Can you type in zip codes from another state?
No. You will need to contact the SIMS / NC WISE Service Desk to let them know that you will need additional cities/zip codes added.
Why is the Proof of Address field not showing up on Basic Student Demographics Student – Admit Student for some users?
This is a setting established in the Company File.
How is the Pupil Number populated?
It is automatically filled in upon saving the record.
How quickly does the withdrawn student to populate to the repository?
It takes approximately an hour for the withdrawn student to populate to the repository.
What is the difference between admission and registration?
You should admit students when you are notified that they will be attending your school, but you should not register them until they are actually in attendance at your school. You can perform all functions in eSIS but take attendance if the student is not registered. Registration counts the student in membership; admission does not.
How do you run the North Carolina Report Card and Athletic Eligibility?
Athletic Eligibility Reporting requirements instruct the high school user to set up new reporting dates in the GPA module (see page 9 of the Athletic Eligibility User Guide) which is correct. This action creates new reporting reriod selections on the NC Report Card Title and Date Screen.
In NC WISE the North Carolina Report Card has the capability of printing only eight reporting periods on the report card; form formatting can only handle eight reporting period columns. If more reporting periods are attempted, an Oracle error occurs.
It is suggested that users not check the reporting periods that were setup for AE reporting.
How do you correct attendance for a student entered as absent after withdrawing from school?
If both schools are in the same data center a correction request can be made. Otherwise, from the Main Screen >Main Menu > Queries > Prior Student Query, click on attendance detail and select either daily or period attendance. Click Edit & make changes to attendance. Save changes.
Why is the Demographic Extract (Attendance Tab) not pulling the correct information for Daily attendance?
Research into the problem indicates that eSIS uses half-day absences to pull data for the extract. Personnel using the Attendance tab on the Demographic Extract need to double the number of absence records requested to get the full-day absence information. For example, if users want to pull students with three absences, then six absences must be entered in the absence field because the extract is looking for half-day absences.
Does NC use Authorized absences?
No.
How do we adjust the school schedule/PMR calendar when there is a snow day?
The PMR Calendar is adjusted in WebApps / UERS. In eSIS, you can not change the school schedule for a day that has passed. You can only adjust schedule for dates in the future. If you need a schedule change for a date that has passed, contact the Service Desk. Also, please refer to the NC WISE Guide Updating the School Schedule in the Current Year.
If you use period attendance but use specific period for the PMR, what do you set in eSIS?
Use Specific Period attendance – set the period that is used for the PMR. Teachers can take attendance in every period in TAM but only the period specified is reported on for the PMR.
Does everyone have to enter attendance to use specific period attendance?
No one has to mark an attendance record but even if the teacher doesn’t do it someone else in the school can do it. There are different reports that will print for absence records for all periods of the day, if someone doesn’t complete their attendance – that will show up on the reports.
If you are on a shortened schedule day and instead of periods lasting 90 minutes they are lasting 30, do you still take attendance in each period (for Period or Specific Period attendance)?
Yes, you take attendance as you normally would; regardless of what time it is during the day.
Does NC use the Standard Reporting Days?
No. We use school reporting dates linked to reporting periods.
Is most of the Attendance module set up at the State or District Level?
The attendance reason codes are controlled by the state. The period-to-daily calculation is also controlled by the state.
Can we allow teachers to update attendance for a certain period of time (Company File)?
Yes, you can allow teachers to change attendance for X number of previous days. The number in the Threshold field will determine how many days.
If I do not register all of my students, can I still have a homeroom list a week before school?
Yes.
If the teachers have completed attendance and the office marks a student late, can the teacher change it back to absent?
If teacher marks them as absent, then they actually come in late to the office, then the office will just change the absent mark to a late. However, if you set the Company File option of teachers not being able to update attendance, they will not be able to change attendance after that point.
Where do we print the admit slip?
You can print a copy of the Sign In/Sign Out screen by going to File > Print.
Does eSIS upload to/support ConnectEd or AlertNow?
There is an export in the Report Hub (http://reportinghub.ncwise.org/login.jsp) for ConnectEd. The export pulls data from eSIS which then creates a file that is uploaded to ConnectEd.
You cannot use AutoDialer with ConnectEd.
Is there a report we can use for our Substitute Folder or those who want paper copies?
There are many options. You can use the Class Record report for a class list and taking attendance to submit to the office.
If you use specific period attendance, do you take attendance in daily or period?
You take attendance in period. Teachers can keep track of all periods but reporting is only on the specific period that attendance “counts”.
Do we use School Closings Entry?
As long as a full day is entered, yes.
How do we view students that are already absent from school on class-sponsored trip?
You can use Team/Group Attendance. In the Period Att – Teams/Groups any student already marked absent from school by the office (NOT on the trip) will be shown as absent (different color) on the screen.
Can we track attendance for football practice (after school activities)?
There is not a separate attendance feature for after school activities.
If you use specific period can you still run reports on all period attendance?
Yes.
What if you use specific period attendance and a student always has work study or some valid reason for not being at school during that period?
The student is counted present since they are attending a school approved session.
What reasons do we use for non-classified excused absences - things such as a student who is absent for an extended family funeral or due to birth in family where they were required at home?
Based on the codes in ATT200, the LEA would make that decision. First they must determine if the absence is excused or unexcused. If they needed more detail, then they could create a note for the student, or request a CR be created for a new attendance reason code.
How do you change a student's usual name in eSIS?
Key in the SSN, without the dashes, into the Ministry Number field. This will allow the customer to save the change in the Usual Last Name field.
How can I track a student in the 504 plan?
Log into eSIS. Click on Common View > Student Program Assignment > Check 504. You may get an error message. If so, click Cancel. Query for pupil.
What codes are converting during the data conversion?
MED Medical Waiver, REL Religious Waiver, DIS Disease Waiver, ALL Allergy and the immunization codes approved for NCWISE listed in the conversion document.
Can I run the course code conversion process on a network?
It is strongly recommended that this process be performed on a stand-alone machine. Some of the steps are very time-consuming and will run faster and safer if you take SIMS off the network.
Can I run the course conversion process in segments? For instance, can I run my high schools separately from my middle and elementary schools?
No. All schools need to be completed at the same time in order for you to compile a true LEA file of current courses.
It is possible for you to complete a course conversion on a particular school, but it must be done again with the rest of the LEA.
What is the best way to get started?
The best way to get started is to import a “vanilla” version of SIMS. This is a current SIMS version containing the software but no data. To use a “vanilla” version, certain information must be entered before you can begin importing schools. Log into SIMS using the MSS user name. In SIMS go to: Daily Attendance/Directories/School Information A valid school number from your LEA must be used in the school portion of this information screen. Your LEA number must be entered in the unit section of the screen. Place a “1” in all of the other required fields on the information screen.
What is the first step in the process?
Copy the course files received from all the schools in your LEA to the user subdirectory. These files will be named LLLSSS.bld – LLL is your LEA number and SSS is the school number. Example: At the C prompt type: xcopy a:\LEASSS.bld
How do I compile existing course information from all the schools?
The menu selections are:
- Print course conversion report
- Export course conversion data to schools
- Import existing course information from schools
- Define new course numbers
Select option #3 – Import existing course information from schools.
This step connects all school files deleting the individual school files and compiling them into one LEA file. The LEA file will then populate the table below the menu options with the old and new internal course codes as well as the state subject code from all schools
You can select option #1 from the menu at any time to print the contents of the table.
What needs to be done with the compiled list of courses?
The valid NC WISE course numbers need to be created next. There are several ways in which you can approach this task. We have listed some options for you to think about before making the decision that suits you best.
Option #1
Export your compiled list of courses to be converted into an excel spreadsheet. This will give you the opportunity to sort all courses by state course code or NC WISE course codes. Print the NC WISE Standard Course List from the Conversion Information section found on the NC WISE library page on the website www.ncwise.org. These are the course numbers you should use. (See “All Options” for the 6th digit information.) This document contains the valid 5 digit NC WISE course code, the course title, state course code, academic level, start date, and end date. You can use this document to keep track of the courses currently being used in your LEA. The valid NC WISE course codes provided by DPI contain 5 digits. The 5th character of the course code has already been determined for you. It can be explained by the Course Translation Table for the Course Code Conversion. You can write in your corresponding course numbers and use the spreadsheet to key directly into SIMS.
Option #2
Log into SIMS using MSS.
Academic Progress/Processes/Internal Course Conversion
You can create the new NC WISE internal numbers by working directly in SIMS. However, you need to understand the 5th character and decide how you will use the 6th character before beginning.
Select Option #4 from the menu.
Choose #1 - When the course information appears, press "enter" 3 times and you will be taken to the field where the new course number should be updated.
As you enter the new numbers, they will appear in the last column in the table on the screen. If you make a mistake, you have the option of removing the contents of the last column without affecting the rest of the table or deleting the entire table and starting over.
Print the NC WISE Standard Course List from the Conversion Information on the NC WISE library page on the website www.ncwise.org. These are the course numbers you should use. (See “All Options” for the 6th digit information.) This document contains the valid 5 digit NC WISE course code, the course title, state course code, academic level, start date, and end date.
All Options
You can add a 6th character to the course code at the LEA level. If the LEA chooses to leave the 6th character blank, then schools could be given permission to modify course numbers. If the LEA controls the course directory and you need to prevent your school from creating their own course variations, a 6th character should be added.
Some examples for use of the 6th character include:
10102+6 – for sixth graders only standard version Language Arts course
10102+N – for a standard version Language Arts course offered for 9 weeks
10101+S – for a remedial version Language Arts course offered for one semester
10102+Y – for a standard version Language Arts course offered year long
69992+H – for community college business/marketing Dress Design I
69992+3 – for community college business/marketing Waste Management II
90150+1 – for PE elective Line Dancing
90150+2 – for PE elective Bowling
51150+A – for Dance I offering 1 credit
51150+B – for Dance I offering 2 credits
The 6th character does not need to be used to distinguish academic levels.
After you have determined the correct internal course code to be used for each course offered in your LEA, you are ready to input them into SIMS.
For instructions, see Option #2.
How do I send the courses back to the schools?
Log into SIMS.
Academic Progress/Directories/Internal Course Conversion
Select Option #2 – Export course conversion data to schools.
This step creates a file that contains the information you put in the table. The file name is LEA###.bld where ### is your LEA number. Distribute this file to all of your schools. During the schools’ import process, records within this file that pertain to each school number will be extracted and used to populate the course table at each school.
Is there a certain time of year or a time frame in which the course conversion process should be completed?
The course conversion process can be completed at any time. However, there are certain things that should be taken into consideration before choosing the best time for your particular school. Third party software, Integrade, for example, would be affected if you completed the course conversion process in the middle of a school year because teacher disks would have been created with the old course numbers at the beginning of the school year. Schools using Integrade would be better off waiting until summer to complete the course conversion.
Can I run the course code conversion process on a network?
It is strongly recommended that this process be performed on a stand-alone machine. Some of the steps are very time-consuming and will run faster and safer if you take SIMS off the network.
What steps must be taken before beginning the course code conversion process?
How do I begin the course conversion process?
Select: Academic Progress (Grade Reporting)/Processes/Internal Course Conversion
The menu selections are:
1. Print course conversion report
2. Export existing course information to LEA
3. Import course conversion data from LEA
4. Post new course numbers defined by LEA
What if my menu selections are different?
If your menu does not match, your installation is incorrect. Call your SIMS Coordinator for assistance.
Which option do I select for the first step?
Select Option 2 - Export existing course information to LEA.
This step will produce a file that contains selected information from the school’s course directory. The file name will be LLL.SSS.bld. LLL is your LEA number and SSS is your SCHOOL number. The file will be created in the user subdirectory under the SIMS directory. Give this file to your SIMS coordinator and wait for it to be returned to you.
Can I add, modify or delete courses after this file has been given to my SIMS Coordinator?
No, do not modify your course directory in any way. Contact your SIMS coordinator if the need arises.
Can Data Managers continue to work in the SIMS program while the LEA Coordinator is working on course directory?
Yes, you can continue to work as you always have, but contact your coordinator if you feel changes need to be made to the course directory.
What should I do when my SIMS Coordinator returns the file to me?
Copy the returned file from the SIMS coordinator to your user subdirectory under the SIMS directory.
Example: At the c:\ prompt type xcopy a:\LEAxxx.bld c:\ccsmss\mss\ (xxx=your LEA number).
What is the next step after copying the file?
Log into SIMS with the user name corresponding to the user subdirectory where the files were copied.
Academic Progress/Processes/Internal Course Conversion
Select Option #3 from the menu - Import course conversion data from LEA.
This step will select the information from the LEA file that is appropriate to your school and populate this information in the table right below the menu options. This table will display the state subject code, the “old” internal number, and the “new” internal number for each course in your database.
Can I make a copy of the table?
You can select option #1 – print course conversion report at any time to print the contents of this table.
Does this report show me possible master timetable conflicts?
The courses contained in the import file will be analyzed against the master timetable and a report will be produced indicating possible timetable problems/conflicts.
What kinds of problems/conflicts can be seen on the report?
The same new number is duplicated in the course directory in different semesters.
EXAMPLE of a WARNING: Two old course numbers, 1057 and 1057Y are being converted to one number-1010C. If course 1057 is a semester 1 course and 1057Y is a semester 2 course and they are both section number 2, the new 1010C will exist in the course directory twice. This is ok for conversion purposes, however, for SAR purposes, this would be shown as an error. To correct this error, create a new section number for one of the courses and transfer the students into the new section. Remember to transfer as of the first day of school and make sure you transfer any marks.
Then delete the old section.
The same new number is duplicated in the course directory in the same semester.
EXAMPLE of an ERROR: Two old course numbers, 1057 and 1057Y are being converted to one number-1010C. Both 1057 and 1057Y are scheduled in the same semester with the same section number. This error will cause the new course to be deleted and not be converted.
To correct this error, create a new section number for one of the courses and transfer the students into the new section. Remember to transfer as of the first day of school and make sure you transfer any marks.
Then delete the old section.
What happens when I have corrected items on the edit report?
Repeat the earlier process.
Academic Progress/Processes/Internal Course Conversion
Select Option #3 - Import course conversion data from LEA.
Check problems/conflicts report again to make sure all errors have been corrected.
This step may be completed as many times as necessary.
All errors must be corrected before moving to the next step.
It is finally time for the last step!
Academic Progress/Processes/Internal Course Conversion
Select option #4 – Post new course numbers defined by LEA
Up until this point, no course numbers have actually been changed. Posting new course numbers will use the information in the table to modify all information within the SIMS database relating to course information. This includes current courses, historical data, master schedule, and course options. All data will be changed to reflect the new internal course numbers. This is a time-consuming process. Once the included backup step is completed, the process can be left unattended. DO NOT SKIP THIS BACKUP. The course conversion process will conclude with a reorganization, and your internal course numbers are now converted and comply with the standards set by NC WISE.
Can courses have more than one length in the SIMS Schedule when converting data to eSIS?
When a school has a course scheduled in SIMS, the course length needs to be consistent to convert accurately in eSIS.
What this means is that the course can only have one length. Meeting codes that are attached to a single course in the SIMS master schedule can only be for one amount of time. The time attached to the meeting code would be for every day of the week or for certain days of the week only. A single course cannot have a combination of one section of the course meeting certain days of the week and another section of the same course meeting every day of the week.
Example:
2023C section 1 meeting code 01 (This code would be set up as meeting 1st period every day of the week).
2023C section 2 meeting code 1MWF (This code would be set up as meeting 1st period but only for Monday, Wednesday and Friday).
The example above has always been fine for SIMS but with conversion to the eSIS software, this data would not convert correctly.
What needs to be done to correct this conversion issue is the school needs to create a new course number so you would have one variation of the course meeting everyday and the other variation of the course would meet certain days of the week.
Example:
2023C section 1 meeting code 01 (This code would be set up as meeting 1st period every day of the week).
2023C1 section 1 meeting code 1MWF (This code would be set up as meeting 1st period but only for Monday, Wednesday and Friday).
How do I convert courses that are semester length or less from SIMS to NC WISE?
When a school's timetable has a course that is actually a semester or less in length but is scheduled two or more times in a school year in different semesters using the same section number the course will convert to a year long course. For example, you have a semester length course, 00002A, which has been scheduled in semester one with a section number of 01. And you also schedule the course in semester two with a section number of 01. The SIMS-to-NC WISE conversion routines will convert these 2 semester-long courses into one (1) year-long course.
If the course is truly a year long course, then the same section number must be used in all semesters. For example, if you have a course 0001A that is a year long course and you schedule it in semester one with a section number of 01, then semester two of a two semester school must also have a section 01.
If the course is truly a semester-long course, the section number of the semester-long course in each semester must be unique. For example, if you have a course number 0003A that is a semester course and you desire to schedule the course in both semesters of a two semester school year, then you must use two unique section numbers; i.e., you will have course 0003A section 01 in semester one and course 0003A section 02 in semester two. These will convert as semester length courses as defined in the SIMS course directory.
Why are courses not showing credit in course maintenance?
Possible reason: Course was changed and pushed down without the push credit checked.
Solution: Click on Course > Navigate > Detail to view course credit information in 1st semester. Change course at DPI Level to show credit and push to school.
What is the difference between Before Sim and After Sim? Can you explain these further?
This option is for exploding courses. If you explode Before Sim(ulation) then the students are "scattered" among available sections. If you explode After Sim(ulation), then the students are grouped together in sections.
If you can’t create courses at school level, how do you do Course Exploding?
Create the host course at the standard course level and set it to be Credit = 0. After creating the host course, create all the subordinate courses (at the LEA level) and then attach the subordinate courses to the host course (at the School level) using the Course Maintenance screen > More button.
Do you recommend using Course Exploding?
Course exploding is a great time-saver and a good tool; please just be sure to complete the steps of the process in full to avoid any problems.
The general rule of practice is to keep all courses. Don’t delete courses as you may need them in the future and would have to re-add them and re-set all your options. Clean-up for unused course options can be requested after the start of school via the SIMS / NC WISE Service Desk.
Does it affect student credit if you delete a course taken in a previous year?
No. Once a student completes a course and they have a final mark, at YET, eSIS writes them out to Credit History. Once a student has credits in Credit History, they are applied to the diploma and they are there forever. The amount of information stored in Credit Details is extensive.
Course Section Maintenance
Is Max Class for the course or the section?
It is for the section.
When you update Course Maintenance with a change in class size, does it update existing course sections?
No. You have to re-add each section.
Can you add a teacher assistant to the Teacher 2 spot in course section maintenance to assist with attendance? Would they be set in Staff Maintenance with teacher indicator checked?
No, Teacher 2 should only be used for teachers. Teacher Indicator box should NEVER be checked for non-teacher staff. This will cause errors on SAR. You can add teacher assistants to the course in Course Section Maintenance under Other Staff. Attendance is the responsibility of the teacher.
What is the difference between the timetable section and the scheduling section in Course Section Maintenance?
The timtable section identifies the course section, teacher, room, and course start date. The schedule section identifies the semester, term, day, and period.
Credit Detail
It is an alert button attached to the student and follows the student wherever they are in the system.
Will Parent information be seen in TAM if the Emergency Contact button is checked on the Parent screen but parent information is not listed on Emergency Contacts screen in eSIS?
As long as the as the Emergency Contact Button in the Parent screen of the demographic loop is checked for the parent, their information will display in TAM in the Parent/Emergency Contact tab, even if they are not separately listed on the Emergency Contact screen in eSIS.
Does NC have immigration information requirements? Can we ask for this information?
In North Carolina, schools are not permitted to record information related to the immigration status of students. Administrators of the Second Languages and ESL Services division of the NCDPI have indicated that to ask for and record this data for students is a possible violation of Federal civil rights statutes and have instructed school personnel not to collect this information. When admitting a new student, the Country of Birth, Citizen Of, and Immigration Status fields default to United States of America or American Citizen. These fields should be blanked out or left as is.
We do not use TIMS. Can we enter transportation info on the Student transportation-vehicles screen in the Demographic loop?
You do not have to use TIMS in order to use this screen. You can add info to the memo box.
Yes.
On the Student Miscellaneous Information screen, there is so much that you can add. But, there is only one person who can enter this information. How much time can someone spend entering all this information? What are the scenarios where this has been used?
This varies by district. Some districts find that they don’t use all the information. You do want to restrict who enters demographic information. Although it may seem time-consuming, this only has to be done once – when you are admitting a student or at the start of the school year. You should track as much information as you can because it benefits you down the road.
Does the Demographic info remain with students throughout the years?
Yes, it remains year-to-year. At the YET process, there is a re-set of some items such as release of information. It is a choice you can make during YET and is not required.
Could you set up permissions so that everyone can input information at the start of school and then restrict access later?
Users should only have the access needed to do their jobs.
How do we get changes to the Internet Permission Type?
This is set in the System Codes. Contact the NC WISE/SIMS Service Desk if you want to request changes.
Does the counselor drop-down list question mark show teachers, all staff members, or what does it show?
All staff members.
Do we track breakout activities in NC?
Breakout activities can be used.
If the Emergency Contacts checkbox is checked, will it convert during conversion?
The Emergency Contacts checkbox is in eSIS (not SIMS) and therefore does not convert. You can check the Emergency Contacts checkbox after conversion. Additionally, the Company File can be set to auto-create emergency contacts info for parents once the box is checked.
Does NC use Immunization Fast Entry?
Yes.
Will school nurses be entering the immunization information?
The school nurse role has access to the Immunization Fast Entry screen. It’s an LEA/School decision as to who actually does the data entry.
Do siblings have to be hand-entered or could they be generated?
The siblings have to be hand-entered. In eSIS you can run a utility that runs on same address, same phone number (Create Sibling Records utility) to run a list of all potential siblings. NC WISE does not use this utility as it is not LEA-specific, so schools will have to manually enter siblings.
Does NC WISE have the family copy function set up (Company File)?
This functionality is currently not used.
Is NC using the transportation module?
No, this is not currently used.
How are 000 schools handled during conversion from SIMS to eSIS?
SIMS does not have a 000 school. The 000 school will be set up during the Post Conversion Workshop. It will contain things like the LEA course list and central office personnel.
Scheduling – We are going to be in the process of registering kids very soon. Is there anything specific that we can do prior to conversion to enable conversion or make things go more smoothly?
You cannot convert a split database. The best thing you can do is to be prepared to schedule in a shortened time frame. Please read the Scheduling documents available on www.ncwise.org. One thing that will be very helpful is if you collect your student course options so that they are ready to be entered as soon as you have access to do so.
Next year you can schedule in the Jan/Feb time frame. One option to make entry of new students go more smoothly is to determine (from the training database) what information will now be needed that was not needed in SIMS. After that determination, new registration forms can be created for use. This will make data entry quicker once your database has been converted.
Are the school codes and numbers on School Details screen pre-set? Are all schools already set in there?
Yes, all the initial school setup is done by NCDPI prior to conversion. There will be a few fields the schools will have to verify/change during PCW.
Why do we have day 0 set at Sunday?
This appears to be an error with conversion. A script is run at conversion to add a day 0 and day 181. Since the school year started on a Monday, it added Sunday as the day 0. aal has run a script to correct this and your day 0 should be the Saturday (a non-school day) before the Monday that school started.
Once we convert to NC WISE, will we need to enter new incidents in both eSIS and USDDC?
Converting schools should continue entering data in DDC until year end. They should NOT enter data in both applications (eSIS & USDDC), or enter "half" of the year in one and "half" in the other. Data is exported (periodically) from eSIS and imported into USDDC. If there is any data in USDDC for an LEA, that data is deleted and replaced by eSIS data when the export/import process runs. So at the end of this year, all of the converted schools data will be in USDDC. eSIS will contain none of their data, so the export/import from eSIS to USDDC will not destroy any data. The school year after the LEA converts, all of their data should be entered into eSIS.
How does the Superintendent drop down list populate and can they make changes at LEA level?
Superintendent name will auto-populate when you convert. If changes need to be made after conversion, LEA has the ability to go to System Codes > School > Superintendent and make necessary changes.
What reports are recommended to print for our Post Conversion Workshop?
The reports are listed in the Post Conversion Guide on the www.ncwise.org website. They are listed in Appendix C.
Are the standard courses populated during conversion?
Standard courses for the LEA are populated at conversion from the LEA standard course file that you have created in SIMS. These have to exist at the state level to be considered valid; if invalid (i.e. don't exist at the state level) they will not be converted.
If we do not want a school to change the values for standard course detail, should we set the option on the Standard Course Detail screen?
Yes.
If the course number is the same but a setting for a course changes, then what supersedes?
You will have a set of standard courses for your LEA. You will add to that set of standard courses. The course number has to match the course number in the State standard courses, and as long as that matches, it will be converted as the LEA has it set (with the LEA settings). The course start date and long name (Desc field) will be populated from the State course. Other fields will be populated from the LEA course file and by conversion.
When will testing coordinators get the information they need on Mass Test Upload? Will this be only written directions or will it also be a training session?
There will be an overview of the Test Upload process on the last day of GSW2. There is also documentation available at www.ncwise.org.
Will the LEAs get soft copies of the training docs?
There is a large amount of documentation available online. Navigate to www.ncwise.org and then select Library.
How do we access NetStorage?
The link is: https://netstorage.NCDPI.state.nc.us/netstorage. Only the two designated Project Managers have access to NetStorage.
What is the process for PCW?
PCW is a review of the converted data to ensure everything converted correctly and to set up any necessary parts of eSIS that were not converted. Please see the Post Conversion Worksheet, available at www.ncwise.org, for an outline of what will be covered at the PCW.
Should we meet prior to Post-Conversion Workshop (PCW) to determine Company File settings?
Yes, NCDPI recommends that you meet to determine your Company File settings prior to PCW so that you can submit these at that time. NCDPI will then establish these settings for you. After PCW, any changes to the Company File will need to be requested via the SIMS / NC WISE Service Desk.
When will we see the production data?
You will see your production data at Post-Conversion Workshop (PCW).
Do we need to complete the spreadsheet for “NDS Batch Upload” for ALL teachers, etc?
Yes, you should complete this for all users who will need access to eSIS. If you do not complete this, you will have to hand-enter each user.
Are the settings shown in the Company File the NC settings that we will get at production?
These are standard settings. You will be able to determine/request changes to certain Company File settings at Post-Conversion Workshop (PCW).
What should we do between conversion and Post-Conversion Workshop (PCW)?
Re-deliver any training for the data managers (they will be attending PCW). Review the Post Conversion Guide and Post Conversion Worksheet that are in the library on www.ncwise.org.
We received our NDS Batch Upload spreadsheet back with an indication that some of the accounts already existed. Do we need to reset their passwords?
You should contact the user and find out if they know their password. If they know their password, then you do not need to reset it. If they do not know their password, then you need to reset it to something general, and then have the user change it when they login.
Are only LEA Coordinators going to Pre-Scheduling?
Pre-Scheduling is copying courses and setting up general school information. Pre-Scheduling is train-the-trainer – the LEA trainers (this should be the same group that attended GSW1 and GSW2) will receive training and then re-deliver this training to the schools. The schools will then attend scheduling training.
When will we have access to WebApps?
You will not have access to WebApps until after conversion. During post conversion you will set up security. When the first PMR is due, NCDPI will help you with an exceptions or issues through phone conference. All data managers to go through the exception may be on-site or over the phone. There is a PMR Reconciliation document available on the www.ncwise.org site that goes into detail regarding exceptions. Additionally, there is typically a PMR exception class at Symposium.
Do districts need to plan to do any training with UERS prior to Post-Conversion Workshop (PCW)?
Yes, you should deliver a high-level overview. Use the PMR Reconciliation and UERS Overview documents (available on www.ncwise.org).
Can we do another batch upload for NDS? We have teachers that did not convert and/or staff that has been added.
Yes, you can submit another spreadsheet to the SIMS / NC WISE Service Desk if a large number of users need to be added to NDS.
What should we do about teachers who were not converted correctly? For example,e if the teachers were in SIMS but are not showing up in eSIS.
If there are a lot of teachers/staff that did not convert, please ask your LEA coordinator to put in a HEAT ticket. If there are not a lot of teachers, then you can add them yourself.
Will LEAs have access to the Company File during PCW?
NCDPI will have to make all changes in the Company File. LEA coordinators should make selections and notify the SIMS / NC WISE Service Desk of changes they would like to have made.
Training Database
How long will the training database be active?
The training database will be active until June. The training database has to go through YET and so it will not be available after the end of June. Any training that has to be done in the summer should be done either without the hands-on portion or should be *carefully* performed in production. The preferred method for training is to use the training database.
Will we be using this training DB when we deliver training? How will passwords and logins be handled and setup?
Yes, the training database can and should be used when you deliver training.
Training database: Generic accounts for each LEA Trainer attending the workshops (this set of accounts includes data managers for elementary, middle, and high school and teacher logins for mid and high schools). Training for elementary schools will be performed in a middle or high school with daily attendance – the screens are the same.
Production: At PCW, you will receive (from NCDPI/trainer) a unique login for each data manager and LEA personnel attending this workshop. Then you will be shown (or actually do) account setup for other school personnel and teachers.
Recommended Training Process: You should schedule training in groups of 20 or less and perform group training. Individual logins cannot be shared. You can share logins in the example case of 20 teachers come in for training on Monday, and then a different 20 come in for training on Tuesday using the same logins from Monday. You could also allow a group (Group A) to come in on a certain day and have those logins for a certain period of time, and then schedule Group B with the same logins after that time has expired.
We are restricted by the number of schools and teachers in the database, as it is a masked copy of production. If you will be training more than 20 middle or high school teacher at one time, then NCDPI suggests:
If one LEA Trainer is not using their logins, they can share those with another LEA Trainer who is.
Mix and match your groups to contain, for example, 10 middle school teachers and 10 high school teachers.
Allow your middle school teachers to use high school logins, and vice versa. This approach is allowable as long as the attendance type (daily, period, specific period) is the same. The only difference might be in something like course lengths.
Are our logins set to specific schools in the training database?
Yes.
In the training database, is the middle school set to daily and high school to period?
You will need to check each school to verify the attendance type.
Will we have access to the training database?
Yes. Additionally, there are many practice exercises, WBTs, and documentation. Please see www.ncwise.org.
Training Re-Delivery
What is the recommended training method for teachers?
LEA trainers can leverage a presentation of the system using the training database, hands-on time with the system using the training database, WBTs and QRDs, and documentation. Trainers should try to keep smaller class sizes in order for users to have a maximum transfer of learning.
What is the suggested content for training re-delivery?
Content we are covering in GSW1 and GSW2 are recommended training. GSW1 is the basic eSIS training. This training is used across NC in every county.
Who are we training? School users, data managers, trainers?
GSW2 covers TAM. Data Managers and School Users need to know the admission/withdrawal, demographics, etc. The attendees for GSW1, GSW2, and Pre-Scheduling are train-the-trainer courses. The attendees are expected to train everyone in their LEA and schools that need to use NC WISE. We recommend that you train the data managers first as they will be attending the PCW. The audience for the PCW is data managers and principals.
What is the best practice training method for this software? Don’t our users need hands-on practice instead of show-and-tell? Should we sit down with their data and show them information?
These GSWs are train-the-trainer. Training methods vary by audience. This system is massive. Use the handouts you were given at this training and make copies for your users to keep. Allow more hands-on time for non-technical users. During training, try to sum up your target audience in the first day so that you can gauge how fast/slow you want to go.
Why are test reports from ABCTools that calculate student's years since 8th grade calculating incorrectly?
The report uses the 9th Grade Entry Date to determine this information. If the student does not attend the high school for two years, the report uses the previous year as the 9th grade entry year if the entry year field is not populated. To resolve the problem, enter a 9th grade entry date in the Diploma Screen.
Middle school courses do not receive credit.
Do we have an automated tool for inserting dates into diploma met and diploma issued?
Yes, schools can use Mass Update to do this for a group of students at one time.
Can we use both the 4-year plan and the individual course plan?
The Individual Course Plan is currently used. We have an enhancement to modify the 4-year course plan to better meet NC needs. This will most likely be available when we move to the next release of eSIS.
Do you check High school credit and High School credit apply in system codes for middle school courses that meet UNC requirements?
Do not check High School Credit, however, do check High School Credit apply.
Internal # must contain Middle School 5th character.
External Code must have an X for High School.
Course Credit is set to 0 credits.
No credit is received but the course counts as meeting UNC Requirements.
Where does the LEA add local requirements to diploma requirements?
Counselors must keep up with additional credit requirements outside of eSIS.
What is available besides AAL documents and WBTs?
There is a large amount of documentation available online. Navigate to www.ncwise.org in your internet browser. From there, select:
Navigation: Library > NC WISE Technical Library > NC WISE Guides
There are currently no plans to update the WBTs, but users should be aware that the WBTs and QRDs are still a powerful tool that can be leveraged in learning and teaching the system.
Can we get a Word version of the NC WISE Guides?
The end-user training documents on the NC WISE website are available in PDF format only.
Can you create a set of QRDs that we can print and then put in a binder for our users?
Users should use the QRDs that are currently available with the WBTs. We can consider creating more QRDs in the future to reflect changes in new versions as well as to better address LEAs’ needs.
How do I access the DPI Security Console?
The DPI Security Console is now available by going to https://wisesecapp.ncwise.org. Instructions on how to access the system may be accessed by clicking DPI Security Console Instructions.
Is there anything that addresses EC and any changes there (IE what we can fill out)?
Please see the SPED Lite and Entering EC Students into ESIS documents available on www.ncwise.org.
Is there the ability/future plan to pull information from CECAS into NC WISE?
No, eSIS is export only. EC information must be kept in both places. AIG data is taken from eSIS for the April Headcount, but ALL EC data must be kept in eSIS for other State Reporting.
Is there a report or screen to find information about EC students like what is printed on our current passport forms – i.e. supplemental aids, services, and modifications?
There are two tabs on the Special Education Lite screen (SPED) where this information can be entered.
Why am I unable to access eSIS? (Receiving error ORA 12203: TNS: Unable to connect to destination).
Updated TNS data has not been loaded. LEA servers and workstations must be rebooted in order to update with the new TNS data.
Navigate to https://esis.ncwise.org.
Enter your Username and Password, as provided by the trainer at your site.
Enter your Database. Your database should be LEA plus your LEA number. For example, if your LEA number is 999, then your database would be LEA999.
NCDPI does not recommend using IE 7 at this point. You should wait to install it until further notice.
Does NC WISE force you to change your password?
Yes, NC WISE forces you to change your password every 90 days.
What are the parameters around passwords?
The NC WISE Security Administration document (located on www.ncwise.org) has an appendix that details the passwords requirements for NC WISE.
Can you work with two schools at one time (MS and HS)?
You cannot work with two schools at the same time.
Can you run multiple eSIS sessions?
No, according to NC policy you cannot run multiple eSIS sessions. This will cause performance issues, and so there is a script that will run to close down the additional sessions.
Yes, because the machines themselves are slower.
What does the year refer to in the Date field in Select School?
If you use 2006, it’s the 2006/2007 school year. You should use the year that the school year starts. For example, for the 07/08 school year, you would see 2007. Make sure to lock your school so that you are only working with what you selected.
Can we have leading numbers in our password?
Passwords must be 8 characters in length - at least one must be numeric. As long as the numeric character is there, it can be anywhere in the password that you choose. The NC WISE Security Administration User Guide (located on www.ncwise.org) has an appendix that details the passwords requirements for NC WISE.
Can we share logins (IE have concurrent logins)?
No, this is a violation of NCDPI policy.
If eSIS accounts are locked out after 30 days of inactivity, then how do we get through the summer?
Data managers will be required to go in and reset teacher passwords. There are two reasons why this occurs:
Most schools do not want teachers to have access to class lists until all scheduling has been completed.
Teachers should not create any preps or assignments until all eSIS reporting information is complete.
Why am I unable to calculate final marks?
There is no mark calculation capability in eSIS. All mark calculation must be done through the posting of marks from the spread sheet in TAM. To resolve the problem, final marks must be calculated by hand or all marks for the year should be posted through the TAM.
Does the State determine the mark scale?
NC uses one of three dedicated state provided mark scales. These three choices are determined in the Post-Conversion Guide available on www.ncwise.org: Letter Mark Scale, Percentage Mark Scale, and Graduated (Plus and Minus) Mark Scale.
Is Report Card Legend used in NC?
Yes, the NC Report uses a report card legend.
Extra GPA Point Scale button in the GPA Module.
How does Mark Calculation vs. Mark Entry work?
Mark Calculation calculates a mark based on other marks. Mark Entry is putting in a final mark for a specific reporting period. If you want individual assessments to be averaged for a "final" mark, then you would have to use TAM. If you want final reporting period marks averaged to a final mark for the course/semester, then you would set up the calculation method in Reporting Periods and ensure that the mark is calculating using the Post column on the Reporting Term Marks screen.
Does NC use the Comments and Configuration button?
No. NC Report Cards pull comments from Mark Entry.
How many comments can we put on report card?
You can put up to five comments on a report card.
Are teachers running their own report cards?
No, teachers should only run the Progress Report.
Can a teacher's marks/grades only be seen with teacher's log in?
No, data managers, counselors, LEA Coordinators and principals can navigate to the Teacher Assistant Module and select a teacher. This will allow the view of the teacher’s marks, but you will not be able to see the teacher’s options or preps.
Does Daily Attendance auto populate onto the Mark Entry screen when marks are posted, or do teachers have to manually insert?
Daily Attendance will print on the report card at the bottom with no entry. If a teacher wants to show the number of absences for each class, then he/she will have to manually enter absences and lates on the Mark Entry screen.
What would be considered an adequate time span to give teachers to enter marks before report cards must be printed?
Data managers have the capability to add mark start and end dates for the reporting period, which allows the teacher to enter marks only between those two dates. All mark entry should be completed 2-5 days before report cards need to be printed. It is not recommended to wait until the day before report cards are due to be sent home to print them. They should be printed 2-5 days prior to the date that you want to send them home.
If the numeric mark scale is being used, how is a mark of “Incomplete” applied on the report card?
Each of the mark scales contain INC for Incomplete, P for Passing, F for Failing, WP for withdrawn passing, and WF for withdrawn failing.
How do I get to the activity log to show the user name of the person who changed marks or dropped classes?
Navigate to the Student Course Selections screen and click on the word Navigate at the bottom of the screen. Select Activity from the menu selection that appears. This allows a view the Activity Log.
Is there a way to not show class attendance on the report card?
There is a checkbox on the Display Absence Information on the Report Card Parameter Form that you can check to hide classroom (period) absences.
Will report card comments from SIMS convert to NC WISE?
Yes.
Does the e-mail integration with Lotus Notes work?
To set the default email program:
Navigation: Windows Control Panel > Internet Options
Click on the Programs Tab then select their preferred e-mail program from the Email List item.
Symposium is during our grade time. Will attending Symposium be worth the time away from the office?
At Symposium, you will learn to reconcile the PMR in NC WISE as well as have many questions answered. For example, posting grades in NC WISE is different than posting grades in SIMS (teachers post their own grades). You will have been using the system long enough to gain a lot of information from Symposium. There will also be UERS and eSIS ad-hoc reporting classes offered, which will be quite valuable for you as you transition to NC WISE. We highly recommend that you send at least one person to Symposium.
How can we get a list of pay grades and job descriptions for the NC WISE help desk, data managers, and LEA coordinators at other NC WISE schools?
You could ask other LEA Coordinators, but they probably cannot answer this question as it varies so greatly between LEAs (due to size of LEA, job requirements, etc). There are two job descriptions on the website for data managers at http://www.ncwise.org/generaldocs.html.
Have there been any problems with using the Free & Reduced Lunch Program?
NC does not currently use this module.
Is a copy of our production database available to use to test things?
Currently, there is not a copy of your production database to test.Why are early graduates not included in GPA/Rank?
Students are withdrawn and not included in calculations. In order to include the W4 students in the GPA /Rank calculation process, the extract must be specified prior to entering the GPA Module.
Do you set a different date for each GPA type that you set up?
Yes, or you could use the same one and run it for just a certain group and then another group, etc.
You can have as many GPAs as you need.
Do you need to have one for each report card issued?
You will need a reporting date for each static time that you are running report cards.
What do we have to do for elementary schools?
You have to set up reporting dates but you don’t have to set up the entire GPA. Make sure to use Secondary Mark Entry. Do not use Elementary Mark Entry.
How do you override credits on diploma type (evaluation)?
On diploma evaluation screen, select a diploma type to evaluate. If corrections need to be made, select Manual Override, make the change, and then Apply Evaluation.
What is the GPA Multiplier and why do we have to use it?
The GPA Multiplier must be populated for high schools if all courses do not have the same credit value. All schools should evaluate the credit values assigned to courses. If all courses are of the same credit value, then no further action is required. If all courses do not have the same credit value, for example, some courses are .5 credit and some are 1 credit or 2 credits, then the GPA multiplier is used. To utilize this field, enter a value that, when multiplied with the Credit Value, will convert that value to 1. This will nullify that impact of credit value on the calculation of GPA. This affects the GPA calculation for Current Reporting Period and the 7th Semester Transcript.
When does the parameter reading, "Store GPA in student's records?" need to be checked?
This must be selected at the end of the school year before Year End Transition. Otherwise, it is up to the user whether they wish to store the GPA or Rank during the school year.
Are EDI required fields available in a reference document?
Yes, refer to the EDI document on www.ncwise.org.
On Credit Details, the Academic Level, Year, and Grade must be completed.
On School Details (2nd canvas), the CEEB code (College Board ID field) must be specified. The CEEB code is a 6 digit code assigned to each high school that is used to identify that school for tests like SAT, etc.
On School Details (1st canvas), the school address must be in the format City, NC (one space, no periods). The student’s mailing address must also be this way.
Running GPA Calculation
Is GPA stored in Credit Details?
No, it is not stored in Credit Details.
Reports are built based on the foundation of reporting dates you set up (reporting periods are set up within the dates). Can you print the criteria on the report?
Yes, click the checkbox to do so.
Can you print the legend on a separate page (report card)?
Yes. If you print for each student, it will be on a separate page after the report card.
Can you print report cards in Spanish?
No.
Can you print more than 4 marks on portrait (vs landscape)? How many reporting dates?
Four reporting dates can fit on the portrait report card; eight reporting dates can fit on the landscape report card.
Where do the comments on report cards come from?
Mark Entry.
Usually the data manager will print the report cards after all teachers have posted marks.
What does the UB, PD and RO at the beginning of the incidents stand for?
PD - Persistently Dangerous
RO - Reportable Offense
UB - Unacceptable Behavior
How do you properly import incident records from NC WISE to USDDC?
For the records to export properly two things must exist; an incident number and at least one student attached to that incident. Incidents must be added through the school instead of the student for the export/import to work correctly. The path to enter incident information is:
School >Incident Reporting > School Incident Details.
System Codes
Does NCDPI make most of the decisions on System Codes?
There are fully populated system codes that are held at the state level. If the LEA needs specific system codes, then they can escalate through the LEA then it goes to the SIMS / NC WISE Service Desk. Most system codes are controlled by the state. The LEA can request additions to them through the SIMS / NC WISE Service Desk. There are a few system codes controlled by the LEAs/schools which are listed in the Post Conversion Guide, available from www.ncwise.org.
Are Assessment Types in System Codes State controlled or LEA controlled?
These are LEA controlled.
Are Observation Types in System Codes State controlled or LEA controlled?
These are State controlled.
Are Textbooks in System Codes state or LEA controlled?
These are LEA controlled.
Company File
What can the LEA do at the Company File level?
The LEAs can set some of the settings on the Company File, but the changes must be made at the state level.
For deployment activities, you can have a list in mind of what you would like changed to submit to NCDPI at PCW. During PCW, the trainers will explain which options the LEA can change. These options are also listed and described in the Post Conversion Guide and Post Conversion Worksheet available on www.ncwise.org. After PCW, any changes to the Company File must be requested via the SIMS / NC WISE Service Desk.
Standard Courses
Is there an option to have the courses only altered at LEA level, not school level?
Enforce standard courses in the Company File. For example, NC went from 6 character to 8 character course codes. If an LEA does not want the school creating their own courses, the LEA will need to use all 8 characters of the course code.
What happens when a student moves from one district to another if the courses don’t match up?
Credit History keeps an archive. You can add courses to credit history (the student must have a final mark).
Regarding the Course Catalog button – does this imply that we can create a booklet from NC WISE? Is there a report that generates a course catalog?
There is a location on the Course Maintenance screen where you can type in a description. In the Courses and Course Selections report group, you can print the Course Descriptions report.
Do we use the External Test Button in Standard Courses?
No.
What if 5 or 6 courses have the same description? Is there an easy way to determine which is which?
No. You should set up your courses with meaningful names and descriptions. There are other ways to look at your courses and identifiers (i.e. Short Name). This is one of the only fields that can be altered at the school level. Short Name shows up in a ton of different reports. Description is mandatory and cannot be altered. You can also use Other Description.
Why are W4 students not building in final masterbuild?
Only students enrolled on the 1st day of testing as indicated in UERS are built in the masterbuild.
Any students who have been admitted since the first masterbuild will be merged into the original masterbuild. This is done at the RAC level.
Do we take attendance on Pre-K students?
Attendance on Pre-K students is not reported to the state or required by the state; however you can take attendance for teacher and school records.
How do we set it up so that the Pre-K students show on our PMR but do not count toward membership?
You should enroll your Pre-K students as visiting students. Visiting students do not count toward membership.
If you enroll your pre-K students to the 000 school they will not show on your PMR.
What are 000 schools used for?
There are multiple uses for having students in the 000 schools. The most predominant use is using 000 to house Pre-K students who are using special education services. This way, the Pre-K students can be counted in the Dec and April headcounts for EC purposes. The WBTs have more information on 000 schools – see Pre-K 000 School Setup WBT.
Are all Pre-K students entered in 000 schools, regardless of where they are?
All Pre-K students are not entered into the 000 school. If a school has a Pre-K program where attendance is to be taken, then the students need to be enrolled in the school. The only time that the 000 school would be used for Pre-K students is to enter the Pre-K students who are receiving special services at the central office and not attending school.
Do you set up a Pre-K for every school or just one?
No, you can only have one 000 school.
Do you need to grant access to the 000 school to each person that would need to deal with those students, or do you have to have someone at Central Office maintain it?
You could cross-enroll to the school that they would be going to, and then take attendance there. Access to the 000 school should only be available to the Coordinator or someone with the Coordinator role. The Coordinator maintains the demographic data for the student. When should we start enrolling Kindergartners?
We suggest the May timeframe. If you do start enrolling kindergartners at that time, make sure to blank out the next grade and the next school in the Pre-Transition List so that they will not be transitioned. Also, make sure to put an admission date of after YET, for example something like July 15, 2007 so that they will not be promoted to 1st grade during YET.
Why can't I print in TAM with Adobe 7.0?
If you have Adobe 6.0 and 7.0, you need to uninstall 6.0.
Can you post-date the registration?
Yes, but it is highly recommended that you don’t. It will be automatically processed on that date and if the student doesn’t show up, then you have to reverse register.
Should we register students when we admit them?
Admission and registration in NC WISE are two different processes (in SIMS they were essentially the same process). A student should never be registered until they are actually attending a class in the school, as registering them counts them in membership. They can be admitted when the information for the student is received, but again the student should not be registered until they attend class.
What is an example for how we could use cross-enrollment?
All county chorus is a good example. A student’s home school is School A but School B offers an Honors course that School A does not offer. The student would be enrolled in School A and cross-enrolled in School B so that she could take the honors course.
How do you treat visiting students? For example, EC students that come to our schools for services and show up as DCT1.
Visiting students who are of regular school age should be admitted into the school where they receive services as visiting students. Simply admit the student to the school where he receives services and use the code of Visiting Standard instead of Member Standard. The visiting student must also be given a schedule or will be kicked out as a fatal error on the SAR. This is a way to keep better track of students who may be receiving special services even though we cannot count them as students who are enrolled in the school. Visiting students are not counted on the PMR.
Why won’t the Print button work?
There are two possiblities:
A pop-up blocker was enabled on the PC. Either disable the pop-up blocker or use the CTRL key when you hit the Print button.
You have spaces in your password.
When we print the Student Activity Log screen, does it go to the Queue Manager?
No.
Do we use the Queue Manager?
No, we do not use the Queue Manager in NC. When printing reports, you should always set Print in Background to No.
Is there a suggestion for when and where saving, storing, and/or printing reports is appropriate?
For YET preparation, there are reports suggested in the Pre YET documentation. Reports can be printed, but it is also suggested that these reports be saved in Adobe format on CD or on the network drive. Please keep in mind that these reports are confidential, and precautions should be taken so they will remain secure.
When should extracts be run?
It is a good habit to run a new extract each time a report is run. Any changes such as demographic info, admissions, withdrawals, will not show until a new extract has been run.
Is there a quick way to print multiple reports on a particular student?
Query for a student on eSIS main start screen, click the Print button on the lower right side of the main screen and a menu of selected reports will appear. Check the reports you wish to print and click the print icon.
Will the reporting groups already be set up for the district?
Standard eSIS reports will be available to users based on their role. Data managers and Coordinators will also have access to all the reports currently in the Reporting Hub (reportinghub.ncwise.org).
Export Adhoc
Is there more than one way to save an exported file?
Files to be exported from eSIS can be saved as .txt (text) files, .xls (excel) files, or .csv (comma separated value) files.
How many categories (menus) can be used when pulling information to export data?
Only two categories can be used. The first is the Demographic (which is the default), and then one other (user choice) can be selected.
Since there is a limited number of characters that can be exported, is there a way to change the field titles in eSIS?
The LEA coordinator can rename the column names in eSIS.
Does the Simulate button save the schedule?
No, the Simulate button only searches for spots for the students in the specific courses. The change is not permanent until you click Save.
Is there a record of which counselor makes each scheduling change?
For adding/dropping courses and daily activity – Daily Activity tracks what is going on.
Does eSIS have trouble handling A/B (cycle) days for Academy schools?
No, this is handled using a combination of the Day and possibly Tumble Fields on the Current Year screen.
Will year-long courses be semester 0 courses?
Yes.
Can Teaching Teams be created and how do you set them up?
Refer to the Scheduling Models document in the NC WISE Library.
Can you just add minutes to a course and have students go to lunch during this time?
No, lunch time should never be included in the scheduled minutes for a course. This will inaccurately report the number of minutes of instructional time on the SAR.
When a Sped Max number is entered on the course section maintenance screen and you try to add an EC student over this max will it give you a hard stop or soft stop?
It will depend entirely on the choices made on the School Details screen under course capping. If the course capping is set to on, then it would be a hard stop.
Student Course Selections
Where do the Individualized Course Plan entries “go”?
When you use the Master Timetable Builder to simulate courses, it will first look at this plan and schedule these first, then the student preferences/selections.
Should we always use the ADD/DEL button?
Yes. You could randomly select and type stuff – if you don’t use the ADD button, though, it may not save. If you use ADD/DEL it will definitely be saved.
When can course selections/options for incoming 9th grade students be made?
In January or February of a typical school year, each school will do the pre-transition process. This process will cross enroll students who are moving to a different school within the LEA to the school they will attend for the coming school year. Once this process has been completed, the receiving school will be able to see all student information for those students and will also be able to enter course options/selections for the next school year.
How do we set up middle school courses such as Algebra 1 to reflect no credit but show as meeting UNC requirements on the transcript?
The middle school internal course code should be used (5th Character C for standard). The external course code should show as high school (5th character X for high school). The course should have a credit of 0 and the High School Credit Apply box should be checked. This will allow the course to print on the transcript and show no credit towards graduation requirements, but WILL show (with the indicator of U) on the transcript as being counted towards UNC requirements.
How should you list periods on the Current School Year screen?
All periods should be listed on the third tile of the Current School Year screen. The period should be listed even if it contains 0 minutes.
How do I make changes to the school schedule?
If changes need to be made to the school schedule (semesters or terms), please contact the helpdesk (sis_support@dpi.state.nc.us). Certain tables must be cleared before such changes can be made.
Can you weight report cycles differently for elementary than high school?
Yes.
Is SPED information carried throughout the system, for example to TAM?
We only use the SPED Lite module in NC. The only way SPED info filters to teachers is through Alerts.
Can you use Alerts to warn of ESL or other special programs?
Yes.
If you have one course that runs two semester and others that run all year, is that considered a two semester school?
Yes.
How does being a two semester school but having both 18 week and 36 week classes affect your terms?
You do not need terms in that case. You only need terms if you have 9 week courses.
What if we have a course that is 36 weeks and also have 9 week courses?
Your school would be a one semester school with 4 terms.
What about community college courses that are 9 weeks?
You can set up for ½ credit for the first nine weeks, and ½ for the second to equal one full credit. The EDI transcript pulls from here and not from the community college, so it’s important you get it right so that it’s right on the EDI transcript.
We have children that take art 9 weeks, then literacy 9 weeks, then art 9 weeks, and finally literacy 9 weeks. How do we set these up?
You set these up as 9 week courses so long as they are getting a final mark. You would use different section numbers.
What are unique courses in the Max # Unique Courses field?
This field indicates the Max number of DIFFERENT courses per year for a teacher. In other words, the maximum number of different courses a teacher might teach in one year.
School TA Config
Does NCDPI set up the School TA Config screen initially with the correct settings?
No, this is set at the LEA and school level.
What is the difference between the TA Config and the School TA Config screen?
TA Config is set up at the district level. School TA config is set up at the school level. They are two different screens.
What should be set on the School TA Config?
School TA Config Screen
Navigation: School>School Information>Schedule> More Info>School TA Config
NCDPI recommendations:
Can Teachers Override Report Cycle Weights—NCDPI recommends No (unchecked) so that all semester average and final marks will be calculated uniformly. Report Cycle Weights should be set up by the Data Manager on the Reporting Periods screen.
Can Teachers Override School Mark Scale—No. Teachers and schools are required to use one of the three mark scales approved by NCDPI. Once chosen, they should never be overridden.
Default Grade Calculation Method—Should always be set to Total Points in North Carolina.
Enforce Default Grade Calculation Method—Must be checked because only Total Points can be used in North Carolina.
Cumulative Method Default—Cumulative Method Default must be set to Cumulative grade by grouping. This indicates that only the marks in the current reporting period are used in determining the mark. Simple Cumulative grade would include the mark in every grading period to determine the mark for each reporting period.
Can Teachers Override Cumulative Method— Do NOT check this option.
Calculate Final Mark Method—Choices are Post Column and TA Column. This is a school choice, but before a decision is made, both selections must be understood completely. If the Calculate Grades Using Post Column is selected, then the mark that was posted to the report card is the mark that will be used to calculate the final mark for the class. If the Calculate Grades Using TA Column is selected, the final marks will automatically be calculated using the marks calculated by TAM and no change can be made to the mark.
NCDPI recommendation is Calculate Grades Using Post Column.
School Details
Can you add more than three Vice Principals? Some schools have 4 VPs or more.
They can be added to Staff Maintenance, but the School Details screen only has three fields for Vice Principals.
How should charter schools set up their Next School Default?
The Next School Default field cannot be blank. You cannot transition your students outside of your LEA. Charter schools and high schools should always have their school as the Next School Default. When you pre-transition the highest grade level for Elementary Schools and Middle Schools that are charters, you select No so that the next school is left blank.
For a Pre-K through 12th grade school, what do we pick as the Type?
You should choose High/Secondary.
Homes Rooms
If you have a school that keeps the same homerooms for 4 years (I.E., the students don’t change homerooms each year), can you set them to be the same for all 4 years without reassigning the students each year?
No. This is an enhancement that would need to be requested via the SIMS / NC WISE Service Desk. You would need to reassign the students each year. Homerooms can be copied each year and students can be assigned via Mass Assign or Teams.
On the Homeroom Maintenance screen, what should we put for Class Type?
Class Type should be blank on the Homeroom Maintenance screen.
Reporting Periods
What is the difference between terms & semesters?
Semester is division of the year; term is a division of the semester.
What prints on the report cards from the Reporting Periods screen?
The short name prints on report cards, but a legend also prints showing the short and long name. You are only allowed three characters for the short name.
Teams and Groups
Is NC using Teams/Groups?
Yes.
How do ineligible students show up?
In bold, red.
How are School Nurses set up?
They are assigned the Staff Role of School Nurse within eSIS.
Navigation: School > School Information > Staff Maintenance
1. Select the Non-Teaching Staff radio button, and then select the name of the school nurse.
2. Click Staff Details, and then click Staff Roles.
3. Select School Nurse from the drop-down list, and then assign the % of time that the staff member is a school nurse at your school. Start and end dates are optional.
Do we use the E-mail Password field on the Staff Details screen?
No, this is currently not used in NC.
Is the code for Superintendent important? How do we update the Superintendent?
The code is arbitrary. You overwrite the current record.
How do we set up teacher assistants?
Teacher assistants are not assigned a role via the Staff Roles screen. Teacher assistants are also not checked with the Teacher Indicator.
If the teacher assistant is assigned to a course, then the TA should be added to the course in Course Section Maintenance via the Other Staff button.
Navigation: School > Course Information > Course Section Maintenance
Click the Other Staff button. Assign the staff member, select the role of Teacher Assistant, and put in the percentage of time they spend in this class.
Should we check the Teacher Indicator checkbox for Teacher Assistants?
No. The Teacher Indicator checkbox should only be selected for certified teachers.
What are the requirements for Cert Name?
It must be entered as Last Name, First Name. It must match the teacher's certificate. If the certificate has middle name/middle initial on it, then you should include that in the Cert Name field. If the staff member is not a certified staff member, then it should be Last Nam