Focus on Success

Iuka Schools

“Focus is more versatile that any other SIS that I used in the past.  My time spent on ISBE reporting is dramatically reduced and special reports are as available as the data that I choose to collect.  Each year I add new searchable entries that are unique to my goals as a superintendent and Focus provides multiple possibilities for tracking and report generation to meet my specific needs.”

Matt Renaud
Superintendent
Iuka Schools

Flagler County Schools

Today’s children and teenagers often seem to occupy a universe entirely separate from their parents. They disappear into bedrooms to play video games, chat on cellphones, text, or spend hours immersed in online social networking sites. However, this same digital connectedness has its up-side, and Focus has exploited its full potential with its Portal, a means of giving parents unprecedented access to their children’s education.

Parents know better than to expect a straight answer when they ask their son or daughter if they have any homework—or when that science fair project is due. But, with the Focus Portal, they don’t even need to ask; they can see everything for themselves. Using a single log-in, parents can view their children’s assignments, grades, teacher comments, school fees, and even, for schools with the Focus Library module, check their children’s library borrowings.

Flagler County (FL) Public Schools initially adopted Focus on the strength of its Gradebook module alone, then used the Portal to encourage parents to partner with their son and daughters and teachers in managing their children’s education. After Flagler debuted the Portal via meetings with parents, “the amount of use the parent Portal receives was much greater than we anticipated,“ says Maria McGovern, Flagler’s Technology Coordinator. “The parents love it.“

“We chose Focus because it was easy-to-use for teachers, administrators and parents,” recalls Meg Brown, Flagler’s Technology Director, noting that Flagler’s users were nevertheless surprised at how little training they actually required to use Focus’ functions and features. “Focus has exceeded [our] expectations.”