Made sense to bolt our attendance system onto our timetable system. We have one database with three points of data entry including a PDA system that does the rounds to all rooms with a duty student, a web based interface used by the school switchboard and first aid attendant, and client software used by the time tabler / daily organizer / enrollment registrar / year level coordinators. We get good training support, prompt responses to telephone enquiries, regular bug fix releases, a good ear towards feature requests such as SMS. There are other whistles and bells, depending on the system that you finally end up with. Surprisingly, we have had some interesting success using a less documented feature of the the FirstClass SMS alert system to send e-mail alerts to students who are absent from class without reason.
<br><br>As Kevork correctly notes, the biggest hurdle wasnt software, it is changing the mindset and operational proceedures of the school. How this is best done is hard to spell out as each school will have its own cultural and rules for doing things. Running a database like this requires increased rigor so that scheduled absences should be entered in advance, preferably by a teacher aide each morning during period 0 and running a late pass system. We also now ask that parents / older students phone in or leave a message to report an absence in advance that is promptly entered into the system (same as when teachers call in reporting an illness or absence). When I mark the roll on the PDA, I often only have to count and compare the numbers in my room with that listed on the
PDA.The student doing music, the student doing a VET course, the student who called in sick and the student in the first aid room are all listed thus on the PDA. The unexplained missing wh did not pick up a late pass are probably truant, something we let the year level coordinators sort out.
<br><br>Regards Roland<br><br><div><span class="gmail_quote">On 31/05/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">RILEY, Bruce</b> <<a href="mailto:Bruce.RILEY@kew.vic.edu.au">Bruce.RILEY@kew.vic.edu.au</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p>Hi all</p><p>We are investigating options for online attendance software.
What are schools using for this?</p><p>Our requirements (sorry this should read wish list) are a:</p><p style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span>·<span> </span></span></span>System that students can use to swipe their card
when they arrive late/leave early to/from school. VCE coordinators are
particularly keen on this as Kew runs a minimum attendance policy. Staff could
access it online and mark their roll each lesson</p>
<p style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span>·<span>
</span></span></span>Link in with our current AD network so that only
one database is maintained</p>
<p style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span>·<span>
</span></span></span>Hand held device could also access the system
via wireless</p>
<p style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span>·<span>
</span></span></span>Reporting</p>
<p style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span>·<span>
</span></span></span>Generate SMS or emails to parents for non
attendance</p>
<p>I know this has elements of 'Ultranet' but we are
keen to implement a system now.</p>
<p>If this has already been asked I apologise in advance.<br> </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bruce</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Bruce
Riley</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ICT
Manager</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Kew
High School</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">1393
Burke Road</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Kew
East, VIC. 3102</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Australia</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Phone: 61
3 9859 8652</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Fax:
61 3 9819 7880</span></p>
</div>
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College<br><a href="http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au">http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au</a><br><br>"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead