November 2024

Dear D105 Families,

We are excited to announce the opening of the assignment/grade portion of PowerSchool across all D105 elementary schools on November 18th. A goal within our strategic plan is to “enhance learning partnerships by connecting schools, families, and communities to learning opportunities and resources''. Up until now, the PowerSchool parent portal grade/assignment access has only been open to our Gurrie families. Opening the parent portal at the elementary level will now allow all D105 families to monitor grades, assignment progress, and overall learning mastery throughout the school year. When families are able to see their student’s learning growth throughout each trimester, they can better partner with teachers and schools to best support their child. 

Below is an overview of what you can expect to see when the assignment/grade portion of PowerSchool is opened, exactly when it will be available to families, and an overview for how families can access this information throughout the school year.

When the PowerSchool parent portal is fully open, families will be able to view key learning experiences occurring during each trimester including assignments, projects, grades, etc. As you examine your child’s learning experiences via PowerSchool, you will notice:

1. Kdg-2nd grade learning experiences continue to be reflected by developmental ratings connected to specific grade level standards. These standards-based ratings are Proficient (PROF), Developing (DEV), Beginning (BEG), or Not Demonstrating at this time (ND) 

2. 3rd-8th grade learning experiences continue to be reflected by overall points/grades for assignments connected to grade level standards.

3. All assignments are organized into three (3) key categories - Summative Learning Experiences (Mastery), Formative Learning Experiences (Progress), and Evidence of Effort in Learning.  

At the end of each trimester, the majority of your child’s grade/rating (no less than 70%) will be reflective of mastery learning captured in the “Summative Learning Experiences” category.  A portion of your child’s grade/rating will be assignments reflective of growth over time and captured in the “Formative Learning Experiences” category.  Finally, a portion of the trimester grade will also reflect your child’s effort on assignments and other learning experiences as captured in the “Evidence of Effort in Learning” category.   

Officially, the assignment/grade portion of PowerSchool will open to families at the start of Trimester 2 - November 18th.  You will notice that very few grades will be entered in the initial weeks of the trimester as new units and lessons are introduced. Over the course of Trimester 2 and 3, teachers will update PowerSchool with various assignments and learning experiences at minimum two (2) times a month.  It is important to stress that not all learning experiences posted on the assignment/grade portion of PowerSchool will receive points, a grade, or rating as they are meant to simply inform you of important learning occurring in the classroom.  

Below, you will find directions for how to access your child’s grades/assignments in PowerSchool.  

How to Access Grades/Assignments in PowerSchool (Spanish)

How to Access Grades/Assignment in PowerSchool (English)

We look forward to our continued partnership with all D105 families.  Please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher, building principal, or me with any questions.  

Thank you,

Kathryn Heeke
Director of Teaching and Learning