Eanes Skyward is a web-based student information system adopted by Eanes Independent School District in Austin, Texas. It serves as a centralized platform for parents, students, teachers and administrators to manage student data and school activities.
Eanes Skyward provides a suite of tools to track grades, attendance, schedules, fees and more. It aims to improve communication and transparency between school and home. Parents can stay updated on their child’s progress in real-time, while teachers can seamlessly share information with families.
The system is used by over 2,000 public school districts across the United States. Eanes ISD has been using Skyward since the early 2000s as its primary SIS. It is accessible via desktop and mobile to all stakeholders involved in education.
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Overview of the eanes skyward system
Eanes Skyward is tailored to meet the specific needs of the district. It integrates with other internal systems and contains customized features for administrators, teachers, students and parents.
The platform consolidates various sets of data into an easy-to-use online portal. Key features include:
- Student demographic information
- Class schedules and calendars
- Assignment tracking
- Gradebook
- Attendance records
- Discipline logs
- Special education case management
- Canvas learning management system integration
- Fee management
- Email and text messaging
Skyward is designed as a one-stop shop. Parents can see all their children in one place, even if they attend different schools. Administrators can run reports and analyze data district-wide.
The system uses role-based family access control to ensure that users only see relevant information. There are portals tailored to elementary, middle and high school levels.
Eanes Skyward aims to keep students first by providing tools for success in school. It allows parents to participate more actively in their child’s academic journey.
Benefits and features of eanes skyward
Eanes Skyward provides a wealth of benefits to students, parents, teachers and school administrators. Let’s explore some of its key features.
Access student information and grades
Parents can log in to Skyward and view grades, assessment scores, and other details for each class. Gradebooks are updated in real-time as teachers enter assignments. Missing work is clearly highlighted.
Parents can observe progress over time and identify areas of struggle. This allows them to proactively address any issues and provide assistance. It facilitates open conversations at home about academic performance.
View attendance records
The system tracks daily attendance for each class period. Parents can monitor absences, tardies and early departures. Attendance codes indicate whether it was excused or unexcused.
Noticing patterns helps parents ensure their child maintains regular school attendance. They can also coordinate medical appointments, sick days or planned absences to minimize classroom time lost.
Check assignment and homework status
Skyward displays upcoming and missing assignments for each class. Due dates, categories and grades are visible at a glance.
Parents can review to ensure their child completes all work on time. They can also look for assignments marked “missing” and follow up at home if needed.
Access school calendars and announcements
Parents can view the school’s calendar to stay up-to-date on events, holidays, early dismissals and more. Announcements are also posted with important notifications and reminders.
This improves coordination with the school schedule. Parents can plan around major events and activities accordingly.
Email teachers
Secure email links allow parents to directly contact teachers with any questions or concerns. Two-way communication strengthens the partnership between school and home.
Email exchanges are logged and saved within Skyward. Parents can conveniently refer back to previous discussions.
Pay fees online
Parents can manage student fees and make payments online. This includes registration fees, athletic costs, field trips, library fines, etc.
Online payments are fast, simple and secure. Parents can review payment history and track outstanding balances. Auto-pay options are also available.
How to use eanes skyward for parents
Using Eanes Skyward allows parents to take an active role in their child’s education. Here’s a step-by-step guide to utilizing the main features:
Creating a parent account
Parents need to set up an account to access student information. Accounts can be created:
- During new student registration
- By attending “Parent Access Night” at school
- Through self-service online
The school will provide a parent access ID and password. Parents log in and create their own username and password for future access.
Logging into eanes skyward
- Go to the Eanes ISD Skyward website or use the mobile app
- Enter your username and password
- Click Sign In
If you forgot your login details, use the self-service options to reset credentials.
Navigating the parent portal
The parent portal has a user-friendly interface organized by tabs:
- Calendar: View school events and announcements
- Portfolio: See student demographic info, contacts, schedule
- Gradebook: Check grades and assignments for each class
- Attendance: Monitor absences, tardies and attendance codes
- Schedule: Look at daily schedule and matrix for each term
- Fee management: View fee balances, pay fees online
The toolbar allows toggling between students, emailing teachers, accessing help resources, changing settings and more.
Viewing student grades
Click the “Portfolio” tab, select a student and click “Gradebook” to see grades.
Toggle between terms or click on a class to focus on those assignments, scores and grade details. Missing work is highlighted in red. Expand to view the teacher’s comments.
Checking attendance records
Click “Attendance” then select a date range. The calendar highlights school days and shows absences in red.
Click on a date to see attendance codes for each class period. Hover over codes to view more details.
“Summary” shows totals for tardies, unexcused absences, etc. Filter by term or exclusion.
Accessing school calendars
Click the “Calendar” tab to see school-wide events and announcements.
Use the month view or agenda view. Click an event to expand details like time, location, contacts and description.
Subscribe to calendars or add them to your personal calendar. Event reminders can also be enabled.
Emailing teachers
Click “Portfolio” and select a student. Click the envelope icon next to a teacher’s name to email them directly.
Send brief notes checking on your child’s progress or request a conference. Attach files if needed.
Paying fees
Click on “Fee Management” to view itemized balances owed for your student. Click “Make Payment” to pay online by e-check or credit card.
Or, set up automatic payments by enrolling in RevTrak. Review payment history and print receipts. Click “Add Auto-Pay” to schedule recurring payments.
Tips for getting the most out of eanes skyward
Here are some tips to maximize the usefulness of the Eanes Skyward system:
Enable notifications
Turn on notifications in Skyward’s settings to receive email or text alerts. Get notified about new grades, overdue assignments, attendance changes, fee balances, and more.
Customize which notifications you want to receive and how often. This allows you to stay on top of updates.
Download the mobile app
Get on-the-go access by downloading the Skyward Mobile Access app for iOS or Android.
Quickly check grades, email teachers, see fees, update contact info, view calendars and more. Receive push notifications.
Set up automatic fee payments
Save time and avoid late fees by enrolling in RevTrak to automatically pay student fees on a schedule.
Log in to Skyward, click “Fee Management” and “Add Auto-Pay” to set up recurring payments from a bank account.
Customize your homepage
Tailor your homepage by choosing which student info widgets to showcase first. Click the gear icon and “Choose Homepage Widgets” to drag and drop your preferred widgets.
Highlight critical info like attendance, grades, GPA, overdue assignments etc.
Troubleshoot login issues
If you have login problems, use the “Forgot Username” and “Forgot Password” options. Or you can email skywardsupport@eanesisd.net for assistance resetting credentials.
Make sure to use the full email address associated with your Skyward account. Contact the school if all else fails.
The future of student information systems like eanes skyward
Student information systems are an integral part of K-12 education. As technology evolves, SIS solutions like Skyward continue to advance and introduce new capabilities.
Potential improvements and new features
Skyward frequently enhances platform functionality through major and minor software updates. Possible improvements include:
- Enhanced mobile experience with more native apps
- Integration with learning management systems like Canvas
- Parent-teacher conference scheduling tools
- Student portfolio building and resume creation
- Transcript and records management
- Enhanced data visualization with analytics
- Paperless document sharing and e-signatures
- Customizable student achievement trackers
Integration with other edtech tools
Skyward offers some integration with third-party edtech tools via APIs. But deeper integrations could allow:
- Single sign-on across platforms
- Automatic data syncing with assessment programs
- Direct incorporation of multimedia like photos and videos
- Embedding rich content like simulations, animations and games
This creates a more seamless educational technology ecosystem.
Transitioning to the cloud
Skyward is hosted on-premises by each school district. A shift to a cloud-based SaaS model would reduce hardware demands on districts.
Web-based SIS systems also allow access from any modern browser. This enables more rapid deployments of new features.
As student data platforms move increasingly online, security is paramount. Cloud systems leverage the latest encryption, backups and access controls.
Conclusion
Eanes Skyward is an invaluable tool for parents to participate in their child’s learning journey. The ability to monitor grades, attendance, assignments, calendars and more fosters a strong home-school connection.
Parents are empowered with up-to-date academic data to proactively guide their child’s success. Seamless two-way communication with teachers and administrators via Skyward facilitates intervention when needed.
As student information systems continue evolving with new features and integrations, the transparency and engagement of Skyward parental access will only improve. Eanes ISD’s adoption ensures students have learning resources to thrive.
FAQs
What information can I see about my child in Skyward?
Skyward gives parents access to grades, attendance, academic history, standardized test scores, class assignments, schedules, calendars, and more. You can also email teachers or pay fees online.
Is the Eanes Skyward app free?
Yes, the mobile app called Skyward Mobile Access is free to download and use for parents and students. It is available for both Apple iOS and Android devices.
How often is attendance updated in Skyward?
Teacher take attendance each class period and it uploads to Skyward in real-time. Absences are usually reflected within an hour of being marked.
Can I access Skyward from a computer?
Yes, Skyward is web-based so it can be accessed from any computer using a modern browser like Chrome, Firefox, Edge etc. Just go to the Eanes ISD Skyward login page.
Who do I contact for help with Skyward?
You can email skywardsupport@eanesisd.net or call the Eanes ISD helpdesk at 512-732-9020 for assistance with Skyward technical issues or login problems.