Welcome to the 2010 Solutions Summit
April 8th, 2010Shelley
Tom Smith, Vice President of Customer Focus, kicked off this year’s Solutions Summit by thanking everyone for being valued eSchool Solutions clients. He noted that – combined – this group of attendees has been partnering with eSchool Solutions for more than 728 years! Two clients at this year’s conference – Clovis USD (CA) and Fulton County (GA) – have been eSchool clients for more than 20 years! We love our clients!
Brett Fadeley, Chief Executive Officer, thanked the Advisory Council for its guidance this past year and stated that 2010 will be a breakout year for eSchool Solutions. He said, “We’ve spent this past year talking – and listening – to you. We’re excited about where our technology is headed and have some exciting things to share with you over the next two days.”
Next up, it was Chris Bongiovanni, Chief Technology Officer. He emphasized quality, innovation and experience – the theme to this year’s event and our mission moving forward. Specifically, Chris addressed our continuing commitment to offering quality software releases. He also talked about the changes to Client Services and – again – will continue to make improvements to the service you’ve come to love and expect from our team.
When it comes to innovation, Chris talked about some exciting new things – improvements to reports, a new look for SmartFindExpress and introduced eSub – a new iPhone application that will be available for substitutes and teachers!
Lorri Glover, SmartFindExpress Product Manager, received the loudest applause of the morning when she talked about the enhancements to SmartFindExpress in release 1.5. Most notably, clients were excited about a new report – Substitute Details Report. Lorri spent time talking about a great new look and feel to the product – coming later this year – and improvements to reports – again receiving a loud round of applause. Additionally, Lorri focused on her commitment to giving clients a greater opportunity to provide feedback. Look for details on how you can get involved – coming soon!
Good Morning from New Orleans!
April 8th, 2010Shelley
Scott Cummins (Northwest Regional, OR) is looking forward to the conference and says hello!
Untitled from Meghann Anderson on Vimeo.
Getting the Help You Need at the Solutions Summit
April 6th, 2010Shelley
I’m not a fan of typing in all capital letters. To me, it suggests an angry tone. But, I’m going to make an exception – just this once – because I’m passionate about this particular topic. DO NOT LEAVE THE SOLUTIONS SUMMIT WITH UNANSWERED QUESTIONS!
One of the benefits of attending the SmartFindExpress Solutions Summit is that you have access to the eSchool Solutions team. That’s two full days of undivided attention from SmartFindExpress experts! So there’s absolutely no reason for you to leave New Orleans with unanswered questions. Seriously.
Wondering how to get the help you need at the conference? IT’S EASY!
- The eSchool team will be wearing their signature polo shirts, making us super easy to identify. Simply grab someone if you need help or have a question.
- Visit the Solutions Spot for all out access to SmartFindExpress. Staffed with eSchool Solutions team members – all experts in SmartFindExpress – the Solutions Spot is THE place to bring your questions and to see the exciting new features in SFE 1.5. The Solutions Spot opens Thursday at 12:30P and is located on the fourth floor of the hotel in the Evergreen room. It will remain open during regular conference hours. (Although, we’re prepared to stay as long as you need us Friday afternoon!)
So, in those post conference surveys, please don’t leave comments like, “would have liked the opportunity to speak with eSchool staff.” Our team is in New Orleans to assist you throughout the 2-day event. We want you to have a pleasant and worthwhile experience, so please make sure you spend time with us getting your questions answered.
Tomorrow is the big day! We’re looking forward to seeing you beginning at 4:30 at the welcome reception in Lagniappe (2nd floor). It’s going to be a blast! Laissez les bon temps rouler y’all.
Breakout Session Preview: Small Group Discussion – Signing On
April 2nd, 2010Shelley
Many of our clients are considering their options when it comes to signing on. This session focuses on options for LDAP (an industry standard) and same sign on. Sound confusing? All will be explained in this group discussion co-facilitated by Lorri Glover and Larry Thomas. The two will also take you through implementation, lessons learned and deployment options.
Lorri Glover has a knack for knowing. She’s also a very good listener – an important trait in her current role as SmartFindExpress product manager. Lorri spends a lot of time with clients learning what they need from SmartFindExpress. Many of you know Lorri from her roundtable work at past conferences. She’s back again this year delivering a product update in the general session and is also the facilitator of two breakout sessions.
In his role as Escalations Engineer, Larry Thomas spends a lot time in SmartFindExpress. As a result, there aren’t many people who know the product as well as Larry! This is his first time participating in the Solutions Summit and because he’s such a know-it-all (I mean expert), you can find him in the Solutions Spot with all the other know-it-alls (I mean experts)! Seriously, Larry is this year’s “go to” person, so bring your questions and spend some time getting to know him.
Breakout Session Preview: Small Group Discussion – Active Sub Pool
April 1st, 2010Shelley
Is inactivating a substitute the same as making them unavailable for jobs? What does inactive versus active mean? What happens when you inactivate a substitute or an employee? Why should you – or shouldn’t you – inactivate someone? And, how does it affect your callout? So many questions, so little time! That’s why we’ve got the expert – Donna Hunt – facilitating this discussion. In this small group session, she’ll answer those questions – and more. Plus, Donna says she’s got some great tips to share with you!
Donna is one of our SmartFindExpress experts and has been an eSchool Solutions trainer for more than 12 years! Many of you know Donna from her onsite training sessions and because she’s been a regular at past Solutions Summits. This year, Donna is facilitating small group discussions and helping out in the Solutions Spot. She’d love for you to stop in and say hello!
Breakout Session Preview: Performance Analysis & Benchmarking
March 31st, 2010Shelley
The name sort of says it all. This session is about using data to make informed decisions. Sure, you probably already know that SmartFindExpress has tons of data, but what do you do with it? Enter Rita Reid-Smith and Mike Mrstik. They’ll show you the benefits of using targeted data to make informed HR decisions. Plus, they’ll provide you with specific examples (aka case studies) of districts that have used data to make real changes to absence management.
Rita and Mike promise you’ll leave the session with action items to take home and use right in your own district! It’s going to be a great session with plenty of discussion time too.
Our Canadian clients think of Rita Reid-Smith as an eSchool Solutions rock star. She’s been working with clients in Ontario for almost two years and made her Solutions Summit debut last year in Long Beach. This year, Rita will also facilitate the Creating a Job Description for System Administrators Small Group Discussion.
Mike Mrstik started his career at eSchool Solutions as a member of the Client Services team a little more than two years ago. Currently, he works with Shared Direct Response Team clients. This is his first SmartFindExpress Solutions Summit, but probably not his last. Mike will be spending most of his time in the Solutions Spot, so be sure to stop by and say hello!
Fun Stuff, Local Traditions (and a little advice)
March 30th, 2010Shelley
More breakout session previews to come, but thought I’d take a break and share some suggestions for having fun while in the Crescent City. There’s a great search feature in the travel section of the New York Times. Simply search New Orleans, Louisiana. You’ll find all kinds of articles, plus links to hotels, restaurants and attractions.
My search found this wonderful article, 36 Hours in New Orleans. Although, originally published in December 2007, its got great suggestions for things to do while you’re in town. This brings to me to an important point. When making plans in New Orleans, always verify the information you have is accurate. Nearly five years after Hurricane Katrina, the city sometimes struggles to keep it together. Some businesses have not resumed normal hours of operation – even after all this time.
Also, consider trying some local New Orleans traditions!
- Lucky Dogs – Lucky Dog wagons have been a French Quarter staple since 1945.
- Sno-Balls – There’s always a line at Hansen’s Sno-Bliz, where the Sno-Balls (NOT snow cones) come in 150 flavors. The most famous is still the Nectar with Cream. Hansen’s is only open from early April through October. Grand opening this year? April 6. Perfect timing.
- Muffuletta – Olive salad, Mortadella sausage, Cappicola ham, Emmentaler cheese, Genoa salami, provolone cheese and round Italian bread. In 1910, the owner of Central Grocery (see Shelley’s Picks) combined all the ingredients so his patrons wouldn’t have to buy them separately.
Tomorrow, it’s back to breakout session previews. In the meantime, Laissez les bon temps rouler y’all!
Breakout Session Preview: Troubleshooting with the Knowledge Base
March 29th, 2010Shelley
Time to get your knowledge on! Barbara Smith and Tom Smith (no relation) are joining forces to bring you an interesting new session – Troubleshooting with the Knowledge Base. eSchool Solutions has recently formed its own Knowledge Base (KB) team. What is it and why was it formed? Attend this session to find out!
All will be explained as Barbara and Tom provide an overview – and benefits – of a knowledge base. Plus, they’ll show you a sneak peek of the eSchool Solutions KB. The second half of the session will be discussion-based; a chance for you to tell us what information should be included to make the KB a real benefit to you – and all of our clients.
If you don’t know Tom Smith, you should. As the VP of Client Focus, Tom is the advocate for our clients. He also manages Client Services and has worked diligently to create a team that can provide both proactive and reactive assistance to clients. Always a regular at the Solutions Summit – and back by popular demand – Tom is Master of Ceremonies at this year’s event!
Barbara Smith is our technical writer (aka documentation expert) and is the eSchool Solutions Knowledge Base project lead. Barbara has been on the eSchool Solutions team for more than five years; you might remember her from the 2006 SmartFindExpress Solutions Summit in San Francisco.
Laissez les bon temps rouler y’all!
Breakout Session Preview: Tools to Support Substitute Training & Development
March 26th, 2010Shelley
In this group discussion, facilitated by John May, participants will explore the tools and technology available for managing the training and development of substitute employees. The big question? What activities are your substitutes currently engaged in and how do you manage (keep track of) these activities? Can you easily identify who completed what activity and when? Many districts are doing this manually – taking up valuable time and resources. There’s an easier way.
John will show you how a few eSchool Solutions clients are managing substitute activities, plus you’ll learn what other participants are doing to identify and track substitute training and development.
John May has been a valuable eSchool Solutions team member for more than five years. Many of you know him from past conferences and for his work on the SmartFindExpress Advisory Council. In addition to several other responsibilities, John manages ERO – our automated professional development software. We’re keeping John busy this year; he’s also assisting in the Integration Services breakout session.
Breakout Session Preview: Jazzing Up Announcements with HTML
March 24th, 2010Shelley
Today, Karen Aho was nice enough to give me a sneak preview of Jazzing Up Announcements with HTML. In this brand new breakout session – designed by Karen – you’ll learn how simple HTML code can pack a wallop to the announcements section in SmartFindExpress. She’ll highlight some basic HTML principals and demonstrate a few simple concepts for creating better looking announcements.
Part of the session will be reserved for group discussion time. Karen said that as she was preparing her presentation, she noticed districts don’t share the same information (i.e. share the same announcements). She believes it will be helpful for participants to learn what information is being shared – and why.
A little background on my friend Karen Aho. Technically, she’s our senior business analyst, although, I (lovingly) call her our SmartFindExpress know-it-all. Karen has been a member of the eSchool Solutions team for more than 10 years and is a Solutions Summit veteran. In a nutshell, she’s totally awesome! Make sure you spend some time with Karen at the conference. When she’s not presenting she’ll be in the Solutions Spot answering questions.
Laissez les bon temps rouler y’all!
