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New System for Parents to Check Up on Kid’s Grades
October 8, 2008
In the past, hiding grades from a parent may not have been too difficult. But a new system in the
Eau Claire School District will give parents the ability to check up on their kid’s progress at school
on a daily basis.
The new program dubbed “Family Access,” is a part of the Skyward system. That’s a complex
and robust database for teachers that is now available for students and parents to interact with.
Most schools these days have some sort of online access to view their student’s grades. But the
Eau Claire School District is implementing a new program this week that is constantly updated.
Data Processing Manager Terry Halida at the Eau Claire School District says, “Technology has
gone in the direction where its given you more access.” This access means parents can now
view their child’s attendance, daily grades on worksheets and assignments, and a plethora of
other information.
Halida says the new system works to bring important information to parents, so they can play a
larger role in their child’s education. He says, “It’s kind of a checking point, for them to be able to
follow their students through each process they go through the school year.”
Vicki Gotsch is the mother of two boys who attend school in Altoona. She says they’ve been
using the Family Access portion of Skyward since they moved there in 2005. She says she
thinks it’s given her older son more personal responsibility, “Just knowing that we can go and look
any time we want, so if he’s trying to fudge something we can go, aww I don’t think so.”
Alexis Humphrey, an eighth grader at South Middle School says she likes the new system and
how she can now find out information herself instead of always asking a teacher. She says, “I
don’t know how I survived elementary school without it!”
Skyward is now available for all middle and high school students and their parents in the Eau
Claire School District. Administrators say they hope to add the program for elementary kids as
well, but so far that is still in the planning process.
WEAU Channel 13 News, Eau Claire, WI
WEAU Staff
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