Aspire - Letter from Director Liz

Dear Spectrum Families,

I hope you are having a wonderful summer. We want to express our sincere gratitude for the invaluable feedback you have shared with us regarding our communication efforts. Your input is of great importance to us, and we are always striving to enhance our family-school partnership to ensure the best possible educational experience for our students.

As a result of your valuable feedback and our commitment to continuous improvement, we are excited to announce a significant change in our Student Information System (SIS). After careful consideration and thorough research, we have decided to switch to the Aspire system, which is the State of Utah's official Student Information System. We believe this shift will greatly enhance communication, streamline administrative processes, and ultimately lead to a more efficient and effective educational environment.

Aspire, maintained by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE), has been chosen for its exceptional features and robust capabilities, which align with our goals of providing the best educational resources for our students and a seamless experience for parents and guardians. The system utilizes a Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) that acts as a "translator" for data submissions, allowing our school to interface with the Utah eTranscript and Record Exchange (UTREx) data collection. This data is crucial for federal, state, and local government reporting as well as funding purposes.

Here are some of the key features that Aspire offers:

• Academic Intervention Tracking: Allows us to closely monitor and support students who may need extra assistance.

• Assessment Imports: Simplifies the process of importing and managing assessment data to help us track student progress effectively.

• Attendance Tracking: Provides a comprehensive system for recording and monitoring student attendance.

• Behavior Tracking: Assists us in promoting a positive and safe school environment by monitoring and addressing student behavior.

• College and Career Tracking: Helps us guide students on their academic and career journeys, ensuring they are well-prepared for their future endeavors.

• Enrollment: Simplifies the enrollment process, making it more convenient for parents and guardians.

• Fees Module: Offers a streamlined way to manage fees and payments related to school activities.

• Food Service: Improves our food service operations and facilitates smooth cafeteria management.

• Food Service Data Importing from the Department of Workforce Services: Ensures accurate and up-to-date information on eligible students for meal assistance programs.

• Parent/Guardian Notifications of Student Academic Summaries: Enables real-time communication on student progress and academic achievements.

• Scheduling: Streamlines the class scheduling process, allowing for efficient resource allocation and optimal student placement.

• Teacher Grade Books: Provides teachers with a user-friendly platform to manage and record student grades.

• UTREx SIF Daily Submissions: Ensures timely and accurate data submissions to UTREx for reporting purposes.

• Interface with Canvas: Facilitates integration with Canvas, a leading Learning Management System (LMS), enhancing the online learning experience.

We believe that the adoption of Aspire and ParentSquare, (more information and updates about this platform will be coming your way soon), will significantly improve communication and collaboration between school and home, making it easier for you to stay informed about your child's progress, events, and other important school-related matters. We are confident that this switch will lead to positive outcomes for our students and the entire school community.

We understand that the transition to a new system may require some adjustment, and we assure you that our team is working diligently to ensure a seamless and smooth implementation. We will be providing further details and support as we approach the system's launch date at the beginning of the school year.

Thank you once again for your valuable feedback and continued support. We are excited about the opportunities this change will bring and look forward to strengthening our partnership with you to create the best possible educational experience for our students.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Your input is always welcome, and we are here to assist you in any way we can.

Your partnership in this journey is greatly appreciated!