The Infinite Campus - Fall 2008 by Infinite Campus

............................................................................................................ Fall 2008

infinitecampus.com

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................................................. Transforming K12 Education

EDITORIAL

Charlie Kratsch Benevolent Dictator (Infinite Campus Founder and CEO) Liz Schmitt Editor Infinite Campus Mary Sullivan Graphic Designer Sullivan Design

I n t h is issue

Welcome! 2 3

Features

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Technology with a Wide Angle Lens

A sneak peek of the next generation of Infinite Campus

Karl Beach Infinite Campus

10 Introduction to The Next Thing

Barry Brahier Infinite Campus

Norma Morganti Auburn Career Center (OH)

11 Response to The Next Thing

Rachel Moseley Scarsdale School District (NY)

14 Prescription for Good Academic

Carl Olson Infinite Campus Kim Schroeder Infinite Campus

Commentary on where Infinite Campus is going and why

Another perspective to consider

Health With Individualized Learning

Auburn Career Center explores opportunities for teachers

Kipp Bentley Denver Public School District (CO)

20 Pangaea Recreated

Kay Kennedy Kentucky Department of Education David Williamson Boulder Valley School District (CO)

Cover model: Nina Gillet Printing: Sexton Printing

Infinite Campus is a registered trademark of Infinite Campus, Inc. The Infinite Campus logo and Transforming K12 Education are the trademarks of Infinite Campus, Inc. ©2008 Infinite Campus, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Denver Public Bridges the gap between IT and instruction

Glendale, Arizona, manages ELL and more

24 Scarsdale Enters the Fast Lane

of Student Information

Using Campus to impact instruction, counseling and strategic decisions

26 Boulder Valley Parents Give

Campus Portal an A+

Improved communication for district administrators, teachers and parents

28 Creating Wisdom from Data Infinite Campus 4321 109th Ave NE, Blaine, MN 55449 (651) 631-0000 (800) 850-2335 Infinitecampus.com

18 Dick and Jane Learn SQL

FEATURED INTERVIEWS

Jordan Beveridge Glendale Unified School District (AZ)

Liz Schmitt, editor Charlie Kratsch, Founder and CEO

Steve McHugh Photographer McHugh, Ltd.

Craig Barnum College Community School District (IA)

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How and why it is important to use data to make more informed decisions

8 Customer Connections

32 KDE Ready for G3

36 What Lies Beneath for the

Rest of Us

Infinite Campus Technology

Kentucky Department of Education looks to Campus to reach their 2014 goals

38 The Mothership has Landed

Infinite Campus National Headquarters

44 If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be…

A Day in the life of a Campus Trainer

46 Local Support for Customers

Infinite Campus Partners

42 Interchange: Inspire

Exciting changes to the 2008-09 Interchange events

infinitecampus.com

Ascending Towards the Summit (Developing the next generation of Campus) By Charlie Kratsch The Benevolent Dictator, (a.k.a. Founder and CEO)

O Editor’s Letter

Infinite Campus National Headquarters Koi Pond

What’s All the Hoopla with the Vision? Liz Schmitt, Editor liz.schmitt@infinitecampus.com

When Charlie and I met to determine the focus for this issue of the magazine, he said, “I want to talk more about the mission and vision; about where we’re going and why.” When I first read the Infinite Campus mission, Transforming K12 Education, it caught me by surprise. Aspiring to “transform” an institution burdened with long held traditions and a history of glacier-paced changes seemed like a daunting task. For more than 20 years I had crafted mission statements, tag lines, key messages and fund-raising slogans. I knew these words were powerful indicators of what the company was and where it was headed. Then, I read the vision, “K12 education exists to serve its customer, society.” What? Serve society? Yes, of course. Students will be the future leaders and establish a new set of standards for living in a global society. Investment in their learning results in shaping society. So, why is this important to me? Because I have concern for our educational system today. Because I have grandchildren who will directly benefit from the outcomes Infinite Campus will bring to teachers and schools. Because I believe in the Infinite Campus vision and join in the hard work to “get ‘er done.” This issue of The Infinite Campus gives you a glimpse of the next generation of Campus as it unfolds towards accomplishing its mission. It’s exciting, hopeful, and happening as you read these words.

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kay, we’ve built a pretty cool student information system, figured out how to get districts up and running on it quickly and extended the system to manage entire states. Now what? If we were any other company we’d sit back, rest on our laurels and rake in the dough. But we’re not any other company. Our goal is to transform K12 education and we’re not there yet. We will continue to invest in our company, product and services until we succeed or go broke trying. First, let’s take a look at our goal of Transforming K12 Education; what does that mean? We don’t have a magic bullet that’s going to make everything better overnight. All we have is a plan to leverage the massive amount of information we collect every day all across the country to help educators get more of what works and less of what doesn’t. It’s about continuous improvement; individual growth day after day, week after week, year after year. So what’s our plan? The education game has four key players: administrators, teachers, parents and stu-

It’s about continuous improvement; individual growth day after day, week after week, year after year.

dents. We have already proven we can streamline educational processes and make administrators much more efficient. I believe we can do the same for teachers, parents and students by dramatically improving the design and selection of learning activities. That’s where the next generation of Campus (G3) comes in. The first generation of our system gave educators the capability to track an amazing amount of information about students and teachers and the learning activities they participate in. The second generation added the ability to share this information with states and other districts. The third generation will allow anyone to create and share learning activities while we monitor their effectiveness. Sure, many organizations have already tried this. Our twist is to add advanced scheduling and lesson planning to the mix. Our scheduler will put the right student with the right teacher based on the student’s learning plan and the teacher’s professional development plan. Our lesson planner will recommend relevant learning activities for the teacher to use. All of this will be done using advanced data mining techniques that gain intelligence using our rich national dataset. It’s really pretty simple. Teachers connected together using our national network can share and build on each other’s experience; great teachers do their thing and good teachers become great. More importantly, providing students with relevant learning activities will rekindle their excitement for learning and spectacular achievement will be commonplace.

Ready? We are.

Infinite Campus National Headquarters Climbing Wall

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“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Alan Kay American Computer Scientist

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The Expansion Plan

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This issue of The Infinite Campus is about our vision. It gives you a glimpse of how Campus technology is developing to expand its opportunities outside the IT department and directly into the classroom. “Technology With a Wide Angle Lens” introduces how and why changes will be made in Campus technology development to support the important work of education. It provides a framework of ideas connecting technology to learning, via the conduit of teachers, counselors, parents, and administrators equipped with the tools to Transform K12 Education. Learn more on page 6

“S

Rick Stiggins, Ph.D. Founder and President Assessment Training Institute

”

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Three Teachers LEARN HOW teachers are using data to analyze individual assessments, develop lesson plans and tap into resources to improve their effectiveness. Imagine how the classroom of the future can use technology to create learning activities and support individualized learning.

Domains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Counselors & Parents ENGAGED parents are critical to student success. In lieu of a supportive family structure, counselors often fill an important role in guiding the student. Technology can provide insights about each student to develop an appropriate individualized learning plan.

Administrators TRANSFORMATION begins with saving time and resources. It continues by leading with the courage to adopt new ideas and create opportunities with all stakeholders, such as improved communication and access to a national data warehouse to make truly informed decisions.

Ready? We are.

Th e I n f i n i t e C a m p u s

For more than a decade, Infinite Campus has focused on its mission of Transforming K12 Education. By delivering out-of-the-box functionality, proven rapid implementations, thorough training and ongoing support, schools can focus on what really matters – improving education for all students.

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“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”Albert Einstein

Infinite Campus Vision

Learn more inside

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The Power of Technology Transformation begins with using redefine how data is used and decisions are made. It continues with a shift in school culture to allow flexibility, creativity and the wisdom of the teacher to guide the student. It finishes with engaged parents, inspired teachers and successful students.

“Education is not filling a pail, But lighting a fire.”

www.infinitecampus.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T r a n s f o r m i n g K 1 2 E d u c a t i o n

Campus Innovations

technology to

top assuming all students would learn at the same rate if they just WANTED to. We need to start accommodating differences with changes in our school structures.

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William Butler Yeats

Public K12 education exists to serve its customer, society. As society changes, so must K12 education. When America shifted from an agrarian to an industrial economy over a century ago its educational system was transformed into the model we have today. Grade levels, terms and periods, grading curves, and credits are all artifacts of the factory school designed to create the factory workers and managers needed to power the industrial society. We believe information technology is the catalyst that will transform education as it has other sectors of society. We have shown that by adapting and applying technology and practices used by the private sector to K12, educators can be more productive in their daily tasks and accomplish things previously thought to be impossible.

Three Generations of Campus

District Edition

1997

State Edition

2006

National Edition

2008

Learn more on page 8

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B y L i z S c h m i t t ............................................................................................................................... ................ ................ .. 9 .......2 ..... ................ ................ Education’s use of technology needs to go Our day-to-day world is filled with Tough Times ................ beyond giving students a laptop for learning; ................ activities taken for granted. Flip a The best thinkers in the United States have The Power of Technology .....3 ....... 0 .. it must embrace the power of technology to switch and a room is illuminated. Type a word expressed alarm at statistics showing American ................ capture and analyze a million bits of collected in a search box and thousands of information education falling below global standards. ................ “An amazing invention - but who ................ data to literally change how teaching and resources instantly appear. View videos of the Solutions are tossed out like dice – a crap ................ would ever want to use one?” learning is done. Technology is a tool that can amazing discoveries of our universe found by shoot with our students: reauthorizing NCLB; ... 2 ............ revolutionize curriculum building, scheduling ................ the Hubble Space Telescope. Then consider how improving teacher quality; rethinking assessWhat President Rutherford Hayes said after making a call ................ and assessments to shatter the walls of the facfar we’ve come since Kitty Hawk. ments and standards; closing economic and from Washington to Pennsylvania with Alexander Graham ..8 ............. tory school and construct a system focused on Unless you live in a place like Mustang, racial gaps; and more. It’s a veritable “wheel ................ Bell’s telephone, patented on March 7, 1876 individualized education for every student. Can ........1 ....... Nepal, known as the most isolated country in of fortune”… a heap of ideas that sometimes ................ the world (where Tibet meets India), technology have political “sizzle”, but often lacking the this really be achieved? ............2 ... impacts your life. Some professions embrace depth of clarity on how these ideas will be ................ 7 ............... these changes with an insight that allows them accomplished to meet the goals of improving Transforming K12 Education Connecting Technology & Teaching ................ to become leaders of innovation. Others, like student outcomes. Ambitious? Absolutely. A reality sometime ................ So, what can be done? More meetings to beeducation, have only begun to explore the capa The U.S. spends more than nearly every oth...... 5 ......... soon? Most certainly. This issue of The Infinite moan the current state of American education? ................ bilities of technology to its full potential. er nation on schools, but out of 29 developed Campus will give you a preview of the Infinite ................ More research that may be interesting, but isn’t countries in a 2003 assessment, we ranked Campus vision and development of its third ................ used to influence appropriate change? ..6 ............. 24th in math and problem-solving, 18th in scigeneration (G3) of software. Infinite Campus suggests a solution is here. ................ ence and 15th in reading. As of 2005, about 70 G3 will be a “next step” for educators who ................ It’s in the applications of technology, in the percent of eighth graders were not proficient have a commitment to improving teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N e c e ss i t y, t h e m o t h e r o f i n v e n t i o n vision of school leadership, in the voices of ............. 2 .. in reading. By the end of eighth grade, what and learning. There is a conscious shift to be parents demanding better results, and in the ................ passes for a math curriculum in America is two more than a system understood and appreci. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Discovery consists of seeing what versatility of students who are craving change years behind other countries. ................ ated by technology directors. G3 will support because they are bored. It’s the art and science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . everybody has seen and thinking Research clearly indicates that America is classroom activities and lesson plans, guide ................ of connecting technology and teaching. facing a crisis in education. Policy makers individual learning plans, and give administra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . what nobody has thought.” For more than a decade, Infinite Campus has ................ and academic leaders may be too close to the tors flexibility never before imagined. focused on a commitment to provide the tools .. 6 ............. problem, too entrenched in their day-to-day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, Physiologist (1893-1986) to improve K12 education in the U.S. Serving world of conventional ideas to find appropriate .............. 9 . more than 4 million students, customers ................ solutions. Some call the process and policies have experienced the benefits of Infinite ................ around NCLB an industry of inefficiencies. ................ Campus technology. ......5 ......... ................ ................ .............1 .. ................ .8 .............. ................ 4

Technology

Th e I n f i n i t e C a m p u s

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talk to me

blast-off

With a Wide Angle Lens

go figure

vector it

speedy infinitecampus.com delivery

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Generations of Campus

G3 Focus

New and Future Developments of Campus

National Record Exchange

Allows district-to-district student data transfers anywhere in the U.S. among Infinite Campus customers.

Th e I n f i n i t e C a m p u s

The stories in this issue of The Infinite Campus bring attention to the vision and potential of G3, and how three specific domains: teachers, counselors/parents, and administrators will benefit from this technology.

Generation 1

Scope: District Focus: Administration Goal: Streamline administrative processes and increase stakeholder collaboration

The Infinite Campus District Edition leverages the Internet, delivering a low cost user interface through a Web browser, and built on a multiple tier architecture. It integrates data across the district, streamlines administrative processes and increases stakeholder communication. These are the initial building blocks of G3.

Generation 2 Scope: State Focus: Accountability Goal: Scalable tools for effective data collection and reporting

Campus G3: Technology Drives Change We have all the data and reports needed to know something has to change. Technology drives change. Infinite Campus believes that its G3 technology will create a new chapter in American public K12 education. It begins with using technology to redefine how data is used and how decisions are made. It creates data-based instructions to guide continuous improvement at the individual level, focused on outcomes. It continues with a shift in school culture to allow flexibility, creativity and the wisdom of the teacher to guide the student. It finishes with engaged parents, inspired teachers and successful students. Infinite Campus is well on its way to broadening its focus and turning education upside down. Preparing educators to embrace this change is the intention of this issue of The Infinite Campus. F all 2 0 0 8

Universal Data Warehouse

Generation 3

Scope: National Focus: Continuous Improvement Goal: Provide individualized learning for all students

Generation 3 builds on the successful developments of G1 and G2 to leverage knowledge gained by tracking millions of students to benefit the individual. It expands beyond a focus on administration and accountability to student achievement and continuous improvement. G3 includes a myriad of new and future developments: (see chart at right)

Leverages data from millions of students’ by aggregating non-identifiable student data for use in analysis. This provides trend information that is both a mile wide and a mile deep for credible analysis.

Data Mining

A tool consistently used by business that identifies trends going beyond simple analysis. Data mining will identify successful uses of learning activities for particular groups of students and suggest them to classroom teachers to individualize student learning.

Activity Bank

Stores relevant learning activities for teachers, including assignments, textbooks, and other media typically provided physically rather than virtually. Contributions to the Activity Bank can come from teachers, college professors, businesses, parents, etc.

Data-driven Scheduling

G3 will require a shift in the current scheduling model to support student ILP-centric scheduling. G3 will require an even more flexible, dynamic scheduling tool that connects the right people, to the right place, at the right time; a concept known as R3 (R-cubed).

The Infinite Campus State Edition gives states the ability to manage accountability. It locates students, assigns unique identifiers, provides district-to-district student data transfers, has data warehousing and analysis tools and eliminates district-level state reporting. These capabilities are a precursor to the development of the new opportunities found in G3.

Lesson Plans

G3 Lesson Planning fuels continuous improvement and lies at the heart of the system’s fundamental transformation of K12 education. This technology is already available within the system providing instructional leaders with the ability to distribute a standards-based or conventional set of lessons, assessments, and scoring criteria. The system will then examine the massive amount of information contained within the lesson plans to guide teachers to lessons that work and away from those that don’t.

“We are now in possession of a great deal of hard information about ourselves, but we do not use it to improve our institutions, and therefore

Student & Teacher Plans

Student and Teacher Plans: Following the model of special education, everyone will have an individual learning plan or ILP. This becomes the cornerstone of a student’s academic career and a teacher’s professional development.

National Standards Redefined

Infinite Campus is ready to drive the effort to develop a set of national learning standards that can be used to assess student work. Consistent national learning standards will provide a higher achievement bar than currently used by districts and states.

Assessments

Automation of assessment results will be the driving mechanism for G3. This ability to assess proficiency determines the next task to be assigned which the system will automatically schedule. Assessment results will also be used in determining the effectiveness of the teacher and the quality of the activity used.

our lives.” Doris Lessing, Winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize for Literature

“Let’s drive not just breakthroughs in new products, but new ways to give more and more people access to these inventions and their benefits. This is a broad and important mission, and I believe we all have a part to play in it.” Bill Gates, Founder, Microsoft

infinitecampus.com

Introduction to

Response to

By Karl Beach, Research and Development Team Member

By Barry Brahier, Ph.D., Learning Experiences Designer

The Next Thing

We a re a ph i l osophy- d riven com pany.

Our future focus presents us with a problem. While we’re poised to deploy unprecedented technology, the current educational milieu is not fully ready to embrace it. Therefore, we will systematically roll out the Next Thing in bite-sized chunks, while maintaining our existing system. Our first piece of the Next Thing, Campus National Records Exchange, has just hit the streets.

Fasten your seatbelts.

or the last decade or so, Infinite Campus has been deliberately setting the stage through market leadership to finally provide similar predictive technological support to teachers that, for example, a radiologist will soon enjoy when they pass a digital X-ray file through a state-ofthe-art diagnostic algorithm. You see, “Transforming K12 Education” isn’t a clever bit of market-speak; it’s what we actually intend to do. Meanwhile, the buses continue to arrive at your school doors and we are constantly being asked to make incremental changes to our current product that may provide an immediate solution, but may also keep users stuck in the old ways when innovative technology is constantly making things better. For this reason, there is always tangible tension within our organization between supporting “what currently exists” and working toward “what needs to be.” Fortunately, we are a philosophy-driven company and “what needs to be” gets a lot of attention.

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Meanwhile, what’s next? Cut to the chase scene: current grades and assessment scores are rarely granular enough in “discrimination resolution” to facilitate advanced instructional decision support. Most are analogous to low resolution and blurry snapshots of a student’s performance. The fact that the current grading and assessment paradigm seems normal and appropriate to most folks…just like the blurry image on a black-and-white television seemed normal and appropriate back when I was taking home one-page report cards (or not) is because no one has yet seen the full-color, highresolution alternative.

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....................... Typically, current low-resolution assessment snapshots are “averaged together” sometimes according to a complex weighting scheme with an assortment of other similar/dissimilar scores to form the single-character performance abstraction called a

Th e Nex t Th in g w ill n o t b e a “magic b u llet.”

“letter grade.” One can currently use a computer to record the scores, average them, and make interesting-if inconclusive pictures out of them… but one cannot currently use the computer to quickly derive a short list of high-probability options for what to do next with each learner. The good teachers will, of course, figure out what to do next, but why should it be so hard? What to do? A popular answer to this question is “standards.” The formula is simple: latch onto a “theorist de jour”, invest some taxpayers’ time and money and embrace a trademarked participatory process toward what will likely become a partial system (e.g. we’ll start implementing standards at the elementary level and work our way to the high school…like that’s going to happen) of non-standard standards (e.g. we’ve decided to map this angular measurement standard to both advanced geometry and introduction to meat cutting). Been there and done that? The problem is not with standards, per se. Instead, the problem is with the current paradigm within which they are typically unleashed. Most current standards, no matter how well-meant, are not sufficiently granular in their specification to facilitate advanced instructional decision support. Instead, they “vaguely” lead an odd two-phase existence: not quite specifications but not exactly grading tasks. They are, bluntly, “an addition.” Without advanced decision support technology, they simply become one more thing along with letter grades and Carnegie credits for educational stakeholders to attend to as best they can. To help simplify the current standards situation…because without

nfinite Campus is not a typical company. It is an enterprise populated with brilliant, driven people focused on transforming K12 learning. It is an immensely exciting place to work. So much so, in fact, that in our haste to create the Next Thing we often resort to high-tech shorthand in our communications. While efficient, relying on shorthand seldom brings along everyone we want on the ride. As a technology company, our work focuses on supporting the acquisition of explicit knowledge by students according to the principle of R3 : a system that actively suggests the Right People (teachers and students), at the Right Time (ready to learn) with

“Do or do not, there is no try.” Yoda

proper technology support the complexity of standards can be painful… it has been suggested that standards scores could/should be “averaged together” to form a single-numeral performance abstraction that could be called a “standards grade.” So what’s wrong with a single-numeral standards grade and, by implication, the same old low-resolution specification/ reporting paradigm? Lots. You may be thinking: “Thanks for restating the obvious. What, exactly, does Infinite Campus intend to do about this situation?” Remember our mission? Transforming K12 Education. This is our roadmap to accomplishing this. Stay tuned.

the Right Resources (instructional materials, activities, assessments). Our fundamental assumption is what we’re doing moves the learning process forward. However, we must be careful of becoming overly presumptuous when describing what we’re up to. For example, one might get the impression we believe that if educators will allow our software to do the heavy lifting we can guarantee that all students will learn anything and everything. In fact, this is not the case because we understand (but often do not state) that a tremendous amount of knowledge is implicit. Implicit knowledge cannot be found in curriculum guides or lesson plans. An R3-based system will not suggest people, time or resources to produce implicit knowledge. Implicit knowledge is the kind of knowledge separating someone who is good at what they do and someone who is a master. Master teachers routinely generate “teachable moments”, those split seconds where art and science, explicit and implicit knowledge combine in a lightning strike of learner insight that says, joyously, “Ah ha!” The Next Thing will not be a “magic bullet” that works without good teachers. The “teachable moment” will always occur between a teacher and learner. Unprecedented technology support is necessary, but it is not (and cannot be) sufficient. The Next Thing, more than anything else, will be a system that incorporates and amplifies the wisdom of teachers by capturing their instructional modifications and curricular innovations (on a local, state wide, and national basis) to produce more lessons that work and fewer that do not.

The Next Thing will be a quantum improvement over current educational technology information systems–our own included. It will also require a paradigm shift in our conception of schools (just consider the brainbending it will take to trust a computer to reschedule a 1,000+ student high school every two weeks). This said, it is imperative that technology companies in general, and Infinite Campus is particular, keep the multidimensional reality of the learning process firmly in mind and represent it accurately.

The Next Thing will be a system that incorporates and amplifies the wisdom of teachers.

infinitecampus.com

The Next Thing Here, in a nutshell, are the key concepts

CUSTOMERSTORIES customer stories

underlying the high resolution alternative that has been

“More time teaching individual children, less time wrestling with data that’s not information… quickly see how to do more of what works, less of what doesn’t.”

heading your way in release-sized chunks since 2008.2.6 when binary cut scores and color-coded representation of standards scores were added to the Campus Grade Book. Watch for more details on each of the following throughout the coming year. n Campus-compatible standards (CCS) will be defined in very granular and behaviorally precise detail. n Infinite Campus will provide a new generation of tools…powered by a new interface technology…that will make this required work as efficient and collaborative as possible. n Infinite Campus will provide an artificially intelligent nationwide student data repository for CCS that will allow educators to leverage each other’s work and collaborate (reflect on the implications of the Campus National Records Exchange). n CCS will be precisely mapped to Carnegie credit units. When a sufficient portion of the CCS assessments associated with a Carnegie credit have been passed in a binary manner, the requirements for that credit are met and accreditation is logged.

Charlie Kratsch Founder and CEO Infinite Campus

n CSS will be threaded into learner-specific strands (LSS) according to individual learning plans that are dynamically structured by the analysis of relevant data within the data warehouse. n A unique (and eventually dynamically assembled) group of LSS will constitute the complete explicit definition of the academic content of a course. n A new rapid cycle scheduler will continually align “the right people and the right resources at the right time (R3)” and ensure that individual learning plans proceed forward in an optimal manner. n Learning content aligned with LSS will be created/selected/ purchased, assigned, utilized, and monitored/assessed via highly interactive tools.

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Binary assessment discriminations will power the artificial intelligence algorithms that make instructional decision support possible. Regardless of how trivial/single-dimensional or profound/ multi-dimensional the item or event being assessed, the student either “did” or “did not” demonstrate proficiency. Photo by Stephanie Colgan

infinitecampus.com

CUSTOMERSTORIES

Prescription for Good Academic Health

With Individualized Learning By Norma Morganti, Executive Director, Auburn Career Center

support individual learners

instructional hours typically spent in classrooms practicing for the inevitable end-of-year state testing. He mused that this was akin to practicing for the day of an annual physical, instead of focusing on overall health, which should be monitored on a weekly, if not daily basis. Just as a doctor collects a myriad of individual reading and measurements on a patient’s physical health to make a more accurate prognosis, then prescribes the appropriate treatment plan, so should educators be able to track the academic health of students.

hile technology has played a major role in reforming the way schools do business, we still tend to collect pieces of data into file folders, databases, spreadsheets and grade books, and poke around the edges to discover what’s working or not working to improve student achievement and yearly progress. At the end of the year, we entrust these bits of data in the hands of the local data guru to make sense out of the numbers, all the while having a sinking feeling that we have let another school year fly by not knowing exactly what we could have done to help each and every child achieve his or her potential. Recently, I heard a curriculum expert lament on the number of

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It’s About the Kids Some may say it’s narcissistic – “It’s all about me.” But the reality is every student learns differently. Teachers teach differently. And if tracking progress happens only intermittently, modifications are made too late to be effective. An individualized learning plan (ILP) presumes the needs of individual students are different, and thus, must be differently addressed. An ILP incorporates long-term goals, synthesizes the larger educational framework and acknowledges the student’s aspirations – cultural, artistic, social or personal. This may sound easier than it is, as there are considerations like standards, assessments, lesson plans, teacher proficiency and more. But the time has come – both within the educational environment and with the advancement of technology – to make this happen. Auburn Career Center: Rigor, Relevance and Relationships Auburn Career Center is an awardwinning career and technical school

serving 750 11th and 12th grade students within 11 school districts, and approximately 3,500 continuing and adult education students. Based in northeastern Ohio, the organization was selected as a national pilot site and the lead school in Ohio for the “Building Linkages in Information Technologies Initiative” sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and the National School to Work Office. In 2003, Auburn Career Center was also selected as one of the Gates Foundation 75 Schools of Promise, which launched the district on the path to individualized learning for their students. In 2008, the district was selected as one of 25 Model Schools That Work by the International Center for Leadership in Education. A Campus customer since 2006, Auburn’s road to the Model Schools designation required the use of data and collaborative systems to put rigor, relevance and relationships front and center to the daily operation of the district. Tom Schultz, superintendent of Auburn Career Center, has long supported the use of technology systems to inform strategic initiatives. “Over the last 10 years, the Auburn staff has worked to empower students and teachers with information that supports individual learners and our instructional environment. Our goal has been to create 24 x 7 access to online learning and support. Our use of the Campus Individual Learning Plan (ILP) allows teachers, parents and students to know at any given moment what the personal learning style, goals, progress and needs are, enabling us to connect all these stakeholders to valuable resources that further excel their learning and achievement.”

C A M P U S individual learning plan ( I L P )

Tracking with the Standards Bank At Auburn, there are more than 21 distinct programs of study from culinary arts, to computer aided design engineering and welding, to information technology and nursing. All of the programs lead to national or industry certification, with many students earning college credit along the way. “We knew we needed to track and communicate our rigorous curriculum through the standards bank in Infinite Campus,” said Schultz. “As a model school, we are focused on monitoring whether students understand the content, but more importantly,

whether they can apply that knowledge to solve problems or create new solutions.” While Auburn instructors have long understood the importance of relating the curriculum in a relevant and meaningful way to students via project based delivery, it wasn’t always easy to communicate this progress. Using the standards-based Campus Grade Book, instructors can now create lesson plans that track assignments, projects and assessments in one system, and can use that information to target improvement for all students.

Campus Portal Access All this information is combined with easy access via the Campus Portal and the standards-based report card continues to support on-going communication and positive relationships between instructors and students, as well as parents. “Our students were used to accessing their important work through the technology infrastructure available at Auburn,” said Schultz. “A student in our CAD Engineering program can work on 3D design software from the computer at home, and get the latest information about the project assignment and their individual progress via Infintie Campus at the same time.” continued next page

ACADEMIC HEALTH personality & behavior learning style

understanding & applying knowledge

aspirations & goals

...wonder what’s for lunch today?

attendance

aptitude

interests

academic progress

economics

family infinitecampus.com

CUSTOMERSTORIES

Campus Lesson Planner

real-time communication to parents and students

individualized learning

One-time entry in Campus Lesson Planner populates Campus Portal when you are ready to post.

support district’s mapped curriculum efforts

P rescription for good academic h ealt h

Tracking Academic Health Dr. William Daggett, president of the International Center for Leadership Institute and creator of the Rigor/Relevance Framework, wrote about the current state of standards and teaching. It’s a conversation about how to best track student academic health. In his article, “Why No Child Left Behind Matters,” Daggett notes, “When instruction plays to a student’s interests, learning style, and aptitudes, he or she will do better in school. Therefore, if we want students to do well in math, science, and language arts, we need to focus instruction in a way that is consistent with the students’ needs. They become excited and motivated about academics only if they see how the acquisition of those proficiencies extends their knowledge in the area of interest.”

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Individualized Academic Career Plan At Auburn, every student has an Individual Academic Career Plan (IACP) that is monitored and updated every six months. These IACP allows each student to set individual goals aligned with their program of study, identify strategies to improve areas of weakness and highlight areas of strength. From the Campus Grade Book to the ILP to the complete data analysis tools, Auburn continues to refine and track the overall organizations’ progress against learning criteria that will support 21st century learners. “We knew going in that we were embarking down a path that would require a sophisticated tool to track data for improvement,” remarked Schultz. “Being a part of the Model Schools initiative has reinforced the power of an integrated data store that

supports individualized learning and instruction. The information that may not be always academic, such as attendance, counseling or behavior, all contribute to supporting better relationships, because you begin to know and understand the ‘whole’ child, not just the letter grade that gets reported every nine weeks.” All Said and Done The possibilities for using technology to support student achievement are being realized with Infinite Campus. It’s exciting. But it often requires a willingness to learn new techniques, ask new questions, and create a new culture with an emphasis on individualized learning. Let’s stop looking at only the yearly physical exam. Let’s use collected data every day to individualize learning and ensure overall academic health.

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Dick and Jane Learn

2 8 7 3 1 2 2 8 3 * 2 0 1 .4 1 3 8 4 / / 7 3 8 7 4 2 . 3 7 4 1 9 0 1 3

Denver Public Schools (Colorado) has created a new position to bridge the gap between the IT department and the instructional departments of the district. It’s a sign of things to come. Often there is a chasm of cooperation between techies and teachers. Technology staff are typically not educators, nor trained in that area. They thrive on data collection, ad hoc reporting, and the next wave of product development. Innovative and forward thinking, they inform district leaders via data analysis. On the other hand, teachers are often wary of technology, viewing it as a cumbersome necessity that detracts from their real work – teaching. They are more consumed with managing student progress, searching for a variety of learning tools and developing engaging lessons to consider the potential of technology. It’s time for a different kind of discussion, where data speaks the language of learning and classrooms realize the significant potential of technology. Teachers with a Techie Toolbelt At Denver Public Schools (DPS), Kipp Bentley’s position as director of educational technologies was changed. In addition to leading his district’s instructional technology efforts, he also now serves as the conduit between IT and the instructional departments. This organizational model is a successful partnership between technology and teaching. Although Kipp has been on the technology side of district operations for many years, he always viewed the world as an educator. Coming to the instructional side of the district is a perfect fit with his background. 18

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“We urge staff to use all available classroom resources, such as those provided by Infinite Campus, to help them navigate the most direct path for stimulating learners at all levels. That is part of my new responsibility and the focus of my staff.”

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SQL “The core business of education is teaching,” Kipp said. “I am, by nature, an educator. Many years ago I started as a Montessori teacher before becoming a librarian and technology teacher. I have a master’s degree in elementary education and a principal’s license. I fell into the “techie” role, really. But I’m an advocate for technology and the powerful learning and teaching resources it can bring to teachers and students.” Undoubtedly, instruction is more effective when aided by technology. Tools such as data warehousing, data mining, resource acquisition, and historical data about students can give teachers, counselors, and administrators a distinct advantage of having critical information to guide them.

propriate to presume to understand a teacher’s world if you haven’t walked in their shoes recently. That is why DPS saw the need for someone with Kipp’s qualifications to fill this niche. “Integrating academic and technology functions for a common purpose is very exciting… and challenging,” said Kipp. “I am now spending a lot more time meeting with the curriculum and instruction staff. It is an opportunity for new insights; for changes of process and culture.”

Supporting Transition Kipp knows technology is not a perfect medium and things don’t always work as planned. But with careful planning and a commitment by staff, satisfaction with new technology is achieved. For example, when DPS transitioned from SASI’s InteGrade Pro to the Campus Grade Book, Kipp’s Ed Tech team had a thorough plan for success. They led in-house training sessions for teachers, developed documentation and training videos, 12479.37648763/482001[10.08]230348.1 and provided personal and on-going 23[4769]32649827639.210293232874.23 945*8012.8347//294853457*ABC’s.232322 support for teachers. With these con222304914164511013/46634817681764873 centrated efforts, teachers are now 63.115047984.769.871276373648734//675 y57757549689587//627346. 234237648274 well equipped. 287346827364827364450698458679348/7 Kipp reflected on this experience, 5w9832749283759287539874590.2394838 793.8749287349234792837459867958//74 “We urge staff to use all available /7594875934875934837594875187[263817 classroom resources, such as those 6]4817468346498769847695687485e7694 provided by Infinite Campus, to help 87569485679487602983475974658347568 3[1.7/65287345628756234765837465.2376* them navigate the most direct path 12378579872384756387456387569238746 for stimulating learners at all levels. 50293.7456983745689375468234568.2374 56852525252253477586767673475929000 That is part of my new responsibility 1.238737364//2468234*576286.52//373423 and the focus of my staff.” 84376*58764759437.110938//428734879181 26*ABC’s//764.1234567890.833.3765841

Times Have Changed It is important to focus on the core work of teachers who are trying to prep their lessons, teach their classes, meet with parents, etc. It may be inap-

The Next Chapter Infinite Campus has had substantial success in helping meet the needs of educators for streamlined data entry. The next step is to have efficiencies in instructional technology to save

Kipp Bentley, Director of Educational Technologies, Denver Public Schools

Kipp Bentley, director of educational technologies with staff, Erin Magley and Dale Downing, educational technology coordinators.

time. Kipp explains, “If a third grade teacher is doing our math curriculum, and there is a teacher in another school doing the same thing, and we both have fairly scripted lessons and standards defined, why should we both have to enter this information into the lesson planner?” Currently, DPS is prepping their Everyday Math curriculum to go into Campus Lesson Planner for use this fall. They’re also exploring how best to include assessment frameworks from other content areas.

“Our goal is to use Infinite Campus to provide a greater degree of progress monitoring data that can: n Provide additional curriculum

guides pre-populated into the Lesson Planner to minimize data entry; n Deliver a better way to track how

teachers address curriculum content with students. In this way, teachers can better assess which of their students have met specific standards and which have not.

Time Well Spent DPS wants to bring technology and instruction together. Kipp described some of the issues facing them. “We have more data than we could use for a lifetime, but how do we use it? How can it be translated into effective classroom practice? Accessibility to resources? Tracking progress and stimulating learning?” Through continued discussions, a willingness to be innovative, and working with Infinite Campus, a company that shares their vision, DPS will experience continuous improvement in education. “Accomplishing these goals requires an understanding of data, blended with familiarity instruction and acknowledging the art of teaching,” Kipp said. “I’m pleased to say we’re making bold steps toward bridging the gap.”

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“When the district was

Pangaea

searching for a new

Managing ELL Students (and more) in Glendale, Arizona

student information system (SIS), it started

Recreated

Hola! Zdravo! Salaam!

Users within the district need immediate access to information; n Those closest to the information could make changes to the information that affected them; n Parents would have timely access to their student’s information; and

“ Infinite Campus has been a tremendous benefit to GUHSD in organizing our student language proficiency assessment cycle and reporting assessment data to the appropriate parties.” Karen Merritt GUHSD ELL Coordinator

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goals. I am pleased to say, all of these goals have been met with Infinite Campus.”

The English Language Learner (ELL) student population continues to grow more rapidly than the student population as a whole, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. The general population has grown nine percent from 1993-2003, while the ELL population has grown 65 percent in that same time. In addition, the passage of NCLB has brought major implications for ELL staff, mainstream teachers, and district administrators, who need to track, assess and report on these students. Districts benefit from how technology, like Infinite Campus, provides data-driven strategies, individualized learning plans, and real-time student tracking of demographics, attendance, grades, and proficiencies. Coming to Campus An Infinite Campus customer since 2006, Glendale Union High School District (GUHSD) is comprised of nine high schools, serving grades 9-12. The 60-square mile urban district encompasses portions of Phoenix and Glendale, Arizona, with an enrollment of approximately 15,000 students. “When the district was searching for a new student information system (SIS), it started with clearly stated goals,” said Jordan Beveridge, director of information and technology at GUHSD. “These included:

with clearly stated

Cut down on the number of times data had to be entered in different systems. I am pleased to say, all of these goals have been met with Infinite Campus.” With Infinite Campus, teachers have access to their student’s test scores, transcripts and other pertinent information to prepare instruction. Counselors can immediately enter a student schedule upon enrollment and send the student to class. (In the past, counselors filled out paperwork and handed it to a data processer for data entry.) In addition,

Jordan Beveridge Director of Information and Technology, GUHSD

having been placed in a class, the student immediately shows up on the teachers’ attendance roster. Infinite Campus integration makes a world of difference to teachers, parents, counselors and administrators. Learning how Infinite Campus works with a smaller, defined population, like ELL, helps to see how effective it is for the entire district.

Hello! Mysh bzi! Moreme! ELL Tracking with Campus GUHSD has had an ELL program (formerly English as a second language or “ESL”) for more than 20 years. All nine high schools have an ELL program, and the GUHSD ELL department has 34 teachers and 34 ELL instructional aides. As with most districts, Glendale Union has faced many changes in its program, primarily as a result of a shift in student demographics. The GUHSD staff faces many challenges with the extremely diverse and continually changing demographics. “Currently, 1,200 ELL students are enrolled in our program,” said Karen Merritt, GUHSD ELL Coordinator. “Of these, slightly more than 200 have entered the United States with refugee status. These students come to us from Asia, the Middle East, Africa,

CampusIntegration makes a world of difference to teachers, parents, counselors and administrators Eastern Europe, Central America and the Caribbean. “In addition to our 1,200 ELL students, approximately 5,000 students, (one-third of our student body) are Primary Home Language Other Than English (PHLOTES) Students.” Karen and the GUHSD ELL teachers use Infinite Campus extensively to identify PHLOTES students, and to identify who requires the Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA) assessment and reassessment. They also use it to monitor staffing needs and identify students who qualify for support through various grants and other funding. “In addition to allowing us to easily identify students who require assessment and ELL services, Infinite Campus has been a tremendous benefit in tracking our ELL population,” said Karen. “As our population of refugees grows, we are able to immediately see needs and respond appropriately. Additionally, we have been able to effectively monitor the impact of recent

Arizona immigration legislation on student enrollment.” Mandates for ELL Made Easier Significant changes have occurred over the past 20 years for state and federal reporting mandates regarding assessment, placement and instruction of ELLs. These new mandates require detailed documentation and record keeping that are more easily managed with Infinite Campus. “In Arizona ELLs and reclassified proficient ELLs must be assessed with the AZELLA at least once per year,” said Karen. “Placement in the ELL program is based on the student’s performance on the AZELLA. Assessment results and program placement must be reported to the state and made available to local schools/teachers in a timely manner. Infinite Campus has been a tremendous benefit to GUHSD in organizing our student language proficiency assessment cycle and reporting assessment data to the appropriate parties.” infinitecampus.com

CUSTOMERSTORIES

Managing ELL Students (and more) in Glendale, Arizona

ELL Summer School Success Summer 2008, GUHSD opened their largest ELL summer school program ever. “With Infinite Campus, we were able to seamlessly enroll 125 limited English proficient students from nine schools into one centralized summer program,” said Karen. “Because student information is available to us from across the district, registration is now a streamlined operation. Students’ summer school attendance and grades are available for the students’ home schools through Campus, as well.”

Ngh on! Hola! Zdravo! Serving All Students Better GUHSD understands the value of Infinite Campus for the entire district. Real-time data is available through Campus not only to students, parents and classroom teachers, but also to counselors, administrators and district personnel making decisions about how best to serve all students. For example, GUHSD has successfully used Infinite Campus to track special education students in mainstream courses.

In his 2007 State of Education speech, Arizona Department of Education Superintendent Tom Horne recognized Glendale for its achievement in having a successful system for personal learning plans.

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StreamlineProcesses With Infinite Campus, GUHSD was able to seamlessly enroll 125 limited English proficient students from nine schools into one centralized summer program. “With Infinite Campus, we track special education student progress and analyze how they compare to other students in the classroom,” said Jordan. “We have data showing the inclusion of students in mainstream classes has greatly benefited them, and that they are performing well.” Reaching Out to Parents It is a proven fact that informed parents provide a distinct advantage for student learning. GUHSD uses Campus Messenger and the Campus Portal to engage parents. “Parents have commented many times how much they like the Campus Portal,” said Jordan. “They use the secure, password protected, web-based portal to access their student’s information. Attendance and grades are the most frequently viewed.” Parents also appreciate access to calendars, assignments, immunization records, and the ability to update email and contact preferences. All other demographic information is viewable, but not editable, on the Campus Portal. Campus Messenger has helped GUHSD save time and money by electronically sending messages ranging from reminders to open houses, parent meeting, special events and state testing days. “We have customized Campus Messenger with Voice to deliver

attendance calls to student homes on a daily basis,” said Jordan. “Parents have the option of receiving the call on their home or cell phone, by email or another designated number. This has eased the workload of the initial contact to parents, reminding them to call in absences.” At the end of the day, any student with an unexcused absence gets a personal call from school staff. Teachers, parents, administrators, and students at Glendale Union stay connected and work together for noticeable progress.

Transforming K12 Education

Statewide Recognition Using Infinite Campus to effectively track students, gather important data to create individualized learning plans and run reports for strategic decisions helps GUHSD excel as a district. In his 2007 State of Education speech, Arizona Department of Education Superintendent Tom Horne recognized Glendale for its achievement in having a successful system for personal learning plans, which he proposed as a state-wide priority. Partnering with Infinite Campus, forward-thinking districts, like GUHSD, will shape the future of education and the possibilities for student learning.

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Gathering information and predicting trends can guide us to better support teachers and the classroom experience, but we are only at the beginning of our journey.

Scarsdale Enters the

Fast Lane of Student Information By Rachel Moseley, Chief Information Officer, Scarsdale, NY

hen the Scarsdale School District (New York) decided to upgrade its student information system, it faced many issues associated with migrating from a longstanding legacy system. Now, two years later, all district staff has student data at their fingertips. They are on the fast track to finding new ways of using data to inform instruction and improve learning.

From left to right; Kenneth Holvig, head computer teacher, Valerie Lloyd, data analyst, Doug Rose, computer teacher, Michael McDermott, principal, Rachel Moseley, chief information officer, Duncan Wilson, assist. principal, Gerald Crisci, director of technology, Rochelle Hauge, assist. principal

Tough Terrain Before moving to Infinite Campus, our schools had separate database systems. In addition, we maintained a demographic database that functioned independently from the others. Our data conversion to Infinite Campus required us to merge eight databases which contained hundreds of duplicated entries and data inconsistencies. In addition to data quality problems, our processes for accessing and using data were outdated and inefficient. For example, nurses and secretaries had to refer to paper forms for student information and health records. Teachers and administrators had to go to the school’s main office

Now, we’re finally up to speed and moving towards more innovative uses of our data, improved communications, and a culture that supports the use of data to improve instruction. Administrators, nurses, secretaries, psychologists, teachers, and counselors have accurate, updated student data at their fingertips. We now use Infinite Campus as the sole source of student information, eliminating redundant data maintenance throughout the district. With CCS’s help, we have implemented daily automatic data transfers to our emergency notification, transportation and library system. Barbara Leifer-Sarullo, director of counseling at the senior high school,

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to find parent contact information, and parent mass-communication was limited to paper mailings. We quickly realized that we were stuck in the slow lane, and we needed more than a quick tune up to get to our destination. Over the Hump Two years ago we implemented Infinite Campus. With all the disparate systems, inconsistencies in data, and the introduction of an unfamiliar system, it was a bit more than a fender bender. We were lucky to have Custom Computer Specialists (CCS), a Campus Channel Partner, guide us through this enormous task.

uses Campus every day for tracking students, scheduling, communicating, and retrieving personal data about a student. “I like being able to pull up class rosters with ease and then go into individual student’s schedules,” said Barbara. “The concept of entering information only once is fantastic. I can look at a student’s summary screen and quickly get names of family members, enrollments of siblings and, best of all, all contact information for parents. It’s a fabulous feature and makes my job a lot easier.” Barbara has spoken to many nonCampus users about Infinite Campus benefits. “The use of technology frees us to do the work we are trained to do – counsel kids. It keeps student files at our fingertips and is an enormous time saver.” We’d never turn back. Around the Curves and on to the Home Stretch With Infinite Campus, we have the tools to move beyond mere data collection. Our superintendent, Dr.

Michael McGill, hosts an information user group to discuss data trends and examine ways to improve instruction. District-level discussions have focused on questions like: n How can we measure our district goals? n Is there a correlation between some of the district standards, state test and standardized test (e.g., DRA) performance? n Is there a correlation between academic performance and participation in extra-curricular activities? Jerry Crisci, director of technology, and I lead building level meetings to allow teachers to share data they need to improve instruction. Building-level discussions have raised the following questions: n Is there a correlation between math placement in the sophomore year and performance in chemistry? n How does the performance of male students and female students compare in subject areas? n How do Scarsdale students compare with the best performing schools in the world, such as Finland?

“The use of technology frees us to do the work we are trained to do – counsel kids. It keeps student files at our fingertips and is an enormous time saver.” Barbara Leifer-Sarullo

Director of Counseling at Scarsdale Senior High School

Duncan Wilson, assistant principal at the Scarsdale Middle School, has been leading initiatives to examine student work. He believes that “schools will have to gather a variety of evidence that demonstrates each student’s experiences, achievements, reflections, and growth.” In addition, Duncan believes that evidence must have four qualities: n Be standards-based; n Be multifaceted; n Have a formative component where students and parents participate in its collection, assessment, and communication; and n Travel with the students as they move from grade to grade. Duncan also has witnessed failed attempts to constructively examine student work. He states, “In the past, authentic assessment/evidence protocols have proven to be unsustainable due to their complexity, or to the lack of evidence that they had any impact on students. To be sustainable these protocols must: n Take no additional time for teachers; n Show demonstrable evidence of impact; and n Take advantage of existing communications technology.” Gathering information and predicting trends can guide us to better support teachers and the classroom experience, but we are only at the beginning of our journey. The next generation of Infinite Campus will give us even more opportunities to draw on multiple data sources to improve instruction. We’re looking forward to our continued journey with Infinite Campus.

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e v i G s t n e r a P y e l l a V r n a l a Boulde t r

o P s u p m Ca

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . There is much discussion about the role of “helicopter parents,” describing how they flutter over their children’s every decision, “As both an administrator and BVSD every activity, every minute of the day. On the other hand, a treparent, timely and transparent mendous amount of research proves that students with involved communication allows parents, parents have definite advantages for academic success. teachers and students to be more For example, family participation in education was twice as immediately aware of instructional predictive of students’ academic success as family socioeconomic issues, allowing for more rapid and status. Some of the more intensive programs had effects that were on-point intervention.” 10 times greater than other factors. Several things determine the level of parent participation in their Briggs Gamblin student’s education, including the extent to which parents believe Director of communications and legislative policy they can have a positive influence on their children’s learning, and parent’s perceptions that the school wants them involved. Campus Portal is an essential tool for communication between parents and schools, for tracking student performance, and to have up-to-the-minute information that helps parents guide a student’s educational activities. 26

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.................................................................................... Using Campus Portal At Boulder Valley School District (BVSD), Colorado, parents know the value of Campus Portal. It is consistently used to track attendance, grades, upcoming assignments and relevant school notices in real time, whether they’re in Boulder or Bangkok. Progress is monitored by parents, teachers and students, allowing more time for help when needed and eliminating the element of surprise. BVSD administrators, teachers, parents, and even students agree: It’s working. Real Time Access to Information David Williamson, chief information officer at BVSD, has heard a great deal of positive feedback about how the Campus Portal has helped student achievement. “Parents absolutely love the Campus Portal and being able to get current progress information about their child,” he said. “We had a quarter of a million parent logins during second semester alone! And, students are finding the system equally valuable. We had twice as many student logins as we did parents.” Each semester the BVSD IT Department works with each school to prepare and print letters for parents without a Campus Portal login. The

Assignments and messages are no longer forgotten or lost in the backpack.

personalized letter, automatically academic interventions to occur generated through Infinite Campus, more quickly, and for relationships contains simple instructions for to develop between parents and accessing the portal and contains a the schools.” unique username and password. In addition, immediate access to With a secure login, parents have student information saves time and access to all school and district money. “Using the Campus Portal notices, demographic informs parents, helps information, school them keep students on calendars, class schedtask and opens lines of ules, attendance, grades, communication,” said behavior issues, health Briggs Gamblin, direcand immunization intor of communications formation, assessments, and legislative policy graduation planner, at BVSD. transportation, fees, Because of this school choice, food serout-facing technology, vice, reports and other Gamblin has noticed an links. Access to any or ever-growing attention all of this information to customer service and is determined by the community outreach individual district. by BVSD. “Parents love David Williamson In addition, students Chief Information Officer, BVSD Infinite Campus. It has can register online, proven to help student from the convenience of any Web achievement and accountability,” said access. They can search for specific Terry Gillach, Southern Hills Middle classes, view required courses and School Principal. print a request summary. Campus Portal is currently availFrom Parents able in four languages: English, The “helicopter parent” may someSpanish, Simplified Chinese and times be used in a pejorative sense, Traditional Chinese. Users can select however, parents rely on information which option best fits their needs to help support and guide their chilby clicking on the hyperlink of the dren in their educational process. preferred language. “I have never been as involved in my daughter’s school as I am with What’s the Buzz? Infinite Campus,” said Noel Vicknair, “Positive results of parental inparent of a BVSD student. “What a joy volvement include improved student technology has brought to the Vickachievement, reduced absenteeism, nair family.” improved behavior, and restored Jeff and Michele Martin use Campus confidence among parents in their Portal often. “It makes it easier for me children’s schooling.” to see how my child is doing and al(National Education Association) though ‘less human’ than meeting with teachers, it’s important to get real time From Administrators feedback on my child’s progress. We BVSD uses many ways to involve parno longer have to frisk my children’s ents, creating a positive environment backpacks to see how they are doing or for student learning. to ask about assignments.” “Communicating with parents is Bottom line from parents? essential,” said Rhonda Haniford, “I love the system,” said Dave BVSD Centaurus High School PrinGossett, BVSD parent. cipal. “The Campus Portal allows for infinitecampus.com

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“No generation in history has ever been so thoroughly prepared for the industrial age.”

Envision a teacher automatically

receiving a report every morning on

David Warlick, The Landmark Project

What?

each student in a class that details Piled High and Deep in Data All too often we are drowning in data and starving for meaning. The shear volume of data being collected for compliance purposes alone is staggering. And, of course, compliance data really does very little to improve instruction, the core purpose of schools. This is one of the many factors that can make school improvement initiatives overwhelming. If we are going to move beyond just the incremental proficiency gains and strive for the skills students need to be successful in the global marketplace, we must

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C reating

Wisdom from

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Data

By Craig Barnum 4 6 2 3 7 4 0 0 2 9 8 3 7 4 6 5 5 7 6 3 1 1 9 2 8 3 7 9 1 2 8 7 3 1 2 8 2 5 0 3 6 7 8 3 1 Director of Information Services and Technology, College Community School District, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

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transform our practices and not just tweak them. To substantively improve performance, educators need new models of how to think about data, as well as new tools to deploy the data for a meaningful and beneficial effect.

possible best practice activities to maximize growth.

The Great Divide: Data to Wisdom One mental model I use to shape the chaos is DIKW (data, information, knowledge, wisdom). This hierarchical model has its roots in the T.S. Elliot poem, “The Rock”:

Wisdom is the intuitive sense that guides actions based upon years of experience.

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?

The structure builds from data to information to knowledge and finally to wisdom. Data at the Base

Data are the discrete pieces – the ones and zeros. The number “143” is all but meaningless until it is put in context. Contextualized data is transformed into information. For example, 143 is pretty good news if it is one’s cholesterol reading. However, it’s a pretty dismal figure if it represents a baseball batting average.

Photo by Stephanie Colgan

recently ran across this quote from David Warlick while attending a state leadership academy. The truth of it was shocking, infuriating, and unfortunately, undeniable. There is no doubt that since the implementation of No Child Left Behind there have been modest gains in both reading and math proficiency. However, should baseline proficiency really be the central focus of our improvement efforts? Isn’t the name of the game developing workers who can maintain our national economic competitive advantage?

Transformed to Information

The Keys to Knowledge

Information is characterized by being explicit, manageable, and static. It defines itself and is easy to convey to others. If information changes, it transforms itself into new information. Like the foundation of a house, high quality data is essential if the top end of the hierarchy is to have any value. But, just as a foundation alone does not make a house, data is not enough to advance educational practices. Improvement is leveraged at the top two tiers of the model: knowledge and wisdom.

Unlike information, knowledge is often tacit, multidimensional and dynamic. Knowledge is difficult to express to others. How do you recognize someone’s face? We can do it easily, but it is difficult to explain how. Knowledge is malleable and individual specific. It adds value and is the source of the ineffable “things” that make us good at our jobs. Knowledge cannot be replicated, but it can be built. Knowledge building is a key strategy to systemic and sustainable school improvement.

Tools are central to this task. In fact, having the right tool can be like the difference between lightning and a lightning bug in terms of the difference it will make for successful knowledge building. The Pinnacle of Wisdom

Wisdom is the final piece of the hierarchy. In this sense, wisdom is the ability to reflect upon previous information and knowledge to gain insights. This deeper comprehension lends itself well to seeing “the big picture.”

Infinite Campus Vision: Bringing Us Forward Given this mental model, I am excited about the possibilities within the new Infinite Campus data warehousing and mining concept. I understand the national data warehouse is not just designed to be a repository of demographic data, but will include instructional design and results data, and an artificial intelligence agent. In other words, it will contain lessons; the results of the standardsbased assessments of these lessons; and an instrument for analysis. This will be a tremendous knowledgebuilding tool indeed! First Steps In the current state, student information systems, including Infinite Campus, only give access to data and information. Once again, high quality data and information are foundational and very valuable. But, knowledge building is the high impact activity to improve practices. The ability to tap into a deep national data pool and have an automated process churn through it to deliver targeted, customized, and timely information to instructional decisionmakers is a tremendous advance in knowledge building. infinitecampus.com

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we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? 8752932385745858346529837456982374652039489488578374658374659332948

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Knowledge building is a key strategy to systemic and sustainable school improvement.

Envision a teacher automatically receiving a report every morning on each student in a class that details possible best practice activities to maximize growth. This type of masscustomization does not automate the instructional process or take decisions out of the teacher’s hands. Rather it enables the teacher to see the student with a more precise eye. Each educator would draw from his or her personal experiences and understandings of the child to hit the instructional “sweet spot.” Or the place where that student gets exactly what they need to maximize growth. This is just one facet of the transformation this new tool will make possible. Who Goes Where? When? Imagine the impact a smart data warehouse could have on constructing student schedules. If we knew exactly what learning experiences yield the

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Creating Wisdom from Data

best growth for a student, we could tailor a schedule to meet these specific needs. This type of mass-customized scheduling would transform a school’s structure. Such a scheduling model stops computing Carnegie Units to measure results, and instead documents coherent learning experiences. Time ceases to be constant in how we view students’ progress. It is then possible to have learning be the true measure. Greater efficiencies will also be reaped. If we knew that students fitting a certain demographic and achievement profile tend to do well in a given set of classes or experiences, resources, such as time and faculty talents, could be dovetailed to meet student needs more efficiently. This tool in the right hands increases knowledge about how to match students with the best possible set of personnel and experiences to fulfill their growth potential. This is an example of how knowledge building can increase the performance of a school system. Anticipating Transformation I accept it as axiomatic that we will need to restructure the educational system if the U.S. is to maintain its competitive advantage in the world marketplace. I also deeply believe that tools shape behavior. The new tools that Infinite Campus will develop in the near future will have the potential to unlock some of these desperately needed changes.

Photo by Stephanie Colgan

Where is the wisdom

Transforming K12 Education

Infinite Campus Core Beliefs n Public

education exists to serve society, its customer. All aspects of society are being transformed by information technology. n In order to prosper, educators must employ modern information technology to meet the demands of its new customer, the information society. n Information technology should streamline administrative tasks while enabling new and innovative educational processes.

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Did You Know?

Public school systems will employ about 3.3 million teachers this fall (2008). In fall 2008, a record 49.8 million students will attend public elementary and secondary schools. Of these, 34.9 million will be in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade and 14.9 million in grades 9 through 12.

Tim Berners-Lee coined the phrase “World Wide Web” in 1990.

The first computer mouse was introduced in 1968 by Douglas Engelbart at the Fall Joint Computer Expo in San Francisco.

About 60 percent of 3- and 4-year olds are enrolled in nursery school, up from 6 percent in 1964, when this data was first collected.

It took 38 years for radio to reach 50 million users, 13 years for TV, and only five years for the Internet.

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“It’s time to realize we are more alike than we are different, whether you’re in Florida or Oregon, California or Kentucky.”

KDE Ready for G3 The Kentucky Department of Education uses Infinite Campus as an administrative tool for funding and accounting purposes. Now, across Kentucky, there is the mindset to use the technology to facilitate higher student achievement.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has significant student achievement goals for 2014. With Infinite Campus, they expect to meet those goals. For Kentucky, it’s a “full-meal deal” with the system. It selected the Infinite Campus State Edition, and provided the Infinite Campus District Edition at no cost to its districts. It is now looking forward to the next generation to give them additional resources to study longitudinal data, the development of national standards, and continued student improvement using individualized learning plans. “KDE has successfully used Campus to acquire basic information such as knowing where a student is, how long they’ve been in attendance, where they live, etc.,” said Kay Kennedy, KDE’s Director of the Division of District Operations in the Office of District Support Services. “But much more can be done with this technology. “Soon, administrative functions will become second nature and streamlined, and Kentucky districts will be poised to use Campus on the instructional side.” Bring on 2014. Kentucky is ready!

With that said, it’s imperative that education partake in extensive longitudinal studies on students, tracking personal, economic, and social influences, as well as learning activities and assessments. All successful organizations do it. It’s time for education to embrace the advantages of technology for informed decisions. “Part of what we need to do in Kentucky is better educate our schools about what they can do with information,” Kay commented. “We need to learn not to get overwhelmed by the data and caught in a sort of analysis paralysis syndrome. Then, we can make strategic decisions based on what the information is telling us.”

Longitudinal studies are not the sole propriety of IT gurus or district leaders. Within the classroom, the teacher wields a great deal of influence and should be equipped with as much information as possible. Having a history of performance attributes through the use of technology, including styles of teaching, lesson plans, and a record of student achievement can support teaching and learning in extraordinary ways. For example, if a fourth grade teacher knew that a student had three different teachers in second grade, lived in multiple households, and she failed her spelling tests for a month, the system captures a snapshot to

guide the teachers, counselors and parents towards a deeper understanding of influences on the student’s learning. It’s all about what we know, and how we use what we know to direct the student. Supporting a Mobile Society We’re a tremendously mobile society and children change schools, districts, and states constantly. There are different school expectations, assessments and standards at every location, which is a disservice to the student and can inhibit student achievement. National education forums are discussing legislation to facilitate the transfer of student records for military families, going from base to base, state to state, etc. There are tremendous challenges with this. The Campus National Record Exchange is a first step towards a solution, making it easier for student records to transfer from district to district, anywhere in the U.S. among Campus users. Campus will work to support schools and families and students in the challenges they face with relocation.

“Whatever commonalities states can develop in terms of standards would make the whole process much more meaningful and easier to accomplish,” Kay commented. Infinite Campus is ready to drive the effort to develop a set of national learning standards. Consistent national standards will provide a higher achievement bar than is currently used by districts and states. But what does a national standard look like? “Working with Infinite Campus, who has a strong presence in many states, you see the opportunities to have these discussions and see this could actually be accomplished,” said Kay. “It is time to realize we are more alike than we are different, whether you’re in Florida or Oregon, California or Kentucky.” ILP’s - All for One Infinite Campus was founded on the premise that all students are special and unique. Each one deserves to have individual learning plans that reflect their specific goals. For four years now, KDE has had expectations of all districts in Kentucky

With the challenges of constant relocation of students, whatever commonalities states can develop in terms of standards would make the whole process much more

K ay Ken n edy

to implement individualized learning plans for their students. It starts in middle school and allows students to craft their course of study by learning more about their interests and needs. This is consistently modified and tracked for progress. By the time they get through high school and have accomplished that learning plan, they are ready to move to the next step, whether it is a four year institution or a technical college, etc. The goal in Kentucky is to better integrate the individual learning plan back to how the school can address the individual needs with things like scheduling courses and tracking experiences required for achievement. “The commitment Infinite Campus has to G3 will help Kentucky take these next steps,” Kay said. KDE is onboard with the Campus innovations. “Having resources for teachers that allows them to spend more time working with students rather than doing research or hunting down instructional techniques is a benefit to the entire system.” And any system that gets users to ask why something is being done; why a student is on a particular course of study; what can help a student succeed is a real positive. In addition, the opportunities with accurate longitudinal studies and common national standards will keep KDE on track to meet their achievement goals. Working together, KDE and Infinite Campus are partners in shaping the next generation of education.

meaningful and easier to accomplish.

Looking Back to See Ahead History has shown that knowledge of the past provides important insights for the future. KDE Staff (From left to right) Front row: Ed Maddox, Kay Kennedy Middle row: Paige Patterson-Grant, Donald Aviles, Garnetta Barnette Back row: Jason Sizemore, Matt Wilhoite, Leigh Welch, Troy McGinnis

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History of Educational Inventions Oral Examination Pre 3500 B.C.E.

Probably the initiation ceremonies by which primitive tribes have tested the knowledge of tribal customs, endurance, and bravery of their men prior to their admission to the ranks of adult males are among the earliest examinations employed by human beings.

Cuneiform Writing 3000 B.C.E.

Sumerians began to write when they associated sounds with various symbols. Cuneiform writing was more efficient than using pictographs.

Written Examinations 2200 B.C.E.

China had an elaborate national system of examinations for the purpose of selecting its public officials and these examinations have been known through the ages for their unusual severity.

Public School 1382 C.E.

In England, some teachers wished to be free of church influence and earn their living by teaching; increasing secular power allowed this development.

Concept of grades or forms 1537 C.E.

The practice of dividing the curriculum of the new grammar schools into grades and forms was introduced in Germany. Each class had a definite objective and the work to be accomplished during the year was set down with absolute detail.

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowledge is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”

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Leonardo da Vinci

individual learning plan Transforming K12 Education

ost educators agree the ideal method of teaching is to have the tools and flexibility to meet each student’s needs as they occur, allowing for self-directed learning and pace appropriate lessons. Counselors and teachers develop a different model of teaching and learning, and administrators embrace a freedom of scheduling, standards and success never thought possible.

At Infinite Campus, our mission is to Transform K12 Education. Ambitious? Absolutely. A reality sometime soon? Most certainly. Join us in creating a new kind of school that makes a real difference for every student.

Individualized learning for all students has been a driving force for product and staff development at Infinite Campus.

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What Lies Beneath

Campus Technology

For the Rest of Us

XSL Stylesheets XSL

SQL

by Kim Schroeder A relationship is then established by associating objects. For example, a relationship you use every day with Campus Search would be a student and their household address. By doing a simple search, you locate the student and quickly find where they live. There are also relationships between the various characteristics of an object. In undertaking an advanced search, the system looks up the object and the characteristics or attributes requested. The returning result gives you a list based on the request. For example, when you search for all female 10th graders the system looks for all student objects with the attributes of gender being female and grade being 10. You are then provided the results. These relationships are managed within the relational database in a table format, much like how you would build a table within a Microsoft Word document. See image below.

Do you wonder why your technology staff preferred Infinite Campus over the other choices for a student information system? But when you ask why, you probably heard things like “because of its integration,” “because it provides web-based access to data,” and “its future proofed.” This article and future ones will (hopefully) explain technology in a way that we non-technical folks can understand it. So here goes. What lies beneath, for the rest of us…

Building Blocks

Infinite Campus uses a database with a highly normalized schema, a technique for designing and organizing data into relational tables. This design is great for fast access speed and to scale to man36

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age the growing amounts of data entered throughout the school year or if enrollments grow. It also protects the database against logical or structure problems, namely avoiding garbage in, garbage out. For systems not built on a highly normalized schema, entire data fields associated with a student are locked when a user makes a change. Not Infinite Campus. If the district office needs to change the household’s phone number, the change is made without locking any of the associated students’ data so everyone can continue on entering attendance or grades. The Association of Your Objects

The data stored in the relational database are objects. Object-orientated design reflects the real world. Objects are things like a person, a household or a school. Once these objects are entered in the database, they can be used again and again by anyone in your district with proper authorization.

Attribute = Gender

Attribute = Grade

Object = Student

This is an example of a relational database table. The row represents the object student and the columns represent the attributes of being gender and grade.

Alphabet Soup So now that you know about objects and attributes, the next step is to explain how the technology puzzle is connected between the data and business logic. When you get to this part of technology, the language begins to sound like Q alphabet soup. I think techM QX M nologists have fun coming up J with acronyms to explain new Q technology keeping the rest of X XQ M us non-techies confused. S Q

My Relations? There is a lot of talk about the benefits of a relational database. Businesses have been leveraging its benefits for decades. These databases deliver high performance for users with great security features. Most K12 educational software providers have just recently embraced this technology and are now trying to catch up by releasing new versions of their software. What makes your tech people excited about Infinite Campus is that it was originally built and designed using a relational database.

Relational Database Table

Multiple Layers Our technology was originally built using multiple layers or tiers. Tiers separate each of the major components of the technology – database, business logic and presentation. This separation ensures system integrity and a more secure system. The best part is that it lets Infinite Campus leverage new technologies as they become available. Instead of having to rebuild the technology from the ground up each time something new is introduced, like mobile phone technology, the system simply delivers Infinite Campus data to the new presentation device. We’ll start our journey into our technology by explaining the database tier first.

Speaking the Language

The standard interface to a relational database is the structured query language (SQL). SQL is used to query, modify and manage data within the relational database.

Relational Database DATA

HTML SIF Future

XML

PDF CSV

Java Business Objects

User Interface

Transformation Engine

BU S IN E S S LOG IC

Infinite Campus uses the Microsoft SQL server (MS SQL). MS SQL is the most used query language in the world, according to the Gartner Group. This research is important for your district since there are a large number of IT professionals with MS SQL expertise. This expertise can be used to manage the system and to extend Infinite Campus. By using MS SQL Reporting Services, your district can build and deploy customized reports and information specific to your needs, which may not be available out of the box. Making the Connection

Data within Infinite Campus is then “connected” from the database to the business logic through Java Database Connectivity (JDBC). These connections define how parts of the product, such as the grade book or scheduler, can access the relational database. JDBC was built to exploit the “enter data once, use it by everyone” capability, which as a busy district employee, you can appreciate.

PR E SE N TATI ON

The multiple tier architecture allows Infinite Campus to quickly adapt to technology changes.

Business Logic

No, this isn’t an oxymoron. The business logic is another tier that stands guard between you and data entry or workflow errors. We’ll go into more detail about the business logic in the next issue. For now, know that there isn’t a direct link between you and the Infinite Campus database; instead a middle tier of Java business objects stands guard. These objects define business rules and the workflow of inquiries. This tier is also used to control security, manage your interactions with data, and the information presented to you. The Future As technology changes, Infinite Campus will adapt quickly to deliver on them due to the way the system is architected using multiple tiers. The multiple tier architecture is one of the reasons your technology folks love Infinite Campus – they can implement Infinite Campus today and know that it will be technologically sound not only today but for years to come. infinitecampus.com

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The building is surrounded by an eco-friendly landscape and nestled on the edge of Lochness Lake. The unique design includes a twostory rotunda, a Koi fish pond and 36 foot climbing wall.

National Headquarters August 2008. Shortly after moving in – working on the finishing touches.

The CSS Enterprise (The Campus Space Ship Enterprise)

nspired by classics like Star Trek, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Matrix, Bat Man and James Bond, the Infinite Campus National Headquarters (nicknamed the “Mothership”) is a different kind of building for a different kind of company. Infinite Campus is a company fueled by vision moving at warp speed. It is on track to “boldly go where no one has gone before” by hiring the best talent, stimulating innovation, encouraging imagination, and developing the industry’s most advanced information systems. At Infinite Campus “Transforming K12 Education” is more than a slogan, it is a working statement tacked to staff cubicles, examined at every decision and guiding employees to understand why they work for this company.

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It is also an acknowledgement of the partnership between Infinite Campus and everyone who touches education: administrators, teachers, counselors, parents, students and the community and how we work together to accomplish our common goals. The fictional USS Enterprise is a metaphor for our journey and our building. It’s about exploration and finding solutions; about staying on course; about breaking from the traditional to develop a new path for teaching and learning.

The Emergence of the CSS Enterprise Infinite Campus has been experiencing exponential growth for several years. For the company to move to the next level, it had to accelerate its expansion plan. Pressed for space, Charlie Kratsch, Founder and CEO, envisioned a building

that would reflect the Infinite Campus brand; a forward-thinking company working hard as a team while having fun doing it. Infinite Campus products and services are different. They are years ahead of the competition, ambitious and innovative, yet practical and affordable. The design and construction of the Mothership was guided by the same philosophy. Using creative design and modern materials, a state-of-the-art building was constructed swiftly, at an affordable cost. The building may appear ostentatious to some, but those who know the aspirations of Infinite Campus understand the building was a reasonable investment to accommodate continued growth and new opportunities of learning.

A Metaphor in the Making The Mothership is a paradox within an educational context. It is a structure that combines the familiar red brick of a school building with the avant-garde architecture of a spaceship. It is a model of a school in the future; a school without schedules and rigid definitions of how a person works and learns. The building is divided into three distinct wings: the West, the East and the Saucer Section. The West Wing has an eastern motif with towering bamboo stems, flowering cherry trees, ornate Bonsai trees and a 53-foot Koi pond. This wing offers a place for reflection that inspires understanding and wisdom. The East Wing has a western theme with hallways lined with pine and poplar trees anchored by a dynamic 36-foot

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climbing wall modeled after the Grand Canyon. This wing exudes the nature of the Wild West adventure spirit; renegades making new rules and changing the status quo. The East and West wings are joined by the center Saucer Section. As you enter the building through the front door youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re immediately met by a receptionist sitting at large circular console. Beyond the console is a cavernous hexagonal rotunda which leads to the Campus Restaurant overlooking scenic Lochness Lake. A professional chef manages the restaurant where employees and guests are treated to variety of food and drink; all free of charge.

More than Bricks and Morter Why does Infinite Campus need to break from the traditional office building? Because a stagnant environment creates nothing new. Dull perpetuates dull. The Infinite Campus Mothership is more than an office space. It is an experience. Accomplishing the Infinite Campus mission requires employees committed to its ambitious vision. These employees need an environment where bold ideas and outrageous concepts are met with enthusiasm and encouragement. Infinite Campus employees need opportunities to imagine something not yet known, to foresee solutions not yet considered. The CSS Enterprise is such a place. In addition, a strong sense of community is constantly encouraged. There are several informal 40

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gathering spaces tucked into the quietness of the corridors. Shared copy spaces and beverage stations enable staff to mingle with others in an informal way. Friends stroll around Loch Ness Lake to take a break and appreciate the beauty of their surroundings. Quality employees are a priority for Infinite Campus and the building will help attract and retain the best and brightest.

Top: Staff enjoy a view of Lochness Lake. Inset: An information meeting near the climbing wall. Left page: The west wing features a soothing waterfall and koi pond.

A Homecoming, of sorts Infinite Campus moved all its employees into the Mothership over the first weekend of August. Ironically, this location is just down the street from Centennial High School where the company was founded 14 years earlier. Returning to the area is like giving back to a community that believed in Infinite Campus early on and helped make all this possible. Investing in Your Future The Mothership has landed and is here to stay. It is a place for employees to thrive. It is a commitment to long-term relationships with our customers. And it is an opportunity for customers, industry professionals, corporate and political leaders to learn, share and ultimately Transform K12 Education.

Live long, and prosper. infinitecampus.com

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Sessions will be classified as: New in Campus: new product features or enhancements to current features will be showcased. Customer Showcase: customers present relative

topics to share their experience in getting the most out of Campus. Skill Builder: helps users hone their knowledge

INTERCHANGE 2008-09: INSPIRE

“

What does inspiration look like?

This was a very good conference, and I felt I learned a lot, not only from the workshops but also

Focus on Three Domains

attendees

Teachers: Don’t instruct – inspire! Learn how to

experiences with the product.

”

Support Staff: Don’t just provide services – inspire!

Explore how Campus can be used effectively to spend more time focused on your area of expertise. Administrators: Don’t just lead – inspire!

Leverage Campus to inspire teachers, staff, students, parents and school boards with integrated communications, reporting and analysis tools.

Teaching and Learning

Curriculum Directors, Teachers District Leadership

Superintendents, Principals, Technology Staff, School Boards Student Services

Counselors, Nurses, SPED, Secretaries, Pupil Personnel Introduction to Campus

New Customers and Prospects

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concepts from ad hoc reporting to scheduling.

above

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Jason Miller leads a hands-on session.

BELOW

Thomas Sauser gives one-on-one support.

Schedule Interchange 2008-09: INSPIRE Interchange: Continued Growth

2008 South Dakota

Sioux Falls Convention Center Sioux Falls, SD

Sept. 24-25

NASIS 1 & 2

National Indian Training Program Center Albuquerque, NM

Oct. 20-21 Oct. 23-24

Edith Macy Conference Center Briarcliff Manor, NY

Nov. 5-6

AZ, CA, CO, WY

Denver Marriott Tech Center Denver, CO

Nov. 12-13

Illinois, Iowa

Polk City Convention Complex Des Moines, IA

Dec. 10-11

Kentucky

Galt House Louisville, KY

Jan. 21-22

Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska

Hyatt Regency at Crowne Center Kansas City, MO

Feb. 18-19

Florida, Georgia

Classic Center Athens, GA

Mar. 4-5

Wisconsin

Wilderness Resort Wisconsin Dells, WI

Mar. 18-19

LA, OK, TX

Region 10 Education Service Center Richardson, TX

Apr. 2

Idaho, Montana

Crowne Plaza Billings, MT

Apr. 8-9

Minnesota

Breezy Point Resort Breezy Point, MN

Apr. 22-23

ME, MA, NH, VT

Inn by the Bay Portland, ME

May 6-7

Michigan, Ohio

Prince Conference Center Grand Rapids, MI

May 27-28

CT, MD, NJ, NY, PA, RI

use Campus to inspire in the classroom.

Session Tracks Designed for You

Hands On: a hands on opportunity to try new

A student eager to accomplish a task; a teacher motivated to provide innovative lessons; an administrator with a vision; a parent engaged in their student’s learning. We recognize that it is you, our customer, on the front line for providing inspiration, everyday. Managing schools, involving parents, and teaching students; you touch the lives of many people throughout your career. We, at Infinite Campus, consider ourselves part of the inspiration chain, providing tools for you to spend less time on the mundane, and more time with what really matters: working with students. Join us at Interchange and get inspired.

from other and their

and build expertise in all areas of the product.

2009

Mapped Curriculum Workshop with Al Rowe, K12 expert.

Continuing Education Opportunity Interchange: Inspire is different from any other Interchange so far. It is designed as continuing education opportunities for everyone within the district. You’ve been on Campus for a few years and have accumulated enormous amounts of data. But what are you doing with it? Are you maximizing Campus to its full potential? Interchange will demonstrate how you can grow in your use of Campus – regardless of how long you’ve been a customer. Each year there are users with innovative ways to use Campus; product enhancements you should know; and tools that can help you drill down into the system for increased productivity. Never been to Interchange before? You’ll find Interchange: INSPIRE extremely helpful. Been to Interchange a few times? You’ll find Interchange: INSPIRE extremely helpful. We look forward to seeing you there.

Interchange is evolving to meet your many, varied needs. When Interchange first started, it was a smaller, regional group activity focused on point and click training. In 2007, there was an intentional shift to provide more variety of sessions for the specific roles and responsibilities. The 2007-08 theme, Beyond the Technology, included distinct sessions for district leaders, teachers, administrative staff and technology professionals. A choice of hands-on, overview or panel sessions were offered, including sessions led by industry leaders. Interchange 2008 continues to evolve to meet your interests, needs and vision. This year, we hope you will attend, and come away with tools to help you INSPIRE.

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A day in the life of a Campus Trainer

If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be…

sense of humor (always comes in handy)

scandinavian brawn for carrying luggage text alert: your gate has been changed

By Carl Olson, Infinite Campus Training Specialist

sudoku from the local paper

caffeine boost for multi-city schedule

nutritious on-the-go breakfast

extra reading materials for layovers

TSA regulation plastic bag

quick on feet for the sprint to the gate

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At 7:15 this morning, I was sitting in my kitchen eating Raisin Bran and finishing a Sudoku. At 7:15 tomorrow morning, I will be halfway across the country in Any Town, U.S.A., on a desperate search for Darrell “the tech guy,” who has the only set of keys to the computer lab on the third floor of a high school that even my GPS had trouble finding. By 7:30 a.m. my laptop will be connected to a projector and the internet, and I will be ready to greet a trickle of nervous district personnel with a smile. I’m an Infinite Campus Trainer, which means there’s better than a 75 percent chance you won’t see me in the office. I’m on the road, sometimes the wrong road, but every day I’m out there…somewhere. I really like this job. I’m at this school to teach a session called Core Policies and Procedures. These brave souls in attendance have agreed to surrender three days of productive labor to let someone they have never met introduce them to a product that most of them have never seen. It’s my job to make this proposition worthwhile. For the next three days, I will be the face of Infinite Campus. I will discover at 6:48 tomorrow morning that I forgot to pack my razor, so the face of Infinite Campus will have two days of stubble. The chest of Infinite Campus will have a dribble of coffee right below the collar. My focus will be not only to convey knowledge but to spark enthusiasm. I want my trainees to imagine possibilities so they can start planning for them. I want them to go back to their co-workers raving about Infinite Campus and the big Minnesota guy with the coffee stain who trained them. I will, however, achieve none of this until I can track down Darrell “tech guy,” who disappeared shortly before the district’s

testy firewall decided that the URL for my training site was not to be trusted. These customer/students will experience countless and wonderful ways in which Campus will make things better, easier and more efficient. Then someone will ask about the One, Two and Three Report they used to run. I’ll sheepishly admit that Campus has no such report. It provides a One, Two and Three Report in a separate Two Report. A scowling woman in the back of the room will make it abundantly clear that their legacy system produced this report perfectly, that this report is absolutely indispensable and everything in the universe hinges upon the availability of this report. Great unrest infects the room and I prepare to blabber and back step when someone asks “Does anyone actually use that report?” To my great relief, there is no response. Day after day I’m knee deep in modules and wizards; I can recite the index outline by heart; I dream of IEP editors; I bleed attendance data. I answer hundreds of questions every week, and yet, within the first hour of Infinite Campus training, that same scowling woman in the back of the room has posed five questions I can’t answer. By the end of our three days together, I’ve made more mistakes than I can count and I’ve all but convinced myself that the district should stick with their legacy system. I somehow muster the courage to end the class by inviting people to stay for questions and provide comments. The scowling woman, also known as the assistant superintendent, approaches; I’ve got one foot towards the door… “We’re very excited about moving to Infinite Campus,” she says. And smiles. Of course she is! She had me for a trainer.

Infinite Campus University Campus University provides comprehensive product training for customers nationwide through traditional classroom sessions and online courses. Training sessions are offered at the Infinite Campus corporate training facility, at a location near you for multiple districts or schools, or privately to meet your individual school or district needs. Learn more at: http://icu.infinitecampus.com/

KEY FEATURES • Learn from professional, certified Infinite Campus trainers who know how to effectively teach adult learners

• Take specific training sessions especially designed for new customers

• Provide training for employees who need refresher courses in a specific area

• Get new staff up to speed on the system

• Leverage seasonal training

sessions timed just prior to your need

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CUSTOMERCONNECTIONS

Local Support for Customers

Infinite Campus Partners Our Channel Partners and Educational Service Agency Partners (ESA) become Campus experts who extend personal support to customers. Customers benefit from their expertise at the local and regional levels for services and additional products to enhance their investment of Infinite Campus. Campus handles customers not assigned to a regional partner.

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Channel Partners (Top) Attending the 2008 Partner Summit: From bottom of stairs up: Alec Saturley, Michael Ludwig, Kathy Murphy, Herb Grugman, Steve Bohlender, Paul Sperber, Nick Spehart, David Million, Alan Lacher, Steve Arnoff ESA Partners (Bottom) Attending the 2008 Partner Summit: From left to right: Hilna Zoob, Greg Shepard, Denise Shorey, Marv Roberts, Randy Sumrall. Not pictured: Ivan Scott, Jim Livesay

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Channel Partners

ESA Partners

Channel Partners act as a “mini” Infinite Campus, hiring staff to acquire new customers, as well as an in-house client services staff for support. They are already in the business of adding value to K12 education and experienced in delivering software solutions to customers in their region.

Educational Service Agencies (ESA) provide educational support programs and services to local schools and districts. ESA’s have many names in various parts of the country, including Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), Cooperative Education Service Agency (CESA), and Regional Education Service Agency (RESA).

Computer Information Concepts Greeley, Colorado 800.437.7457 Customers: Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Wyoming

Colorado Centennial BOCES, Pike’s Peak BOCES

Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. Hauppauge, New York 800.598.8989 Customers: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New Hampshire K-12 Solutions Group Commerce, Georgia 800.915.1671 Customers: Georgia Optimal Solutions Wyoming, Michigan 888.832.3499 Customers: Michigan, Ohio

Michigan Ottawa Area ISD, Clinton County RESA, West Shore Schools Business Group Minnesota Arrowhead Regional Computing Consortium (ARCC) New Jersey Monmouth Ocean Educational Services Commission (MOESC) New York Eastern Suffolk BOCES, Mohawk RIC, Monroe 1 BOCES, Nassau BOCES, Southern Westchester BOCES Wayne Fingerlakes

Building strong partnerships makes a great company even better. Infinite Campus Partners

Texas Region 10 Wisconsin CESA 1, CESA 5, CESA 7

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imagine the possibilities