Default Academic Year Setup in Client Settings & Yearly Tasks

Before you change your Client Settings to the new Academic Year, make sure you've followed these steps.

Switch your client settings over to the new academic year and term when ready. Client settings control what data to show in BigSIS based on the academic year and term you specify. For example, client settings determine which academic year's school directory is shown to parents in the parent portal. There are several client settings you must set to make BigSIS display data for the correct academic year.

From the Left-Menu:

1. Go to System > Settings > Client Settings.
   
   
2. Click the Academic Year & Term Settings tab.
   
3. What term is it?
   
   
   • The settings you select here will change the BigSIS admin and portal so it's important you change these settings only when appropriate. Here's a helpful guide to let you know when and how to change the settings.
     
     If you are completing the setup for an upcoming new term while school is still in session for the current term and you are near the end of that term (good job, this is the best time to do it).
     
     
     • Settings should be:
       
       Current Academic Year to Display in BigSIS Portals: leave unchanged, should be set to current academic year already
       Current Academic Year to Display in BigSIS Admin: leave unchanged, should be set to current academic year already
       Current Academic Year to use for SchoolMessenger: leave unchanged, should be set to current academic year already
       Current Academic Year to use for ParentSquare: leave unchanged, should be set to current academic year already
       Working Term in BigSIS Admin: set to the upcoming term
       Current Term in BigSIS Admin: leave unchanged, should be set to current term already
     
     If you are completing the setup for an upcoming term after the previous term completed but before the upcoming new term has begun (e.g., during winter or summer break).
     
     
     • Settings should be:
       
       Current Academic Year to Display in BigSIS Portals: If you are doing this during summer break, change this to the upcoming academic year, otherwise if you are doing this during winter break leave unchanged.
       Current Academic Year to Display in BigSIS Admin: If you are doing this during summer break, change this to the upcoming academic year, otherwise if you are doing this during winter break leave unchanged.
       Current Academic Year to use for SchoolMessenger: If you are doing this during summer break, change this to the upcoming academic year, otherwise if you are doing this during winter break leave unchanged.
       Current Academic Year to use for ParentSquare: If you are doing this during summer break, change this to the upcoming academic year, otherwise if you are doing this during winter break leave unchanged.
       Working Term in BigSIS Admin: Set to the upcoming term.
       Current Term in BigSIS Admin: Set to the upcoming term.
       
       
     If the new term has already begun and you are setting up this new term now (let's get this done ASAP!).
     
     
     • Settings should be:
       
       Current Academic Year to Display in BigSIS Portals: Change this to the current academic year if this is currently set to the previous academic year, otherwise leave unchanged.
       Current Academic Year to Display in BigSIS Admin: Change this to the current academic year if this is currently set to the previous academic year, otherwise leave unchanged.
       Current Academic Year to use for SchoolMessenger: Change this to the current academic year if this is currently set to the previous academic year, otherwise leave unchanged.
       Current Academic Year to use for ParentSquare: Change this to the current academic year if this is currently set to the previous academic year, otherwise leave unchanged.
       Working Term in BigSIS Admin: Change this to the current term if this is currently set to the previous term, otherwise leave unchanged.
       Current Term in BigSIS Admin: Change this to the current term if this is currently set to the previous term, otherwise leave unchanged.

Make any additional tweaks to registrations as needed (e.g., add students to elective courses, remove students from courses too advanced for them, etc.).

Additional Information Please Read:

1. If you used auto-register, there may be a little cleanup left for you to do. If any students were auto-registered for a course that they should not be in, then go into the course and remove them manually. You can do this by locating the course in the courses table, then scrolling down to the "Registrations" tab, select the student(s) who should be removed and then click on the "Remove" button.
2. Likewise, if any students must be added to a course, then go into the course and add them manually. You can do this by locating the course in the courses table, then scrolling down to the "Registrations" tab, click the "New" button and select the student you wish to add. Note: Teachers may also do this from the teacher portal.

Other considerations (e.g., sending out back to school forms, sending invites to parents and teachers to set up user accounts, etc.) All of the items here are optional. We have included them in this checklist as a helpful reminder to do them now if they are things your school chooses to use.

1. Send out signup invitations to new parents and teachers who do not have BigSIS accounts yet so they can begin using the portal.
2. Create MPF back-to-school forms and send them to the parent portal for parents to fill out (requires the Online Form Requests with Fees module). You can have parents verify and update their household and contact information, health information about their children, volunteer preferences, and anything else you'd like in this form.
3. Set up volunteer activities for the upcoming term (requires the Volunteer module).