School Guidance Counselor Notes- Where do you store Electronically?

Josceline Reardon
Josceline Reardon
Tenth Anniversary Kudos 4 Name Dropper Participant
in Blackbaud Student Information System™
Hello Community,

Does anyone store School Guidance Counselor notes in the Student Information System? We are really struggling with where to store notes, so that the appropriate people have access, but also making sure we are following all of the HIPPA & FERPA, etc... laws.

We are currently looking at Magnus, but I'm super hesitant to move to an entirely separate system just for Counselor Notes and a way to upload and filter for Student Medical forms (immunization, physicals, etc...).


Would love your advice. I did look at Files and Forms, but anyone with Platform Mngr. roles would still have access to the notes.

Thank you!!

Comments

  • Kathy Steinman
    Kathy Steinman
    Sixth Anniversary Kudos 2 Participant Facilitator 1
    I'd love to hear from the Community on this topic as well because we'd like to have a place for these types of notes as well as for notes related to possible student attrition that we'd like tied to a student's record that only certain people would have access. Currently, we're using an Official Note type in Academics to capture student's possible attrition notes but wonder if there might be a better place to do that and welcome ideas/suggestions. 
  • Sherrie Warren
    Sherrie Warren
    Sixth Anniversary Kudos 1 Name Dropper Facilitator 1
    We use the Official Note to store notes, situations, and information about a student.  There are multiple settings you can have when creating the Official Note Types whether it is posted on report card, transcript; or if it gets emailed to student, parent, teacher, or just accessible to teacher, advisor, etc. 


    It is very handy.  I have created a variety of note types that I use and Principals use.

     
  • Kathy Steinman
    Kathy Steinman
    Sixth Anniversary Kudos 2 Participant Facilitator 1
    Very helpful - thanks, Sherrie. Sounds like that's the best place to store this type of information.
  • Josceline Reardon
    Josceline Reardon
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 4 Name Dropper Participant
    Do you worry about People with elevated roles that can manage official notes, being able to see the notes on this type of sensitive information?

    We have several official notes manager. Thanks again for your feedback.
  • Kathy Steinman
    Kathy Steinman
    Sixth Anniversary Kudos 2 Participant Facilitator 1
    That's a good point - we have several - probably too many Platform Managers - that can see virtually everything. However, we also operate under the understanding that we all are privy to lots of sensitive information in our roles and are trusted to be professional at all times with that access and responsibility. My understanding from the person that set up the Official Notes is that only certain people can see certain Official note types. All of that said, I was hoping for something more like a comment field where these types of comments could live and we could run a report of anyone that has anything populated in that field.
  • Lee Matteson
    Lee Matteson
    Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper Participant Facilitator 1
    We use Official Notes for the Concussion Protocol which has been a great way for all pertinent faculty/staff have access to this information.  The counselors handle concussions at our school. I have other official notes that are only viewable to 2 people.  I have also created google sheets with counselor rosters on them and share that document with counselor and deans - information is kept there but not on their official record and keeps everyone up-to-date with current situations for some students ie, divorce, covid, distance learning concerns.
  • Josceline Reardon
    Josceline Reardon
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 4 Name Dropper Participant
    Hi Lee,

    How did you make official notes only viewable to 2 people? Did you use the Dorm Supervisor Role?

    In the official note set up, the only options are other roles that we currently use like Advisor, teacher, etc...
  • Sherrie Warren
    Sherrie Warren
    Sixth Anniversary Kudos 1 Name Dropper Facilitator 1

    Good morning,





    The visibility I have can be either for just the teacher involved,
    or all teachers within the school, and I have also put our
    principals as ADVISORS so they have access to all student accounts
    within their respective school.   





    I hope this helps!








    Sherrie
    Warren


    Principal of
    Academics, Registrar


    North Tampa
    Christian Academy


    5585 E
    County Line Rd


    Wesley
    Chapel FL 33544


    813-991-0801













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  • Catherine Druhan
    Catherine Druhan
    Third Anniversary Kudos 1 Name Dropper Participant

    Does anyone know if you can upload documents to the Official Notes? Some students have a signed contract we would like to store electronically.

  • Kelly Maddox
    Kelly Maddox
    Third Anniversary Kudos 1 Name Dropper Facilitator 1

    @Josceline Reardon We securely store files in the files and forms section of a student's record.

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    We use Magnus for health forms.

  • Josceline Reardon
    Josceline Reardon
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 4 Name Dropper Participant

    @Kelly Maddox
    Thank you Kelly. Do your School Guidance Counselors also add notes here as well or only your Learning Support counselors?

  • Kelly Maddox
    Kelly Maddox
    Third Anniversary Kudos 1 Name Dropper Facilitator 1

    @Josceline Reardon Our counselors are part of the bigger support team, so they do.

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