The Admin Columns feature has given our users the ability to add grading columns to all gradebooks in one go. There are many other benefits to the admin columns that you can take advantage of in Quickschools. Two little known features would be the ability to specify date ranges, and the meta-id field. In the following example, we demonstrate how you can setup your gradebook using only a single yearly term, while having the gradebook broken down into multiple terms.

To that end, QuickSchools offers an add-on service to build custom templates for you. And with a custom Report Card template, you can make use of the Gradebook Default Columns which provide more structure in the way grades are transferred from the Gradebook to the Report Cards.

With ONE single yearly term, each subject will have ONE cumulative Gradebook for the entire school year, allowing teachers to use grades from the entire year when calculating final grades for each academic term and the final school year.

In the screenshot below, we have an admin column for each quarter in the year. These could also be configured as trimester or semester, depending on what’s needed for your academic year setup.

Each of the admin columns has a date range specified, as well as the meta-id. The meta-id is provided by our support team, and designates a particular column in the report card template. This allows the grade in the gradebook to be passed along to the report cards systematically.

In the gradebook, the admin columns are displayed to the teachers. They can then edit the formulas used, as well as enter in grades as they normally would. Based on the column dates, and the date ranges previously specified, the admin columns will automatically calculate accordingly. In the sample below, “Assignment 1” is dated 8/17, and falls within the Quarter 1 date range and is thus included into that calculation. The “Yearly Grade” formula can be used to weigh each quarter as needed.

As each report card is generated, the template will pick up the corresponding grades from the admin columns. As shown below, the report card grades match those in the gradebook.

There are a few benefits of using the setup above, such as no longer needing to manage academic terms and the flexibility of the date ranges. However, the setup does require students to be enrolled into the same subjects year round, and requires teachers to be mindful of the dates assigned to the grading columns.

If you are interested in the setup above, or would like to learn more about the benefits, please reach out to us via the chat button, or at support@quickschools.com