'Parent Access' to help EVSC families stay connected

Nov. 27--EVANSVILLE -- Keeping up with a child's progress in school is as easy as pulling out a cellphone in the doctor's waiting room, according to Patricia Weinzapfel, Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. executive director for community schools and family engagement.

Weinzapfel said the district's RDS Parent Access portal is a "perfect" piece of the parent engagement puzzle.

Parent Access is a system the EVSC offers to parents and guardians where they can check on their child's grades, track attendance and view homework. It's a one-stop shop, district officials said, because it can also be used to directly email teachers, posts the student's schedule and shows when the student is tardy or skips class.

Parent Access also shows the student's discipline record, unofficial transcript and standardized test scores.

To access the system, you need a computer, smartphone or tablet device; Internet access; and an email address. You will also need to get an activation code from the secretary at your child's school, which is a series of numbers and letters that you will be prompted to change to a personal username and password once you log on.

If you have more than one student enrolled in an EVSC school, you can add all children under your parent account so they are easy to access.

Weinzapfel said many people are already using the system that has been in place at the district for "quite some time," but it's difficult to tell the exact number, and officials know not everyone is taking advantage of it. She sees it as a "great gateway" to family engagement and conversation starters between teachers and families.

"It's also pretty easy to access on a smartphone," Weinzapfel said. "And I do this all the time with my kids. I'll be waiting in the doctor's office and check on my kids to see how they're doing. It's something you can fit into your busy, daily life that has a great pay off for helping your child succeed in school."

Research shows parent portals are good "gateway" tools that can lead to meaningful family engagement and student success, according to Weinzapfel. Parents or guardians who routinely check their children's information online are often more aware of general progress, she said, as well as have improved communication with their kid and help them stay involved through middle and high school, and communicate more regularly with teachers.

"It's just a winner all around ... And it's also pretty easy," Weinzapfel said. "Let's be honest, we're all strapped for time and so if you have your phone and in two clicks you can see that your kid didn't do so well on his math test, or that he's missing an assignment in English; you can ask right away what happened and figure out a way to help them improve."

If parents or families don't have a computer or Internet access, Weinzapfel said, they can visit any Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library where some employees have been trained to help people log onto Parent Access.

"It's such a great way to be really involved and informed about your kids' education," she said.

To log onto the system, visit http://rdsteach.evsc.k12.in.us/rdsparentaccess/.

If you have trouble accessing the RDS account, contact your child's school or teacher, or email the EVSC at parentaccess@evsc.k12.in.us.

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