Tyler Student Information System: Enhancing Education and Communication
The Tyler Student Information System (SIS) represents a comprehensive approach to managing student data and streamlining educational processes. It is important to ensure academic integrity and foster a positive learning environment. This article explores various facets of educational support, communication tools, and health-related resources available to students, educators, and families.
Academic Integrity and Responsible Digital Citizenship
Maintaining academic honesty is paramount in any educational setting. Metro has extremely high regard for academic integrity and, as such, has zero tolerance for any and all forms of academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to, all forms of cheating on any assessments, essays, or assignments (copying, taking pictures, group chats with answers, etc.), plagiarism, and any other unethical academic behavior. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as Chat GPT, has the potential for misuse and often borders on plagiarism. At Metro, we utilize Turnitin to disrupt plagiarism and ensure the integrity of ALL student work. It is cheating to seek out answers or unfair advantages before tests. Digital networking is a valuable tool and resource we all share. It is important to keep all posts, suggestions, comments, images, and advice given on our sites friendly, appropriate, and on-topic, ensuring a positive digital footprint.
For instance, in a calculus course, students are expected to master key topics such as limits, derivatives, indefinite integrals, and definite integrals. To ensure thorough understanding, retesting material and fixing mistakes is essential to learning. Anyone may retake one exam a school year. The higher of the two scores will be the final mark. If a student is absent, they will have an equal number of days to make up the quiz that they were absent. It is strongly suggested you don’t make-up a quiz during class time.
Transportation Management
To improve safety and efficiency for students and families, changes are being made to how school transportation is managed. These include the use of bus passes, new routing software, and transportation eligibility. The Transportation Department oversees routes, bus stops, and trips (activities and sports). The priority is to provide safe transportation for all students. Four buses provide daily route service to and from the Early Childhood Center. Students living less than a mile from their school are considered “walkers” and not eligible to ride the buses unless there are safety concerns. Early Childhood students are required to have an adult or older sibling wait with them in the morning and meet them at the bus stop in the afternoon. Bus routes are a critical component of an efficient and effective school transportation system, ensuring the safe and timely transportation of students to and from their educational institutions. When considering the structure of bus routes, two key factors must be taken into account: the distance of students' residences from the school and the efficiency of the routes. MRH has partnered with Tyler Technologies to bring you Traversa My Ride K-12 (formerly Ride 360), a mobile app which allows you to pinpoint the location of your child's school bus.
Communication and Assistive Technology
Effective communication is crucial for students with complex communication needs. Systems like TouchChat offer customizable page sets that can be personalized with images, labels, spoken messages, colors, and fonts. Users can select from over 50 button actions when creating new buttons. Vocabulary options such as VocabPC, designed for adults and adolescents with developmental disabilities, arrange vocabulary as carrier phrases, interactive sentences, activity vocabulary, and naming words, utilizing a 12-location page layout.
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MultiChat 15 is available in Student, Adolescent, and Adult versions, offering sentences, phrases, individual words, recordings for storytelling, and visual scenes. My QuickChat is an introductory communication system geared toward individuals with complex communication needs. The progressive system offers a variety of topics for everyday needs and conversation and provides immediate and more successful communication exchanges within a variety of settings. Simple 4 Basic is a vocabulary option with 4 buttons per page for those needing minimal targets. Communication Journey: Aphasia is a vocabulary file containing features and vocabulary designed to support people with aphasia. It was developed by Lois Turner (SLP), Anne MacCallum (SLP) and Sarah Gauthier (SLP Assistant) in consultation with a group of speech-language pathologists who work exclusively with people with aphasia and brain injuries. The framework of the file was derived from the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia from the Aphasia Institute in Toronto, Canada. Aphasia, a disorder caused by damage to the parts of the brain where language is stored, may affect the ability to comprehend language, to express oneself, to read, or to spell and write. Symbols, photographs, visual scenes, videos or words can be used on the message, topic and script pages. Included are pages that facilitate supported communication techniques, self-advocacy, directing care, and repair of communication breakdowns. Information typically included in communication books; including pain and emotion scales, maps, templates for personal information and life stories, and schedules are also incorporated into the vocabulary file. Although this vocabulary file contains starting-point vocabulary commonly required by adults with aphasia, it MUST be customized.
Engage for iOS is a tool to help individuals learn to use a grid-based display for communication. It targets early motor and communication skills with practice activities and vocabulary grids. Individuals can improve their tracking, scanning, and selection skills, and express their choices and preferences. WordPower for TouchChat is a special version of this popular word-based vocabulary, designed specifically for the iPhone® and iPad® screens. It is a word-based page set developed by Nancy L. WordPower for TouchChat is available as a $149.99 in-app purchase in TouchChat. WordPower25 provides access to core vocabulary and carrier phrases through both direct selection and scanning. Its design allows seamless transitions between the main page and related category pages, ensuring efficient communication with a minimal number of cells per page. WordPower42 is a word-based vocabulary designed to support generative communication, allowing users to create a wide variety of messages with ease. Its layout and structure are intuitive and consistent. Features include word completion, logical next-word suggestions, and a grammar function that provides morphological endings for verbs, nouns, and adjectives. WordPower42 Basic is a robust, word-based AAC vocabulary designed to support generative communication and early language development. It offers extensive picture support and an intuitive, consistent layout that helps users build a wide variety of messages with ease. Features include word completion, logical next-word suggestions, and a grammar function that provides morphological endings for verbs, nouns, and adjectives. Core vocabulary is embedded not only on the main page but also within category and activity pages, naturally bridging core and fringe vocabulary. The consistent placement of core words supports motor planning and simplifies navigation. Pages are included to promote early literacy using children’s books. WordPower48 builds on the WordPower42 design by adding an additional column to every page. This extra column provides quick access to essential functions such as clear, smart period, delete word, and plural “-s.” Features include word completion, logical next-word suggestions, and a grammar function that provides morphological endings for verbs, nouns, and adjectives. WordPower48 Basic is a robust, word-based AAC vocabulary designed to support generative communication and early language development. It offers extensive picture support and an intuitive, consistent layout that helps users build a wide variety of messages with ease. Category and activity pages also include core words, providing consistency and an effective bridge between core and fringe vocabulary. The consistent placement of core words supports motor planning and simplifies navigation. It offers word completion, logical next-word features, and grammar supports generating morphological endings. Pages are included to promote early literacy using children’s books. WordPower60 includes an extensive set of high-frequency core words on the main page to support fast communication with fewer keystrokes. Features include word completion, logical next-word suggestions, and a grammar function that provides morphological endings for verbs, nouns, and adjectives. The file also integrates spelling with word prediction. WordPower60 Basic features a large number of high-frequency words on the main page for fast communication with fewer keystrokes and provides robust picture support and structures that encourage expressive language development. Category and activity pages also include core words, providing consistency and an effective bridge between core and fringe vocabulary. The placement of core words is consistent to support motor planning and ease of use. Features include word completion, logical next-word suggestions, and a grammar function that provides morphological endings for verbs, nouns, and adjectives. The file also integrates spelling with word prediction and includes pages designed to promote early literacy through children’s books. WordPower80 features a high-density core vocabulary on the main page, paired with spelling and word prediction for seamless communication. The layout reduces the need for frequent page changes, allowing users to combine core words and spelling efficiently. Category-based pages are included for additional vocabulary access. Category and activity pages also include core words, providing consistency and an effective bridge between core and fringe vocabulary. It offers word completion, logical next-word features, and grammar supports generating morphological endings. WordPower108 provides a comprehensive selection of high-frequency core words on the main page for quick and efficient communication. It offers word completion, logical next-word features, and grammar supports generating morphological endings. WordPower108 with Keyboard features a high-density core vocabulary on the main page, paired with spelling and word prediction for seamless communication. The layout reduces the need for frequent page changes, allowing users to combine core words and spelling efficiently. Category-based pages are included for additional vocabulary access. Category and activity pages also include core words, providing consistency and an effective bridge between core and fringe vocabulary. It offers word completion, logical next-word features, and grammar supports generating morphological endings. WordPower140 is designed for users who access communication through switch scanning, as well as direct selection. The file provides a comprehensive selection of high-frequency core words on the main page for quick and efficient communication. It features a high number of cells per page, reducing navigation and enabling fast, efficient communication. The main page includes an integrated keyboard and word prediction cells, while category pages embed common core vocabulary to bridge core and fringe language. It offers word completion, logical next-word features, and grammar supports generating morphological endings.
Talk-About-AAC is a communication application designed to help individuals build expressive language skills with core vocabulary that is important in the initial stages of single and multi-word language development. This in-app purchase comes with a curriculum to help educators, clinicians, and other communication partners identify language strengths, target specific core words, and progress through a scope and sequence that can help with goal writing for expressive development. Gateway is a set of core word page sets enabling efficient message generation by children-adults. Theme pages support AAC use in school, play and community. Gateway 12-Child targets young children who are developmentally ready to create multi-word messages. Gateway 12-Child helps emerging communicators develop language by using their AAC devices in play activities. Through these topical page sets, children can be engaged in play activities and learn to communicate in focused contexts. Gateway 12-Child includes eleven topical page sets - Basic Needs. Art Activity, Play House, Time to Cook, School, Nursery Rhymes, Let’s Play, Where’s Spot, Birthday, Simon Says - Body Parts, and Simon Says - Actions. Gateway 20-Child targets preschool and school-aged children who communicate using 1-2 word messages and have the potential to improve their expressive language performance. It is a transitional step from Gateway 12-Child to Gateway 20-Child. Sentence Development Links provide a simplified approach to sentence formation. A “My Themes” folder, located on the Main Page, links the child to five Thematic folders - About Me, Time to Chat, Time to Learn, Time to Play, and Time in Town. Gateway 40-Child targets school-aged children who communicate using multi-word messages. It is constructed to facilitate use of advanced language structures. Gateway 40-Child is a logical next step for children using Gateway 20-Child who now require a more complex vocabulary and/or who have made significant gains in expressive language performance. Its powerful MAIN page has a core of the most frequently used words of our language available through a single key selection. Combined core and fringe vocabulary total well over 2000 words. A School Core page enables users to access topical school vocabulary without losing access to Gateway’s core. Key features of Gateway 40-Child include the use of Semantic Power Strips, sets of paradigmatically associated words; Sentence Development Links that facilitate rapid sentence generation and Dynamic Morphology, where targeted word endings are appropriately presented minimizing keystroke selections. Gateway 66-C targets school-aged children benefiting from an efficient and powerful core word vocabulary. Gateway 66-Child is a logical next step for children using Gateway 40-Child who now require a more complex vocabulary and/or who have made significant gains in expressive language performance. The design of this page set results in an average of 1.3 keystrokes per word. Key features of Gateway 66-C include Gateway’s Dynamic Morphology feature and Semantic Power Strips. Access to a spelling page with word prediction is provided. Educational pages are designed to support mastery of core-curriculum competences, thus users of Gateway 66- Child can readily compete with peers in a regular educational environment. A School & Community Core page enables users to access school vocabulary without losing access to Gateway’s powerful core vocabulary. A “My Themes” folder, links the user to a set of six thematic folders - About Me, Time to Chat, Time to Learn, Time to Relax, Time in Town and Manners. Gateway 20-Teen targets teens and young adults with limited expressive abilities who can benefit from a 20-location grid. Users of Gateway 20-Teen can recognize symbols of nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Some users who could benefit from a more functionally based vocabulary can seamlessly transition to Gateway 20-Teen from Gateway 20-Child. Sentence Development Links provide a simplified approach to facilitate sentence formation. Semantic Power Strips, sets of paradigmatically associated words, provide a focused array of vocabulary to broaden the options available to the user. A My Themes folder, located on the Main Page, links the user to a set of five thematic folders - About Me, Time to Chat, Time to Learn, Time to Relax, and Time in Town. Gateway 30-Teen is designed for teens and young adults who demonstrate limitations in their cognitive-language performance. Candidates communicate using single or multiple word utterances and typically do not use function words (e.g. the, with) or word endings such as “-ing or “ed” as a part of their spontaneous message generation. The vocabulary of Gateway 30-Teen is functionally based, reflecting many activities of daily living. Gateway 30-Teen includes over 1500 words along with features such as Sentence Development Links that provide a simplified approach to facilitating sentence formation. Semantic Power Strips, sets of paradigmatically associated words, provide a focused array of vocabulary to broaden the options available to the user. The Gateway 30-Teen page set includes simple object categories such as Foods, Household, Hygiene, Clothing, along with folders for Community Places and Things, News, Events and School Places and Things. A My Themes folder links the user to six Tabs - About Me, About You, Comments & Questions, Time to Learn and Time to Relax. Gateway 40-Teen targets teens and young adults who have good receptive and expressive language abilities but benefit from a reduced symbol set. Its powerful MAIN page has a core of the most frequently used words of our language available through a single key selection. Combined core and fringe vocabulary total well over 2000 words. A School & Community Core page enables users to access topical school vocabulary without losing access to Gateway’s core.
Allied Health Professionals Conference
SFA's inaugural Allied Health Professionals Conference will be a high-impact, interdisciplinary event that will bring together health care professionals and aspiring students across occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, dietetics and other allied health fields. This dynamic conference will feature expert-led workshops focused on cutting-edge, team-based approaches to patient care, with a strong emphasis on hands-on learning and real-world collaboration. Students will engage with leading professionals, gain valuable insights and build meaningful cross-disciplinary connections that will guide their careers for years to come.
The conference includes a diverse array of sessions and panel discussions. One panel brings together a therapist, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist and registered dietitian to explore selective eating in autism through an interdisciplinary lens. Panelists will discuss how behavioral, sensory-motor, oral-motor, communication and nutritional factors all influence feeding challenges, with emphasis being placed on collaboration across disciplines with the goal being development of individualized, family-centered interventions that promote food variety, nutritional adequacy and positive mealtime experiences.
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Another session offers evidence-informed, easy-to-implement strategies to help clinicians put informed consent for diet texture modifications into everyday practice. Participants will receive practical handouts and tools designed to guide shared decision-making discussions, document patient preferences and empower adults with dysphagia to participate actively in their care. This session equips SLPs, nurses, dietitians, physicians, caregivers, and people with dysphagia with the knowledge and resources to make patient voice a central part of safe, ethical swallowing care.
Featured Presentations
The conference features presentations by leading experts in their fields:
- Strong Through Every Stage: Exercise and Health Across Reproductive, Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Years presented by Dr. Robyn Whitehead.
- The Power of the Media Placement: How Getting Featured in the News Can Grow Your Practice & Income presented by Amy Gorin MS, RDN, CEO of Master the Media.
- Nutrition Program Data Gap and Public Health Issues in East Texas: The Case of the WIC Program presented by Dr. Muswamba Mwamba, DrPh, MS, IBLCL, RLCAI.
- AI & Nutrition: What We Learned in 2025 presented by Raul Palacios, MS, RDN, LD.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Eating Disorder Management: A Comprehensive Approach to Patient-Centered Care with panelists Dr. Amy Henke, PsyD, Kathy Veath MS, RD, Dr. Robyn Whitehead, and Dr. Tyler Wooten, MD.
- New Insights in the Management of Obesity presented by Dr. Lance Sloan and Dr. Katia Sloan, RD.
Expert Biographies
- Sarah Bullard is a registered dietitian specializing in pediatric nutrition, family-based behavioral treatment and practical strategies for improving the home food environment.
- Hillary Cooper is an advocate, educator, researcher and self-proclaimed dysphagia geek who owns North Louisiana Swallow Solutions.
- Amy Gorin is an award-winning plant-based media dietitian and the founder of Master the Media and Plant Based with Amy.
- Dr. Celina Hawthorne is the owner and director of Grace in Motion Rehab, providing occupational, physical, and speech therapy services.
- Dr. Amy Henke is a pediatric psychologist at Children’s Hospital New Orleans, specializing in eating disorders.
- Dr. Lisa McCleary is a licensed school psychologist and behavior specialist.
- Dr. Muswamba A. Mwamba is an internationally certified lactation consultant and public health practitioner.
- Raul Palacios is a registered dietitian and the director of the didactic program in dietetics at Texas Tech University.
- Dr. Katia Sloan is a professor of nutrition, clinical dietitian, and director of research at the Texas Institute for Kidney and Endocrine Disorders.
- Dr. Lance Sloan is the President, Department of Clinical Metabolism at the Texas Institute for Kidney and Endocrine Disorders.
- Ginger Stephens is a licensed professional counselor and a licensed chemical dependency counselor.
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