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- Junior Kris Labovitch discusses grades with Spanish teacher Daniel Fabrizio. Beginning third term, report cards and warnings can be accessed online.
by Amanda Hills
Beginning third term, report cards, warnings and attendance records will be distributed on ParentCONNECT, an online system which houses students’ grades, attendance records and messages from the school, accessed through each family’s account.
History teacher and schedule coordinator Emily Lewis said that this is a Newton Public Schools initiative, which South piloted last year. She has noticed that “paperless, green, online grade sharing is becoming a trend in most school districts.”
She said that one of the most beneficial aspects of this system is that it saves the school money. She pointed out that the cost of “mailing report cards and warnings home was quite significant––the cost of paper, printing and postage all add up.”
She also noted that the “many hours it used to take the house and main office staff to stuff the envelopes and prepare them for mailing” is no longer necessary when using ParentCONNECT.
And, she said, as long as users have their passwords, the paperwork cannot be lost or thrown away.
However, Lewis acknowledged that some might say the site requires more effort, as it requires the extra step of logging onto the site. But she said, “Once parents and students use the system for a few terms, I think most will find it preferable to paper copies.”
Lewis also said that families without computer or Internet access can request a printed copy of report cards and warnings through their children’s house office.
