Funny video spreads word about school data system

November 6, 2009

The Anderson County Schools system is rolling out a new data management system that allows parents to track their kids’ progress at school in real time.

Videos starring Clinton Middle School students will help spread the work about “Skyward.”

Their drama teacher recommended them for the project, which was produced by the school system’s technology department.

“He asked us who was the smart one and who was the funny one, and so I got the lead of the smart one,” Mikenzie Carter said of her role in one video.

Abi Hamrich had to stretch her acting skills. “Apparently I am the person who doesn’t go to class,” she said. “I actually do go to class.”

“Skyward” moves data management in Anderson County Schools from a one-way communication path to parents to an interactive two-way internet based system.

“Instead of just pushing information out to parents and then trying to make the connections back the other direction, this will give parents direct connection back to their children’s teacher, back to the school system,” Anderson County School Spokeswoman Karen Bridgeman explained.

Students already know how to use it.

“The kids have been using this system for about two months, and they’re going to be able to show their parents just about everything they’ll need to know,” Bridgeman said.

Training for parents will be available starting later this month.

Will Milligan is an 8th grade student who has a role in the video and who embraces the system. “I can see how much I have on my lunch account and do pretty much anything I need schoolwise,” he said.

Family user-names and passwords will let parents access all their children’s assignments and grades and even see what they ordered for lunch.

“A neighboring school system has an ‘I-Hate-Skyward’ Facebook page,” Bridgeman said. “We have sort of taken that as an endorsement that the product works.”

The internet-based system will replace more than a dozen databases and the telephone message system. And it will give parents a centralized tool to track academics and attendance.

“A lot of kids don’t keep in contact with their parents about what goes on at school daily,” Milligan said.

“Skyward” gives children an option who don’t want to talk about school with their parents.

“How was school? Look on the internet,” Carter said with a laugh.



WBIR, Knoxville, Tennessee