Parents invited to software introduction
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

Parents with computer access have no excuse not to know what's going on with their child's education, and in greater detail than ever.

Next Wednesday evening, El Campo ISD will host a hands-on training seminar for parents to introduce them to the district's new Web-based software, Skyward Family Access.

The program lets parents look at their child's assignments, the grade they made on each assignment, and whether or not assignments are missing.

Parents can also see the average grade in each child's class on any given assessment and the highest and lowest grades in the class, so parents can see how their child's doing compared to their classmates.

Other features of the program let parents know whether a child was absent or tardy to class, all about their child's schedule and their state test scores for the last six years. Beginning in the spring semester, discipline referrals will also be available online.

Parents can talk to their child's teacher in a number of ways via the new software, including use of a message board or a direct e-mail link. Parents also have the option to subscribe to daily, weekly or monthly e-mail updates on their child's attendance, missing assignments and grades.

All of the information is password-protected and remains confidential as long as parents keep their password a secret. User names and passwords are available through a form recently sent home with their child's progress report, or available on the district's Web site.

Skyward Family Access is the latest of many ways the district has tried to make it easy for parents to be involved in their child's education. ECISD sends progress reports home following the third week of each six weeks grading period and during the past couple of years several ECISD campuses have participated in "K-12 Planet," which has online parental access to a child's grades.

The parent training session on the use of Skyward Family Access is Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the Middle School Commons Area. Laptop computers will be available at the meeting for parents to learn the new program.