How to be "In the Know" at Pinecrest Academy
Welcome back to a brand new school year at Pinecrest Academy! We hope your family is off to a great start, as we begin our 25th year in operation as a private Catholic school.
The Marketing and Communications team wants to make sure you are always “in the know” with regard to what’s happening at Pinecrest Academy. We use e-mailed newsletters, the Paladin Portal, social media, regular e-mail, our public website, digital signage, and campus signage to make sure you know what’s going on.
In this e-mail, we outline for you all of the ways that you can expect to receive communication from Pinecrest Academy.
What is the Paladin Portal?
Our web site platform, known as the Paladin Portal, offers many tools that enable you to check your child’s assignments and grades, communicate with teachers and administrators, be informed of upcoming events at the school, and receive “real time” information pertinent to you. All you have to do is log in to the Paladin Portal to get started.
How do I log in to the Paladin Portal?
It’s easy! Simply go to our web site (pinecrestacademy.org), and click on “Paladin Portal” at the top of the home page. If you need help with logging in the Paladin Portal, please contact Mrs. Rose Mary Herbert, School Information System Administrator.
How do I check my child’s assignments and grades?
Once you are logged into the Paladin Portal, you may click on your child's name from the drop-down on the upper left-hand side, and you will see your child’s current school year information. You will see his/her courses listed and current cumulative grade next to each course title. Clicking the course title will bring you to that class’s page, where you can see the bulletin board, any topics that have been posted, and assignments for the class. Clicking “See grade detail" next to the course title will display your child’s grades for the various assignments in that class.
How do I find out what’s going on in my child’s school (Lower, Middle and/or High)?
On the Paladin Portal, you’ll see a “Groups” tab in the top menu. Click to see the Community pages for information pertinent to the school levels and activities for your child.
Additionally, our Headmaster and Principals will be sending weekly letters to each respective school, and other email communications will be issued on an “as needed” basis.
Expect to hear from your child’s teacher(s) regularly as well.
How do I find the latest Pinecrest news?
Once logged in to the Paladin Portal, you will see a “Recent Activity” page under “News” in the top menu bar, containing all recently posted articles. You may scroll down to see all posted articles, in chronological order. To see Featured stories, click on the “Featured Content” tab next to the “Recent Activity” tab near the top of your page. Be sure to check these news areas every day, as news is posted here in “real time” several times throughout each school day.
Additionally, each week we will e-mail a newsletter, the Paladin Press, that will include clickable links to all of the Pinecrest news stories published in the previous week on the Paladin Portal.
How do I check the school calendar for upcoming events?
Simply click on “Calendar” in the top menu bar after logging in to the Paladin Portal. Within the Calendar, you can see three category types — your calendars, your child(ren)’s calendars, and the School Calendars. The School Calendar section is broken down into School Athletics (all teams games and practices) and School Calendar (all the various school events by categories). Clicking the arrow to the right of the calendar opens a drop down to show all the categories you can select to display.
The Academic Calendar can be found by clicking on “Calendars” at the top of the home page of the web site, and then selecting “Academic Calendar.”
Can I be notified when news or information has been posted to the Paladin Portal?
Yes, you can! Instructions on how to configure your account to receive information via text and/or email can be found in the Paladin Portal on your school level community board under the “Topics” tab, “IT Tips and Resources.”
Click on your name in the green banner. Click on “settings,” and then under “account settings,” select “notifications.” Next to News Posted, click “setup options” or “edit options” to see the news categories. First, be sure to select “Community” under both “My Child’s Groups” and “My Groups,” so that you will be notified each time a news story is posted to the community groups you and your child belong to, such as Lower School, Middle School, or High School.
Then, if you wish to receive notifications about a school level your child does not belong to, under “General Categories,” select the options not already included in your Community selection. For example, if your child is in Lower School, you are already getting news from and about the Lower School. If you’d like to see news about the other schools, you’d also select “Middle School” and/or “High School,” to receive news from these schools.
What if there’s a school emergency or inclement weather?
The school will utilize all means of communication to notify parents of any emergency situations, including inclement weather, lock downs, etc. All parents are automatically set up to receive auto texts and email notifications from Pinecrest Academy, should an emergency arise. Additionally, we’ll post notices on our public web site and on the Paladin Portal, and send out an email with details on the situation. We’ll also utilize Facebook and Twitter pages to issue notices.
Where else might I find news, events and other information about Pinecrest?
The Resource Board on the Paladin Portal contains a wealth of information on uniform requirements, school lunches, sports registration, school portraits, after care services, and much more. Once you log in, click “Resources” from the top menu.
Additionally, Pinecrest is on Facebook and Twitter, and we invite you to follow us! We post an array of information about our students, classes, campus events, awards and many other items that provide a glimpse into our school. We love bragging on your children via our social media! Invite your family, friends and neighbors to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Will there be training available for using the Paladin Portal?
Yes! Staff will be on-hand at Back to School Nights and during upcoming Coffee and Conversation gatherings to answer questions you may have. Mrs. Herbert is also available throughout the week to help with questions and issues logging in to the Paladin Portal. Please reach out to her if you need assistance!
Have questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us and we will be glad to help.
