District 95 Educational Foundation

For Immediate Release

E-SCHOOL PLUS HOME MODULE UPDATE

LAKE ZURICH, Ill (March 3, 2009) - I would be happy to provide an update on our eSchool Home Access Pilot.  The pilot is going very well.  Parents, teachers, and students find the system easy to use and report that it is enhancing home-school communication.

I would like to recognize our pilot teachers who have stepped forward to provide a leadership role in this project:  Matt Marston, Cynthia Milone, Sue Mosoff, Megan Carney, Aaron Chopra, Kristen Chimino, Ian Silverman, Lily Eckert, Kevin Condon, Jen Barz, Marcia Day, Lindsay McMahon, Laura Podolski.  Additionally, all the Department Chairs at the High School have volunteered to be a part of the pilot beginning second semester.

Teachers at our two middle schools and high school transitioned to the eSchool grade book, which provides a transparent conduit to the Home Access Center, and then "unveiled" the home module to their students.  Pilot students and parents are provided with separate user accounts and passwords.  Parents learned how to access the system either from their student or by attending introductory forums held at each school.

As of March 1, we have 375 plus students (and their parents) on the system.

There are many exciting things happening with the pilot groups.  One example is that Middle School South took a bold step toward a paperless model in mid-February.  Instead of standard, printed progress reports, MSS began sending  home a letter home with students, indicating that the grades are available on-line.  This models best practices in use of the Home Access Module and is good for our kids, good for the environment and good for our budget!

Next steps?  Our District HAC Procedure Committee is developing a survey for current pilot participants.  The group will meet in late March to review the survey and make a recommendation to the Superintendent on how to move forward with the Home Access Center for the next school year.

HAC Committee members include:  Kara Dohman, Shelia Wells, Jane Hyla, Deb Bruemmer, Mandy Harfst, Karen Jaffe, Lindsay McMahon, Kathy Jamison, Diane Snyder, Amie Russo, Dave Gardner, Justine Repplinger, Ian Silverman, Peter Kupfer, Teresa Kraly, Marti Schak, Mike Egan, Brian Knutson, Crystal Steker, Kim Ross, Melissa Gray.

And finally, I would just like to add a huge THANK YOU on behalf of the entire CUSD 95 community for everything that the Educational Foundation is doing for our kids and specifically for your purchase of the eSchool Home Access module.  If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me. 

Crystal Steker
Director of Technology  CUSD 95
66 Church Street
Lake Zurich, IL 60047
847-540-3403  (fax) 847-438-9618
www.lz95.org