By next September, all parents and guardians in the Highline School District should be able to log on to their computers and check their child's grades, attendance and academic progress, district technology director Mark Finstrom reported to board members on Nov. 16.
Parents and guardians will also be able to exchange messages with their student's teachers through the "parental portal," Finstrom noted.
Parents at Aviation High in Des Moines have been testing the system since October. Finstrom said the most popular feature for parents has the ability to check on attendance.
Cedarhurst Elementary in Burien will begin using the system in December. An information and training session will be held for Cedarhurst parents on Dec. 8.
Bonds approved by voters in 2006 fund the parental portal as well as a system for schools to share information and a district data warehouse.
In other business, board members tentatively approved a request by Mt. Rainier High senior class leaders to transfer the school's graduation ceremony from Highline Memorial Stadium to the ShoWare Center in Kent.
The ceremony will take place June 18.
The student leaders said ShoWare can seat 5,000 people, while the stadium can only seat 3,000. ShoWare also has 3,400 parking spaces, while parking is limited at the stadium.
Currently, each graduating senior is limited to six tickets but moving the ceremony to ShoWare would allow more relatives and friends to attend, the Mt. Rainier students said. Last year, there were requests for 350 tickets than could not be accommodated.
Tickets will be sold for $5. Tickets will also be available graduation night at ShoWare for $7.
The students said they do not consider the $5 price as a barrier to students being able to afford tickets. Previous years, tickets were $2 while Renton charges $10 per ticket, they noted.
There will be no additional costs to the Highline district because senior class funds will cover any shortfall, the class leaders said.
The class officers said Highline High seniors were also invited to hold their graduation ceremony at ShoWare but Highline class leaders decided they wanted to continue the tradition of holding their ceremony at the stadium adjacent to Highline High.
Board members approved the Mt. Rainier request contingent on a favorable contract review by Superintendent John Welch.
Welch and fellow board members praised the work of former board president Julie Burr Spani who was attending her final meeting as a board member. She did not run for reelection
"You have made this process better and your impact will endure," board president Bernie Dorsey told Burr Spani.
