11/3/2021
Q: What apps and platforms do grade levels use? What should I be checking and with what frequency?
This is a great question! In our endeavor to choose developmentally appropriate learning opportunities, we do run multiple platforms at STM.
For all students:
Each teacher has a page on our school website. This is where you can find information about the class, Homestead Studies, and (coming soon!) Asynchronous Learning. Teachers also post newsletters that give you a window into what is happening within the classroom/grade level.
For students in PK-2:
Your primary platform is Seesaw.
There is student access
- Seesaw Class--which is enabled on student iPads and allows your child to complete activities.
There is also parent access
- Seesaw Family--which allows grownups to see what is going on in the classroom, write nice notes to your child, and to LOVE their work. You can also use this to send a message to the teacher.
In addition to Seesaw, parents are always welcomed to converse with the teacher via email.
For students in grades 3-8
Your primary platform is Google Classroom.
Students can access this via the STM account that is given to them at the beginning of each school year. I would highly recommend having them share that login information with you so that you are also able to see their Classrooms and their To-Do Lists.
Parents do not have direct access to Classroom unless you use your child’s login information. However, you can be signed up for what are called Guardian Summaries. This allows you to receive an email at a frequency that works for you that goes over what has been posted, what is due next, and any grades given.
Please note: Teachers are not required to grade in Google Classroom. Your child’s grades are recorded in Powerschool. See below.
In addition to Classroom, parents are always welcomed to converse with the teacher via email.
For Students in Grades 4-8:
Parents may login to Powerschool, which is the mandated grade reporting system for the Diocese of Arlington. Starting in fourth grade, you can monitor your child’s progress through what has been added to the gradebook. You can do this via a computer (using your Powerschool login) or via the Powerschool app on your phone. I personally check Powerschool once each week, generally on Mondays to give teachers the opportunity to enter grades over the weekend.
These are the main platforms you should know about. Of course, reading the weekly blasts from school and from the PTO keep you very well informed.