First Steps

  • Select gradebook display style for viewing in the dashboard: Tiles, List or Table view.
  • Always create the gradebooks and then link them. The Link button on the top of the page by the gradebook name.
  • When linking Gradebooks, all linked gradebooks will have the same number. Random gradebooks will be numbered as 0. Standards Based gradebooks are typically not linked.
  • Add categories after you have Linked the gradebooks.



Terms

  • Gradebooks can be created easily for the entire school year by selecting the school terms applicable to the class/course. The start and end dates of the gradebook are determined by the date ranges in the school’s term dates.
  • Gradebooks can be created as separate gradebooks for each term. (Not recommended for Standards Based Grades.)
  • Gradebooks can be created as year-long gradebooks.
  • Gradebooks can be created for a single term.

Copying/Templates

  • Any gradebook can be copied using the Copy Gradebook functionality on the dashboard.
  • Using the Restore functionality, any gradebook can be copied/restored from a backup.
  • All backups are date and time-stamped.

Rubric Gradebooks

If creating a rubric gradebook, select the Use a Rubric Grading Scale to Compute Total Grade from the options menu. All assignments will default to Rubric scoring.

  • Rubric gradebooks require assignments to be identified as formative or summative.
  • Associated standards must be linked to each assignment.
  • Rubric gradebooks will display grading trends.
  • Final marks can be calculated using trend grading (summative assignments only) or traditional grading (formative and summative assignments).
  • The Standards Based Progress Dashboard is a view of student progress by standards. The dashboard is only populated from rubric gradebooks.
  • If given permissions, the dashboard is available to Parents, Students, Administrators, and Teachers through Aeries Web Version. Parents and students can view the dashboard through the Portal.
  • The dashboard displays all the student’s scores from the gradebook and the average overall grade.
  • The dashboard enables the viewer to “drill down” and view progress on the various detail standards and related standards.
  • In gradebook, on the Student's  Assignment view, click the icon to open the Standards Based Progress Dashboard for the student.
  • To access the Standards Based Progress Dashboard in Aeries, navigate to the Standards Based Progress Dashboard page.

Options/Tabs

Final grade calculations are determined by how the gradebook is built and which options are selected. Working in Scores by Class offers many options for quick navigation. ALWAYS BACKUP before attempting to do anything “big”.

  • Apply Assignment Scores Immediately always calculates the percentage and final mark in the gradebook view based on assignment score entry.
  • Hide Gradebook from Parent will only work if the setting has been enabled by the system administrator in Portal Options.
  • Scale Minimum/Maximum Assignment Values in Total Grade cannotbe used with rubric grading. 
    • Assign a minimum grade for an assignment not submitted for example: 50%. If applied, no assignment would ever be calculated for final marks with a value less than 50%.
    • Assign a maximum grade value for an assignment submitted, for example: 110%. If applied, no assignment would ever be calculated for final marks with a value more than 110%.
    • If grading by points, the final mark is calculated based on the accumulation of points.
  • Manage Students is where students can be added to or dropped from the gradebook. 
  • Adding/Dropping Students:
    • If Add/Drop Student Automatically When Loading Scores by Class Page is selected, the load process of the Scores by Class page will trigger the Add/Drop process based on course attendance information. The new students will first appear in the Scores by Class view. Teachers will no longer need to manage the students in their gradebook. This option is not recommended for elementary combo classes using Standards Based grading.
    • Students can be added by assigned teacher.
    • Students not in a teacher’s class can be added by selecting the Add Students Not In Your Class button. At the prompt, select to locate student by name or by assigned teacher. In Portal Groups, teachers must have rights to view all students.  In Portal Options/Gradebook the Allow Teachers to Import Any Student in their Defined Grade Range into their Gradebook option must be selected.
    • When adding a student after the term has started, the Transfer Grade can be used to give the student a starting grade.
    • If the gradebooks are linked and a student is switching classes, the student’s grades can be transferred if the student is being taught by the same teacher and remains enrolled in the same course.
  • Hide the Overall Percentage/Trend Analysis Score can be selected to hide the overall percentage/trend analysis score results from the teacher view, or the parent and student view, or both views.
  • Display the Final Mark can be selected to hide the final mark from the teacher view, or the parent and student view, or both views.
  • Hide Dropped Students keeps the student in the gradebook, but the dropped students will no longer display on the Scores by Class or Scores by Assignment pages.
  • Categories can be color-coded for easier assignment identification in the Scores by Class page.
  • Narrative Grades when used for Pass/Fail, the value that is placed for Pass/Fail will be the value used to calculate the final mark calculations.
  • Rulesare assigned by one or more categories.
    • If using Negative Weight, it will calculate based on points.