Ethnic Group validation table changes
- Added option 8 - Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander to Ethnic Group validation table.
- Changed title of option 4 from Asian/Pacific Islander to Asian.

AK SE Placement entry table changes
- Added codes 20-35 to AK SE Placement entry table.
- Deleted codes 01-18 from AK SE Placement entry table (deleted from setup file -- must be manually removed from entry table).

User Defined fields added
Added User Defined fields SE Served by October 1 and LEP Student.

Report changes
- Removed District ID field, added fields 18, 19, and moved note field to position 20 on the printed output.
- Removed the District ID column from the printed output.


As specified in the E-News memo…
Please note that the state custom update is not the same as a Schoolmaster system update, although it is recommended that you have Version 5.40a/1.40a or higher for this update. If you want to install the latest version of the Schoolmaster program, please do so before installing the state custom update. Otherwise, you will overwrite the state custom update.

Please also note that, unlike with a normal system update, it is not necessary to log all users out of the Schoolmaster application to install the state custom update. Simply ensure that all users are logged out of the State Custom module.

The state custom update and general system update installers, revised Alaska setup file (aksetup.exe), and complete documentation can be found at the following locations on our Web site:


State Custom Update (and latest Schoolmaster system update)
http://www.schoolmaster.com/support/system_updates/index.php

Alaska Setup File
http://www.schoolmaster.com/support/my_state/AK/index.php

- Add Assignment/Add to Multiple Gradebooks (Network Edition only): If the assignment belongs to a group that does not exist in one or more of the destination gradebooks, the group will be added along with the assignment.

- Add Assignment/Add to Multiple Gradebooks (Network Edition only): When a calculation is added to multiple gradebooks, all affected gradebooks are recalculated.

- Import Assignments (XML) (District Edition only): Assignments exported from a Network Edition gradebook class or section can be imported into a District Edition gradebook class or section.

- Import Schoolmaster Rosters (Network Edition and District Edition): Multiple rosters can be selected from the import list of assigned class and sections.

- Duplicate Assignment (District Edition only): When duplicating an assignment in the Assignments or Data Entry views, the word(s) Copy, Copy 1, Copy 2, etc. are added to the original to create a unique title for the duplicate.

- Mark Calculation/Drop Lowest Mark (Network Edition and District Edition): Assignment Value is now considered when locating the lowest mark.

- Posting to Schoolmaster (Network Edition only): Multiple elementary gradebooks created from the same homeroom can now be posted simultaneously.

- Assignment titles containing % (Network Edition and District Edition): Gradebook assignment titles can now contain the percent (%) symbol.

- Student PIN (Network Edition and District Edition): Posting from gradebooks to Schoolmaster now takes the student’s PIN into account; students with a blank PIN are excluded from the posting.

Student Views

- Siblings View (Network Edition only): New view added to the Students File. If Admissions module is licensed, Siblings Who Are Applicants information is available from the view.

- Meals Status View (Network Edition only): Added Meal Application Number, Meal Application Date, Meal Application Status, and Meal Approval Date fields to Meal Status view.

- Programs View: Home School checkbox changed to Primary Need.

- Field Tracking View: Changed column heading from Value to Previous Value.

- Phones and Addresses View: Added Email field to the adult detail section of the Phones and Addresses view. The field can be edited only from the Adult/Parent: Phones and Addresses view.

Login

- Disable Login: When disabling the login function, the System Manager has the option of creating a customized message such as “The system will be down until 10:00 a.m.” that displays when users attempt to log in.

- Configuration: Advanced view: Password Strength and Lockout Duration fields have been added to the dialog. Password Strength supports three levels of password strength, the highest requiring the password to be a minimum of 10 characters long and to include at least one number and at least one letter. In the event of a third login failure due to incorrect password entry, the Lockout Duration option keeps users logged out for 20 Minutes, Indefinitely, or Never.

PASS

- Elementary Mark History is now supported.

- Style Sheet: A new style sheet is available and will be used if the Web folder is copied to the server. To bypass or edit the new style sheet, be sure to read the complete documentation on the Schoolmaster Web site.

End of Year Procedures

- Post Attendance: This item was moved from the Utility/End of Year Procedures menu to the Module/Attendance menu.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Schoolmaster System Managers and other key operators should plan on attending one of our continuing education training events. The training events feature multiple concurrent lecture presentations in addition to hands-on computer lab training.

Certified Schoolmaster Trainers and Olympia Computing Company staff will provide expert training and advice on the use of the latest version of Schoolmaster. Our expert trainers will provide a unique training environment which promotes networking with other users. At many of these events, representatives from our Programming, Technical Support, and Administrative teams will be on hand to meet with you.

The training curriculum for these events is designed for key operators who have completed Schoolmaster Phone Training relative to their job function. "New users" should not attend unless they have received their "Basic" Schoolmaster Phone Training. For details on the topics scheduled for presentation at specific events, visit our Web site.

EVENT DETAILS & PRE-REGISTRATION
Preliminary information, including event locations, topic overview, tentative daily schedules, and electronic pre-registration can be found at the following location on our Web site.

http://www.schoolmaster.com/training/events/index.php

ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...
Pre-registering does not obligate you to attend the training event, it just temporarily reserves your seat. Finalization of your registration requires that you fax a purchase order to Olympia Computing Company. (To remain eligible for an Early Bird discounted fee, fax a PO by the deadline indicated).

Many topics are presented only once during the two days. If your school needs full coverage of all available topics, multiple attendees should register. For group rates (10 or more) from a school/district, please e-mail Olympia Computing for information on group registration fees.

Day One check-in begins at 7:00 AM, the general sessions begin at 7:45 AM, the last session ends at 4:00 PM. Day Two sessions begin at 7:45 AM and the last session ends at 4:00 PM.

We do not guarantee computer availability for hands-on sessions. Seating is first come, first served.

COMMENTS FROM PAST ATTENDEES...
"It was a very good event! The food and snacks were excellent and the accommodations were wonderful. I enjoyed the whole experience even though I have only been on Schoolmaster two months. Great program!"

"I found the trainers to be very well-versed and informative. I have been to 3 training events since we started using Schoolmaster, and I always picked up something new at each one."

"I felt the presenters did an excellent job of teaching at all different levels. They had people from all backgrounds -- individuals with many years under their belt and others who had just a minimum amount of experience and yet they adequately met the needs of all."

"I was pleasantly surprised to see programmers and support people in the topic presentations. [User conference event] They didn't "teach" the materials, but they were there to field questions from presenters and attendees alike. That's not a small feature. It's huge. It shows that your company places the end-user first and that you (as a company) are there to provide the very best in support and training."

Alaska Setup File
The setup file was updated and released earlier this month; if you didn't get download it at that time, be sure to do so now. It contains ethnic codes, entry codes, exit codes, and updates to user-defined views applicable to the OASIS Summer Submission. The Alaska Setup File is available from the following location on our Web site:

http://www.schoolmaster.com/support/my_state/AK/OASIS/index.php
(Click on "Contents of and Obtaining the Alaska Setup File)  

2006 HSGQE Import
The applicable setup file containing 2006 custom data imports is available from the following location on our Web site:

http://www.schoolmaster.com/support/my_state/AK/HSGQE_import/index.php

2006 SBA Import
The applicable setup file containing 2006 custom data imports is available from the following location:

http://www.schoolmaster.com/support/my_state/AK/sBA_import/index.php

If you are a site administrator, system manager, or key Schoolmaster operator, bookmark our Web site (www.schoolmaster.com) and visit the "Support" side of the site on a regular basis. When there is a new notice, you will see a blinking "Schoolmaster News" graphic at the upper-right corner of the Web site header. Clicking on the graphic will take you to a "My Notices" page that contains the latest news as well as a searchable archive of previous notices. Once you have visited this page, the browser will remember the visit and the blinking "Schoolmaster News" graphic will not appear until a new notice is posted.  You can directly access the notice (and archived notices) from the "My Notices" link on the main support Web page.

For those of you familiar with RSS technology, configure your reader to notify you when new notices are posted on our Web site.

IPT Pre-ID Pre-code Export
Fields needed for the IPT Pre-ID export have been added to the Alaska user-defined view and custom data export needed to create IPT Pre-ID file has been created. The work activity guide is available at the following location on our Web site:
http://www.schoolmaster.com/support/my_state/AK/iPT_labels/index.php