Vector Solutions: Viewing Summer PD Workshops

 As I am sure you are aware, Summer Professional Development Workshops are available in Vector Solutions (Teachpoint).  However, were you aware that your settings in Vector Solution may be causing these workshops to not show up on your viewable list?

When looking at the Available Events in the PD section of Vector Solutions, you have the option of choosing what events you will see.  The default is for the Current Year.  As you can see in the list below, there are options for PD that fall in the current school year.  Anything after July 1st would be considered the next school year.

By changing the dropdown from Current Year to Upcoming, I will see all events that are happening in the future.

Another option is to change the dropdown from Current Year to Next Year, and as you will see those options are slightly different, too.

Though changing the dates visible works throughout the year, it is important to use this setting as we close in on the end of the year so that you will see all options that are available.

Semester Averages in Aspen 2022

 Semester Averages in Aspen

In Aspen, the Semester 2 grade is calculated by adding all assignment grades for Q3 and Q4 and then dividing by the number of assignments.  This can cause a problem for grades for Seniors who have a shorter Q4 because the grade will be weighted more towards Q3 because there are so few assignments for Q4.  

Instead, you may prefer that the Q3 grade and Q4 grade to be averaged, rather than the individual grades.

Semester Cumulative Average

On the gradebook screen, click on the settings sprocket located on the right side of the gradebook next to the Post Grades button.   This will open the Set Preferences window.  Select the Averages tab.  Note if the box next to Semester Cumulative Average is selected.  If this is selected, uncheck it.

 

Aspen Help Definition

Semester cumulative average - Select this checkbox to display the semester running average for students in the Staff view. Semester running averages calculate based on the assignment grades within each of the terms inside of it, not on the average for each term.

Google Classroom: Schedule posts for more than one class

Teachers can now schedule posts across multiple classes in Google Classroom on the web. Teachers can use the assignment-scheduling flow to configure the: Due date Post date Topic 

Note: The rest of the assignment will remain the same Once set, teachers can select which classes should receive the post and when it should be published: 

• Published immediately 
• Published at a certain time 
• Save as draft 

HOW TO Schedule to multiple classes

1. Create an assignment in one of your classes.
2. Select the arrow next to the class name under the For on the right hand side of the screen.
    
   
   
   
3. Add the other classes which will should also receive the assignment.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Click the arrow next to the Assign button on the top right of the assignment and choose the Schedule option.  *** Caution: do not click the assign button because it will then be assigned and you will not be able to change it to a scheduled time.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. The Schedule to multiple classes pop up window will appear.  Here you can determine the publish date, due date, and topic for the assignment in each of your classes. 
   
   
   

   
   
   
6. When the assignment is scheduled for all of your classes, click the Schedule button at the bottom of the pop up window.

See it in action:

The image below walks through all of the steps to schedule multiple assignments.

Phishing Emails

If you receive a scam/phishing email, the best thing you can do is

click the "Spam" button in Gmail.

This step alerts our tech department so they can take necessary steps.

Don't know how to report Spam?

See the image below for help.

By clicking this button, you won't need to alert anyone directly unless it's an emergency situation (e.g., you realized that you shared personal information about you or your students when you shouldn't have).

Course Recommendations

 

WHS Course Recommendations

Course recommendations are once again being completed in Aspen.
The process for Course Selection starts with teachers recommending students for courses and levels.  Once these recommendations are completed, students and parents will use this information to select courses online for the next school year.  

Set Your Gradebook Preferences to Show Next Year’s Course Recommendations

1. Log in to Aspen.
2. In the upper right corner, click the triangle next to your name.  A dropdown box will appear.
3. Click Set Preferences.
4. Select the Gradebook tab.
5. Check the Show course selection recommendation checkbox. (This may already be set for you as the default.)
6. Click OK.
7. IMPORTANT: Once you have completed your recommendations, you may want to uncheck this box, as the recommendations drop-down menus take up quite a bit of room in the gradebook window.  You can always see the recommendations again by re-checking the box.
   

Recommend Next Year’s Courses for Your Students

1. Log on to the Staff view.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Click the Gradebook tab.
3. Select a course, and click the Scores side-tab.
4. The Recommendation column appears next to each student's name in your gradebook.
5. You may recommend one or two courses for each of your students.  (Recommending only 1 course is what we advise.)
   
6. 
   Note that you may only recommend courses that are in the same department as the course you are currently teaching the student.  For example, if you are teaching this student Spanish, you may only recommend this student for another course in the World Language department.
7. To recommend a course for a student, click the down arrow in the Recommendation 1 column.  You will see a list of all courses available (in this case - in World languages).
8. If you cannot see all of the options in the dropdown, click <CTRL> - This will make everything on your screen smaller and allow you to access those courses that are not visible.
9. You can use <CTRL> D to fill down values if you will be making multiple recommendations for the same course.
   
10. The courses that you recommend for students will be marked as "Recommended."  There is nothing to "post".  Please be sure to let students know to look for that when they log in to select their courses.   (However, student registration does not open for a few weeks.)
    
11. If you want, you can leave a comment about why you are recommending this particular course.  Click on the pencil in the comment column, which will open a dialog box, where you can type your comments. These comments assist Guidance when talking to students about what classes they should take.
    IMPORTANT: Students and parents will see these comments and this field can be used to communicate with students and families.
12. You can print a report of the courses you have recommended your students for.  Click on Reports –> Course Recommendation.

Quick Tip: Aspen Semester Change

With the switch from Semester 1 to Semester 2, you will need to change the filter in Aspen to switch between the two semesters. 

This will affect Semester classes only - NOT Full Year classes. 

If you cannot see your S1 classes, select the filter This Year's Classes.

Q2 and MidTerm Grades (2022)

 

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.

What if I am not giving a midterm? If you did not give a midterm exam then leave the MidTerm Exam field blank, the field will be ignored in the calculation of the semester grade.

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 highlighted area below).
   

   

   
   

   

   
   
3. The Aspen Posting columns will appear.  These are
• Q2Grd - Quarter 2 Grade that will appear on report card
• MidExam - Midterm exam OR for Semester 1 Final 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 Grade = District Calculation Q2 Class Absence= Class Absence Total
Step 3. Confirms the choices made in Step 1 and Step 2.

9. Click Finish.
10. You should notice that the Q2Grd and Q2ClsAbs fields will now be populated.

    

    
    
    ** MidGrade The grade is equal to the average of the Q1Grd and Q2Grd ** FG (Semester courses only) is equivalent to MidGrade
11. If you decide to make changes to the Q2Grd column, remember to click on the Update button in the MidGrade Column to recalculate the Midyear grade.

    

    
    
12. 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.  
13. Add comment codes (see WHS Comment Codes)

Chrome Tip: See all your tabs in one drop down menu

I am a fan of Chrome tabs and often have more than 15 open at one time and I have seen others who have far more than that open at the same time.  

But how do you easily keep track of these tabs?  Chrome has added a new drop down on their menu bar at the top of your screen that lists all of your open tabs as well as your recently closed tabs.  So cool.

The Chrome tab drop down arrow is shown in the red box on the image below. Below that is an example of the open tabs.