Recording class attendances - multi-periods

Synergetic can combine attendance records to mark attendances for classes that span multiple periods.

Multi-periods
Multi-periods occur when the same class is scheduled in sequential periods, and may include a brief break to change rooms or for recess.

Multi-periods are indicated by a light yellow shading in the Period field of affected classes. In the following example, periods 5 and 6 are a multi-period of Accounting 3 1 and they can be marked together or separately; depending on the configuration settings and lookup table.


Note: To configure multi-periods, see Maintaining attendance configuration settings in the System maintenance manual.

Also see:

• Recording class attendances - Teachers
• Recording class attendances - Attendance Officers.

Recording multi-period attendances
To record class attendances for multi-periods:

1. Select Module > Students > Attendance Maintenance from the main menu.
   
   Tip: You can also access the Attendance functions by clicking .
   
   The Set Attendance Search Criteria window is displayed.
2. Update the search criteria, to locate the multi-period classes that need updating. See Searching for attendance records.
   
3. Depending on your role, select either the Attendance Officer Mode or Teacher Mode if displayed. See:
   • Recording class attendances - Teachers
   • Recording class attendances - Attendance Officers.
4. Select the class you are marking attendances for.
   
   Note: Depending on your configuration settings, you may not be able to mark attendance before the class is scheduled to start. See AllowFutureEntry configuration setting in the System maintenance manual.
    
5. Click .
   The following dialog is displayed, if multi-period is configured to prompt for the file type of the class. For example, music classes.
   
   
   Note: Multi-period attendance mode is determined by a subjects File Type. See luFileType lookup table in the System maintenance manual.
   
   Tip: Select the first class of a multi-period if the following dialog window is displayed.
   
   
   
6. Click if needed.
   The Attendance window is displayed. See Attendance window.
   
   
   Note: The column headings displayed vary based on the mode being used.
    
7. Select in the Attended field next to an absent student.
   
   Note: You can mark a late student as absent, depending on your organisation's policy. For example, your organisation decides that less than five minutes late is considered present and more than 15 minutes late is considered absent. Synergetic can be configured to create an absence event when you enter a late arrival Time. See Maintaining attendance configuration settings in the System maintenance manual.
    
8. If you know the details of the absence, select from the Poss Tchr Type or Absence Type drop-down list.
9. If you know the reason, select the reason from the Poss Tchr Reason or Absence Reason drop-down list.
   
   Note: You do not need to select this field in New Zealand schools as the Absence Type field is used to determine whether an absence is approved by the NZ MOE or not. See Attendance codes for New Zealand schools.
    
10. Record any comments in the Poss Tchr Description or Absence Comment field to explain absences.
11. Repeat steps 6 through 10 for each absent student.
12. If a student arrives late:
    • select the Late Arrive field for the student
    • type the student's arrival time in the Time field next to it.
    
    
    Note: The time can be configured to automatically populate when the Late Arrive field is selected.
     
13. If a student leaves early:
    • select the Early Depart field for the student
    • type the student's departure time in the Time field next to it.
    
    
    Note: The time can be configured to automatically populate when the Early Depart field is selected.
     
14. Repeat steps 12 and 13 for all students who are late or leave early.
    
    Note: Synergetic handles students who are late or leave early across multi-periods. For example, the attendance status of a student during each period is adjusted automatically if they are late or leave early.
     
15. Mark any of the user-defined flags. For example, No H/W (homework).
    Up to five user-defined flags can be set up. See Attendance window.
    
    In the example above:
    • Amanda is absent. She was away sick yesterday, so this was entered in the Poss Tchr Description as a possible reason for today's absence.
    • Celese had to leave the class 15 minutes before the lesson end time.
    • Coby is absent but we do not know why.
    • Holly arrived six minutes late but it is your organisation's policy to mark her present because she arrived less than 15 minutes after the start of the class.
    • Lochlan is present in class but did not hand in his homework, so no H/W is selected.
16. Click .
    The Confirm Attendance window is displayed.
     
17. Check that the students displayed are in class.
    
    Note: Synergetic also marks the student attendances in the subsequent periods, based on these first period attendances.
     
18. Click .
    The following dialog is displayed.
    
19. Click if you have more classes to mark, otherwise finish here.
    The Set Attendance Search Criteria window is redisplayed with the marked class in bold.
20. Select the next period to mark.
    
21. Click .
22. Repeat steps 6 through 21 for each class.