I’m impatient.
After I take a test or turn in a project, I constantly check PowerSchool to see if my teacher has updated my grade yet. PowerSchool is a convenient way that Bellevue West students can access their grades at any time online. Though the idea itself could be a stress-reliever, the website has many obvious flaws.
To begin with, the URL is too confusing. I always accidentally type in PowerSchool.com, thinking it’ll go to the website called PowerSchool. bpspswebs.org/guardian/home.html is much too long to type in, let alone remember, and the only other alternative is to first go to Bellevue Public School’s website and then click on PowerSchool.
Finding the website is only the first of its problems. At the beginning of every school year, PowerSchool always creates a mile-long line of students, waiting to receive their class schedule. The schedule is available online, however it is missing a very important aspect: classroom numbers.
Every August students are given the choice of standing in a line as long and chaotic as those on Black Friday, or wandering around Bellevue West until they find their teacher’s name on a nameplate. By simply adding in a spot for classroom numbers underneath the teacher’s name in PowerSchool would an easy way prevent this dreaded line.
As grades roll around, I’m thankful that I have the ability to have relieve myself of the stress of wondering what I scored on a test. But, would it be that difficult to show what the class average was for the test? I’m always wondering how my grade are in comparison to everyone else’s, to see if I’m where I should be. Adding a class average feature would be one more way I could keep track of how I’m doing.
Completing college scholarship applications is right around the corner, and it’d be nice to have a quick way to access my class rank and GPA. After the last day of school last year, my family and I went to PowerSchool to find out my GPA. To our surprise, there’s no way for students and parents to access their GPA. It’s one more feature that I’m sure wouldn’t be that difficult to add. Having to travel down to the counselor’s office and wait for their attention is a pure waste of time when it could be as easy as a click of a button.
While PowerSchool may be a useful tool that I’m glad I have, it also has its flaws. From the confusing URL, to the lack of information that can be found on the site, PowerSchool could use some updating.
Hailey Stolze
Website Editor-in-Chief and West Wind Commentary Editor
