Hollis/Brookline has new online access to grades

Published: Sunday, February 7, 2010

Imagine software that could change the way students and their parents check on their grades – something like a grading system installed and posted on the school’s Web site.

That’s what Hollis/Brookline High School decided to install last summer.

With this new system, parents now have the opportunity to see how their child is doing in school. Access codes are given to each student’s parents, and they have a choice of whether they want their child to see their grades.

Over the summer, the administration and the School Board learned that Milford and Bedford were going to use the Parent Portal system, and all agreed it was something that should be installed in Hollis.

“This program was especially made for parents who want to check more than just grades on their children at school,” Vice Principal Robert Ouellette said.

However, no one was ready for this software and the problems that would come with it.

“This program is unfair,” junior Zachary McElwain said. “I am angry because we don’t get to have the access code and our parents do. It’s not right.”

Junior Dianna Ripley is among those students who like the program.

“It is much more efficient, and it is a step in the right direction,” she said.

Junior Nate Russell says it couldn’t be a more resourceful tool and likes the fact that students who have access can go to it anytime they want, even before the grades are released for the next quarter.

“It takes away the hassle of scheduling with your teacher to talk about your grades,” Russell said. “Before we had this program, the old system used to stress me out and now I am worry free.”

Another senior said she didn’t like the new program and that the way it was set up wasn’t appealing to her.

“It doesn’t seem right to me that parents should see every grade on the program,” Lindsay Swank said. “I think that should be up to students only and if they want to let their parents see them, they should have permission to do so.”

With all the problems the students foresee, the faculty embraces the change.

“I believe that there needs to be more education for parents on this program,” English teacher Heidi Foster said. “There are certainly some kinks, one being an increase of stress among some students. Other than that, this program is reasonable.”

Change is always more difficult to adapt to, but the more there is new growth, there also comes more acceptance.

Jaclyn Spotts is a junior at Hollis/Brookline High School.