WELCOME TO SCHOOL MANAGER! What is School Manager? School Manager is a desktop/web-based system that enables efficient school administration. School Manager was deliberately designed to allow schools with very limited information technology resources to be able to use the system. Though desirable, a school without internet access or even a local network will still be able to use School Manager, as the system allows users to work off-line or in a stand-alone mode. School Manager allows schools to maintain their own databases, while its web-center is updated with the school's current data. Access to information is available on the Internet through the web-center and also at the school. What can School Manager do? School Manager allows for efficient school management in several ways. Some of its functions are: * Students - this includes student demographics, scanned documents, school activities, assessment report generations, letters and progression. * Grades - this includes directing the system how to determine grades and the entering of marks. * Fees - this includes setting up fees, paying fees manually and automatically. * Subjects - this includes the management of subjects. * Teachers - this includes teachers' details and allows teachers to be made into system users. * Classes - this includes the management of classrooms and levels and subject assignment. * Reports - this includes creation of students' assessment reports, the ability to update student assessment reports with comments and the management of all reports generated. * Queries - this allows queries and data analysis to be done. * Books - this includes all aspects of book management, including book assignments. * Data In/Out - this allows data, in virtually any ASCII format, to be imported into and export from School Manager. This includes student demographic data. * Module Export - This allow mini versions of School Manager to be created on flash drives to enable off-site or off-system work. * Time Tables - This allows for efficient scheduling. * Controls - This is where the directives for School Manager are set. This includes the setting up of each academic year, examinations, fee payment directives, shifts, how students are to be progressed, and a long list of other controls. * Archive - this is where information for archived students can be queried. * Help - Offers users information as to how to use School Manager. * LOGIN - this allows users to login, users to be created and maintained and the access privileges of users to be set. And on the web: * Student details can be viewed by school officials, teachers, parents and students. * Students can apply online. * Students can access homework and assignments. * Teachers will be able to enter marks and do other work. * Tips on how to use School Manager. * Data and information can be requested in regards to the education system. How does a School start using School Manager? After an agreement has been reached with the school, School Manager will be installed on the school's computers. If the school has a network, one computer will be designated as the database server. Other computers will be mapped to the designated server. After School Manager has been installed, the school's data will be uploaded. All classrooms, subjects, teachers, examinations, reports, etc. will be setup on the system. If the school has the list of students in an electronic format, this can be automatically loaded into School Manager through its student data import module. When the school's data has been loaded, training will be provided to the school's teachers and other school officials in the use of School Manager. As there is no standard in how schools are administered, some customization is unavoidable. This is especially true of the school's assessment reports that are usually prepared twice a year. Customization for the school will also be done. In addition, consultation and advice will also be provided. Experience with the schools that currently use School Manager has made permanent consultation, training and re-training, support and upgrades vital if the School wishes to get the most out of School Manager. Does the school get web access with School Manager? When a school acquires the desktop version of School Manager, it automatically gets access to the Web-Center. Experience has shown that, for schools with Internet access, the Web-Center is an important compliment. Sometimes, the school's local network may be down but its Internet access is up. In such a case, the Web-Center will allow the school to still get some work done.