Release notes 5.4.2
As you may be aware, since MINTclass joined Tucasi in late 2018 we now have a dedicated development team for MINTclass to enable us to bring you new features, fixes and new modules. This is the first set of those, and we hope you enjoy them as much as we did.
Changes to Seatplanner
Selected Lesson
Many teachers stated that the shading of the selected lesson on the sidebar was too faint.
We have enhanced this so that it shows much more clearly.
Class Card
As most of you know if you click on the class code in the ‘class in view’ area (top left) you can see detailed information about that class.
We have, after receiving many requests, added the ability to print that screen. Simply open the class card and then click on the Print button in the top right-hand corner. You can still download the entire class card to Excel.
This will open the Print screen in a new window allowing you to continue using MINTclass. When you are ready to print, click on the PRINT button in the top right-hand corner of the print screen.
 
SEN
Another area that schools have asked us to improve is the strategies tab on the student profile.
You can now print an individual students Strategy from within MINTclass.
Click on the student name to open the student profile then click on the Strategies Tab.
Next, click on the new PRINT button in the top right-hand corner of the student profile. This will open the Strategy print screen in a new tab so you can continue to use MINTclass.
When you are ready just click on the PRINT button in the top right of the strategy print screen.
Additions to Behaviour Reports
We are constantly adding to our Behaviour and Achievement reporting repository and after receiving a number of requests for ‘date range' filter, Achievement or Behaviour only filter we have added these to this build. There are more to come so keep an eye out for further releases this year.
You need the Writeback module to access this. If you would like further information on the Writeback module please email sales@tucasi.com or click here.
Click on Reporting at the top of the screen or click advanced reporting from any student profile.
In the top right-hand corner, you will now see the options shown below allowing you to filter to just achievements, just behaviours or all.
The default setting is Overview for All data for all year groups.
If you select Achievement you will of course only see achievements for the whole school.
Your filter selection will remain as you drill down through year groups, form groups, house, staff and students.
The date range filter has been added to the Select time period drop down. Once selected you can choose any date range within the academic year and view just that data. You will need to select Student, Staff etc at the top of the screen to enable the date filters.
Click the start date and select the date from the calendar.
Next, select the end date.
You will now see all the data for that date range. You can of course also filter to just achievements or behaviours if you so wish.
Changes and updates to Cortex
Aspect Mapping updated screen
A number of schools have been raising support tickets that newly mapped data is not pulling through to seating plans on the overnight sync. This is because we only pull data from the last 7 days to avoid pulling unnecessary data and slowing down your SIMs server.
If you make ANY changes to the aspect mapping area in MINTclass you MUST inform the support team and let them know the oldest date for the data you are trying to sync. For example, if you have added or changed a Y11 aspect and the data was entered in the September that those students were in year 7 support will need to know that you wish to pull your data back from September 2014.
Any questions please email support@mintclass.com
School defined Colour Tagging
Many schools asked for the ability to set colour tagging at school level. We have now added this functionality. If you do not want to use this function it will not impact on your individual teachers’ current settings.
If you use this new feature it WILL overwrite ALL your individual teachers colour setting for each colour that you set at School Level. For example, if a teacher is using red for XYZ and you set red to be No HWK at school level then the red colours will stay on plans but the key for EVERY teacher will change to No HWK. Please advise all staff about the changes before you apply them.
Log in as Admin
Go to Cortex - Configuration - Colour Tagging Setup
Click in the Global tick box next to each colour you wish to set at School Level then simply type the name for the colour.
This will automatically save and update ALL colour tagging on ALL plans.
Staff Admin
We have updated the No 2FA icon from the no entry sign, which was leading some users to believe that those accounts were blocked, to simply say No 2FA. These staff can only use MINTclass in school.
We have also added a user level filter to enable you to quickly locate users at a certain level. For example, just your admin users.
Simply click on the Choose Level drop-down, select admin and then click on the Search button.
 
Students
Within the Students area in Cortex (for Admin and SENco users) you can now search for students by Name. This is a feature that schools, and SENcos, have been asking for.
Log in as Admin or SENco
Click on the Students tab
Type the name of the student in the Name field and click on Search
As you can see you can type all or part of the student name to allow you to restrict your results more thoroughly.
 
Strategies
As you know you have been able to add general and personalised strategies for SEN students for several years. We have now updated the strategies area to enable you to add general and personalised strategies for EAL, PP etc in the same way you do for SEN students.
This works in the same way as it does for SEN students. If you are unfamiliar with this, please click HERE for further instructions.
You will now see these additional features when you click on the Edit Strategy icon for a student.
This is how it may look from within Seatplanner.
When you click on the Strategies button (top left of the student tab in Cortex) you will be able to add general strategies for these new areas.
Locate the graph that you wish to add the strategy to and click on the edit strategy button below the graph.
Enter the required text, remember that this will be applied to ALL students who are tagged with that attribute in your schools MIS, click SAVE.
 
Teacher Planner
Our wonderful teacher planner (online diary linked to MINTclass) has been updated to include links to documents. For more information on Teacher Planner click HERE or email sales@tucasi.com for availability and pricing options.
Click on Teacher Planner at the top of the screen
You will now see the planner for today. If you wish to select a different day simply select it from the calendar in the top left-hand corner of the screen.
Now click on the lesson you wish to add a linked document to, i.e. a Lesson plan or cover work etc and give the link a good name. (for example, Cover) Highlight the word you wish to use for the link (for example, Cover) and click on the link icon (looks like a link in a chain)
Type the document path or URL and click on save (you can also copy and paste this). You will now see the link in your planner and as before you can share the note and now the link with other members of staff such as cover supervisors or the cover manager.
If you have external supply staff set up with access to MINTclass you can even share the link with them.
Coming soon!
Bulk change Templates (bulk make master, bulk delete, see which lessons templates are used in)
Back to Front option always visible
Selected lesson clearer on TT
Gender colouring (you will soon be able to switch off the blue/pink borders around student photos)
On Report flag!
Exam seating plans
Detention information/flag