Parents as Partners

Hello Laker parents! Have you ever wondered why your student says he/she has no homework, only to learn later they did have homework? Ever wonder what cool things have been happening in your child’s classroom from time to time? Or how your child’s grades are doing? Well in response to our very expansive, capable technology at Lakeland, we are using National Parental Involvement Day on November 17, 2011 as a kickoff to our improved parent communication network. The objective of this network is to easily keep you “in the loop” regarding your child’s education. Whether it is a classroom project, a call for parent volunteers, a classroom celebration, or a notice regarding your child’s homework or discipline, we want to “get you in the loop” so you can help us educate and prepare your child for career and life success. Lakeland is well aware of the close knit nature of our community. We are ALL pulling for our kids to be successful. YOU, the parent, are the school’s most important partner!

Teachers, the technology department, and administration have been getting ready this fall. Some even started their communication earlier in the school year as they found it easy to do.

Now this is the important piece.  To keep this manageable for our very hardworking staff, we need your electronic “thumbprint”.  Do you have an email account?  Do you have a PowerSchool Parent Portal account?  If so, get ready!  You are automatically going to be receiving our improved communication.  It won’t be daily, but should be frequent after November 17^th.  Write your teacher if for some reason, you aren’t getting any information.   

You may be asking “What is a PowerSchool Parent account?” and what will it do for me besides give the teacher access to my e-mail address?  PowerSchool is our student management system.  Parent access is where you can view all of your K – 8 student’s attendance and grade information, and current attendance / historical grades are stored for your 9 – 12 students.  The PowerSchool Parent Portal is also where you will be able to keep your registration and contact information current.

 
Current grades and assignments for students 9-12 are in ECHO.  ECHO is an on-line course management system.  In ECHO, teachers post their course syllabus, daily agendas, assignment information, and your high school student’s current grades.

During the week of November 14 – 18, we will send an e-mail to all of the parent / guardian e-mail accounts we have from PowerSchool and ECHO.  If you do not receive an e-mail, please contact your building secretary and have them send you the information to set up a PowerSchool Parent Portal or ECHO account.  

COMING SOON! School Messenger, a more customizable form of communication, will be announced soon. With this tool, from inside the PowerSchool Parent Portal, you will be able to tell us how you want to be notified in the case of a building wide emergency, school closing or delay, and even changes in your student’s athletic events. Once you sign up and we launch School Messenger, this old parent email system “Lakeland INFO” will be phased out (hopefully by Christmas break).

Finally, you can follow me on this blog. I will try to post something cool each week.  I need your thoughts and comments. We are listening at Lakeland and trying to improve daily to meet your child’s needs. Please partner with us in our efforts to be the best 21^st Century public school in NE Indiana.

Let’s get started! Risa Herber, Superintendent