Schools prepping for rollout of new student info system

By Mike Berger

The Canton Public Schools is moving ahead with its newly designed Student Information System (SIS) with the earliest implementation beginning as soon as March for Canton High School course selections.

The new fully customized, web-based system, which will run on the PowerSchool cloud-based software program, will be used across the district by students, staff and families for a variety of applications, ranging from student record keeping to course catalogs to parent/guardian portals and much more.

Part of a strategic initiative launched by Julie Shore, former CPS technology director and now director of personnel services, the rollout of the new SIS ecosystem is now under the direction of Josh Fogel, director of technology and data analytics. In a presentation to the School Committee on January 11, Fogel said the primary goal of the new system is to simplify communication and resource sharing among students, teachers, administrators and families. To achieve this objective, he said the SIS implementation team set out to build a state-of-the-art digital educational hub that is both rigorous and comprehensive.

Besides managing demographic information, achievement data and student and faculty schedules, the new system will also feature an online enrollment solution for new families and a Special Programs application that will allow access and management of IEPs and other individualized learning plans.

Fogel said the parent/guardian portal, once fully rolled out, will include an option to receive daily, weekly or monthly automated progress reports via email while also offering easy access to information on grades and attendance, financial balances and more.

According to Fogel, the implementation team is “right on schedule,” with a series of staff trainings planned in the coming weeks and full implementation across the district expected by July 1.

A document posted on the CPS homepage includes a sneak peak of the PowerSchool system, and Fogel said training materials will be sent out to parents later this spring to help them set up their accounts. District leaders also plan to offer evening workshops for those who need additional support in setting up their portal access.

In other news from the January 4 meeting …

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