ParentVue allows students and parents to access grades online

Better connections between parents and teachers on their students progress have been a longtime goal for many at the administrative level. And now they are one step closer to achieving that goal.   

The database ParentVue provided by the company Synergy is being provided by the Stockton Unified School District. The system was made public just last week. “Parents can access the site with a login name and password provided by the counselor,” Principal Andre Phillips said. One can get to the site from any computer with Internet access so parents can look at their child’s schedule, attendance, and grades.

What’s new is that parents can access the system as well as teachers. Many are familiar to the traditional progress report or report card. But ParentVue allows a parent to track a grade before it is finalized, increasing parent involvement in a student’s progress. However, students can also check their own grades with the same login information allowing easy access for students to see their own progress.

Many administrators and teachers are on board with the system, hoping that parent-teacher cooperation will increase significantly. Emails can be sent directly to a teacher through the site as well.

“Before it was harder for a parent to check grades beyond a progress report,” counselor Samantha Wirzberger said. “I think it will be really beneficial.”  

Students have had little knowledge of Synergy in the past, but as ParentVue goes public the system’s reputation is expected to grow. “I think that it will help students by keeping them on track with their grades,” senior Jonathan Moreno said. “It will get more parents involved as well when they can look at the scores on a regular basis.”

However, as with any newly expanded system, there have been drawbacks in the past. Social studies teacher Stewart Jacoby recalls such a situation. “I would put a student’s assignment into the system and the next day the grade would be gone,” he said. These glitches have not dampened his attitude on the system, though. “It does provide a record for the progress of past classes,” he said. “It’s a win/lose type of deal.” Supporters of ParentVue also say that it should not be a replacement for checking with your child about classroom progress, and encourage parents to call a teacher if they feel their student is struggling.

The ParentVue system is still in its developing stages, but it has hopes of changing student teacher interaction for the future.