PowerSchool Student Information System Specialist

About the International School of Los Angeles

Mission:

The International School of Los Angeles (LILA) is an international, preschool through 12th-grade school committed to academic excellence in a nurturing and intimate environment that encourages personal initiative, creativity and curiosity. Students are challenged through the rigorous and well-balanced bilingual curricula of the French and International Baccalaureate institutions. Our goal is to develop confident, caring, and open-minded critical thinkers who will thrive in a diverse competitive world.

Objective:

The PowerSchool Student Information Systems Specialist is responsible for PowerSchool, set up of master schedules for all campuses, import and export data between Infosnap, PowerSchool, School Cash Online and other systems, and IT related responsibilities. He/she must be a team player, committed to LILA’s mission, and be passionate about encouraging excellence in education. 

Reports to:

•  Director of IT

Essential Functions:

PowerSchool

1. Assist the administrative staff with the PowerSchool admin portal.
2. Assist teachers with PowerTeacher portal and PowerTeacher gradebook.
3. Assist teachers and staff with PowerSchool training.
4. Assists campuses to answer parent and student questions regarding PowerSchool and parent/student portals.
5. Communicate with PowerSchool Tech Support as LILA’s technical contact (open support cases, troubleshooting, submit enhancement requests etc.).
6. Implement imported data from previous Student Information System (SIS). Review and collect information from PowerSchool knowledge base, training videos, and PowerSchool University conference to learn the product and answer questions from LILA.
7. Write instruction guides for admin and teachers, maintain and update on the internal PowerSchool Help websites
8. Plan training for new teachers at the beginning of the school year and for new arrivals throughout the year.
9. Set up at the start of the year reviewing and updating settings (school information, codes, years, terms, days, periods, bell schedules, calendars, attendances, grade displays, GPA calculations etc.).
10. Ensure SIS is running smoothly at the start of the year and throughout  the year, update settings as needed.
11. Communicate with PowerSchool users regarding data entry
12. Archive end-of-year reports.
13. Prepare SIS for student rollover (add terms for next year, student information for next year etc.).
14. Rollover students for the next school year.
15. Record exit information for departing students.
16. Update 30+ grade scales in SIS annually for IB.
17. Review any grade scales upon request from administration.
18. Build custom PDF reports based on schools needs.
19. Update report code periodically depending on term or year.
20. Create export templates for staff to quickly and easily export data into Excel.
21. Customize and update PowerSchool pages HTML codes, custom data fields and custom screens.
22. Disable parent/student portals during summer, and re-enable when necessary. Coordinate with Communications department to notify parents.
23. Manage PowerSchool accounts for staff, students, and parents (creation, deletion, password resets, security settings)
24. Support staff with SchoolMessenger questions

Scheduling

1. Collect scheduling information from Directors before summer.
2. Set up master schedules for all campuses in SIS: courses, credits, GPA points, teachers, co-teachers, course sections, section meeting times.
3. Verify accuracy and update courses, course credits, course grade scales, standards.
4. Enroll students into courses, and process student schedule change requests as requested by administration.
5. Maintains course information and schedules as requested by administration.

Data Management

1. Import and export data between Admissions database (InfoSnap i.e. PowerSchool Enrollment) and SIS.
2. Send annual file to School Cash Online then update files during the year.
3. Import student data to MAP NWEA Testing upon request (several times a year).
4. Create export templates to anyone who may need data reports of other systems (college database, School Administration reports, AEFE etc.).
5. Assist colleagues who need specific data for periodic reports.

Report Card Setup

1. Elementary – update standards annually upon request from pedagogical team.
2. Elementary - Update report cards coding at the end of each trimester.
3. Secondary – Update progress reports and report cards coding at the end of each semester.

SIS Data Management

1. Check cleanliness of data and missing data.
2. Collaborate with campuses and support campuses to maintain accurate student numbers and data (student roster changes).
3. Collaborate with HR to maintain accurate staff numbers and data (staff changes).
4. Create custom fields for data that LILA needs.

Supervisor Responsibility:

To supervise the students at all times and to act as a mandated reporter.

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, and climbing all day. The employee must frequently lift and/or move items over 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type/ Expected Hours of Work:

Monday through Friday.

Travel:

Occasional travel to other campuses.

Required Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

Strong proficiency in student information systems in K-12

2 years of experience managing PowerSchool SIS

Background in database management.

Ease and experience with Windows-based computers, internet, emails, and proficient typing abilities.

Preferred to have experience with: Microsoft Office Suite (Excel proficiency), Google Admin, InfoSnap/PowerSchool Enrollment, Adobe, SchoolMessenger

Work Authorization:

Must be authorized to work in the United States, take and pass the Department of Justice Live Scan, and health requirements of health screening, TB, and immunizations.

The International School of Los Angeles provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.