FAQ - High School - Keeping Great Records

Q: What is a portfolio and why would we use it?

A: The Portfolio features are optional. However, a well done portfolio can significantly increase a student's chances of college placement and scholarships.

We're happy that HSRO makes the portfolio available because it's a great place to enter activities as you see fit. It's up to each teacher to decide how to use the Portfolio. But we recommend entering any extracurricular activity and accomplishment that your students achieve. If you have used the portfolio feature through high school we will automatically print a copy of it, seal it and sign it, and send it along with the official transcript.

We recommend the Portfolios more for High School than anything else, because many colleges and universities are impressed with a list of extracurricular activities that a student accomplished in grades 9-12. Sometimes the list (sort of like a resume) of activities, clubs, field trips, special projects, accomplishments, etc. can tip the scales in your favor. It's a great addition to the High School Transcript. And all we have to do is print it and send it with the transcript when you get ready to start enrolling in colleges.

The portfolio may include anything you want to remember that is extracurricular - like accomplishments, activities, projects, crafts, etc. It does not need to include descriptions of regular courses since those are standard. For example, the portfolio does not need an explanation of your U.S. History course. However, it is a great place to record what you learned on a field trip to a civil war museum. (If you're like most parents, these become places where WE learn just as much as our kids! Maybe more! So you might say the portfolio is for our memory as well.)

For K-8th grades it is more of a place for recording memories, like journaling. It does not need to have official sounding descriptions or anything like that. Mainly, it will be a great keep sake for you later down the road. You'll be able to look up any previous year and "remember when" with your kids. Print it and put it in your memory books or photo albums!

For 9th-12th the portfolio becomes a more formal record of accomplishments, activities, projects, etc. which we can print, seal, and send along with the official transcript. Colleges and universities love it. It is like getting a record of all the classes a student completed (official transcript) WITH a complete resume (official portfolio). Both of these accompany a copy of the diploma; all three embossed with the HLA school seal. If your student is not college bound the portfolio can be sent to tech colleges, employers, or simply kept as a record for later use.

So have fun! Use it as much or as little as you would like or need to.

Sample Student Portfolio

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Q: How do I access the portfolio features in Home School Reporting Online?

A: The portfolio feature is available once you login into HSRO, under the main student layout.

First, follow the Grade Reporting steps that you can find in our Grading FAQ page.

Then just click on “Portfolio,” located under the student's name, to enter information.

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Q: Can we only fill out a portfolio, or do we have to enter grades as well?

A: The grade reporting area may seem intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's really quite easy.

For grades K-8, we do allow parents to use the pass/fail system instead of the ABCDF system. I strongly urge parents to use both the portfolio and to enter grades, especially with subjects like math, English, etc. But, even there, you can use the pass/fail system.

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Q: I can’t remember exact dates for some of the work we’ve done. Do the dates matter all that much?

A: In the portfolio area, the specific dates are not nearly as important to us (and to colleges) as the event. You can make an educated guess as to when your student completed the event. (No one's going to cross-reference your portfolio with a calendar, and then call you up to verify that Johnny did in fact help pick up trash in the park on Thursday, Nov. 8th, 2003, or anything like that!) The portfolio for younger kids is more of a way to log the "special" field trips and book reports and other fun things that your student does. For the high schoolers, it serves as a resume of extracurricular activities for colleges to look at when deciding on admission and scholarships.

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Q: How do I keep track of literature my student has read?

A: The portfolio portion of HSRO is a great place to list literature as well as awards, volunteer work or whatever you feel is necessary.

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Q: Can I delete the old info from last year on HSRO or does it need to stay on there?

A: DO NOT delete the old info from last year. If you do, you will erase everything your student did last year. The system is set up to keep a "running tab" of everything your student has done, and it shows up in one continuous blob on your home page. I know there's a lot there, and it's kind of hard to decipher what you're looking at, but when we print off the transcripts it will be organized. The transcripts print off year by year and are much more streamlined than what you see on your screen.

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Q: In HLA’s English Requirements, Is it TN law, or HLA policy, that stops us taking 2 English credits at the same time?

A: It is not TN law. It is HLA policy. Each private school sets these policies.

Traditionally, colleges frown on "weighted" transcripts, that is, transcripts that indicate the student did too much in one year. The policy of one English credit per year is the result of this past experience. Gateway has the same policy. However, we do make exceptions because some colleges don't seem to care. For example, I happen to have a transcript on my desk right now for a student that is already in Northeast State Community College and was awarded two English credits each year--9th, 10th, and 11th grades, totaling 6 English credits, and no 12th grade year. Northeast does not have a problem with this transcript and just needs an official graduation date from HLA in order to complete their paper work. They have already accepted the 42 credits in three years (14 in 9th, 12 in 10th, and 16 in 11th!) from this student.

So it seems to really depend on the college/university. That is why we make the policy (only one English per year because this represents past experience) but make exceptions if you are SURE that the future college will accept it. In order to make an exception we advise you to contact the college(s) and simply ask if it is permitted. If so, it is wise to get it in writing. Then let us know and we'll go from there.

Perhaps things are changing because of the home education movement that will make transcripts like this one even more common and more accepted in the future.

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Q: What is Home School Reporting Online? Why does HLA use it?

A: Home School Reporting Online (HSRO), located at homeschoolreportingonline.com, is a separate site which our site links to for our record keeping needs. The thing I love the most is being able to instantly look up a student's entire transcript while I'm on the phone with the parent. And the parent can see the same thing, at the same time, on their end! It makes our service so much better. NOTE: There is a $10 enrollment fee for grade reporting through HSRO payable directly to them when you go to enter grades. A discount code will be emailed to you in your  HomeLife Academy Confirmation of Enrollment. You will need to enter this code when you enroll with HSRO.  This change took place on 9/24/2010. ALL families enrolled prior to 9/24/10 will not be prompted to pay HSRO for the 2010/2011 school year.

Whether you prefer to set up your school year with semesters, quarters, or year-a-round, HSRO makes it possible to keep track of your student’s progress. We ask that you submit grades at least twice a year. A reminder and instructions are sent in January and May via email. Once enrolled you may login anytime to submit and view grades, make revisions, find out what your student(s) GPA is, make entries in his or her portfolio, and much more. Our counselors can also view your student's records and advise you. If you have any questions please call (901) 380-9220 or Toll Free (888) 560-0774. All information submitted is kept strictly confidential and secure.

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