07.+PLC+Notes

These are my PLC Notes

5-4-09
 * Elementary has already implemented the grading policy for the past two-three years
 * Need to come up with engaging ideas and concepts
 * Looked at Grading
 * Looked at leveling
 * Blogging is a running dialogue
 * Calendar is available
 * Need a paper gradebook

5-12-09
 * Ysau Flores presented the Excelsior Software
 * Mission of the gradebook is fully web based grade book
 * zero footprint on workstation (does not take up memory on comp)
 * able to go from MAC to PC
 * Has: attendance, custom gradebook, progress reports and report cards, real time parent portal, assessment (can take assessment and homework and scan it in and it inputs the grade for us), curriculum mapping, teacher dashboard/analytics
 * can still use skyward and pinnacle suite together
 * puts a red mark in the field where the grade goes to let you know teacher made a note and can put your mouse over it so the note pops up...no need to click on the field to see remark
 * no extra cost to customize the gradebook for each subject area such as: percentages for each category can be different for each subject
 * Can make assignments private until you want parents to see the assignment
 * Need power standards for assignments so we can have that listed in the gradebook
 * you are able to have hyperlinks for each assignment
 * TEKS are available for each assignment..you can select the TEKS for that assignment
 * There is line graphing next to their final grade that shows their progress throughout the six weeks
 * mouse over the grade and a bar graph appears to show how the kids stand and the mean of the scores
 * Pulls info about the student from skyward into Pinnacle gradebook
 * Mean and mode is displayed for the bar graphs
 * Can copy assignments to all class so you do not have to enter them in individually for each class
 * Click on analytics tab and tons of line graphs, bar graphs, and tables are available...you can tab over the bar graph and change the graphs
 * Analytic dashboard is available so all the graphs are available