Recording class attendances - Teachers

Use this method of recording class attendances if your role is:

• a teacher who records class attendances using the Teacher mode
• an administration person who records class attendances then follows up on unexplained absences separately
• a teacher who records class attendances even though the Attendance Officer/Teacher Mode option is not displayed on the Set Attendance Search Criteria window at your organisation.

Note: The Attendance Officer/Teacher mode can be configured to appear on the Set Attendance Search Criteria window. By default, this option is not displayed. See EnableAttendanceOfficerModeFlag configuration setting in the System maintenance manual.

Also, see:

• Recording class attendances - Attendance Officers
• Recording class attendances - multi-periods.

To record class attendances:

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 class that needs updating. See Searching for attendance records.
   
   
   Tip: If the Period fields are highlighted in light yellow, Synergetic has detected multi-periods. See Recording class attendances - multi-periods.
   
   
   
3. Select Teacher Mode if displayed.
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 Attendance window is displayed. See Attendance window.
   
   
   Note: The column headings displayed vary based on the mode being used. Also see IconAlertsDisplay configuration setting in the System maintenance manual.
   
   Tip: If a confirmation dialog is displayed about using Multi-Period mode, see Recording class attendances - multi-periods.
    
6. 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.
    
7. If you know the details of the absence, select from the Poss Tchr Type drop-down list.
8. If you know the reason, select the reason from the Poss Tchr 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.
    
9. Record any comments in the Poss Tchr Description field to assist the administration person with following up any explained absences.
10. Repeat steps 6 through 9 for each absent student.
11. 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.
     
12. 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.
     
13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 for all students who are late or leave early.
14. 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.
15. Click .
    The Confirm Attendance window is displayed.
    
16. Check that the students displayed are in class.
17. Click .
    The following dialog is displayed.
    
18. 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.
19. Select the next period to mark.
    
20. Click .
21. Repeat steps 6 through 20 for each class.