By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka School District has scheduled a Thursday workshop where parents can sign up and learn to use the new computer application Canvas that allows them to check on their student’s classwork, and provide support.
The signup event and workshop will be held 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Sitka High School library.
Canvas allows students, parents and teachers to track grades, assignments, and academic progress, school officials said.
“What we’re trying to do is make sure parents can support students by understanding assignments, understand what students are missing, and assessments coming up, so parents can help support their students,” said Freddie Charbonneau, Sitka High social studies teacher.
Charbonneau is also on the strategic plan’s action plan committee for “developing an internal and external district communications plan.”
The school district has already activated the Canvas program, but Charbonneau said only 25 percent of parents at SHS have signed up. After participants sign up, they can access information through their home computers or a smartphone app, she said.
“Part of the reason we’re doing this workshop is to help parents create their accounts,” Charbonneau said. “Some people might not have computers at home or a good internet connection.”
Those attending are invited to take their own laptops, and other computers will be available in the library for the workshops. Charbonneau added that teachers were given a new way to sign up parent accounts using the app, and that will be reviewed at the workshop. Wifi will be available.
The school district website said parents and team members who selected Canvas “appreciated its ease of use and navigation, accessibility, and completeness of information.” By logging into the system, users are able to access lessons, assignments, class announcements, and grades. Parents can also message teachers directly through Canvas, the school district says.
Canvas is being used by all schools in the Sitka School District and the home school program REACH, but each school uses it a little differently, officials said.
Charbonneau said she believes Canvas is better than the system Sitka High had before, and hopes it will be embraced by parents with high participation levels.
“We want more open communications with parents, and we’re trying to get as many people as possible to jump on the opportunity,” she said.
Superintendent Frank Hauser said the goal of the program is to “make sure as many supports are there, and to remove any barriers, for students to get the work they need and parents to get the information they need to support their students’ academic pursuits. We want to continue to build upon the partnerships between the schools, parents and students.”
