SIS - BASIC NAVIGATION LEARNING GUIDE v. 5.4.0
TABLE OF CONTENTS Login Screen... 3 Home Page... 3 Screen Size... 5 Permissions... 5 Navigation... 5 Banner... 5 Primary and Secondary Menus... 6 District/Schools Selection... 6 Navigation Menu... 6 Filters, Sorts, and Export Options... 7 Filters... 7 Sorting... 8 Excel Export... 8 Customizing Your System: My Page... 8 Getting Help... 9 OSC Documents & Videos... 10 Modules... 10 Student Profile... 11 Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 2
Login Screen The system administrator will distribute login information. Once you receive your Username and Password, enter them into the required fields on the login screen - https://sis.csiutechnology.org. Usernames: are NOT case sensitive but must be between 4 and 50 characters long. Typically, a user name is structured by the school district. For example, a district might decide that every Username must begin with a three-character district identifier, followed by the last name and then first initial, or the user s district email address. Passwords: ARE case sensitive and must be between 8 and 12 characters, with characters from at least two of the following categories: uppercase letters, lowercase letters, special characters, and numerals. Forgot Password is an option that users may utilize to have their password reset automatically. Home Page The default home page displays information from a school s calendar, and announcements. Announcements can include information regarding student and staff absence information, and other school or district announcements. The default home page can be accessed at any time either by clicking on the esd icon in the upper left corner, or by clicking on the Home icon in the upper right corner. Custom home pages are available for each user. For instance, teachers may choose Today s Personal Schedule as a home page, guidance counselors may choose the Student Profile page as their home page, and attendance officers may choose the Attendance Profile as their home page. The home page is selected by going to My Page > Preferences and select the home page dropdown. The CSIU recommends reviewing browser and computer requirements listed in the SIS - esd Getting Started User guide which is located on the online support center. To utilize the Forgot Password link, staff email addresses must be included in the user records. In addition, users are required to update security questions: My Page > Preferences: Change Security Questions Personalized home pages direct the user to the selected page rather than the Announcements and Events page. Fields with a red asterisk (*) must be filled in to save changes on the page. Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 3
Default Home Screen To personalize the home page, go to My Page > Preferences and select a home screen option. Staff Schedule View Home Screen (Optional) To personalize the home page, go to My Page > Preferences and select a home screen option. Student Profile Home Screen (Optional) Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 4
Attendance Profile Home Screen (Optional) This home screen is a great option for attendance secretaries. Screen Size The screen size can be controlled by pressing the keyboard CTRL key and using the scroll wheel on the mouse. If the mouse does not have a scroll wheel, then use the browser's Zoom controls. Permissions The eschooldata Student Information System includes an extensive security system, allowing for groups and users to access functions based on permissions. Only features enabled through security are accessible to a particular user so each user s screen may look slightly different. If a Learning Guide or Quick Reference Guide makes reference to a menu, button, or icon that does not appear on a user's screen, it means that user is not authorized to access that feature. If an individual needs a particular feature, he or she should contact the district's System Administrator. The System Administrator will be able to reconfigure the permission settings accordingly. Navigation Banner The Banner section allows each user to customize the color scheme throughout the system by selecting one of the seven color options from the color palette on the left side of the banner. The banner section also indicates the date, the day code and the username. At the building level the current Day Pattern code displays. Current User: Top right corner of the screen. Home ( Events. Help ( ): Click on the Home icon to display the default home page Announcements & ): Click on the Help icon to gain access to the Online Support Center. The Online Support Center contains Software Training Information, Learning Guides, Quick Reference Guides, How to Videos, and Release Notes. These contain important information about how the system works and what is new in the latest software release. Refer to the "Getting Help" section below for more information. Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 5
Proxy Login ( ): Click on the Proxy Login icon to log in as another staff member. This allows System Administrators to see the same screens as a specific user to troubleshoot/assist others. Most users will not have access to this icon. Sign Out ( ) Click on the Sign Out icon to sign out of a session. Always remember to sign out of the session when finished working. The CSIU strongly recommends that users be trained to close the browser window to complete a secure logout. Primary and Secondary Menus The top of the screen provides an easy-to-use menu framework to help navigate within the eschooldata Student Information System. The various features of the system appear on these menus. Always log out of the session when finished working. The system has two levels of tabs: the first level contains the main module tabs and the second, sub menu level, is for functional areas within each main module. Below the sub menu tabs is a breadcrumb trail to assist users in tracking their location within the system. The figure above illustrates the menu with the Student Main tab selected, and the Student Profile sub menu selected. Main menu: Registration, Staff, Student, Program... Sub menu: Student Profile, Attendance, Buses... Breadcrumb trail: Student > Student Profile District/Schools Selection In the upper right corner, on the same line as the breadcrumb trail, users select the district level or the school level. Depending on a user's security, the drop-down list might include the School District or one or more specific schools to which the user has access. Typically, at the district level, all students within the district will be visible. Normally, at the school level, only students from the selected building will display. In general, only active students currently enrolled will display. Security settings control the building dropdown menu. Navigation Menu Some screens offer a third level of options called the navigation menu. The figure below illustrates the Grade Reporting Navigation menu. Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 6
The Navigation Menu can be displayed on either the left side or the right side of the screen depending on the Preferences specified in the My Page module. Some Modules also have a Side Menu, which users can hide using the Collapse icon, or if hidden, can be Expanded ). Filters, Sorts, and Export Options Filters After a building and menu path are selected, and a search is performed, the data is typically returned in a list format. Below is an example of various ways student information can be filtered (First Name, Last Name, ID Number, Homeroom, Counselor, Gender, Race, State ID, Birth or Grade). To apply the filters, select a filter option and then click the Search button. To remove all filters, use the Clear button. Example: if you specify "Brett" in the Search field and select the First Name filter, students with that first name will be listed. If you clear the filter and specify "Brett" in the Search field with the ALL option in the filter drop-down, the system displays students with Brett as their first, last, or middle names. Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 7
Sorting The results section displays the results of the search. The records can then be sorted by clicking on any underlined column heading. In the example below, the records can be sorted by ID Number, Last Name, First Name, MI, Gender, Grade, Homeroom, Race, Hispanic, Date of Birth, Current Location or Counselor. The sort can be either in ascending or descending sequence. Clicking the column heading a second time to reverse the sort sequence. Excel Export Click the Excel icon ( ) at the far right of the Result banner to export the data to Microsoft Excel. When the File Download screen displays, select Open to view the data immediately in Excel on the computer screen. Click Save to save the file without opening Excel, or click Cancel to cancel the export process. After data is exported, all Excel functions are available, including filtering, sorting and printing. Customizing Your System: My Page Through the My Page module, users can customize some of the system settings. Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 8
Use the Mail Inbox tab to send and receive internal emails within the student information system. The Personal Pages tab allows the user to bookmark websites frequently accessed. Use the Preferences tab to select a personal Home Page, specify the number of Records per page to display, Change Password, and Change Security Questions. The Styles will specify the Modern vs. the Classic look of the system and the side of the screen where the navigation pane will appear. The Web Page tab can be used to design a personal web page. The Document Library tab is used to store documents. The CSIU does NOT recommend using the classic style because system announcements cannot be closed. To use the forgot password option on the login screen, the Change Security Questions must be completed by going to My Page > Preferences: Change Security Questions. Getting Help The Online Support Center is accessed by clicking on the Help icon in the upper right corner of the screen ( ). Topics are listed by area so to find information about a particular area click the word Application to the left of the area and then click the Section to expand quick reference guides or learning guides. The search feature allows a quick search of the Online Support Center (OSC). Important: Software Training information is easily accessed by clicking the Software Training Link at the top of the page. Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 9
At the bottom of the OSC, the Videos section includes How- To videos, and recorded training webinars. Client support is available by emailing softhelp@csiu.org, or to speak with a support specialist, please call (570) 246-5970. For expedited service, the following information will be helpful: Module Registration, Grading, Teacher Gradebook, Scheduling, Discipline, Health, Transportation, Administration, (or the breadcrumb trail: Reports > Enrollment > Basic Enrollment Report). Reason for call Example: student enrollment records, security permissions, calendar changes, mass class assignments, grading calculations, parent or student portal, etc. Other identifiable information Student ID, teacher name, course and section number, guardian information. OSC Documents & Videos OSC documents are separated into Learning Guides and Quick References. All documents are in PDF format and are arranged alphabetically. The date to the right of the documents displays when the material was last updated. Learning Guides - provide detailed instructions for using system features. They vary in size depending on the complexity of the topic. Quick Reference Guides - short documents that cover specific tasks or processes. Videos are recorded training sessions, How-To videos, and monthly topical calls (listed as SIS Topics Meetings). Modules Registration: The Registration module is where the student's enrollment, mobility, and contact information is maintained. The data is divided into Household, Student, and Guardian screens, and screens that record student transfers. The SIS is a householdbased system, which means that guardians, students, and emergency contacts are tied together through a household unit identified by a surname. The main advantage of this type of system is that information about a person is only stored once. For example, if a guardian's phone number changes, the system will automatically update all related student contact information at once. Staff: This module provides access to the teacher's Gradebook. Teachers use this module to access class rosters, attendance, and grades. Important: Release Notes highlight the changes made in each software release. Release notes are arranged by version number, with the largest number being the most recent. Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 10
Student: This module stores student-related information. This includes the student profile (entire student folder); attendance entered by the attendance secretary, bus transportation, student discipline, health records, student and staff schedules, and student fees. The Student Profile is described in detail below because this is where all student information can quickly be viewed by staff. Program: The Program module maintains data about special student programs such as Academic Intervention Services and Special Education. The Program module is also where student information can easily be updated en masse. For example, students can be assigned to special services through the Mass Update Student Status option. Students' homerooms, their counselors, graduation plans, etc. can be updated through the Mass Student Info Update tab. Reports: Select this module to generate most reports. The reports are divided primarily by system modules. This is also where users can generate export files, including PIMS and other data queries. District: This module is where district and school announcements are updated, calendars are maintained, departments, grades, lockers, and rooms are defined. It is also where information about each school is stored and transportation information is established. My Page: This is the area for staff members to send and receive internal messages, set up webpage favorites, and customize their system. In addition, staff members can create their own web pages, store documents in a library, and update their own passwords. System: This module is used by System Administrators to build drop-down lists, establish attendance codes and letters, and set up staff security. Scheduling: This module is where all course and section information is maintained. It is also where all annual scheduling functions are performed, such as recording course requests, running the master schedule builder, and assigning students to classes. The system has a drag and drop feature similar to an electronic blackboard. It allows scheduling personnel to quickly move a class or view conflicts by simply dragging a class from one timeslot on the schedule to another. Academic: This module is used by guidance and grading personnel to maintain standardize testing results for PSSA, SAT, and AP exams. It is also where marking period averages, honor rolls, and grading statistics are calculated. Grading parameter information for each course can be viewed on the Course Weight screen. Interoperability: This module is where exports to third party vendors are established and parent/student portal settings are established. Student Profile To view the complete student profile, go to Student > Profile and search for student(s). Select the student and click on the student ID or Name. Quick launch icons are available to take you to specific areas of the student profile such as: Contact, Schedule, Add/Drop Classes, Summer School, Duel Enrollment, IEP, 504, RTI and LEP, and one custom student status indicator. Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 11
Search for new students from the Student Profile by typing in an ID, last name, or first name of the student and clicking search, or by selecting a letter. The Student Profile includes the following information, listed in the order as they appear: Tab Profile Description Displays basic enrollment information including Credential Types and Post Graduate Plans. 504 Displays uploaded 504 student information. Section 504 is an anti-discrimination civil rights statute that requires the needs of students with disabilities to be met as adequately as the needs of the non-disabled are met. Achievement Archive Report Editing Assessments Attendance Report Displays Achievements and indicates whether the achievement should print on student transcripts. National Honor Society, Eagle Scout, and Student of the Month are examples of Achievements. Final Grade Reports are stored in an xml format. After these reports are archived, they can still be viewed on the Archive Report Editing screen. Displays assessments, dates the assessments were given, assessment scores, and test modifications. New assessments can also be added on this screen. SAT, ACT, PSSA, Keystone Exams, and AP exams are all examples of assessments. Displays the student s Daily / Weekly / Monthly / Cumulative attendance. Custom attendance queries can also be run from this interface. Access to student profile tabs is controlled by the System Administrator. Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 12
Tab Buses Course Requests Daily Attendance Discipline ERC - Elementary Report Cards Fees Field Trips Groups Guidance Journal Health IEP Lockers Performance Maps Phone Journal Previous Course Progress Report Registration Report Card Override Report Cards Reports Final Runs Description Displays student bus assignments. Allows for adding/editing student bus information. Displays the student s current schedule and course requests, and provides the ability to enter new course requests. Displays student daily attendance for the current academic year. Displays student discipline records and provides the ability to enter a new discipline incident and action. Discipline letters can also be generated from this interface. Displays students' elementary report cards (ERC). This tab displays the final runs that have been generated. This is not where Standards Based Report Cards (SBRCs) are stored. Displays student Fees for items such as books, sports fees, and band fees. Student invoice and payment history can be printed from this tab. Displays the entire list of a student s past field trips, and field trip attendance. Displays all groups associated with the student and provides the ability to add or remove students from groups. Displays career planning journal entries and other guidance notes. Displays the student s health information, including Allergies, Height and Weight, Immunizations, etc. Displays the student's IEP and access log. Users with appropriate permissions can also upload new IEPs from this interface. Displays the student s current locker, its location, and its current combination. A student s locker information can also be added or deleted from this interface. Displays a student's progress toward fulfilling their graduation requirements, or other performance indicators that the district may define such as students at risk of failure. Provides an area to enter phone journal notes and comments. Displays student s previous course history. This tab is also used to record course history for students entering the district for the first time. Display and create student progress reports. Progress report grades are recorded in the teacher gradebook. Links to the Student Registration including; Student status, enrollment, health, contact, transfer, household and summer school records can be accessed and edited from this tab. Allows editing of posted report card grades for the current school year. Displays the Report Cards that have been generated for the student and allows a user to generate a new Report Card for the student. Displays all Final Runs of grading reports such as: Progress Reports, Report Cards, Transcripts, PRCs, SBRC s and ERCs. Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 13
Tab RTI and RTI Referrals (Response to Intervention, formally AIS and AIS Referrals) Schedule Standards-Based Progress Report Standards-Based Report Card Status Summary Teacher Journal Today s Schedule Transcript Transcript Override Uploads Special Education Transportation Description Displays RTI referrals, and allows for the creation of a new RTI Referrals. This may be used for PSSA remedial students, or students who need a little extra work in their math class. RTI is an academic intervention used to provide early, effective assistance to children who are having difficulty learning. Displays student schedules. Users can add classes, drop classes, Print Add/Drop reports, view class enrollment records, copy other students' schedules, utilize the walk in scheduler, print assignment reports and print schedules in three different formats. Allows users to view standards-based progress reports, run new reports, delete existing reports, or publish and un-publish progress reports on the parent and student portals. Allows users to view standards-based report cards, run new report cards, delete existing report cards, or publish and un-publish them on the parent and student portals. Displays a composite view (including status history) of Student Status, Program Status, Disability Status, and Poverty level. This interface can also be used to edit or add status details. Similar to the Guidance Journal and the Phone Journal tab. This allows teachers to record academic notes, conversations with parents, etc. Displays the student s schedule for the specified day, display current period information, and attendance information. Allows users to run and print a single transcript for the student. Three system defined print styles are available, or a transcript template may be used to generate transcripts. Provides the ability to edit final course grades, credits attempted/earned, mark courses as credit recovery or exclude courses from Rank and Transcripts. Allows student forms to be uploaded to the student profile. Example of forms include medical assessment form, student release forms copies of transcripts or report cards from previous school districts. Displays student's special education information including the Special Ed Data Record, IEP, Procedural Dates, and Discipline. Displays student bus assignments, and allows for adding/editing student bus information. Use this tab only if the district is using the Transportation module. Updated 1/12/2018 Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 14