TAM+Gradebook

**// A.  //** Yes. Teachers will need to use the feature this year in order to enter marks for the grading period and calculate final averages including weights for EOC’s and exams at the high schools. It makes posting grades at the end of a reporting period much easier and allows you to print progress reports as well as other reports. Not utilizing this feature will definitely add to your headaches at the end of the year. **// A.  //** Yes. NCWise’s gradebook can weight grades in three entirely different ways which can be turned off or on by each user. Assignment weights can be used for those who might count tests twice or projects several times. Assignment type weights can be used for teachers who average different types of assignments together and make each a percentage of the total grade. For example, tests may be 50%, homework 25% and classwork 25%. NCWise can take it a step further using category weights. Using this method, assignments can be weighed differently based on different content or objectives. For example, a 4th grade math teacher may want division assignments to count 10% of the total grade, whereas the measurement assignments may count 50%. All three methods can be used in any combination, however, make certain that you fully understand the nature of the weight(s) you are applying. In order to follow the total points method, you would leave all three options blank because that method essentially weighs itself. **// A. //** In grades 3-5, the former reading, spelling, and writing grades have been combined into one language arts grade. The county’s expectation is that reading assignments account for 75% of this grade, while spelling, grammar, and writing account for the other 25%. While different schools may have chosen different ways to set up their gradebooks once this decision was made, there is a consensus way to do this correctly and most efficiently. First, turn on category weights in setup options. Then go into your existing prep and add two categories under Academic. Type in Reading with a 75 aside it and below it enter Spelling-Writing-Grammar with a 25. Now, when entering grades in the language arts gradebook, be sure to change the category to either Reading or Spelling-Writing-Grammar so that you assignments are weighted correctly. Do not leave it Academic, if you have that in as a default category. **// Q.  //**** I am keeping a paper copy of my gradebook as well. How do I get the assignments to appear in the same order in my NCWise gradebook? **   **// A.   //** This is determined by the Due Date when creating that assignment. This date along with the Assign and Create Dates will default to the current day. If you are entering assignments from various days, you will need to change the Due Date to the correct date. Assignments with the same due date will appear in alphabetical order. **// A. //** Red students could appear in several scenarios. They cannot be removed and remain in your gradebook for your documentation. At some point, these students were in your class and responsible for those assignments. Their names appear in red to denote that they are no longer in the class, but may have some records within your gradebook. This information will not appear on report cards even when you post a class containing them. You can, however, chose to print a progress report for that student and should do so if they have withdrawn and are attending another school. You can also reorder your class roster so that those students go to the bottom and make entering grades a little easier. Apparently, withdrawn students only disappear from your gradebook entirely if they enroll in an NCWise school after leaving your’s. **// A. //** You probably have not checked the box labeled, “mark entry complete.” This is found on the grade entry screen accessible through the spreadsheet and posted marks screen. It is the same screen where you would enter comments. Please, do not use the button on the main screen labeled Grade Entry any longer. **// A. //** At the end of each semester at middles schools and at the end of the year at elementary schools, this checkbox signals to the Data Manager that you have completed everything. The extra box(es) denote that you have finished your calculations as well as the final reporting period’s grades. At a high school, at the end of each semester, these extra checkboxes have an additional purpose. These checkboxes are required to send the grades into the students’ credit history, transcript and GPA calculations. Without those boxes, grades will appear on report cards and in the TAM, but will not get archived for these other functions. **// A. //**  They are in your spreadsheet. Some of your assignments are missing due dates or assigned dates. Sometimes this can happen if you have copied assignments from one class to others. Select View/Change Assignments. Then find the assignments missing dates on this screen. Choose them and select Change Assignment. Just add the dates in here.
 * // Q.  //**** Do I have to use gradebook feature? **
 * // Q.  //**** Can this gradebook do all of the weights I use in my classes? Can it follow a total points system too? **
 * // Q. //** **How do I make my Language Arts grades weight correctly to meet the county’s criteria?**
 * // Q. //** **Why do I have all of these red names appearing in my gradebook when I no longer have the students?**
 * // Q. //**  ** I posted my grades, but my Data Manager says that I haven’t. What went wrong? **
 * // Q. //** **Why do I have to do all of these extra checkboxes for “mark entry is complete” to begin with?**
 * // Q. //**** I am printing progress reports, but all of the grades are not appearing and are not factoring into the average. Where did they go? **