Return to flip book view

Message GUIDEBOOK FOR LEARNING COACHES How to monitor your student's progress.

The Importance ofFamily Involvementin a Child's Education
Family involvement in a child's education significantly impacts their academic success, social-emotional development, and overall well-being.

When families are actively engaged, students tend to achieve high grades, attend school more regularly, exhibit better behavior, and develop stronger social skills.

This involvement also fosters a positive attitude towards learning, increases motivation, and improves the likelihood of high school and college graduation.

With all the educational options available, we know that you did not make this decision lightly.

We are excited that you have chosen PALCS for your child's educational needs. 

Helping students achieve their goals is a team effort. 

This guide is a playbook for learning coaches on how to keep your student focused

on their education. 

We hope these easy step-by-step instructions will help Learning Coaches take

an offensive approach to tackling any academic challenges that arise.

A regular quick huddle-up at the beginning or end of each week will help your child

confidently advance towards their hopes and dreams for the future. 

Let's Go Team!

Watch a quick introduction from yourFamily Engagement Coordinator

Double tap on the video to hear this personal message from the Family Engagement Coordinator.

  Log in using Google www.palcschool.org

If you forget your username

or password, you can submit a Help Desk ticket by clicking here.

On the following pages we will introduce you to your PALCS Lobby. 

We will highlight some of the key features to help you navigate PALCSchool.   PALCSchool Lobby - Introduction

Welcome to your LOBBY The Critical Messages let you know when a marking period ends, if school is closed, if there is a power outage, and other important and immediate information. The Critical Messages let you know when a marking period ends, if school is closed, if there is a power outage, and other important and immediate information. The Critical Messages let you know when a marking period ends, if school is closed, if there is a power outage, and other important and immediate information.

Name

Page 1 of 2

Welcome to your LOBBY

You can also view past/archived announcements.

You can specify the division events you want to see.

You can specify the division events you want to see.

You can choose which announcements you would like to see on your Lobby

Page 2 of 2

  Lobby ~ Left-side NAVIGATION bar

The Health Services link contains information regarding immunizations, health forms, physical and dental exam information, health screenings and information regarding medicaitons during field trips.

The Family Support Network is for the Learning Coaches. It offers great resources and direct access to the Family Ambassadors. You can join a learning coach lounge or contact your Family Ambassador directly.

This link contains your student's Courses, Lessons, Grades, To Do List, Interim Progress Report, Report Card, Profile, Material List, etc.

Attendance - if a student has an unexcused absence they will see a number here. 

Only the Learning Coach can enter an excuse for a student's absence.

Learning Coaches can update contact information here. (Change of address, phone number, etc.)

 Student Info / Attendance / FSN / Family Info / Health Services

On the following pages we will introduce you to Quick Links. 

Quick Links help you to quickly and easily find the most requested information, links, and forms.   Quick Links - Introduction

 Quick Links Quick Links are links to help students and Learning Coaches quickly find the information they may need.

Top four most commonly used Quick Links:

  2   1   4   3

Click here to see all of the quick links

 Quick Links - Ask a Question learningcoach@gmail.com

Learning Coaches and Students

can ask a question.

The Family Ambassadors receive your question via email.

We will typically respond in less than one business day.

We will either answer your question or direct you in the right direction.

 Quick Links - After Hours LC Support

The LC Lounge is an informal setting where you can just pop in anytime it's open

~ no appointment necessary ~

Learning Coaches are always welcome to stop by the Learning Coach Lounge!

A Family Ambassador will be there to answer any questions you have, show you around your lobby, listen to you or just say hi.

We also love hearing your thoughts,

ideas, and suggestions!

click on the zoom link to instantly be connected to a Family Ambassador

 Quick Links - Submit a HelpDesk Ticket

Submit a HelpDesk ticket if you:

- forgot your username and/or password

- need to order more ink cartridges

- have a hardware or software issue

- need tech support

 Quick Links - Homework Help

Homework Help is a resource for STUDENTS.

A PALCS teacher will be live in a zoom room for any students' school-work related questions.

Sunday - Thursday 6:00-8:00 pm

  Student Snapshot - Introduction Understanding your student's academic engagement and their Support & Resource Team

 Student Snapshot - Student

If you have more than one student, you can click on the drop-down arrow and see your other student(s).

You can also see the date your student logged in last.

Name

 Student Snapshot - Courses

These are the courses your student is enrolled in for the school year.

Please note: Some courses are only held in the spring or fall semesters.

Example #1 Example #2 Example #3  Student Support Shown below are three samples:

Student Support lists the staff members that support your student. 

The support staff listed will vary depending on your student's

division level and individual needs.

Reminder: everything in blue is a clickable link.

 Student Snapshot - Teacher Click on the Teacher's Name for Contact Info, Lesson Help Hours and Virtual Lesson Times.

 Student Snapshot - Last Submitted Please note the date and time this information was last gathered. * You may need to click the refresh button to get the most recent data. The Last Submitted column lets you know when your student most recently submitted their work.

 Student Snapshot - Due Today Click on Due Today to see what assignments are due that day. Reminder: you may need to click the refresh button to get the most recent data.

 Student Snapshot - Overdue Click on Overdue to see what assignments are currently overdue.

Students are not penalized for overdue assignments, but they are encouraged to keep up with daily pacing to help them from becoming overwhelmed.

All assignments must be completed by the progress report deadline (for Middle and High School students).

Reminder: you may need to click the refresh button to get the most recent data.

 Student Snapshot - Grade

- Module

- Lesson

- Whether or not their work has been completed

- Point value for their work / Points earned on the assignment, quiz, etc

- Date the work was assigned or completed

Click on Grade to see your student's:

The student earned 5.00 out of 5.00 points for this assignment

This assignment has not been completed

The student earned 3.00 out of 8.00 points for this assisgnment

This assessment has not been completed

Collecting quantitative data for students is crucial for educators to make informed decisions about teaching and learning. Quantitative data, such as test scores and online course analytics, provides objective insights into student performance and engagement, allowing educators to identify areas where students excel or struggle, and to adjust their teaching strategies accordingly. This data-driven approach helps optimize learning experiences and improve student outcomes.

Collecting both qualitative and quantitative data is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of student learning and development. Quantitative data, like test scores and grades, provides numerical insights into student performance, while qualitative data, like observations and interviews, offers deeper context and understanding of the "why" behind those numbers.

Qualitative data allows educators to uncover factors that influence student engagement, such as classroom environment, relationships with peers and teachers, and the relevance of the curriculum to students' lives. This information enables educators to create meaningful and culturally responsive learning experiences.

Qualitative & Quantitative Data

PALCS collects data to inform the Learning Coaches of their student's study habits, scores, grades, and attendance. This data also tracks your student's progress and identifies patterns and trends.   Student Snapshot - Quantitative Data

 Student Snapshot - Student Links

Name

 Student Links ~ Weekly Lesson Overview

The assignments will be marked as:

Most assignments will have more than one opportunity to be completed ~ within a certain deadline.

- Completed (assignment was completed) 

- Incomplete (work has not been done yet)

- Submitted (assignment that needed to be submitted has been submitted)

- Graded (i.e. 7.00/8.00)

The Weekly Lesson Overview will show you all of the work that is due for the week.

It is posted every Friday afternoon for the following week. ~ Your student is allowed to work ahead.

Name

Name

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

You can choose any course you want to view OR you can select all courses

Name

 Student Snapshot - Profile The Profile link provides access to your student's Grades, Engagement, Support Staff, Assessments, Attendance, Wellness and Summer School information (if applicable).

Name

 Student Profile - Grades and Enrichment The Grades & Engagement tab shows you how many virtual lessons your student has attended, information on the work they have submitted and their grades.

 Student Profile - Student Support

You can click on any Teacher for their contact information.

The Student Support tab will show you the staff that supports your student and any special programs they are enrolled in.

 Student Profile - Student Assessments The Student Assessments tab displays your student's assessment data in Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies & PSSA and Keystone State Testing

 Student Profile - Summer School Summer Enrichment

Students may choose to take enrichment classes over the summer. Attending all Virtual Lessons is a must!

We offer .5 and 1.0 credit courses.

Some examples are: Driver's Education ~ Creative Writing ~ Coding, HTML & CSS ~ Foundations of Art ~ ACT and SAT Prep ~ Accelerated Geometry

Summer School & Summer Enrichment Information:

The Summer School remediation program is an intensive six week program designed to help students achieve standard benchmarks outlined by the Pennsylvania Dept of Education.

Students who do not achieve a 60% or above will fail the course, receive

an "F" on their transcript, and will not be issued credit for the course. 

Students in grades 9-11 must earn a minimum 40% in their regular year courses to beeligible for summer school courses. 11th or 12th grade students that are slated tograduate upon the completion of summer school course work, are permitted to have lower percentages when retaking classes in the summer session. In order to earn credits for a failed course or courses students are permitted to retake available courses during summer school which is approximately six weeks in length. Students completing the requirements of a summer school course will earn a passing grade of a "D" with a maximum of a “C."

 Student Profile - Attendance/Wellness The Attendance/Wellness tab provides you with the data on your student's attendance and wellness checks. It will also give you the information on your student's SAIP (if applicable).

 Student Snapshot - Transcripts You can Request the Official Transcript or Download a PDF of an unofficial copy of your student's transcript. Name Transcripts are available for high school students Name Name

Canvas is used to access and manage online course learning materials and communicate about skill development and learning achievement.It provides a central platform for organizing course materials, facilitating communication between students and teachers, and managing assignments and grades. Understanding CanvasOur Learning Management System (LMS)

 Academic Courses ~ Canvas Sample Canvas Dashboard This is the Canvas Icon

 Canvas Dashboard
When you first click on Canvas you will be directed to your student's Dashboard.This will bring up their classes and their Blue Navigation Bar
Once you click on a class you will enter your student's "classroom."

You will also see a secondary Navigation Bar

We will click on American Nation B - Team A - 24/25

 Canvas Dashboard - Virtual Homeroom Here is a sample "Homeroom"

Announcements (if applicable)Teacher's contact informationVirtual Lesson Days & TimesLesson HelpLinks to Virtual Lesson RecordingsQuick Links & Text Book Link Each teachers' room looks a little different, but they all have the same information.

 Canvas Dashboard - Modules The students' modules are their assignments. These include items such as: reading the syllabus, attending live virtual lessons, completing assigned work, taking a quiz or test, writing an essay, etc.
Grayed out assignments are not available yet. 

They will be "unlocked" once certain criteria have been met. i.e. there is material that will be taught before these assignments are available or the student must complete the prerequisite assignments = Assignment has been completed = The student did not attend the virtual lesson = Assignment has not been completed

 Canvas Dashboard - Grades Your student's Grades link will detail the assignment name and type, the date the assignment was assigned, the date it was submitted, the status, the score, and any comments or grading scale info. Comment Select the Marking Period and the Course you want to view Student Student This assignment was "late" - it was not submitted the day it was assigned.

There are not any repercussions for late assignments as long as they are submitted by the end of the marking period or as directed by their teacher.

This assignment is "missing" - it has not yet been completed. The teacher has left three comments.

See an example below.

You must click APPLY after you select the course you want to view

 Canvas Dashboard - Grades Rubric Here is the Rubric used for the Piggy's Point of View Assignment.

 Canvas Dashboard - Assignments Below are examples of Canvas Grading Icons

   Student  Canvas Dashboard - Assignments You can click on any assignment to get more details.  Student

Your Student's Canvas Page contains resources to help your student stay focused and on track. Canvas Page for Students

 Student's Calendar Did you know your student can view their schedule in a variety of ways?

They can choose weekly view, monthly view or agenda view!

 Canvas Notifications

You can change your Canvas Notifications Settings to limit the number of emails you receive.

This can only be done in your student's Canvas Account

Click on Account then Notifications

LIVE LEARNING COACH ASSISTANCE ASK A PARENT QUESTION Are you new to PALCS? Do you have questions?

Jump into the Live Learning Coach Lounge and let our Family Ambassadors help you.

Learning Coach Support

STATE PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (SPAC) SCHEDULE A LEARNING COACH SUPPORT MEETING

Learning Coach Resources