Entering Q2 and MidTerm Grades in Aspen

How to Enter Quarter 2 and MidTerm Grades in Aspen

I've updated the posting for Q2 and Midterm Grades by adding this video to show the steps to posting your Q2 grades. Here is a direct link to the video.

The steps to entering your Quarter 2 grades is similar to Quarter 1, but you have the additional step of also adding your MidTerm Exam grades.

To Post your Q2 grades in Aspen Gradebook,

1. Go to the Scores page in your Gradebook
2. In the Grade Columns drop down box, select Post Columns.  Also, set the Term to Q2.  
   (see yellow in image right)
3. The Aspen Posting columns will appear.  These are
• Q2Grd - Quarter 2 Grade
• S1Exam - Semester 1 Exam
• MidGrade - MidYear Grade
• Q2ClsAbs - Quarter 1 Class Absences
• Q2Com1 and Q2Com2 - Quarter 1 Comment 1 and Comment 2 fields
• Q2 - The grade from your gradebook for quarter 2

4. Click the Update Post Columns button -OR-
   Select Options -> Update Post Columns
5. This will take you through the Update Post Columns wizard.  (see images below)

Step 1. Select the Grade Term (Q2) and the Grades to update (all students).
Step 2. Select Quarter 2 Grade = Average:Q2   Mid Term Exam = (Do Not Update) Mid Term Grade = District Calculation Q2 Class Absence= Class Absence Total
Alternatively, you may add an assignment for the midterm grade and then automatically upload that grade by selecting it here.   Your exam will be part of a category and will be part of the Q2 average AND the MidYear grade.  Thus, being factored twice.
Step 3. Confirms the choices made in Step 1 and Step 2.

6. Click Finish.
7. You should notice that the Q2Grd and Q2ClsAbs fields will now be populated.
   ** S1Exam The field is now blank.  You will add your MidTerm exam grades into this column on the Post Columns - Term page.
   ** MidGrade The grade is equal to the Q2Grd because you have not yet added your midTerm grade.
8. After you have added your MidTerm exam grade, click the Update button in the  MidGrade column.   ** If the student(s) did not take a midterm exam, leave this field blank.  Aspen will ignore empty scores.
   

Aspen will calculate the MidYear grade for you.  If you give Pass/Fail grades for your class, please enter P or F in the MidGrade field.

       

9. Add comment codes (see WHS Comment Codes)

Verifying your Grades

10. Verify your grade in Q2Grd against the grade from your Gradebook which is labeled Q2.

11. If you would like to change the grade, simply click on the grade in the Q2Grd field and change it. Grades that you have modified will be indicated by a red, crossed-out circle.  

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Applying the N-Rule (5 or more absences)

12. In Aspen, you will apply the N-Rule using the comment fields
• 100 N-Rule: May lose credit for course due to to attendance issues. Contact school administration.
• 101 N-Rule: Loss of credit, due to attendance issues, under consideration. Contact school administration

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What does the pushpin mean?  

• If the pushpin is black ,
  you can enter grades for this column, but you cannot post them to transcripts yet.
• If the pushpin is green with a triangle ,
  you can enter and post grades for this column.
• If the pushpin is red with a square ,
  you already posted the information to transcripts. If you need to change a grade, you will be able to repost your grade for 5 days after the report cards are distributed.  After that, you will need to complete the grade change form (see Guidance department).

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POSTING Grades

Once you have verified the grades, added comments, and applied the N-Rule if necessary, you can Post your grades. Posting your grades sends a copy of the grades in the field Q2Grd, S1Exam, and MidGrade (and comments) to the report card / student transcript.

13. Once the posting period has opened, the pushpin will turn from black to green.  The green signifies that you can post your grades.
14. To Post your grades,  click the Post Grades button -OR- click Option -> Post Grades
15. The Post Grades pop-up will appear.
    Fill in
• Grade Term = Q2
• Grades to post = Term Grades for all Students.
16. Click Ok
17. Once your grades are posted, your push pin will change from green to red.
18. You must Post Grades for each class individually.

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FAQs

There will be no printed verification sheets.  Instead, you can verify your grades on the Post Columns page of your gradebook (see steps 10 and 11).
• You may re-post your grades as many times as you please until the posting period ends.
• Want a printable copy of this verification page?  
• Select Reports -> Gradebook Sheet
• The Gradebook Sheet will appear.  
• Click Run.
• The printable version of your Post Columns page of your gradebook will pop-up
• Select Printer icon at the top of the Gradebook Sheet page.
  
• If you planning on using the same comment field for most of the students in your class, you can quickly add the comment to all students by using Options -> Fill Down Values.  Then just change those students who need different comments.

Aspen Updates for Teachers

Here is a quick video that highlights the new updates to Aspen as they affect your gradebook. 


 


A full screen version of this video can be found at:  https://players.brightcove.net/1464976798001/SyCh8rqkQ_default/index.html?videoId=5988007298001

New Aspen Features Now Available

On Friday evening, Aspen updated to their latest version which includes many new features.  You may notice these changes as you are using Aspen in the next weeks. These features include:

• Updated Family Portal Mobile View
• New Select All button which allows you to select many records easily (not available on all screens)
• Class Roster enhancements
• Class office attendance allows override reasons
• Ability to create an event and take attendance for this -- great for extracurricular programs
• New scheduling updates including templates, field sets, filters, and security roles for K-12 and many elementary updates
• Gradebook updates including ability to add comments to students more quickly, more flexibility with associating assignments with class sections, prevent student from receiving an assignment, attach reporting standards to assignments, merging of class sections.
• SPED updates include retain active SPED status for students who withdraw or graduate, Locking IEP so only one person can edit at a time, New Active - Inactive Enrollment filter, My Current Classes and My Cases - Active and Draft filter functionality changes, New Exit Students from SPED procedure.