Martin Stilin, technology and data management co-ordinator of Algoma District School Board, speaks to trustees Tuesday, May 7, 2019 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. (BRIAN KELLY/THE SAULT STAR/POSTMEDIA NETWORK)

 

“Parents think it’s fantastic.”

So said Greg Bowman, trustee of Algoma District School Board (ADSB), at a meeting of district trustees and administrators this week in which an update of the 10,000-student district’s adoption of Edsby was given.

In Edsby helps teachers, parents, students communicate in the local newspaper The Sault Star, ADSB superintendent of business Joe Santa Maria said the system has had “quite a bit of growth from the initial time that we had Edsby operational.” The system was introduced to teachers in a professional development day in May 2018 after three years of evaluating options. Edsby started to be implemented across the board in September, 2018.

Edsby lets student trustee Molly Taylor contact her math teacher when she doesn’t understand a homework question. She also checks her marks. “It’s very helpful,” Taylor told trustees. “I really like it.”

In Hi-tech system allows better tracking of day-to-day student life for parents, SooToday.com reported the board was told by ADSB officials that Edsby is a faster, better and easier way for parents to be kept up to date on their children’s classroom activities and academic progress.

“As a parent it’s been powerful for myself,” said Tyler Hankinson, one of three ADSB officials who provided an Edsby update.

ADSB is among many school districts in the Canadian province of Ontario that have adopted Edsby.

The district says it selected Edsby because it integrated with the board’s student information system Trillium, has secure access and is user friendly.