Building a Better Foundation: Building a Better Foundation: One Missouri District's Journey to a Unified System

Case Studies > Building a Better Foundation: Building a Better Foundation: One Missouri District's Journey to a Unified System

Northwest R1 School District uses Skyward Qmlativ as a one-stop shop for their business office needs.

For more than 20 years, Northwest R1 School District in House Springs, MO juggled four separate systems to manage their day-to-day business operations. From financials to time tracking and applicant management, nothing lived under the same roof, and the cracks were beginning to show.

“It was clunky and cumbersome,” explained Travis Dierker, finance services director at Northwest. “We were doing a lot of manual entry, and mistakes would happen. We had to manipulate the systems to work for us, instead of having a system that simply...worked.”

With no interoperability between platforms, staff were re-entering the same data over and over again, wasting valuable time and increasing the risk of errors. Logging in alone required multiple authentication steps. “It felt like we were constantly cleaning up messes just to get a clear view of what was really happening,” said Dierker.

It was clear that the district didn’t just need new software — they needed a structural overhaul.

"We’ve had excellent people from Skyward working with us from the start"

Laying the groundwork

While attending a Missouri school business association meeting, district leaders stumbled upon Skyward. What began as a simple introduction soon sparked a yearlong effort from Dierker to get buy-in from his superintendent and leadership team.

“What we wanted was a system that was all-inclusive,” he shared. “A one-stop shop. Something that felt like it belonged in the 21st century and would keep evolving alongside us.”

Skyward’s Qmlativ platform offered exactly that: a unified experience with fewer passwords to remember, customizable features, and streamlined workflows. No more jumping between platforms. No more patching holes.

"For the majority of our staff, once we showed them the different pieces of Skyward, they were ecstatic."

Under construction

Becoming the fifth district in Missouri to implement Skyward, this marked Dierker’s first time working with the solution in any capacity. The implementation journey wasn’t without its challenges, but support from the Skyward team made a lasting impression.

“We’ve had excellent people from Skyward working with us from the start,” said Dierker. “Anytime we ran into a hiccup, there was always someone willing to help us reach a solution. No change is flawless, but this process has been great.”

Like any major renovation, the transition took time. The district implemented Skyward in phases, starting with finance, time off, and time tracking before moving into credit card management, e-commerce, and applicant tracking. With more modules still to come, excitement remains high.

“For the majority of our staff, once we showed them the different pieces of Skyward, they were ecstatic,” explained Dierker. “Approval processes are seamless now. People can get things done from their phones or from home. Everything just flows.”

"Qmlativ has forced us to take a hard look at what’s really needed and what we can eliminate or restructure."

A stronger foundation

More than just a software change, Skyward is now a key pillar of Northwest’s long-term strategic goals.

“One of our biggest priorities is retaining and recruiting employees,” said Dierker. “As silly as it sounds, having just one system to log into is a game changer.”

From viewing paychecks and contracts to reducing redundancies, Qmlativ has empowered staff and increased transparency.

“We’re more fiscally responsible now,” explained Dierker. “We’re not paying four different companies. There was an upfront cost with Skyward, but the savings are already paying dividends. And our staff? We’ve shifted from data entry to data verification. That’s a huge leap in efficiency.”

Skyward has also driven internal process improvements at the district.

“Qmlativ has forced us to take a hard look at what’s really needed and what we can eliminate or restructure,” explained Dierker. “We’re moving toward a paperless system with cleaner, smarter procedures.”

Lived-in wisdom and future blueprints

Of course, adjusting to new terminology and workflows took time, and not everyone was immediately on board. But Dierker has a mantra: “Change is hard at first, messy in the middle, and gorgeous at the end.”

His advice for other districts?
 

• Keep an open mind.
• Listen to the experts.
• Don’t rush the process.
• Be prepared to learn.

“Simple things can seem daunting at first. But do your homework, do the training, and learn from your mistakes,” continued Dierker. “Stay positive, and remember why you started."

As Northwest continues to roll out new modules and expand their Qmlativ experience, Dierker and his team have no regrets.

“It’s like we gutted the house down to the studs and rebuilt it the way it should have been built all along. Now, we’re not just surviving—we’re thriving in a system built to support us.”