

If your computer has a small screen size or resolution, there are three approaches you can take to maximizethe number of students and assignment columns you can see at a time on the screen: minimize theGradebook menu and Header rows, enable Thin ColumnMode, or adjust the zoom settings on your browser.

Re-size the Gradebook Menu and Header RowsTo re-size theGradebook Menu and Header Rows at the same time, do the following:

n Tominimize theGradebook Menu and Header Rows, click the up arrow at the upper-right corner ofTeacherPlus.

When theGradebook Menu and Header Rows areminimized, the up arrow changes to a downarrow . Clicking the down arrow displays theGradebook Menu and Header Rows at full size.

Re-size the Gradebook Menu or the Header RowsTo re-size theGradebook Menu orHeader Rows, do either of the following:

n To re-size just the Gradebook Menu, click .

n To re-size just theHeader Rows, click .


Re-size the Gradebook ColumnsTo enable thin columnmode, do the following:

n In theModes group box, click the Thin Column toggle button.

Important: In Thin Column Mode, score columns can display only scores or scoreannotations—regardless of the columnwidth. If Annotation Mode is enabled, score columnsonly display score annotations. If Annotation Mode is disabled, score columns only display scorevalues. To view both at the same time, switch back to Standard Mode.

In Thin ColumnMode, you can click the Thin Column toggle button again to return to the standardcolumnwidth.


Set the Gradebook Column WidthYou can customize thewidth for both the Standard ColumnMode and the Thin ColumnMode to better suityour screen. These settings apply to all of your gradebooks.

Important: In Thin Column Mode, score columns can display only scores or score annotations—regardless of the columnwidth. If Annotation Mode is enabled, score columns only display scoreannotations. If Annotation Mode is disabled, score columns only display score values. To view both atthe same time, switch back to Standard Mode.

To change the gradebook columnwidth settings, do the following:


2. In theColumn Options group box, under Column Width, do either of the following:

n In the Standard Mode box, enter the newwidth in pixels.This number should be larger than the number in the Thin Column Mode box.

n In the Thin Column Mode box, enter the newwidth in pixels.This number should be smaller than the number in the Standard Mode box.

Note: Both Standard Mode and Thin Column Mode accept all pixel values between 20px and200px, regardless of what the othermode is set to. To avoid confusion, make sure the ThinColumn Mode value is less than the Standard Mode value. Awarning only appears if you enter avalue outside the 20px to 200px range. Decimal values are truncated.



Zoom In or Out Using Internet Explorer 11Adjusting your browser's zoom settings is another way to optimize howmuch of TeacherPlus you can see.

1. Click on the browser toolbar, located at the upper-right corner.

2. From the shortcut menu, click Zoom to display more options.

3. Click Zoom in or Zoom out, depending on your preference.

Zoom In or Out Using Google Chrome1. Click on the browser toolbar, located at the upper-right corner.

2. Click to zoom in, or click to zoomout.

Load Your Zoom Changesn Click Reload at the upper-right corner of TeacherPlus to refresh your gradebook.

The grid area adjusts to fit the re-sized grid content.


Templates

3.1 TeacherPlus Gradebook Templates 21

3.2 Add aGradebook Column 23

3.3 Remove a Gradebook Column 24

3.4 Save Current Layout as a Template 25

3.5 Create a New Template 26

3.6 Edit an Existing Template 27

3.7 Delete a Template 29

20

CHAPTER 3

3.1 TeacherPlus Gradebook Templates

Using templates, you can save different gradebook column layouts to help you with specific tasks. You caninclude any number of columns fromboth column categories in your templates, allowing you to build customtemplates that align with your gradebook tasks.

Template ColumnsColumns are the building blocks of templates. The two types of columns you can use to create a template aredefined as follows:

n Demographic and System Columns: These columns contain student information such as absenceand tardy totals, address fields, ID numbers, and homerooms. Columns added from this category aredisplayed in the grid on the left side of the gradebook. The columns in this category are synced fromAdminPlus using the TeacherPlus Setup & SyncManager.

n Gradebook Columns: These columns contain grading information such as exams, marking periods,narratives, and averages. Columns added from this category are displayed to the right of theDemographic and System Columns. The columns in this category contain data added directly toTeacherPlus Gradebook .

Making the Most of TemplatesYou can get started working with templates in two ways: changing a default template to create a customoneof your own or creating a brand new template from scratch. Whichever approach you take, you can selectcolumns fromboth theDemographic & System Columns category and theGradebook Columns categoryto build a template that matches your goals.

A quick way to start is to use the default templates that come pre-loaded with TeacherPlus or to use them as astarting point to create a custom template. Default templates have square brackets around their names (forexample, [Name & Average]), and they can be found in the template dropdown list.

Although you can't permanently change default templates, you can use them as blueprints to create customtemplates. For example, you can select a default template and then add or remove (hide) columns as needed.When you either add or remove a column, the current layout changes to [Custom] in the template drop-downlist. At this point, you should save the template as a new one so that you don't lose your changes and so thatyou can later refer to this new layout by selecting it from the template drop-down list.

When the default templates don't meet your needs, you can also create an entirely new template using anycombination of Demographic & System Columns andGradebook Columns. You can flexibly create atemplate for any situation youmight find useful, so the possibilities are numerous. Whichever approach youchoose to create your template, once you've created it, you can edit it in the Template Optionsmenu. Fromthismenu, you can also permanently delete a template if no longer needed. Note that deletion affects allgradebooks using that template.

When you create a template, you can select any number of columns; however, adding toomany columnsmaymake the information difficult to read. To improve readability, you can display Student Name,APID,UNID,orAverage and Grade to the right of the score columns. You can also hide score columns entirely if they'renot relevant to the task at hand. You should create templates that help you with specific tasks, as they areflexible enough to provide an efficient workspace layout for almost any situation.

21 Chapter 3 | Templates

Template ExamplesDefault templates includeName & Average,Name Only, RC View, Category Subtotals, and Comments& Narratives. These templates can bemodified to suit your needs. However, if you find that you need anentirely new type of template, you can create one of your own.

Example

To reference student IEPs beforewriting narratives for themarking period, you could do thefollowing:

n Select the Student Name and IEP columns from theDemographic and System Columnscategory.

n Select theNarratives column from theGradebook Columns category.

n Show theAverage and Grade for the current marking period on the right, after the scorecolumns.

Next StepsNow that you have a better idea of how templates work, you can get started creating your own. For example,you could add a gradebook column, and save the layout changes as a template. Formore information onthese two tasks, see "Add aGradebook Column" on page 23 and "Save Current Layout as a Template" on page25.

Alternatively, you could just build your own template from scratch by completing "Create a New Template" onpage 26.

Chapter 3 | Templates 22

3.2 Add a Gradebook Column

Add a gradebook column to quickly reference specific information without editing a template. Gradebookcolumns consist of narratives, exams, averages, semester/final columns, comments, marking period pointsearned, and category averages. You can also add demographic columns to view information about yourstudents. Adding a column to the gradebook creates a new custom template.

To add a column to a gradebook, do either of the following:

n To add a standard gradebook column, right-click a student's name, click Select GB Column, and clickthe desired column from the shortcut menu.

n To add a demographic column, right-click a student’s name, click Select DB Column, select a field fromtheAvailable Fields list, and then click Select.

Next StepsTo display your gradebook with these selected gradebook columns at a later time, save this format as a newtemplate. Formore information on saving template views, see the topic "Save Current Layout as a Template"on page 25. If for any reason you no longer need a specific gradebook column, just remove it. See "Remove aGradebook Column" on page 24.


3.3 Remove a Gradebook Column

If you decide you don't need a column in your current gradebook layout, you can remove (or hide) it. Whetheryou remove or hide the column depends on whether or not you've saved it in a template. If the column issaved in a template, it's hidden; if the column isn't saved in a template, it's removed.

To remove a gradebook column, do the following:

n Right-click the column you want to remove, and then click Remove (Hide) Current Column.

Removing a column results in either of the following:

n If you haven't saved the current layout as a template, selecting Remove (Hide) CurrentColumn removes the column from the [Custom] template.To see the column again, add it to the current gradebook layout.

n If you have saved the current layout as a template, selecting Remove (Hide) Current Columnhides the column from your current gradebook layout, and the current layout changes to[Custom].To see the column again, return to the saved template. To remove this column, save the[Custom] template as the template you want to edit. Formore information, see "Save CurrentLayout as a Template" on page 25.


3.4 Save Current Layout as a Template

When you add or remove columns in your gradebook and want to save the current column layout for futureuse, you can save it as a custom template. The layout automatically changes to a custom templatewhen youadd or remove any columns. An unsaved custom template appears in the template drop-down list as[Custom] until you save it with a new name.

PrerequisitesBefore you can save the current layout, youmust have an unsaved custom template. Formore information,see "Add aGradebook Column" on page 23.

How To Save the Current LayoutTo save a custom template, do the following:

1. On theGradebook Menu, click next to Template Options, and then click Save As.

2. In the Save Template As dialog box, do either of the following:

n Select Save as a new Template, and enter a new name into the text box.

n Select Save as existing Template, and select an existing template from the drop-down list.

3. At the top of the dialog box, click Save.


3.5 Create a New Template

With the template feature, you can easily customize column templates for different situations, based onvarious Demographic, System, and Gradebook columns. For example, you could customize a template thatonly shows students' names and theNarrative and Comment columns. TeacherPlus comes preloaded withdefault templates that you can use or customize further as your own.

To create a new template, do the following:

1. On theGradebook Menu, click next to Template Options, and then clickNew.

2. In the Select Columns dialog box, enter a descriptive name into the Template Name box.

Note: Default templates have brackets around their names—for example, [Name & Average]and [RC View]. To avoid confusion, we recommend that you avoid square brackets when namingyour custom templates.

3. Optional: Select theHide All Score Columns check box to hide gradebook score columns in thistemplate view.

Hiding all score columns is useful when you want to display only demographic columns.

4. To add columns to your template, do either of the following:

n To include demographic columns in your template, select a column from theDemographic &

System Columns list, and then click to move that column to the SelectedDemographic & System Columns list.

n To include gradebook columns in your template, select a column from theGradebook Columns

list, and then click to move that column to the Selected Gradebook Columns list.

Tip: You can hold the Ctrl or Shift key and click to select multiple columns. You can also selectone column, hold the Shift key, and then click any column below the first to select thesecolumns and every column in-between. To remove columns from the Selected Gradebook

Columns list, click .

5. Optional: Select any of the check boxes next to Student Name,Unique ID,APID, orAverage andGrade to display the column(s) on the right side of your gradebook.

6. Arrange the template columns by selecting a column and clicking or to change its positionin the list, and then click Save.The top-to-bottomorder of these lists becomes the left-to-right order in the gradebook.

Next StepsTomake changes to your template in the future, just edit the layout: "Edit an Existing Template" on page 27. Ifyou no longer need the template, you can permanently delete it: "Delete a Template" on page 29.


3.6 Edit an Existing Template

If you've already created a template and need to make changes to it, you can edit it using the TemplateOptionsmenu. This can be useful when you need to make slight changes to a template, or when you want tore-purpose an old template.

PrerequisitesBefore you can edit a template youmust have a saved custom template. Formore information, see either ofthe following:

n "Create a New Template" on page 26

n "Save Current Layout as a Template" on page 25

Edit a TemplateTo edit an existing template, do the following:

1. On theGradebook Menu, select the template you want to edit from the drop-down list, and then doeither of the following:

n Click next to Template Options, and then click Edit.

n Right-click a student’s name, and then click Select Columns (Edit Template).

2. In the Select Columns dialog box, do any of the following, and then click Save:

n Edit the name in the Template Name box.

Tip: If you only want to edit the Template Name, click next to Template Options,and then click Rename.

n Select theHide All Score Columns check box to hide gradebook score columns in this templateview.


n Add or remove columns from your template, by selecting a column and using theappropriate arrow button.

Tip: You can hold the Ctrl or Shift key and click to select multiple columns. You can alsoselect one column, hold the Shift key, and then click any column below the first to selectthese columns and every column in-between.

n Select any of the check boxes next to Student Name,Unique ID,APID, orAverage andGrade to display the column(s) on the right side of your gradebook.

n Arrange the template columns by selecting a column and clicking or to change itsposition in the list, and then click Save.The top-to-bottomorder of these lists becomes the left-to-right order displayed in thegradebook.


3.7 Delete a Template

If you no longer need a template that you created, you can clean up your list of templates by removing it.

Warning: Deleting a template removes it from all of your gradebooks, not just the current gradebook.

To delete a template, do the following:

1. On theGradebook Menu, select the template you want to delete from the drop-downmenu.

Note: You cannot delete default templates, only custom templates you’ve created. Defaulttemplates have brackets around their names—for example, [Name & Average] and [RC View].

2. While that template is selected, click next to Template Options, and then click Delete.

3. In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes.The custom template is deleted, and your template view changes to [Name & Average].


Manage Students

4.1 View Student Information in TeacherPlus 31

4.2 Enter Comments, Narratives, and PrivateMemos 33

4.3 Enter a ClassMemo 36

4.4 View a Student's IEP 37

4.5 Delete a Student 39

30

CHAPTER 4

4.1 View Student Information in TeacherPlus

With the Student Snapshot feature, you can quickly view information for a particular student, includingdemographics, parent contact information, class attendance, assignment and exam scores, and a bar graphanalysis of scores. Themost convenient part about this feature is that it only takes one click to access it.

View Student Information in the SnapshotTo access the Student Snapshot, do the following:

n In theName column of your current gradebook, click a student's name to open the Student Snapshotfor that student.TheOne moment please overlay appears as the snapshot loads and then appears as a dialog box.

Tip: You can click the e-mail addresses in the Student Snapshot to send an e-mail to a specificrecipient, or you can click E-Mail all contacts to send amulti-recipient e-mail.

31 Chapter 4 | Manage Students

Navigate the Student Snapshot ScreenTo navigate the Student Snapshot screen, do any of the following:

Task Action

See information paneldetails. Click at the upper-right corner of any information panel.

Change students.Click the arrows on either side of the student's photo.The Student Snapshot changes to the previous or next student in thecurrent gradebook.

Search for a student.

Enter a name in the Student Name box located at the upper-rightcorner of the Student Snapshot dialog box.As you type a name into the Student Name box, the drop-down listdisplaysmatches from the current gradebook.

Close Student Snapshot. Click at the upper right corner of the Student Snapshot dialog box.

Chapter 4 | Manage Students 32

4.2 Enter Comments, Narratives, and Private Memos

TeacherPlus offers different types of remarks, including comments, narratives, and privatememos.Comments contain a list of predefined remarks set by your administrator (for example, "Shows originality"),whereas narratives are entirely customized by you. Privatememos provide a space to reference a student'sprogress or accommodations (among any other notes), and only you can view thememos. Both narrativesand comments can be included in reports and also sent to AdminPlus.

Important: To perform the tasks in this topic, make sure the [Comments & Narratives] template isactive. You can also create a custom template that includes the Comments and Narratives columns. Formore information on templates, see "Create a New Template" on page 26.

Enter a Comment1. In the appropriate comment column, click the cell for the student you want to assign a comment to.

Note: The default comment columns are Effort (EFT) and Citizenship (CIT). These columns andthe comments are customized in AdminPlus. The columns you see in your gradebook may bedifferent.

2. In the comment column cell, start typing the comment you want to enter or the number assigned tothat comment, and then do either of the following:

n Click the comment when it appears in the drop-down list.

n Select the comment using the arrow keys.

Tip: To see all comments in the drop-down list, type anything in the cell, and then pressBackspace to deletewhat you typed. This results in an unfiltered list of comments. You can alsoright-click the cell and click Enter Comment to select the comment from a list.

3. Click anywhere outside of the cell, press Enter, or press Tab to save your selection.

When you save a comment by pressing Enter, you can immediately begin typing a comment for thenext student in the grid.


Batch Enter a Comment1. In a comment column, right-click and then click Batch Entry in the shortcut menu.

2. In theBatch Entry dialog box, do either of the following:

n Click next to the Find comment box, click a comment, click Select, click next to thereplace with this comment box, click a comment, and click Select.

This feature is used to replace all occurrences of the specified comment with a new comment.

n Click Fill Column with, click next to the Fill Column With box, click a comment, and clickSelect.

This feature is used to replace existing comments and add the selected comment to everystudent's record.

3. At the top of theBatch Entry dialog box, clickOK, and then click Yes to confirm.

Enter a Narrative

1. In theNarrative column, click for the student you want to assign a narrative to.

2. Enter a narrative in the text box, and click Save.

When you save a narrative, the icon changes to .

Tip: If you ever need to delete all narratives, you can right-click in the narrative column, and clickBlank All Narratives.


Enter a Private Memo1. In theName column, right-click a student's name.

2. In the shortcut menu, click Private Memo.

3. Enter your notes in the text box, and click Save.

After you enter a privatememo, appears next to the student's name. Click to view the privatememo.


4.3 Enter a Class Memo

By adding a classmemo to a specific class section, you can describewhat was covered by the class for a givenmarking period, or youmay add any other significant remarks. When generating progress reports, you caninclude thememo in the report.

To enter a classmemo, do the following:

1. Click Reports > Enter Class Memo on the side navigationmenu.

2. In theClass Memo dialog box, type or paste amemo into the editor, and then format it using theeditor tools.

3. Optional: Click to print the classmemo.

4. At the top of theClass Memo dialog box, click Save.TheClass Memo dialog box closes.


4.4 View a Student's IEP

You can view a student's IEP (Individualized Education Program) by enabling the IEP column, explained in thisarticle.

In order for the IEP feature to work as whole, the followingmust take place:

n If using AdminPlus to store students' IEP files, the students' IEP must be added via AdminPlus.

n If using IEP Direct, your TeacherPlusmanagermust have configured the IEP Direct integration inAdminPlus and in the TeacherPlusManagement Site.

n Youmust select the IEP column in TeacherPlus when creating a template. Formore information oncreating template views, see the topic "Create a New Template" on page 26.

n Your schoolmust have the Portfolio module.

Note: IEP files in TeacherPlus are display-only files. If your school uses the IEP Direct interface, you canedit IEP files in IEP Direct. If your school does not have IEP Direct, youmust edit IEP files locally and addthem in AdminPlus.

To enable the IEP column and view a student's IEP file, follow these steps:

1. Right-click a student's name, and click Select DB Column from the shortcut menu.

2. In the Select DB Column dialog box, click IEP, and then click Select.

The IEP column appears in your gradebook. appears next to students with an IEP.

Note: When you add the IEP column, the current TeacherPlus layout template changes to[Custom]. This template is temporary, and youmust save it as a new template of your own tokeep the column in the current view for future use. Formore information on saving the currentlayout as a template, see "Create a New Template" on page 26.

3. In the IEP column, click for the selected student.Depending on your browser, the IEP file will either open in a browser window, or be downloaded toyour downloads folder.


Hide the IEP ColumnIf at a later point you decide you don't need the IEP column in your current view, you can hide the column.

To hide the IEP Column, do the following:

n Right-click the IEP column, and then click Remove (Hide) Current Column = IEP.

Keep inmind that hiding the IEP column changes the current template layout to [Custom], which istemporary. To make the change permanent, save the current view template as a new one. You could have atemplate that contains the IEP column and one that doesn't contain it. Formore information on customizingtemplates, see "Create a New Template" on page 26.


4.5 Delete a Student

If a student has been withdrawn or inactivated in AdminPlus, you can delete the student from your class'sgradebook, as long as the student doesn't have any graded assignments or attendance in the gradebook. Thisfeature is useful during the beginning of themarking period when students are switching courses beforeschedules are finalized.

To delete awithdrawn or inactivated student:

1. Right-click a student's name, and click Delete [LastName, FirstName] from the shortcut menu.

If the student doesn't have any scores, grades, or attendance in the gradebook, theConfirmationdialog box appears. If the student has any scores, grades, or attendance, theWarning dialog boxprevents you fromdeleting this student.

2. In theConfirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Tip:If a withdrawn or inactivated student has graded assignments or attendance in your gradebook and youonly want to view active students, clear the Include withdrawn check box. Formore information, see"IncludeWithdrawn Students in Your Gradebook " on page 15.


Take Attendance

5.1 HowAttendanceWorks 41

5.2 Create a Seating Chart 42

5.3 Edit or Delete a Seating Chart 43

5.4 Print or Display a Seating Chart 46

5.5 Enter and Submit Attendance 47

5.6 Correct and Re-submit Attendance 51

5.7 Enter and Submit Lunch Counts 52

40

CHAPTER 5

5.1 How AttendanceWorks

With theHTML5 TeacherPlus Gradebook, you can take attendance quickly and efficiently. You can takeattendance using a seating chart, the gradebook attendance column, or the attendanceweekly view. To getinformation about attendance trends, you can run customized class attendance reports.

Seating ChartsSeating charts can help you take attendance by providing you with a visual representation of your classlayout. These charts are highly customizable, as they can include student names, pictures, APIDs, databasefields, grades, and averages. You can enter a descriptive seating chart name, set the teacher's position in theroom, and configure the seat arrangement grid's size and order. Once the chart is set up, you can arrangestudents within the grid.

Formore information on seating charts, see any of the following:

n "Create a Seating Chart" on page 42

n "Edit or Delete a Seating Chart" on page 43

n "Print or Display a Seating Chart" on page 46

Attendance Entry MethodsBy default, if you don't assign an attendance code to a student, that student ismarked present when yousubmit attendance. Thismeans that, on days when your entire class is present, you can submit attendancewithout assigning any attendance codes. When you need to assign attendance codes because a student isabsent or tardy, you canmark attendance in your gradebook's attendance column, in your class seating chart,or in the attendanceweekly view. You can also un-submit, correct, and then resubmit attendance using thesamemethods.

Formore information on attendance entry, see the following:

n "Enter and Submit Attendance" on page 47

n "Correct and Re-submit Attendance" on page 51

Class Attendance ReportTo get a customized report of class absences, tardies, or both, you can view the class attendance report. Youcan run this report for a specific time frame and select from a number of layout options. Once you'vegenerated this report, you can print or export it using the Report Viewer.

Formore information on the class attendance report, see the following:

n "View Class Attendance Report" on page 118

n "Report Viewer Commands" on page 105

41 Chapter 5 | Take Attendance

5.2 Create a Seating Chart

You can create seating charts that contain information to help you take attendance in each of your classes.These seating charts can include names, pictures, APIDs, database fields, grades and averages, and specificassignment columns. When creating these charts you can determine the seating chart name, the teacher'sposition, the seat arrangement grid's size and order, and the arrangement of students within the grid.

1. Click Attendance > Seating Chart on the side navigationmenu.

You can also click at the top of the startup screen.Themost recently saved seating chart for the current class gradebook opens in theAttendance tab. Ifyou haven't created any seating charts yet, the tab is blank.

2. Click the Seating Chart tab, and then, next to the Seating Chart drop-down list, click + Add New.

3. In theAdd New Seating Chart panel, fill out the Seating Chart Name box.

4. Expand Arrange Seats, and set the grid size by filling out theChoose number of seats per row boxand theChoose number of rows box.

Note: If you leaveArrange Students set to Random the seating chart generated is blank. Youcan add students by editing the seating chart. Formore information see "Edit or Delete a SeatingChart" on page 43.

5. Optional: To create a customized seating chart, do any of the following:

n Arrange Seats: Expand Arrange Seats, and set the Teacher position relative to the grid and/ordetermineHow {Assign All} places students in the grid.

n Label Seats: ExpandWhat fields to show on seat, select any combination of the following:Picture,APID,Name (Full, First, or Last),Database Field, Show Averages and Grades, andAssignment Columns.

n Arrange Students: Expand Arrange Students, and click one of the following: Random, ByRank, By data field (Alphabetically),Alphabetically, orBy ID.

Note: If you skip customizing the options above, your seating chart will follow the defaultsettings.

6. At the top of theAdd New Seating Chart panel, click Save.

Chapter 5 | Take Attendance 42

5.3 Edit or Delete a Seating Chart

After you've created a seating chart, youmay decide that you need to change the name, add or removedemographic fields, or rearrange the layout of your class. Using the Seating Chart tab, you can change all ofthe settings and layout options you set when you created the seating chart.

Edit Seating Chart SettingsUsing a seating chart's Edit Settings panel, you can change every setting that was available when you createdthe seating chart. You can edit the seating chart's name, the teacher's position, the seat arrangement grid'ssize and order, the visible demographic fields, and the arrangement of students within the grid.

To edit the settings of a seating chart, do the following:

1. Click Attendance > Seating Chart on the side navigationmenu, or click , and then clickthe Seating Chart tab.

2. In the Seating Chart drop-down list box, click the seating chart you want to edit.

3. Next to Seating Chart, at the top of the tab, click Edit.

4. In Editing Seating Chartmode, do any of the following:

n To rename the seating chart, click Rename.

n To rename the seating chart, arrange the seats and students, and choosewhich demographicfields to show, click Settings.

Note: The Edit Settings panel is the same as theAdd New Seating Chart panel. Formore information on these settings see "Create a Seating Chart" on page 42.

5. To save your changes, do either of the following:

n To save your changes to the current seating chart, click Save.

n To save your changes as a new seating chart or to another existing seating chart, click Save As.


Edit Student Locations in the GridIf youmove your students' seats during the school year, you can update your seating chart to reflect thosechanges. You canmake these changesmanually so that you don't have to follow the preset arrangementtypes provided in Seating Chart Settings.

To rearrange students in the seating chart grid, do the following:


2. In the Seating Chart drop-down list, click the seating chart you want to edit.


4. In Editing Seating Chartmode, do any of the following:

Seating Chart Grid Commands

AClick Assign All to move all students in the sidebar to the grid.

The order of students in the sidebar is how they are assigned to seats.

B Click Remove All to move all students in the grid back to the sidebar.

C Click to remove individual students from the grid.

D Click and drag to move individual students from the sidebar to the grid.

E Click and drag to move individual students within the grid.


Seating Chart Grid Commands

Note: The seating arrangement that you set is preserved when you Remove Allstudents from the seating chart, and the arrangement is restored when you clickAssign All.

5. To save your changes, do either of the following:

n To save your changes to the current seating chart, click Save.

n To save your changes as a new seating chart, or to another existing seating chart, click Save As.

Delete a Seating ChartIf you don't need one of your seating charts, and you don't have any reason to edit it to suit another purpose,you can delete it.

To delete a seating chart, do the following:


2. In the Seating Chart drop-down list, click the seating chart you want to delete.


4. In Editing Seating Chartmode, click Delete, and then click Yes.


5.4 Print or Display a Seating Chart

After you create a seating chart, to make it easier to view, you can expand it to fill the browser window andadjust the size of the student grid. You can also print the seating chart to PDF or paper. This allows you tosave the chart outside of TeacherPlus Gradebook and gives you the option to take attendance by hand.

n Click Attendance > Seating Chart on the side navigationmenu, or click , and then clickthe Seating Chart tab.

Seating Chart View/Print Commands

A To Zoom Out click , to set Normal View (100%) click , to Zoom In click . Theactive zoom level is highlighted in green. This zoom function is independent of yourbrowser zoom.

B To Print Seating Chart, click .

C To Expand Seating Chart, click .

Tip: To save the seating chart as an image you can Expand Seating Chart and then pressAlt + Print Scrn. This will save thewindow to your clipboard; from there you can paste it intopaint, documents, etc.


5.5 Enter and Submit Attendance

The Attendance feature provides simple processes for taking and submitting attendance. Taking attendancedirectly in TeacherPlus Gradebook can save valuable class time.

Mark All Students as PresentWhen your entire class is present and ready to learn, you can submit attendancewithout entering attendancecodes.

1. In theModes group box, click theAttendance toggle button, and then click AT: Submit to send yourattendance data to themain office.

When attendance has been successfully submitted for the current date, appears next to the coursein theGradebooksmenu.

2. In theModes group box, click theAttendance toggle button to close theAttendance columns.


Mark Attendance Status for Individual StudentsWhen students are absent, tardy, or dismissed from your class, you can assign the relevant attendance codeto each student and submit that data to themain office. If a student is present, you don't need to enter anyattendance information for the student. He or shewill bemarked as present when you submit attendance tothemain office.

1. In theModes group box, click theAttendance toggle button, and then do either of the following foreach student:

n In theClass column, right-click a cell corresponding to a student, and then click an attendanceoption.

n In theClass column, click a cell corresponding to a student, and, if applicable, click the cell againto change the attendance option.You can continue clicking this cell to cycle through the available attendance codes or until the cellis blank again. Keep inmind that a blank cell means the student is present.

Example

Clicking the cell could change the attendance option to A, and clicking the cell againcould change the attendance option to T.

2. Click AT: Submit to send your attendance data to themain office.When attendance has been successfully submitted for the current date, appears next to the coursein theGradebooksmenu.

3. In theModes group box, click theAttendance toggle button to close theAttendance columns.


Mark Attendance Status with a Seating ChartUsing the Seating Chart feature, you can take attendancewith a visual aid. This seating chart can includepictures and any other information youmight find helpful. Formore information on creating and editingseating charts, see "Create a Seating Chart" on page 42.

To mark attendance status with a seating chart, do the following:

1. Click Attendance > Seating Chart on the side navigationmenu, or click .Themost recently saved seating chart for the current class gradebook opens in theAttendance tab.

2. In theAttendance tab, if the correct seating chart isn't displayed, select it in the Seating Chart drop-down list.

Tip: TheAttendance tab opens to themost recently saved seating chart. If you want a specificseating chart to be open the next time you access theAttendance tab, you can open the SeatingChart tab, click Edit, and then—without making any changes—click Save. Do this after you'veadded or edited any other seating charts.

3. In the seating chart, do either of the following for each student who needs an attendance code:

n In the seating chart grid, right-click a box corresponding to a student, and then click anattendance option.

n In the seating chart grid, click a box corresponding to a student, and, if applicable, click the boxagain to change the attendance option.

4. At the top of theAttendance tab, click Submit, and then click Back to Gradebook.

Tip: Using thismethod, you can select any day from theAttendance tab calendar to takeattendance for that day. Thismeans you can un-submit, correct, and re-submit attendance from apast day. You can also begin entering attendance for a day in the futurewhen you're notified inadvance.


Review Submitted AttendanceWith the AttendanceWeekly View, you can review attendance aweek at a time, including attendance totals forthe entire class and individual students. You can also use this view to take attendance in the Class column andto un-submit, correct, and re-submit attendance. Formore information, see "Correct and Re-submitAttendance" on page 51.

n Click Attendance >Weekly View on the side navigationmenu, and then click or to changetheweek visible in theWeekly Attendance View dialog box.


5.6 Correct and Re-submit Attendance

In the event that you need to edit attendance data, you can un-submit, edit , and re-submit the data. For thecurrent date, you can un-submit and edit attendance data from the gradebook attendance column. Using theAttendanceWeekly View, you can correct past attendance data by navigating the data by week andmakingchanges as necessary.

To correct and re-submit attendance:

1. Do either of the following:

n To correct attendance for the current day, click Un-Submit.

n To correct past attendance, click Attendance >Weekly View on the side navigationmenu, click

or to navigate to the attendanceweek that you want to correct, and then click Un-Submit above the day you want to correct.

2. Once attendance is un-submitted do either of the following:

n In theClass column, right-click a cell corresponding to a student, and then click an attendanceoption.

n In theClass column, click a cell corresponding to a student, and click the cell again (if applicable)to change the attendance option.

3. Click Submit to re-submit the data with the changes youmade.


5.7 Enter and Submit Lunch Counts

Using the Lunch Count feature, you can enter students' lunch preferences right from TeacherPlus, and submitthem to themain office. The process involves enabling the Lunch Count feature, selecting a predefined lunchcode for each student, and submitting the information to the office. By helping track students' lunchselections, you help the cafeteria prepare only the necessary number of each dish, which helps save resources.

Customize Lunch Count SettingsTo access the Lunch column in your gradebook, youmust first customize your TeacherPlus Gradebook LunchCount settings.

To customize Lunch Count settings, do the following:


2. In the Lunch Count Settings group box, do any the following:

n Select Turn On Lunch Counts Entry.

n Select Show Previous Day's Lunch Entry.

3. At the top of theGeneral Settings panel, click Save.


Enter and Submit Lunch Counts1. Right-click a cell corresponding to a student in the Lunch column, and click the desired lunch option

from the shortcut menu.

Tip: You can clear lunch entries for individual students by clicking Clear Selection or for allstudents by clicking Clear Lunch Entries for All Students.

2. Repeat step 1 for all applicable students.

3. At the top of the Lunch column, click Lunch: Submit.

Tip: You can un-submit, correct, and re-submit Lunch Entries.


Manage Assignment Score Columns

6.1 Score Columns 55

6.2 Add a Score Column 57

6.3 Copy a Score Column to Another Gradebook 59

6.4 Remove Score Columns 60

6.5 Score Column Privacy, Locking, and Visibility 61

6.6 Score Column Commands 62

6.7 Sort Score Columns 64

6.8 Customize Header Rows 65

54

CHAPTER 6

6.1 Score Columns

Score columns are at the center of your gradebook's functionality. You can add score columns to a classgradebook to record scores and information for each of your assignments. Score columns can be customized,re-used, andmanaged from the class gradebook interface. You can organize your score columns from thegradebook settings.

Figure 1: Score column features in the TeacherPlus Gradebook interface.

Score Column ManagementYou can add a score column for each assignment and customize the assignment column's name and details.Score columns are only used for assignments. Assignment score columns contain the following fields:

NameThis field should contain a descriptive title for the assignment. It's the only field that's always displayedin the Column Header. The name can be up to 100 characters.

DescriptionThis is the only optional field. It can contain a detailed description of the assignment. The descriptioncan be up to 1000 characters.

CategoryAssignment categories are customized and created in the TeacherPlus Gradebook Management site. Ifthey haven't been customized, the default categories areQuiz, Homework, and Test. You can onlycreate and/or edit categories if teachers have the proper permissions in the TeacherPlus GradebookManagement site.

55 Chapter 6 | Manage Assignment Score Columns

MaximumPossible PointsThis field should contain themaximumpoint value for an assignment. Assignment category weightscan also affect the overall value of an assignment. You can only edit category weights if teachers havethe proper permissions in TeacherPlus Gradebook Management site.

DateThis field should contain the date a test or a quiz was administered or the date a homework assignmentis due.

Marking PeriodThis field is automatically set to themarking period displayed in the gradebook.

When you create or edit an assignment column, you can also choose to lock the column, count it in averages,add it to PlusPortals as Homework, make it public, and link it to skills/standards.

If you've already created a columnwith the name and details you want, you can copy it to other gradebooksor add it from a previous year. You can also delete columns individually or in bulk.

Formore information, see the following tasks:

n " Add a Score Column " on page 57

n "Copy a Score Column to Another Gradebook" on page 59

n "Remove Score Columns" on page 60

Score Column OrganizationTo organize the score columns in your gradebooks, you can sort score columns by name, by date, or bycategory and date. Once you've selected sort criteria, you can choose to sort in ascending or descendingorder. This feature can help you organize your score columns in away that suits your workflow, making iteasier to scan your gradebook to locate specific score columns. Formore information on sorting columns, see"Sort Score Columns" on page 64.

Score Column HeadersTo further customize or organize your score columns, you can display information such as name, description,and possible points in the column header. You can also display statistics, such asmean, median, and variance.This allows you to view the information that is important to you at a glance. You can also hide this informationat any time by minimizing the column header. Whenminimized, the column header only displays the columnname and possible points. Formore information, see "Customize Header Rows" on page 65.

Score Column Privacy, Locking, and VisibilityIn your gradebooks, you have a number of options formanaging how you or your students can interact withscore columns. You can set columns to public or private, locked or unlocked, and even (temporarily) tohidden. Formore information, see "Score Column Privacy, Locking, and Visibility" on page 61.

Chapter 6 | Manage Assignment Score Columns 56

6.2 Add a Score Column

When adding an assignment or test, there are a variety of options you can specify, such as assignment type,maximumpossible points, and whether or not the assignment counts in averages.

Add a New Assignment Score Column

1. At the upper-left corner of the Gradebook Menu, click .TheAdd Column dialog box appears.

2. Optional: Click to associate skills/standards with the assignment.

3. Choosewhere to add the assignment by selecting one of theAdd To options.

4. Add a name and description, select a category, enter the number of points, and set the date for theassignment.

5. Do any of the following:

n Select Lock Column to prevent any changes to the column.

n Select Add to PlusPortals as Homework to add the assignment for students in PlusPortals.

n Select Count in Averages to count the assignment in the averages.

n Select Shared (Public) Column to share the assignment and its scorewith parents.

Note: Assignments that count in averages should bemake public so that parents can seethe assignments that are affecting their child's average.

6. Click .

Tip: To edit an existing assignment, double-click anywhere in the score column header or right-clickanywhere in the header and click Edit Column Name & Details. You can edit any of the fields you setwhile creating the score column.


Add a Score Column from a Previous Year

1. At the upper-left corner of the Gradebook Menu, click .TheAdd Column dialog box appears.

2. At the upper-left corner of theAdd Column dialog box, click .

3. Click the year from theWhich Year drop-down list.

4. Click themarking period from theWhich MP drop-down list.

5. Click the gradebook from theWhich Gradebook drop-down list.

6. Select the check box next to the desired score column.

7. Do one of the following:

n Click Use TODAY to start the assignment today.

n Click Use Same Date But Current Year to start and end the assignment on the same day inthe current year.

n Click Start With a Selected Date and Keep Same Intervals to assign a different start daywith the same duration.

8. At the upper-right corner of theAdd Columns From Previous Year dialog box, clickNext.


6.3 Copy a Score Column to Another Gradebook

If you teach several sections of the same course, it's very likely all sections sharemany of the sameassignments. You can easily copy an assignment to all of your other gradebooks or just a selected few, savingyou time and themonotony of having to create the same assignment over and over again. You can alsochoose to copy an assignment with or without any of the scores it currently has.

1. Double-click theName of the score column (for example, "Chapter 5 Homework").

2. In the Edit Column dialog box, click .

3. In theCopy Column dialog box, next to Copy Column To, do one of the following:

n Click Current Gradebook Only: Without Scores to copy the column to the open gradebookwithout the existing assignment scores.

n Click Current Gradebook Only: With Score to copy the column to the open gradebook withthe existing assignment scores.

n Click All Gradebooks of the Current Course to copy the column to all gradebooks of theopen course.

n Click All Gradebooks to copy the column to all gradebooks.

n Click Selected Gradebooks, click , select the check box(es) next to the gradebook(s) towhich you want to copy this column, and click Save.

4. In theCopy Column dialog box, next toDate Settings, do either of the following:

n Click Use Today to use today's date for the score column.

n Click Use Same Date to use the original date that was set for the score column.

5. At the upper-right corner of theCopy Column dialog box, click Copy.


6.4 Remove Score Columns

When removing columns, you can remove one specified column ormultiple columns at a time.

Remove a Score Column

Warning: Deleting a score column deletes all the data contained in that column.

1. Right-click the name of the score column.

2. Click Delete Current Column, and then click Yes.

Remove Multiple Score Columns1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Tools > Remove Columns.

2. Select which column(s) to delete, and then clickOK.


6.5 Score Column Privacy, Locking, and Visibility

In your gradebooks, there are a number of options formanaging how you and your students can interact withscore columns. You can set columns to public or private, locked or unlocked, and even (temporarily) tohidden.

Public or Private

You can toggle columns as public or private by clicking the sharing icons and . Public columns areshared on PlusPortals and count in students' averages. You shouldmake columns public once you finishgrading them. Private columns aren't shared on PlusPortals and don't count in students' averages. This isuseful for assignments you haven't finished grading. Although it isn't recommended, you can create publiccolumns that aren't counted in averages as well as private columns that are counted in averages; however,this requires that you edit the column. If a column is public but not counted in averages or private butcounted in averages, the averages will appear incorrect.

Example

Scenario 1: A student has test scores of 90 and 100. These scores are both shared with the student,but the 90 score isn't counted in averages. The student sees scores of 90 and 100 resulting in anaverage of 100. If she doesn't know that the 90 score isn't counted in averages, this result appearsincorrect, as she expects to see an average of 95.

Scenario 2: A student has test scores of 90 and 100. These scores are both counted in averages, butthe 90 score isn't shared with the student. The student sees a score of 100 resulting in an average of95. If he doesn't know that there are scores that haven't been shared with him yet, this result appearsincorrect, as he expects to see an average of 100.

You can see howmany shared columns you have and howmany columns aren’t counted in averages at thetop-left corner of your gradebook. To seewhich columns are included in each category, just click the number.

Locked or Unlocked

You can toggle columns as locked or unlocked by clicking the locking icons and . Locked columnscan't be edited. This is useful for assignments you've finished grading or aren't currently grading. Lockingcompleted columns can prevent accidental changes. Unlocked columns can be edited.

Temporarily HiddenWith score column commands, you can temporarily hide score columns from your gradebook, hide all but onestudent from score columns, or both. For example, when discussing grades with a student or their parents,you can hide any score columns you haven't finished grading as well as every other student in the columnsyou leave visible. Using thismethod, you can show a student your gradebook with only their grades in it. Onceyou're done, you can display all score columns and students again.

You can see howmany columns are currently hidden at the top-left corner of your screen. To seewhichcolumns are hidden, click the number.


6.6 Score Column Commands

Using score column commands, you can set columns to public or private, locked or unlocked, and even tohidden (temporarily).

Score Column Commands

A

Lock a column: Click to change the lock setting to . Click again to revert the column tounlocked.

Locked columns can't be edited. This is useful for assignments you've finished grading. Lockingcompleted columns can prevent accidental changes.

B

Make a column private: Click to change the column visibility setting to . Click again torevert the column to public.

Private columns aren't shared on PlusPortals and don't count in students' averages. This isuseful for assignments you haven't finished grading.

C

Hide all other students: Right-click the row of the student whose grades you want to keepvisible, and then clickHide All Other Students.

Display all students: Right-click a student's row, and then click Show All Students.


Score Column Commands

D

Hide a score column: Right-click any cell in the score column you want to hide, and then clickTemporarily Hide Current Column.

Display score columns: Right-click any cell in a score column, and then do either of thefollowing:

n Click Unhide All Score Columns.

n Click Unhide Selected Score Columns, and then click the desired column from theshortcut menu.

Note: If you've hidden every score column and can't access theUnhide [All / Selected]Score Columns options, click Reload to restore all score columns.


6.7 Sort Score Columns

When it's that time of the semester or quarter when you have createdmany assignments, hiding andorganizing certain score columns can save you time. You can not only focus solely on the assignment columnsyou need but also choose how you want to view them.

To sort score columns, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Settings, and then click the Sort Columns tab.

2. On the Sort Columns tab, select how you want to view your score columns by doing either of thefollowing:

n In the Sort Columns group box, click by Name, by Date, or first by Category, then by Datewithin each category.

n In the Sort Order group box, click Ascending orDescending.

3. At the upper-right corner of the Sort Columns tab, click Sort Now.


6.8 Customize Header Rows

Header rows display information about your score columns. This feature includes basic information, such asName, Description, and Possible Points, as well asmore in-depth statistics, such asMean, Median, andVariance. You can select asmany header rows as you'd like—only theName row is required. However, we dorecommend that you include aminimumof Name, Date, and Possible Points in the header. With theDaterow, you can seewhen a test or a quiz was administered or the date a homework assignment is due. With thePossible Points row , you can compare the point values of your assignments.

If you prefer a detailed header but have large classes that are difficult to viewwith limited screen space, youcan temporarily hide header rowswith a single click. When you hide header rows, only theName and PossiblePoints rows remain visible. In addition, you can customize how the statistics rows handlewithdrawn students.These students can be included or excluded from the data set, depending on your preference or school policy.

Select Header RowsTo customize score column header rows, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Settings, and then click theHeader Rows tab.

or

Right-click a score column header row, and then click Select Header Rows.

2. Select which header rows to display, and then clickOK.

Note: TheName row ismandatory. It's always the first column header row. Default rows are inblack font, and additional rows are in green font. You can select any number of rows. If youchoose to display statistical information, click Tools > Recalculate Statistics upon entering newscores to ensure your statistical data is always up to date.


Temporarily Hide Header RowsIf you need to maximize screen space to fit all of the students in your gradebook, you can hide the headerrows. This leaves only theName and Possible Points rows visible.

To temporarily hide score column header rows:

n Next to the class name on the score column header, click . When you want to return to the normalview, click .

Include Withdrawn Students in Column StatisticsColumn statistics (such asMean, Median, Standard Deviation, and Variance) excludewithdrawn students'scores from their data sets. If you want to include data fromwithdrawn students in these statistics, you needto enable that option in the View Settings tab.

To includewithdrawn students in column statistics, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Settings, and then click theHeader Rows tab.

2. UnderWithdrawn Students, select the Include withdrawn students for column statistics checkbox, and then clickOK.Clear this check box to excludewithdrawn students from column statistics.

Note: If you decide to includewithdrawn students in column statistics, you should also includewithdrawn students in your gradebook. Formore information, see "IncludeWithdrawn Studentsin Your Gradebook " on page 15.


Scores and Grading

7.1 Configure Score Settings 68

7.2 GradingMenu Features 70

7.3 Enter Assignment Scores 71

7.4 Batch Enter Scores 74

7.5 Undo Grading Edits 75

7.6 Drop the Lowest Score in aMarking Period 76

7.7 Generate an Audit Report 78

7.8 Submit a Gradebook 79

67

CHAPTER 7

7.1 Configure Score Settings

Using the TeacherPlus Gradebook score settings, you can set the gradebook response to scores that exceedpossible points, customize the enter key function, customize the number of decimal places, and set TurboMode.

To configure these settings, do the following:


2. In the Score Options group box, configure any of the following settings, and then click Save:

68 Chapter 7 | Scores and Grading

ScoreOptions

A

Allow: Always allow scores above the possible points you set for the score column. You can usethis setting to add extra credit points directly to an assignment score column.

Warn: After a warning, allow scores above the possible points you set for the score column. Youcan use this setting to add extra credit points directly to an assignment score columnwhilemaking sure it's not in error.

Do Not Allow: Never allow scores above the possible points you set for a score column. Thissetting prevents you from adding extra credit points directly to an assignment score column.

B

Down: Move focus down a score columnwhen you press Enter. Use this setting to add scoresby assignment.

Right: Move focus to the right across a student's rowwhen you press Enter. Use this setting toadd scores by student.

C

0: Rounds scores to zero decimal places as you enter them. Existing scores with one or twodecimal places are truncated when you change to this setting.

1: Rounds scores to one decimal place as you enter them. Existing scores with two decimalplaces are truncated when you change to this setting.

2: Rounds scores to two decimal places as you enter them.

D

Standard: Auto-save scores ON; Auto-calculate averages ON: Update averages as youenter scores. Standardmode can be slower, but it always shows accurate averages.

Turbo: Auto-save scores ON, Auto-calculate averages OFF: Don't update averages as youenter scores. Turbomode is faster, but it doesn't accurately reflect changes in students' averagesuntil you recalculate.

Tip: When grades are in the process of being saved, appears at the upper-rightcorner of the gradebook. When the grades have been successfully saved, appears.To update averages in TurboMode, click Save & Recalculate at the upper-right corner ofyour gradebook to ensure that all grades are saved and updated in the portals.

Chapter 7 | Scores and Grading 69

7.2 Grading Menu Features

TheGradingmenu contains settings and information that determine how your gradebook functions. Thesettings available to youmay vary depending on how your Gradebook Administrator has configuredpermissions in the TeacherPlusManagement Site.

Grading Details

A Scores tab: You can view score names, codes, shortcuts, and values.

B

Score Annotations tab: You can view a list of all annotations, and then you can click DefaultAnnotations orUser Defined Annotations to view only the annotations in those categories.You can also add new annotations. Formore information on adding annotations, see "Add ScoreAnnotations" on page 81.

C

Grade Scale tab: You can view the grade scale set on the TeacherPlusManagement Site. The tableincludes the grades and their respective cut-off values.

Note: If you have a number grade scale, the scale doesn't appear on theGrade Scale tabbecause the number has no conversion, but if your administrator has set a letter grade scale,the scale appears. For example, a 76 is always a 76 on the number grade scale, but a 76 couldbe a C or a C+ on the letter grade scale.

D

Weighting tab: Depending on permissions set in the TeacherPlusManagement Site, you can viewavailable weighting settings and assignment column categories. You can also customize yourassignment column categories and add new categories. If you don't have access to any of theseoptions, you can consult your Gradebook Administrator. Formore information, see "HowWeightingWorks" on page 93.

EAverages tab: Depending on permissions set in the TeacherPlusManagement Site, you can viewand edit availablemarking period weighting settings. Formore information about theAveragestab, see "Customize Semester and Final AverageWeighting" on page 102.

FDrop Scores tab: You can drop scores from a category or from all categories. If you've alreadydropped scores, you can undo previously dropped scores. Formore information on droppingscores, see "Drop the Lowest Score in aMarking Period" on page 76.


7.3 Enter Assignment Scores

With TeacherPlus Gradebook, you canmanually enter a score into your gradebook, select a score from yourgrade scale, or useQuick Entry to search for students by name and enter their scores.

Method 1: Manually Enter an Assignment ScoreManually entering assignment scores in TeacherPlus Gradebook is, in many cases, themost efficient way toenter your assignment scores. If you have your scores in order and just need to transcribe them into yourgradebook, you can sort your gradebook by a column, set your enter key and turbomode settings (in GeneralSettings), and quickly enter grades down or across your gradebook. Formore information on score settings,see "Configure Score Settings" on page 68.

To enter an assignment score, do the following:

1. Click a score cell, enter that student's assignment score, and then press Enter.

Note: When you press Enter, the cell focus will move either down or right, depending on yourscore settings. You can also use the arrow keys to navigate up and down a score column or leftand right between score columns.

2. At the upper-right corner of the Gradebook Menu, click .

Note: If Turbo Mode is turned on in your score settings, newly entered scores appear red untilyou recalculate. This indicates that they aren't included in averages.


Method 2: Enter an Assignment Score from the Score TableIf you prefer to select scores from your class score table, you can use the Enter Score feature.

To enter an assignment score from the score table, do the following:

1. Right-click a score cell, and then click Enter Score.

2. In the Scores dialog box, click the grade you want to enter for this assignment, and then click Select.

Tip: You can also double-click the score you want to enter.

3. At the upper-right corner of the Gradebook Menu, click .

Note: If Turbo Mode is turned on in your score settings, newly entered scores appear red untilyou recalculate. This indicates that they aren't included in averages. Formore information onscore settings, see "Configure Score Settings" on page 68.


Method 3: Enter Scores Using Quick EntryWhen you havemany students in your class and need to grade themon various assignments, you can useQuick Entry to expedite the process of finding and grading students.

To enter scores using Quick Entry, do the following:

1. In the Assignment Column that you want to grade, click on a score column to select that column.

2. In theGradebook Header, click the Search by name box, enter the first three letters of a student's lastname, and then press Enter.

The focusmoves to the student's cell in the current assignment's score column.

3. Enter the student's score in their cell, and then press Enter.The focusmoves back to the Search by name box.

4. Continue searching for students and entering their grades.


7.4 Batch Enter Scores

The Batch Entry feature simplifies the process of editing all the grades for a given assignment at once. WithBatch Entry, you can find a specific grade and replace it with another, add a certain number of points to allscores, increase grades by a certain percentage, or give all students a specific grade.

To batch enter scores, do the following:

1. Right-click any score cell in the column that you want to modify, and then click Batch Entry: CurrentColumn.

2. In theBatch Entry dialog box, do one of the following:

n Click Find score or grade and replace with this score or grade, and then enter the currentscore and the score that will replace it. For example, you could change all instances of a C- to a C.

n Click Add to each score, and then enter the value to be added to every score. For instance, ateacher could add 5 points to an exambecause all students completed their extra creditassignment.

n Click Increase each score by, and then specify the percentage to increase all scores by. Thisoption is similar to the previous one but it increases scores by a percentage instead of a pointvalue.

n Click Fill Column with, and then enter the score to be added for every student. This option isperfect for simple assignments, such as pass or fail assignments, in which all students have thesame score.

3. At the upper-right corner of theBatch Entry dialog box, clickOK, and then click Yes to confirm thewarning.


7.5 Undo Grading Edits

Using theUndo feature, you can correct any grades you assign and revert any changes youmake in error.When you click Undo, a list of grading editsmade during the current login appears, giving you the option toselect any change(s) you want to revert.

Note: You can only undo grading editsmade during your current login. If you haven't made any edits inthe current login, the arrow is gray and can't be clicked. If you log out or change gradebooks, you loseany recorded edits.

To undo grading edits, do the following:

1. On theGradebook Menu, click Undo.

2. In theUndo Score dialog box, select the check boxes for the score changes you want to undo, andthen click Undo.TheUndo Score dialog box closes and the changes are reverted in your gradebook.


7.6 Drop the Lowest Score in a Marking Period

Using theDrop Scores feature, you can drop one ormore of students' overall lowest score(s) in amarkingperiod. You can either have TeacherPlus automatically determinewhat a student's lowest score is, or you canmanually drop whichever score you prefer. Because TeacherPlus determines what the lowest score should beonly at the time you run the feature, it's recommended you use the feature only at the end of themarkingperiod (since grades are subject to change before then). Dropped scores can be undone if needed.

Automatically Drop the Lowest Score for All Students1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Grading.

2. Click theDrop Scores tab.

3. Click the desired Category Name for which you'd like to drop all lowest scores.

4. Optional: To cancel any previously dropped scores, select theUndo any previous dropped scorescheck box.

Note: Theremay be times when you decide to drop lowest scores before the end of amarkingperiod. Having dropped such scores, it's possible that new low scoresmight be added later, whichare even lower than the lowest scores previously dropped. If you typically drop only one lowestscore per category permarking period, you'd want to recalculate dropping the lowest scores again(given the new lowest scores). SelectingUndo any previous dropped scores cancels anypreviously dropped scores and enables you to recalculate from scratch.

5. Click Drop Scores.

6. To drop yet another lowest score for the selected category, clear theUndo any previous droppedscores check box, and repeat steps 1–5.

Automatically Drop the Lowest Score for a Single Student1. Right-click a student's name.

2. Click Drop Lowest Score for [Last, First] from the shortcut menu.

3. In theDrop Lowest Score dialog box, click any category from the list, and click Yes.


Manually Drop a Score for a Single Student1. Right-click a score for a student.

2. Click Drop This Score from the drop-down list.

Undo Dropped ScoresThe following table explains different ways you can undo dropped scores:

Task Action

Undo a dropped score. Right-click a score, and then click Undo Dropped Score(Include in Average).

Undo dropped scores for a student. Right-click any of a student's scores, and then click UndoDropped Scores for [Last, First].

Undo dropped scores for all students.Click Grading, click theDrop Scores tab, click a scorecategory, and then click Undo Previously DroppedScore.


7.7 Generate an Audit Report

Before submitting grades at the end of eachmarking period, it's a good idea to generate an audit report for atleast one student. This provides you with an overview of a student's grades and how they contribute toaverages. An audit report can help you catch any grading inconsistencies in category weighting, possiblepoints for an assignment, or final grade percentages.

n In the current gradebook, do either of the following:

n Right-click a student's current marking period average, and then click Audit Report.

n Right-click a student's semester or final grade, and then click Audit Report.

Tip: The Semester and Final columns are visible in theRC View template.

The audit report appears in a newwindow and displays a detailed overview of grades and how theywere calculated.

Note: You can also generate a skill grade audit report in the Skills/Standards dialog box.


7.8 Submit a Gradebook

Depending on your school's policy, youmay be required to submit your gradebooks to themain office foreachmarking period. There aremany benefits to submitting grades using the Submit feature, including:

n Indicating to themain office that you have finalized grades for amarking period.

n Enabling TeacherPlus to inform you of any assignment columns currently not counting in the average(in case you intended all assignments to count in the average).

n Ensuring that all marking period grades, as well as the semester and/or final grade column(s), are up todate by recalculating the grades.

Note: Submitting gradesmay be optional depending on your school's policy, so be sure you check if thisprocess is required from you.

To submit a gradebook, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Submit.

2. Click Submit next to the desiredmarking period and then click Yes.

Before you submit a gradebook, its status isNot Ready. After submitting a gradebook, the statuschanges to Ready—in green text—and displays the date you submitted the gradebook. If the officehas received themarking period gradebook, the status changes to Received—also in green text—anddisplays the date the office received the gradebook. Once the office has received your gradebook, youcan Submit again without clickingUn-Submit first.


Score Annotations

8.1 Add Score Annotations 81

8.2 Enter a Score Annotation 82

8.3 Advanced Annotation Entry 84

80

CHAPTER 8

8.1 Add Score Annotations

Score annotations are used to note any special circumstances regarding a score, such as an assignment thatwas turned in late. In addition to predefined score annotations (such as "Great Work," "IncompleteWork," or"Turned in Late"), you can enter custom annotations of your own. Score annotations are visible to parentsand students on PlusPortals.

You can only add custom annotations if you have permission in the TeacherPlusManagement Site.

To add a custom annotation, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Grading, and then click the Score Annotations tab.

2. At the top of the Score Annotations tab, click Add Annotation.

3. Click theCode text box, and then enter the code you want to create for your annotation.

4. Click theAnnotation text box, enter the annotation that describes the code, and then click Save.

81 Chapter 8 | Score Annotations

8.2 Enter a Score Annotation

Annotation codes from the Score Annotations tab are available to supplement scores in your gradebook. Youcan add these codes using AnnotationMode and the Enter Annotation from List option. If you're enteringscore annotations for a number of students, see "Advanced Annotation Entry" on page 84.

Enter Manually Using Annotation ModeWith AnnotationMode, you canmanually enter score annotations into score columns.

Important: In Thin Column Mode, score columns can display only scores or score annotations—regardless of the columnwidth. If Annotation Mode is enabled, score columns only display scoreannotations. If Annotation Mode is disabled, score columns only display score values. To view both atthe same time, switch back to Standard Mode.

To enter an annotation using AnnotationMode, do the following:

1. On theGradebook Menu, in theModes group box, click theAnnotation toggle button.

or

Right-click a score column cell, and then click Enable Annotation Mode.

2. Click a score cell, begin entering the student's score annotation, select the annotation from the drop-down list, and then press Enter.

Chapter 8 | Score Annotations 82

Enter an Annotation from a ListIf you want to see all score annotation options while you enter annotations into your gradebook assignmentscore columns, you can consult the annotation list and add annotations from there.

To enter an annotation from your annotation list, do the following:

1. Right-click the score column cell you want to annotate, and then click Enter Annotation from List.

2. Click an annotation in the Score Annotations dialog box, and then click Select.

Tip: You can also double click the score annotation you want to enter.


8.3 Advanced Annotation Entry

With Advanced Annotation Entry, you can quickly enter assignment score annotations for an entire class. Youcan also add new annotations and even enter free-form annotations.

Enter Existing AnnotationsAdvanced Annotation Entry is particularly fast if you're entering existing annotations from your annotationlist. You can add annotations to selected students' assignment scores eithermanually or from the annotationlist. Once you've added an annotation to that student's assignment score, the focus immediately shifts to thenext student in the list.

To enter existing annotations using Advanced Annotation Entry, do the following:

1. Right-click the score column you want to annotate, and then click Advanced Annotation Entry.

2. In theAdvanced Annotation Entry dialog box, do any of the following for each grade you want toannotate:

Advanced Annotation Entry Methods

AIn theAnnotations column, click the cell corresponding to the student's score youwant to annotate, start typing the annotation you want to enter, select the intendedannotation from the drop-down list, and then press Enter.


Advanced Annotation Entry Methods

BIn the assignment score column, click the student's score you want to annotate. In the

Annotation list, click on the annotation you want to add, and then click .

C In the assignment score column, click on the student's score you want to annotate, andthen, in theAnnotation list, double-click on the annotation you want to add.

Note: As you add annotations, focusmoves down theAnnotations column, allowing you toquickly add score annotations to each student in the class. You can skip students by clicking thenext student in the list who requires a score annotation and continuing from there. If youincorrectly add an annotation to a student's assignment score, you can remove that annotationby clicking in theDelete column.

Add and Enter an AnnotationIf, while entering annotations, you notice that you need another, you can add a new annotation through theAdvanced Annotation Entry dialog box.

1. In theAdvanced Annotation Entry dialog box, click Add Annotation to List.

2. In the Score Annotation dialog box, click theCode text box, and then enter the code you want tocreate for your annotation.

3. Click theAnnotation text box, enter the annotation that describes the code, and then click Save.


Enter Free-Form AnnotationIf you want to add a personalized, one-time use annotation, you can create a free-form annotation.

To enter a free-form annotation, do the following:

1. In theAnnotations column, right-click the cell corresponding to the student's score you want toannotate, and then click Enter Free-Form Annotation.

2. In theAnnotation for [...] dialog box, enter an annotation into theAnnotation box, and then clickSave.

Note: Free-form annotations are limited to 200 characters.

The free-form annotation appears in theAnnotations columnwith >> as the code.In your gradebook, this annotation appears the sameway as existing and custom annotations.


Skill Grades

9.1 Customize Skill Grade Calculation Settings 88

9.2 Enter Skill Grades 90

9.3 View Skills Analysis 91

87

CHAPTER 9

9.1 Customize Skill Grade Calculation Settings

If you've been given permission in the TeacherPlusManagement Site, you can set the skill grade calculationsettings. These settings control how linked assessment grades are calculated into skill grades.

To customize skill grade calculation settings, do the following:

1. On theGradebook Menu, click .

2. In the Skills/Standards dialog box, click Skill Grade Calculation Settings.

3. In the Skill Grade Calculation Settings dialog box, using theCalculation Method drop-downmenu, click one of the following settings:

Method Definition

MeanCalculates the average grade across all linked assessments in themarking period and uses that value to determine the skill grade basedon the skill grade scale.

Mean of Most Recent[x] Assessments

Calculates the average grade of themost [x] linked assessments inthemarking period and uses that value to determine the skill gradebased on the skill grade scale.

HighestDetermines the highest grade across all linked assessments in themarking period and uses that one grade to determine the skill gradebased on the skill grade scale.

Highest of Most Recent[x] Assessments

Determines the highest grade across themost recent [x] linkedassessments and uses that one grade to determine the skill gradebased on the skill grade scale.

Most RecentDetermines the grade from themost recent linked assessment anduses that one grade to determine the skill grade based on the skillgrade scale.

Mode

Determines themost frequently earned grade of all linkedassessments across themarking period and uses that grade todetermine the skill grade based on the skill grade scale.

Note: If there's a tie between two different grades, no gradewillpopulate in the Skill Grade column. This situation requires theteacher's discretion.

88 Chapter 9 | Skill Grades

Method Definition

Median

Determines themiddle grade in the range of all linked assessmentsacross themarking period and uses that one grade to determine theskill grade based on the skill grade scale.

Note: This formula assesses the grades in order from low tohigh to find the grade in themiddle. If there are an even numberof grades, the twomiddle grades will be averaged.

Power Law

This is a complex calculation that is designed to predict how thestudent would perform on the next linked assessment, based on thestudent's performances on all previously completed linkedassessments.

Note: This calculationmethod places themost weight on thestudent'smost recent assessment and progressively decreasestheweight of each previous assessment. This calculationmethod often leads to moremeaningful depictions of astudent's skill progress on narrowly defined skills, such ascounting to 10.

4. (Optional) Select the Include category weights in skill grade calculations (applies to Meanmethods only) check box.

Note: This setting will only affect skill grade calculations if the previous setting is set toMean andyou've set category weights. Formore information on category weights, see "Customize CategoryWeighting" on page 98.

5. ClickOK, and then, in theConfirmation dialog box, select which gradebooks to apply these settings to,and then click Yes.

Chapter 9 | Skill Grades 89

9.2 Enter Skill Grades

With TeacherPlus Gradebook, you can use the Skills/Standards dialog box to manually enter skill grades intoyour gradebook.

To enter skill grades, do the following:

1. On theGradebook Menu, click .

2. In the Skills/Standards dialog box, click a skill grade cell, enter the student's skill grade, and then pressEnter.

3. Once you've added all skill grades, click Save and Verify.

90 Chapter 9 | Skill Grades

9.3 View Skills Analysis

Using the Skills Analysis feature, you can access an individual student's skill grades to view the student'sprogress over time.

To view the Skills Analysis for a student, do the following:

n In the current gradebook, right-click a student's name, and then click Skills Analysis for.

The Skills Analysis dialog box opens for themarking period your gradebook is open to.

Note: You can navigate between student's Skills Analysis reports using the left and right arrowbuttons in the upper-left corner. If you've been given permission in the TeacherPlusManagementSite, you can set the skill grade calculation settings from this dialog box. Formore information onthese settings, see "Customize Skill Grade Calculation Settings" on page 88.

Chapter 9 | Skill Grades 91

Categories and Weighting

10.1 HowWeightingWorks 93

10.2 Add Assignment Categories 95

10.3 Edit Assignment Categories 96

10.4 Assignment Category Commands 97

10.5 Customize Category Weighting 98

10.6 Customize ColumnWeighting 99

10.7 Customize Semester and Final AverageWeighting 102

92

CHAPTER

10.1 HowWeighting Works

Themost direct way to determine the importance of an assignment is by setting an appropriate number ofPossible Points; however, if you want the difference in importance to be determined by assignment column,by assignment category, or by marking period, you can achieve this using weighting.

Weighting Type SummaryWeighting in the TeacherPlus Gradebook consists of the following threeweighting types:

Weighting Type Definition

CategoryWeighting

Determine the relative value of assignment column categories, such as Quiz, Test,and Homework.

ColumnWeighting Determine the relative value of individual assignment columns.

Marking PeriodWeighting Determine the relative value of each individualmarking period.

Category WeightingWhen you add an assignment column to your gradebook, you set a category. This category's weightdetermines what percentage it contributes towards the overall class average. Category weights that you setare automatically translated into percentages. Your TeacherPlus administrator determines whether or notcategories can beweighted as well as if you can edit thoseweights.

To manage categories, complete any of the any of the following tasks:

n "Add Assignment Categories" on page 95

n "Edit Assignment Categories" on page 96

n "Assignment Category Commands" on page 97

Tomanage category weights, complete the following task:

n "Customize Category Weighting" on page 98

Column WeightingWhen columnweighting is active, you can assign a columnweight to each assignment column in yourgradebook. The default weight is 1. You have full control of individual columnweights in your gradebooks aslong as your TeacherPlus administrator hasmade them available.

To manage columnweights, do the following task:

n "Customize ColumnWeighting" on page 99

93 Chapter 10 | Categories andWeighting

Marking Period WeightingYou can weight marking periods individually, or you can combinemarking periods to equalizemarking periodweights and rely on category and/or columnweighting. If you want to assign any number of possible points toyour score columns and still have each column beworth the same beforeweighting, you can convert scores toa percentage before calculatingmarking period averages.

To managemarking period weights, complete the following task:

n "Customize Semester and Final AverageWeighting" on page 102

Chapter 10 | Categories andWeighting 94

10.2 Add Assignment Categories

When you create a score column, you're required to assign a score category to the column. Default scorecategories are created and customized in the TeacherPlusManagement Site; however, if you've been givenpermission, you can add them to theWeighting tab. You can add asmany assignment categories as you need,allowing you to create a selection of categories that suits your class.

To add an assignment category, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Grading, and then click theWeighting tab.

2. At the bottomof theWeighting tab, click .

3. In theAdd Category dialog box, do the following:

n To select which section to add the category to, click Current Section,All Visible Sections ofCurrent Course, orAll My Visible Sections.

n To name the category, enter a name into theCategory box.

n To choose a custom color, click theColor selector button, and then choose a color from thedialog box.

4. At the top of theAdd Category dialog box, clickOK.


10.3 Edit Assignment Categories

Once you've created assignment categories, you can edit them at any time. When editing an assignmentcategory, you have access to all of the options available when you created the category. You can edit defaultcategories if you have permission in the TeacherPlusManagement Site.

To edit an assignment category, do the following:


2. Double-click the row of the category you want to edit.

Note: Default categories aremarked with an asterisk.

3. In the Edit Category dialog box, do the following:

n To changewhich section the category is included in, click Current Section,All Visible Sectionsof Current Course, orAll My Visible Sections.

n To rename the category, enter a name into theCategory box.

n To change the custom color, click theColor selector button, and then choose a new color fromthe dialog box.

4. At the top of the Edit Category dialog box, clickOK.


10.4 Assignment Category Commands

In theWeighting tab, you can perform a number of commands to manage your assignment categories. Thefollowing diagram and table contain a basic overview.

Assignment Category Commands

A Click to filter theCategory Name column. You can also click Category Name to sort yourcategories alphabetically.

B Double-click a row to edit the category.

C Click toDelete a category.

D Select any number of check boxes toHide unused score columns.

E Click to add a new category.


10.5 Customize Category Weighting

By default, category weights are set by the school's TeacherPlus administrator. If enabled by theadministrator, teachers can also edit category weights. With category weights you can set the ratio of eachassignment type to themarking period total. Each ratio is automatically converted to display the percentageof themarking period average that each category provides.

Important: If you've used a category inmore than onemarking period, you can't change its weight. Thisprevents changes to students' averages inmarking periods that you've already submitted.


2. Under Category Weighting, select theWeight categories check box to weight your gradecategories.

3. In theCopy Setting to Active Gradebooks dialog box, do either of the following:

n ClickWeight Categories only in this gradebook to weight categories in your opengradebook.

n ClickWeight Categories in all of my active* gradebooks to weight categories in all of thegradebooks that appear in theGradebooks tab.

4. In theWeight column, double-click a category weight that you want to change.

5. In the Edit Category dialog box, enter a new value in theWeight box, and then clickOK.

Note: Changing a category weight automatically adjusts category percentages to total 100%. Ifyou change a default category weight, a new category is added in place of the default category.You can delete the new category to return to the default category of the same name. Categorieswith an asterisk are default categories set in the TeacherPlusManagement Site. You can't delete acategory that is in use.

6. Once you've finished editing weights, click Save & Recalculate.


10.6 Customize ColumnWeighting

If you want direct control over how each individual assignment is weighted, you can customize columnweights. Once you've enabled columnweighting, you can set columnweights when you add or edit columns.You also have the option to convert scores to percentages before calculating averages.

Enable Column WeightingColumnweights allow you to set the relative weight of each assignment in your gradebook. This gives youmore control over the importance of each assignment in overall grade calculation.

To enable columnweighting, do the following:


2. Under Column Weighting, select theWeight columns (Not recommended) check box.


n ClickWeight Columns only in this gradebook to weight the columns in your opengradebook.

n ClickWeight Columns in all of my active* gradebooks to weight columns in gradebooksthat appear in theGradebooks tab.

4. At the top of theWeighting tab, click Save & Recalculate.

A Column Weight header row appears in your gradebook(s) if you haven't already hidden it. Formoreinformation on header rows, see "Customize Header Rows" on page 65.


Set Column WeightsAfter you enable columnweighting, you can set columnweights when you add or edit columns. Columns thatalready exist in your gradebook are assigned a columnweight of 1, unless you've previously enabled columnweighting and set theweights for those columns. By default, columnweights are shown in the header row.

To set columnweights, do the following:

1. Right-click the column header of the assignment score column you want to weight, and then click EditColumn Name & Details.

2. In the Edit Column dialog box, change theweight in theColumn Weight box, and then clickOK.

Note: When you're creating a new column, you can set theColumn Weight value in theAddColumn dialog box,


Convert Scores to PercentagesIf you want to assign any number of possible points to your score columns and still have every column beworth the same beforeweighting, you can convert scores to a percentage before calculatingmarking periodaverages. For example, if you want the possible points for a quiz to be equal to the number of questions,while each quiz still counts equally towards averages, you can enable this setting. This results in a systemwhere a 15/15 (a 15-question quiz) and a 20/20 (a 20-question quiz) both carry equal weight in averagecalculations unless you assign a columnweight.

Note: This setting affects the scores for assignments in all assignment categories (quizzes, tests,homework, etc.). If you decide to convert scores to percentages, you should apply weighting to yourscores. If you do not apply any type of weighting, every assignment you createwill count equally towardsaverages. Columnweighting allows you to determinewhat assignments areworth relative to each other;however, we suggest that you use both column and category weighting. If you don't apply categoryweighting, you'll need to consider assignments in other categories when setting columnweights. Forexample, for tests to beworth two timesmore than quizzes in a gradebook that only uses columnweighting, the lowest value you can ever set for a test must be double the highest value you ever set fora quiz. In that gradebook, you can't leave the default weight of 1 on any test column that you create. Toenable columnweighting, see "Customize Category Weighting" on page 98.

To convert scores to percentages before calculatingmarking period averages, do the following:


2. Under Column Weighting, select theConvert Scores to a percentage before calculatingMarking Period Averages (Not recommended) check box.


n Click Convert scores to a percentage only in this gradebook to weight the columns in youropen gradebook.

n Click Convert scores to a percentage in all of my active* gradebooks to weight thecolumns in the gradebooks that you have selected to appear in theGradebooks tab.

4. At the top of theWeighting tab, click Save & Recalculate.


10.7 Customize Semester and Final AverageWeighting

You can customize semester and final averageweighting by assigning weight to individualmarking periods, orby combiningmarking periods. By assigning weight to individualmarking periods, you can allow differentmarking periods to affect averages differently. By combiningmarking periods, you can allow category weightsand columnweights to affect averages without any regard for individualmarking periods.

Weight Marking Periods IndividuallyWhen you weight marking periods individually, you can determine howmuch each one counts towardsaverages.

To weight marking periods individually, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Grading, and then click theAverages tab.

2. In theWeights column, double-click the cell next to themarking period you want to weight, enter thevalue, and then press Enter.

Repeat this step for eachmarking period you want to weight, and then click Save.

Note: The report card columns in your gradebook may be different than the columns in thisexample. The default report card columns in thismenu areMidyear Grade and Final Grade;however, many schools choose to customize their configuration. Report card columns arecustomized in AdminPlus.

Tip: Tomake the grading processmore efficient, ensure your values add up to 100. However, it'snot necessary for your values to add up to 100.


Use Combined Marking PeriodsWhen you combinemarking periods, you can set category weights and columnweights that affect averageswithout regard for individualmarking periods.

To use combinedmarking periods, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Grading, and then click theAverages tab.

2. Click Use Combined MP's, and then select themarking periods you want to include in the grade.

Repeat this step if you'd like to use combinedmarking periods for every grade calculation, and thenclick Save.

Important: If your school uses semester exam columns (exam columns that are pulled intoAdmin Plus and included on report cards) these columnswill not be counted in averages whenusing combinedmarking periods.

Note: The report card columns in your gradebook may be different than the columns in thisexample. The default report card columns in thismenu areMidyear Grade and Final Grade;however, many schools choose to customize their configuration. Report card columns arecustomized in AdminPlus.


Student Progress and Skill Reports

11.1 Report Viewer Commands 105

11.2 Create a Student Progress Report 106

11.3 Create a Combined Progress Report 108

11.4 Generate an Existing Progress Report 111

11.5 Generate a Skill Assessment Report 112

104

CHAPTER

11.1 Report Viewer Commands

Using the Report Viewer, you can navigate, print, export, or refresh gradebook reports. You can use thesefunctions to display data in themost convenient format for you.

Attendance Report Viewer Functions

A Refresh the report.

B Navigate the report pages.

C Toggle Print Preview for the report.

D Export the report to a format from the drop-down list.

E Print the report.

F Adjust the report zoom.

105 Chapter 11 | Student Progress and Skill Reports

11.2 Create a Student Progress Report

You can generate Student Progress Reports for selected students in your class. This progress report can becustomized to contain the information you want to sharewith parents.

If you want to create a customized progress report, you can configure the Student Progress Report settings.After configuring these settings, you can save and generate the report or, for a single use report, generatewithout saving. To generate a report you previously generated and saved, see "Generate an Existing ProgressReport" on page 111.

To create and generate a Student Progress Report for the open gradebook, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Reports > Student , and then click Progress Report.

2. In the Student Progress Report Settings dialog box, do the following:

A In the Select Marking Period drop-downmenu, click themarking period you want toreport on.

Chapter 11 | Student Progress and Skill Reports 106

B

In theReport Name Customization group box, do either or both of the following:

n Enter a customReport Name.

n Select theAppend Marking Period check-box to include themarking period inthe report header.

C

In the Select Students group box, do either of the following:

n Click Select All to include every listed student in the progress report.

n Select individual students to include in the progress report.

Note: If you want to includewithdrawn students in the progress report, selectInclude Withdrawn. This adds withdrawn students to the Select Students list.After you includewithdrawn students you can select them individually, or alongwith active students when you click Select All. If you select Include Withdrawnafter you've already selected students, your selections will be cleared.

DIn the Print Which Boxes? group box, select the check box(es) for the box(es) you

want to include, and then, if applicable, click to select which column(s) to include.

E

Set theReport Layout, the Page Customization, and the Print Which CourseName? settings.

Note: You can set the course name to the standard Course Name or theCustom(Display As) Name. Formore information on theDisplay As name, see"Customize Gradebook Display Settings" on page 11.

3. Click Save As, enter a Template Name, and then clickOK.

Tip: If you only want to run this report once, you can generate the report without saving it.

4. Click Generate Report.


11.3 Create a Combined Progress Report

You can generate Combined Progress Reports for selected students from any of your classes.

If you want to create a customized progress report, you can configure the CustomProgress Report settings.After configuring these settings, you can save and generate the report or, for a single use report, generatewithout saving. To generate a report you previously generated and saved, see "Generate an Existing ProgressReport" on page 111.

To create and generate a Combined Progress Report, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Reports > Student , and then click Combined Progress Report.

2. In theCombined Progress Report Settings dialog box, do the following:


A In the Select Marking Period drop-downmenu, click themarking period you want toreport on.

B

In theReport Name Customization group box, do either of the following:

n Enter aReport Name.

n Select theAppend Marking Period check-box to include themarking period inthe report header.

C

In the Select Students group box, do the following:

n Click Current Class orAll My Classes to choosewhich students appear in theselection list.


or

Select individual students to include in the progress report.

Note: If you want to includewithdrawn students in the progress report, selectInclude Withdrawn. This adds withdrawn students to the Select Students list.After you includewithdrawn students you can select them individually, or alongwith active students when you click Select All. If you select Include Withdrawnafter you've already selected students, your selections will be cleared.

D

In the Summary Page group box, do either of the following:

n Select theReport Memo check box, and then click to addmemo content.

n Select the Summary Columns check box, and then click to select whichcolumns to include.

EIn the Subject Pages group box, select the check box(es) for the subject page(s) you

want to include, and then, if applicable, click to select which column(s) to include.

F Set theReport Layout, to Portrait or Landscape.

G

In the Include Which Sections in the Report? dialog box, select Only My Classesor Include All Teachers Classes.

In the Sections Meeting When? dialog box, select the quarter or semester you wantto include in the report, or include all sections.


H

Set the Page Customization and the Print Which Course Name? setting.

Note: You can set the course name to the standard Course Name or theCustom(Display As) Name. Formore information on theDisplay As name, see"Customize Gradebook Display Settings" on page 11.

3. Click Save As, enter a Template Name, and then clickOK.

Tip: If you only want to run this report once, you can generate the report without saving it.

4. Click Generate Report.


11.4 Generate an Existing Progress Report

If you've created and saved a Student Progress Report or a Combined Progress Report, you can generate it atany timewithout configuring the settings.

To generate an existing Student Progress Report for the open gradebook, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Reports > Student , and then click Progress Report or CombinedProgress Report.

2. In the [Student/Combined] Progress Report Settings dialog box, click a progress report templatefrom the Select Template drop-downmenu, and then click Generate Report.

Note: You can edit and rename any report template that you create. To create a new reporttemplate see either "Create a Student Progress Report" on page 106 or "Create a CombinedProgress Report" on page 108.


11.5 Generate a Skill Assessment Report

You can generate skill assessment reports for selected students in your class(es). This report can becustomized to contain skill grades for selected students in selectedmarking periods, current marking periodgrades, and narratives for a selectedmarking period.

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Reports > Skills, and then click Skill Assessment Report.

The Skills Assessment Report Settings dialog box opens in a new tab.

2. In the Skill Assessment Report Settings dialog box, do the following:

A

In the Select Students group box, choose to select students from theCurrentClass orAll My Classes, and then do either of the following:



n Select individual students to include in the progress report.

Note: If you want to includewithdrawn students in the progress report, selectInclude Withdrawn. This adds withdrawn students to the Select Studentslist. After you includewithdrawn students, you can select them individually, oralong with active students when you click Select All. If you select IncludeWithdrawn after you've already selected students, your selections will becleared.

BIn the Summary Page group box, select whether or not to include aReport Memo.

If you include aReport Memo, click to add thememo content.

C

In the Subject Pages group box, do any of the following:

n Select whether or not you want the report to display theMarking PeriodGrade for themarking period you're currently viewing.

n Under Skill Grade, select whichmarking period skill grades you want toinclude in the report.

n Select whether or not you want the report Print Narrative, and then, underInclude Narrative click themarking period narrative you want to print.

n Select whether or not you want to include a Signature. If you include a

Signature, click to add the signature content.

DIn the Include Which Sections in the Report group box, choose to includeOnlyMy Classes orAll Teachers Classes in the report, and then choose to includeAllSections or a section that meets in a specific semester or quarter.

E

Set theReport Layout in the upper-right corner, and then set the PageCustomization and the Print Which Course Name? settings in the lower-rightcorner.

Note: You can set the course name to the standard Course Name or theCustom (Display As) Name. Formore information on theDisplay As name,see "Customize Gradebook Display Settings" on page 11.

3. Click Save and Generate to view the report and save the page settings.


Class and Assignment Reports

12.1 Generate Assignment Reports 115

12.2 Save a Gradebook as an Excel Workbook 117

12.3 View Class Attendance Report 118

114

CHAPTER

12.1 Generate Assignment Reports

The three types of Assignment Reports are theMissingWork Report, the FailingWork Report, and theAssignment/Subtotal Report. The process for generating each report is almost identical.

To generate aMissingWork Report, FailingWork Report, or Assignment/Subtotal Report, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Reports > Class, and then do one of the following:

n ClickMissing Work Report.

n Click Failing Work Report.

n Click Assignment/Subtotal Report.

Tip: The FailingWork Report also includes a list of missing work. You don't need to run both aFailingWork Report and aMissingWork Report.

2. In theReport Settings dialog box, do the following:

Assignment Report Settings

A In the Select Marking Period drop-downmenu, click themarking period you want torun the assignment report for.

115 Chapter 12 | Class and Assignment Reports

Assignment Report Settings

B Next to Report Layout, click Portrait or Landscape to set the report orientation.

C Next to Sort by Date, click Ascending orDescending to set which direction dates aresorted in on the report.

D

For the Failing Work Report, enter the Failing Cut-off grade (as a percentage). Anygrade below this cut-off appears on the report.

Note: This setting only appears in the Failing Work Report Settings dialog box.

E

For the additional settings, select whether or not you want to do either of the following:

n Include Withdrawn students

n Include aGrade Scale table

3. Once you've configured the appropriate settings, click Save and Generate.

Chapter 12 | Class and Assignment Reports 116

12.2 Save a Gradebook as an Excel Workbook

If you want to export a gradebook's contents for reference or for further analysis, you can save a gradebookas an Excel Workbook (spreadsheet). This Excel Workbook will include any visible columns (except for IEP orNarrative) and any header rows you have set.

Important: Before you save your current gradebook as an Excel Workbook, make sure that your currentview contains every column and header row that you want to export. To change the columns in yourcurrent view, see "TeacherPlus Gradebook Templates" on page 21. To change the header rows, see"Customize Header Rows" on page 65.

To save a gradebook as an excel spreadsheet, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Reports > Save as Excel.

2. In theConfirmation dialog box, click one of the following from the Select the Excel Format toDownload drop-downmenu:

n Excel Workbook (*.xlsx)

n Excel 97-2003 Workbook (*.xls)

3. Click Yes to download the file to your Downloads folder.

117 Chapter 12 | Class and Assignment Reports

12.3 View Class Attendance Report

If you need a customizable and printable report of class absences, tardies, or both, you can view the ClassAttendance Report for your current gradebook. This report can be designed to present the data you need at aglance.

To generate a Class Attendance Report for the open gradebook, do the following:

1. On the side-navigationmenu, click Reports > Attendance , and then click Class Attendance Report.

2. In theAttendance Report Settings dialog box, do the following:

n Under Print Which Boxes, select Absences and/or Tardies.

n Set a Start Date and an End Date.

n UnderReport Layout, click Portrait or Landscape.

n Optional: Under Page Customization, select Header on first page only or IncludeWithdrawn.

Note: The Print Which Boxes settings will reset to print only Absences every time you accessthis report. All of the other settings are saved from the last time you accessed the report.

3. Click Save and Generate.The report viewer opens in a new tab.

Next StepsHaving generated a report, proceed to the report viewer. Formore information, see "Report ViewerCommands" on page 105.

Chapter 12 | Class and Assignment Reports 118

Reliably Serving Schools for Over 35 Years

2 Wilbraham Road, Hampden, MA 01036Sales: 800-213-9860 | Support: 800-882-2994

rediker.com