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Parent Tech FAQ

Why are there so many programs for parents and which program does what?
Why can I change some information in PowerSchool and more information in the online school directory?
Why don't the changes I make in either PowerSchool or the  PTA online school directory transfer over to the other program?
How do I log in to PowerSchool (PS Home Access)?
How do I log in to Schoology?
Why can't I log in if I go to Schoology.com?
What browsers are supported?
Do parents see the same thing as their child(ren) in Schoology?
Do parents have their own accounts?
Why aren't I, as a parent, getting updates from my children's teachers?
What are high school teachers required to post in Schoology?
What are middle school teachers required to post in Schoology?
Is there an App for Schoology?
When is Schoology updated?
How can I learn about new Schoology features?
Can I take the Schoology calendar and link it to my own calendar?
Can I push my own calendar into the Schoology calendar?

 

Why are there so many programs for parents and which program does what?

Each program allows the school district or the PTA to share different relevant data with parents. There is yet to be one program that will provide all of the information in one place.

PowerSchool 
  • Main source of student demographic data
  • Published report cards K-12
  • Published assignment grades by class for students in grades 6-12
  • Parents can verify what information the school district has on file regarding phone numbers, email addresses, physical address, emergency contact, and all associated guardians.
Schoology
  • Documents, handouts, assignments (grades 6-12), classroom multimedia materials, and links
AtoZ Connect
  • PTA sponsored and run
  • Online parent directory

Why can I change some information in PowerSchool and more information in the online school directory?

The schools use the student database for many purposes and have certain restrictions in place so other programs are not compromised such as busing and mandated state reports. The PTA does not have those responsibilities; therefore they can offer parents more options.

Why don't the changes I make in either PowerSchool or the PTA online school directory transfer over to the other program?

Each program handles the data and the connections between the families and children differently so the data cannot successfully flow from one program into another at this time.

How do I log in to PowerSchool (PS Home Access)?

Option 1: Go to the district site, http://www.westportps.org, or a school site and click on the  PS Home Access link at the top center of the screen. 

Option 2: Browse directly to https://powerschool.westportps.org/public/home.html

Use the username and password that was assigned to you when you first registered or that you changed the password to. The username is your first name-dot-last name (i.e. john.smith).

How do I log in to Schoology?

Option 1: Go to the district site, http://www.westportps.org, or a school site and click on the Schoology link in the upper right corner.

Option 2: Browse directly to http://schoology.westportps.org 

Use the same username and password that you do for Home Access Center.

Why can't I log in if I go to Schoology.com?

We have our own instance of Schoology setup with "Single Sign On". This allows you to use your existing Westport username and password. If you attempt to log in through schoology.com, you will need to select the correct district and then you will be redirected to our district page. The district page has our logo on it.

What browsers are supported?

  • Firefox 3+
  • Internet Explorer 8+
  • Safari 3.1+
  • Google Chrome

Do parents see the same thing as their child(ren) in Schoology?

Not exactly the same. Parents are given an overview of their child's information. This generally includes Updates, Activity Summary, Calendar, and Grades (if used by the individual teacher).

Do parents have their own accounts?

Yes, each parent has their own account, just as they have their own PowerSchool account.

Why aren't I, as a parent, getting updates from my children's teachers?

You may have turned off notifications in their account preferences. Schoology has created a webpage describing how to set up notifications.

https://docs.powerschool.com/SGYH/students/parents/personal-account-parent-notifications

What are high school teachers required to post in Schoology?

1. Contact information including email and phone number

2. A class syllabus and class expectations (this may be included in a single document)

3. Daily homework assignments

What are middle school teachers required to post in Schoology?

1. Contact information including email and phone number

2. A class syllabus and class expectations (this may be included in a single document)

3. Daily homework assignments

Is there an App for Schoology?

Yes, for the iOS, Android, and Amazon Kindle. Schoology works differently on mobile devices via the app or via a web browser. For best results, view Schoology data on a mobile device using the app. Schoology folders will also appear in a different order on the app than in a browser.

When is Schoology updated?

When updates are ready they are rolled out to the live product on Thursdays. Usually if there is a change to the parent interface a pop-up box alerts you to the change and will run a quick tutorial.

How can I learn about the new features?

You can view the update descriptions through blog.schoology.com, You can subscribe to this page to receive these updates automatically via email.

Can I take the Schoology calendar and link it to my own calendar?

Yes. Please see the directions below. (They steps are directly taken from the Schoology site and are relevant to our instance of Schoology.)


You can access your Schoology calendar information from a different calendar program by enabling this option in your Account Settings. Once enabled, Schoology will provide an iCal link that will allow you to share your Schoology Calendar with the calendar tool of your choice. Below are instructions for synchronizing your calendars:

iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch (running iOS 3.0 or later)

1. Create a new email. Address it to the email account checked on the iOS device.

2. Paste the copied link above into the body of the email. Send the email.

3. Open the email on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and tap the link to set up the subscription to the calendar.

4. Tap "Subscribe" in the dialog to add Schoology to your iOS calendar.

Outlook 2007/2010(has native iCal support)

1. Email the link copied above to the account you check on Outlook.

2. Click on the webcal link in the email on Outlook.

3. An Outlook box should appear asking you to "Add this Internet Calendar to Outlook and Subscribe to Updates".

4. Click "Yes", and the Calendar will automatically be added to Outlook.

Google Calendar & Android Devices

1. Sign into your Google Calendar account.

2. Under "Other Calendars," click on the "Add" link.

3. Click on "Add by URL."

4. Paste the link copied above into the Address field.

5. Click Add.

Windows Live/Hotmail

1. Sign into your Windows Live account.

2. Go to Calendar.

3. Go to Subscribe.

4. Select "Subscribe to a public calendar".

5. On Calendar URL field paste the URL copied above.

6. On Calendar name field type the name you want your calendar to have.

7. Click to "Subscribe to calendar" and "done".

Mac iCal

1. Open iCal.

2. Right click under the region titled Subscriptions.

3. Then click Subscribe...

4. Next, paste the link copied above into the field titled Calendar URL.

5. Click subscribe.

Can I push my own calendar into the Schoology calendar?

No, not at this time.

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