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SIS 2000+ Mark Reporting

Introduction

Overview of the Mark Reporting Process

Mark Reporting in SIS 2000+ is completely flexible and can be customized to meet the needs of any type of track. It can be set-up for a semester school, a trimester school, a quarter school, or any other type of track that a school would use. Different types of tracks can be combined. Both semester and trimester grades can be collected for a semester track. The Mark Reporting Timeline that is the basis for reporting is not tied to a specific track. Special Mark Reporting Terms can be defined or the track's terms can be used. Because of this flexibility, the Mark Reporting set-up process is very detailed. But the end result is a completely custom Mark Reporting Timeline designed to meet the needs of all of the courses in any of the tracks.

There are four ways to enter marks into the system. The first three of these applications are found in the Mark Reporting program module. The last one is a separate application that can be linked to Mark Reporting. In all four methods the tables used to store the data are the same:

• Student Marks Editor

The Student Marks application is used to enter marks for one student at a time, using a class roster.
• Class Marks Editor

Class Marks is used to enter marks for a course, one course section at a time, using a student roster.
• Scan Marks

Marks are inputted into the tables via a scanning device. The marks posted will be viewable and editable from the Student Marks Editor or the Class Marks Editor.
• Gradebook

Teachers may use the Gradebook application to calculate the final grades for each student in their various classes. These marks can be copied directly to the Mark Reporting tables without having to manually key in the data. The marks posted will be viewable and editable from the Student Marks Editor or the Class Marks Editor.

Particular points in the Timeline will be grouped together into what are called 'Mark Definitions'. Then, courses will be linked to Mark Definitions. This will define which Timeline Points will be associated with each class; and in turn, the order in which these points are displayed in the columns seen in the Mark Reporting Entry Applications.

Mark Reporting Menu

From SIS 2000+'s Main Menu Click on the Mark Reporting icon button to open the Mark Reporting Menu (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1

• Timeline -

This application allows data entry of unique points on the mark reporting timeline, which serves as the underlying template for assigning a specific order to mark reporting periods.
• Definitions -

An application to describe a related subset of mark reporting periods, and their set of rules. This application allows the defining of mark reporting periods and the rules for the types of marks within those categories.
• Track Marks -

Using this program, reporting operations are assigned to specific tracks.
• Mark Values -

This application assigns values to marks received. This procedure is a prerequisite to calculating grade point averages in the Calculate GPA application.
• Comments -

A simple editor for defining comments that can appear on student's report cards.
• Student Marks -

An interface for viewing an individual student's marks. An editable grid allows for manual entry and editing of marks. Marks may also be imported from other SIS 2000+ applications such as Grade Book or they may be scanned in.
• Class Marks -

Similar to Student Marks in that it is an editable table of grades. This application, however, displays the marks per class, grouping the students as a class roster.
• Calculate Attendance -

Use this program to execute a retrieve of attendance information for use in Mark Reporting. Summarized attendance data for each class will then be printed on reports cards.
• Post to History -

After all mark reporting is concluded and verified, post the data to the student transcripts (Student Academic History).
• Calculate Final Marks -

This application is used for schools that implement Marks averaging at the end of the year.
• Scan Marks -

Interface for using scan sheets to enter marks.
• Credit Calculation & Post -

Automatically calculates credit attempted and credit earned for a selected class/term /track. Final results are used in transcripts and report card.
• Reports -

Various mark reports, including Report Cards, are available from the Reports list menu.

There are two types of mark entry screens. The Class Marks Editor (Fig. 2) is used to enter marks for a course, one section at a time, in a spreadsheet-style format with a class roster listing in the first column. The Student Marks Editor (Fig. 3) is used to enter marks for one student at a time.

Fig. 2 - Class Marks Entry Screen showing the Mark Reporting Timeline Points and Mark Types collected for a particular course.

Fig. 3 - Student Marks Entry Screen showing a student's schedule and the Timeline Points with their corresponding Mark Types.

The column headers in both interfaces are abbreviated codes for each Mark Reporting Timeline Point and its associated Mark Type. In these examples, the first Timeline Point is called 'Q1p' for "Quarter 1 Progress Report". The code used here comes directly from the Mark Reporting Term Code that will be defined in the Term Codes table in the Table Editor.

This point has two Mark Types associated with it ('A' for "Academic" and 'C' for "Conduct"). These codes come from the Mark Type Codes that you will define in the Table Editor.

The columns are displayed in Timeline Point order, which will be defined in the Timeline application. Then alphabetically within each Timeline Point based on the first letter of each Mark Type ('A', then 'C'). How Mark Types are named directly affects the display of the Mark Entry screens.

Understanding the Timeline

There are several things that need to be set-up before the Mark Reporting applications can be used. But before any set-up procedures are commenced, it is useful to have a general understanding of how Mark Reporting and its pieces fit together and relate to a track.

The following Timeline (Fig. 4) represents a traditional track (in black) with two terms, called "Semester 1" and "Semester 2".

Fig. 4

In the Mark Reporting process, points in time are defined. These Timeline Points determine when Marks are collected throughout the school year. The points can follow (be the same as) as the Track Term begin and end markers (as defined in the Track Editor), but they do not have to. Marks can be gathered at any point in the Timeline. Below, in blue, are the timeline points that have been defined for this sample track.

Fig. 5

It is useful and logical for the Mark Reporting Timeline to be related to the track's timeline. A feature of SIS 2000+'s Mark Reporting Timeline, however, is that the Mark Terms do not have to be related to the Timeline for special grading periods. For example, if the school awards Marks for Athletics, which generally follow a trimester pattern (Fall, Winter, and Spring) as opposed to a semester pattern, Mark Reporting Points to follow a trimester pattern can still be inserted into semester pattern Timeline. An example is given below in red (Fall Sports, Winter Sports, and Spring Sports):

Fig. 6

From this point on, the above Timeline will be referred to as the "Virtual Timeline", since it is a model of a typical Timeline.

Timeline Worksheet It is recommended to design a Timeline on paper first, before commencing the Mark Reporting set-up procedures that follow. Print out the Timeline Worksheet in the next section as a template for design.