Teacher Preferences

Overview

The Preferences screen allows teachers to customize the look and feel of the software. Everything from the heading colors to the way student lists are displayed can be customized.  This article will cover what each of these setting do in Focus.

Preferences

Go to Preferences on the menu.

The first tab that displays will list all your Display Options. These are options that determine the way data is displayed as you use Focus.  What you see here will depend on system settings set by your district.

1. Your first option is the Language preference. The default selection is English. Select the applicable language radio button to translate select screens to the selected language.
2. The Highlight Color applies to menus, tabs, and headers. Once saved, all menus, tabs, and headers will turn the color selected.
3. You can choose how student information is displayed using the Student Info Layout pull-down. The options include One Column, Two Columns, and Three Columns. The default set up is one column.
4. Check this box to Display User Images in user lists.
5. Choose whether you want to display the menu of modules on the side or at the top of your screen by selecting the check box, Use Sidebar Menu or by clearing the selection
6. When Default filters on is checked, filter options will default to open on reports so you can enter filter data without the need to click "filters on" from the report screen.
7. The Menu Icons will always appear when using the sidebar menu; however, when using the top menu, the menu icons are optional. If you do not want the menu icons to display, clear the selection for Display Menu Icons.
8. Select how you want the date to display via the Date Format pull-downs. Choose whether you want the day of the week (Mon) to display. Choose how you want the month to display; options include March, Mar, 03, and 3. The options for the day include [0]26. Once you select how you would like the date to display, you can select the format in which it displays, such as Month Day, Year or Day Month, Year. If you want the year displayed, choose either 2018 or 18.
9. Select the Configure Gradebooks separately for each section check box to create categories for each section separately, as opposed to creating categories in a combined gradebook for multiple sections.
10. You also have the option to combine different sections that take place during the same period in order to take attendance by period, as opposed to taking attendance for every section separately even though they take place during the same period. Select the Combine sections in the same period for taking attendance check box to enable this function.
11. Select the check box to Combine sections for gradebook to combine multiple different sections into the same gradebook as a way for teachers to enter grades for several sections all at once.

1. Teacher gradebooks can be combined By period or by Custom Groups.
2. If you select Custom Groups, more options will display starting with Ungrouped Sections. To create a new group of sections, click Add Group.

When all selections have been made, be sure to click the Save button to apply changes made.

Student Listing

The options that are set under Student Listing control how student information displays.

1. Select how you would like to see the students sorted in the results of a search by using the choices in the Student Sorting section; the choices include Name; Grade, Name; and Enrollment Date, Name.
2. In conducting a student search, you always have the ability to export the data; however, you can choose whether the data is exported via an Excel spreadsheet (Tab-Delimited) or in a CSV file. Make your selection in the File Export Type
3. In navigating to Student Info, you have the option to decide which tab is automatically selected for students. Most districts elect to have Demographics as the default tab; however, using the Default Student Category pull-down you can select whichever tab you would like to see when accessing student information.
4. In navigating to User Info, you have the option to decide which tab is automatically selected for users. Use the Default User Category pull-down you can select whichever tab you would like to see first when accessing User information.
5. If you do not want to Display student search screen by default, uncheck this box. If the box is checked the search screen will be displayed every time you access a student module.
6. Upon conducting your search, the resulting students will display in your customized list if you select for it to show by default using the Display customized list by default (and have selected to Display student search screen by default). If you have opted out of a default search screen, the Customized list will appear automatically.
7. Focus only searches for active students each time a search is completed. If you would like to Search for inactive students by default each time you search, check this box.
8. If your search only yields one result, you have the option to skip the list of students and navigate directly to the student’s corresponding screen. Select the Skip the results page when there is only one result check box to apply this change.
9. Select a Student Name Format for how you would like students’ names to display in Focus.
10. If you want the students’ ID numbers displayed in all student lists, be sure to select the check box for Display Student ID in student lists Note: The Student ID refers to the issued Focus student ID not the district local ID.
11. If you want the local id displayed in all student lists, be sure to select the check Display Local Id in student lists.
12. If you want the grade levels displayed in all student lists, be sure to select the check Display grade level in student lists.
13. If you want to see students’ alert icons that would show ESE, ELL, 504, etc., be sure to use the pulldown menu and choose which Display alert icons selection is best for you.
14. If Student photos have been uploaded into Focus you can select to have students’ photos shown in student lists--select the Display student photos in student lists check box.

When all selections have been made, be sure to click the Save button to apply changes made.

Password

If you DONOT use single sign on, you can reset your Focus password here.

Columns in Student Lists

To edit the fields that display in your Customized List click on the Columns in Student Lists tab.

There are many options to choose from in selecting what to display in your customized student list. The choices are broken down by section. Each section contains data from the Student Info screens including demographic, immunizations, 504, contact information, etc., to name a few. The options you see are dependent on your Focus access. To choose a field click on the checkbox in the column labeled Display in Student Lists and click Save.

After the fields have been added you will see them on your customized list.

Class Section Names

On this tab you will see your courses and the corresponding details, such as Course Number, Course Title, Period, Section, Marking Period, and the Course Title. You will see that the Course Title information is underlined in blue, which means the information here is editable. Click on any of the titles to edit and customize the name.