Oceanport school district launches online “digital backpack”

The Oceanport Board of Education has launched a new way for teachers, parents and students to communicate with one another. Although not official until Sep. 1, Wolf Hill and Maple Place schools have started their own website through EDLINE to make classroom assignments, tests and report cards available at the click of a button.

According to the administration, too many handouts do not make it home in backpacks, but rather in the garbage or a locker until the end of the year. The aim of the site, which can be viewed here, is to remedy this. Teachers will post homework that is viewable by parents, grades, reminders of tests, sports schedules, summer reading lists and even private alerts that are classroom-specific (i.e. if a student in the class was sent home sick that day, a notice would be posted on the site for parents to take the proper precautions).

While students are being walked through the process of logging on through classes at school, parents can create their own accounts at home. To begin, you must click on “activate a new account” at the top right hand corner of the screen, agree to the terms of service and click on “new account” to create a user name and password. You must also have an activation code that the school will provide you for your child.

If you are a parent with more than one student in the school system, you must then click on “combined accounts” to enter another activation code. Once all teachers begin posting assignments in the digital backpack, the school plans to phase out handouts to send home and report cards to mail out.

There is also a feature offered that is referred to as the “Bully Box” where students can anonymously report bullying that is going on in school, so that the Principal can further investigate a potential situation. It helps parents also become more involved and aware of their child’s well being at school.