Lake Forest Academy has never made it so students can go online and see their grades daily and this needs to change. LFA currently uses a system called MyBackPack, which only lets students check their grades periodically. This system is in need of change so that students can view their grades whenever they desire and there is a simple answer: PowerSchool run by Pearson Education.

During middle school, I was able to look at my grades on PowerSchool whenever I wanted. PowerSchool is a system that not only lets you check your grades whenever you want, but lets you see what you got on each individual assignment. This system makes it easier for students to stay organized because they can see what specific assignments they still need to turn in.

Many argue that LFA should stick to the system of only revealing grades during certain periods of the year because it prepares you for college, but this isn’t the case. In fact, 75% of colleges and universities in the U.S. use a system called Blackboard. Blackboard is very similar to PowerSchool in that it lets you check your grades on a frequent basis. If many college students are able to check their grades freely, shouldn’t LFA students be able to check whenever they want as well?

Many high schools in the area are using PowerSchool, such as Libertyville High School, and several others are using similar programs to share grades with students.

At LFA, many teachers note a student’s overall grade in the class on tests. Some teachers have meetings with students to discuss what grades they got on certain assignments. This is unnecessary because PowerSchool can do all these things, meaning students shouldn’t have to meet with teachers just to find out what grade they got.

PowerSchool can also show student schedules, courses, discipline, demographics, and report cards.

It’s time for LFA to change its grading communication system and PowerSchool by Pearson Education is the answer.