Skyward not only allows students to keep track of grades on tests, quizzes, homework, and projects, but it also lets parents take a more proactive role in their students’ academic lives at Arrowhead. 

The online program, which requires a school assigned username and password, not only includes grades, but also demographic information, a message center where students and parents can view both group and individual messages from teachers, a student attendance record, and schedules.

Skyward also offers the ability to choose your classes online, instead of choosing classes the traditional and outdated way on an extra-long piece of paper. 

While Skyward has innumerable benefits, such as being able to keep on top of grades at all times, there are also disadvantages.

 Sophomore Alyssa Stachowiak says, “(the program) can be really slow sometimes, which is annoying. I also hate how my parents get obsessive about my grades when they show up as missing.”

Parents checking Skyward 24/7 and fixating on the missing assignment that isn’t really missing annoys some students. Teachers have even started addressing this issue in class. They tell students that parents do not need email or call them asking why assignments are showing up as missing the grade book.  

Social studies teacher Ty Breitlow, says, “I don’t have any major complaints about the program. Sure, parents will message or email me asking why a certain assignment is missing, but I think that just comes with the territory of being a teacher.”