GREENSTONE – If COVID-19 has taught district school boards one thing, it is that access to technology is a must-have to navigate through the day-to-day communication breakdowns between school and parents.
When school buses break down, classes are cancelled, or the school has a maintenance problem, getting the information to parents can be a huge task. Not to mention the countless forms left at the bottom of backpacks that are a week overdue.
Director of education, Nicole Morden Cormier, noted that “Superior-Greenstone District School Board strives to enhance our communication and transparency with our families and we look forward to the conversations and increased connections that will occur as a result of the latest technology enhancements.
With the advent of online platforms such as Edsby and the new PowerSchool Portal, communication between schools and parents is faster and more reliable.
Stacey Wallwin, technology enabled learning and technology lead, said, “the School Board continues to use its online platform Edsby as their main communication tool for parents/guardians, students and staff. However, as we all know, there is not one ideal digital tool that meets all our needs. Many of us have different communication apps like Facebook and Instagram to connect with others, and many have multiple streaming apps for entertainment. Education is no different. By welcoming parents/guardians into the PowerSchool Portal, we have provided our families with great access to the information that matters, right at their fingertips”.
Superior-Greenstone District School Board is encouraging parents to create an account in the new PowerSchool Portal. This tool is designed to help share up-to-date information such as mid-term and final report card marks, and live attendance data as well as the ability to complete forms online.
PowerSchool Portal also helps implement all the changes made by the Ministry of Education across the province.
In 2021, the Ontario government requires all secondary students to earn two online learning credits to graduate.
Wallwin stated that “students who take an e-learning course have the flexibility to schedule their learning around other timetable offerings while having a greater number of courses to choose from. Students will be taught by an Ontario Teacher and connect with peers in the safe, online, provincial e-learning platform. As our world becomes increasingly digital, the important skills acquired while taking an e-learning course will transfer beyond Superior-Greenstone District School Board into our students’ post-secondary education and work lives.”
Although, parents, guardians, students over the age of 18 or students that have legally emancipated themselves from parental control can have their opt-out of e-learning without any impact on the student’s graduation. These individuals will have to fill out the opt-out form, which can be found on their PowerSchool Portal account under forms.
Additionally, parents or guardians will start receiving automatic attendance calls and text messages regarding student absences.
Charles Bishop, superintendent of education, states that “attendance auto calls are another mechanism for schools to be able to communicate with parents/guardians. But because these calls report student absences, they become a great opportunity for schools and parents/guardians to work together to support those students who may face challenges that hinder their ability to attend school on a regular basis. Regular school attendance is a major contributing factor to student success, and truancy is higher in schools in the North than in the rest of the province. The more schools and parents/guardians can work together to support students to consistently attend school, the better it will be for the student’s success.”
All of these new tools are designed to align with the School Board’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan.
