Parents cherish it. Students sometimes hate it. And it’s growing
on teachers.
Gilroy – Parents cherish it. Students sometimes hate it. And it’s growing on teachers.
It’s School Loop, a new online communication tool teachers use to post homework assignments and grades, and for which Gilroy High School will spend more than $22,000 during the next three years, said principal James Maxwell.
School Loop replaces Edline, which caused headaches for some teachers who found it time-consuming and difficult to use throughout the past three years.
Roughly 60 percent of high school teachers were using the voluntary tool at the end of the last school year. Their union-negotiated contracts do not require the extra time it takes to input assignments, attendance figures and grades. But Maxwell said he expects teacher participation to rise this year because educators are increasingly computer savvy and a teacher designed School Loop with his colleagues in mind.
“Edline is like an old VW, and School Loop is like a brand new sports car,” Maxwell said. “This is what parents really want. They want to know if their kid is doing work and turning it in.”
The new program is so easy to use that it comes with ready-made templates the school will send to parents next week to inform them of the transition, Maxwell said. Students and parents can currently register on the high school’s Web site, and afterward each party will receive daily e-mails to keep them in the loop. Both students and parents can access the Internet-based application from any computer for free.
“I think it’s great because I can check up on my grades and see what I’m missing,” said Steven Hebert, a freshmen who said he makes A’s. “My parents like it, too.”
Former Parent Club President Bob Heisey’s son is a senior at GHS, and he said School Loop “is great.”
“I like the possibility kids have of keeping up with their grades and work,” Bob Heisey said. “I decided it’s my son’s responsibility and as long as he gets decent grades and doesn’t gets into trouble, I’m going to let him worry about school.”
For kids who don’t concern themselves with school though, School Loop can be a sore spot.
“It helps certain people, but for the most part it screws up your life,” said sophomore Alex Solomon, whose parents almost grounded him last year after using Edline. “I had two Fs and I almost couldn’t go to this anime convention. But I ended up going.”
Marine science teacher Jeff Manker chuckled at such student frustration.
“Welcome to the digital age, dude,” Manker said. “I intend on using School Loop to its full extent. It’s greater access for everyone. Face it, parents really want to know where there kids are at.”
Manker said he’s barely used School Loop – which is used by 290 schools in six states – but “it looks great” because it saves parents and teachers the time of having to correspond via e-mail or phone. Students can keep up in school when they’re sick or out of town and all parties can just hop online and get answers about assignments and performance, Manker said.
“It’s not more work. It’s a different kind of work,” Manker said. “I think teachers are crazy if they don’t do it.”
This past week Maxwell organized an hour-long training seminar for teachers, “but an hour was more than enough time,” he said.
Social studies teacher Jennifer Hokanson sat in Maxwell’s office after school Friday tying up some loose ends with her School Loop account, but she said she couldn’t wait to get started.
“It’s so easy. I can post my assignments, grades and update student profiles, and the cool thing is you can access it anywhere,” Hokanson said. “If a student missed a day, he or she can write in and other kids can write back and say, ‘This is what you have to do.’ ” Hokanson said.
Maxwell nodded with content.
“There’s been a very positive response from teachers,” he said. “By next week we’ll be flowing.”
School loop
– School Loop brings parents,
teachers, students together with online forum that displays homework assignments, grades, attendance and other teacher reports
– At $3 per student per year, GHS will pay $22,000 for three-year contract
– 60 percent of teachers used Edline, participation in easier-to-use School Loop expected to rise
– It’s free for parents and students to access from any computer after they complete separate online registrations through high school Web site
– 290 schools in six states use School Loop
– Parents and students can register online at: gilroyhs.schoolloop.com
