Top District Administrators Gather to Connect, Motivate and Achieve at Annual Skyward iCon Event
Skyward customers learn about upcoming, cutting-edge product developments for their software solutions
STEVENS POINT, Wis. – March. 18, 2013 – Top school administrators from around the world traveled to Orlando, Fla., for the annual Skyward international conference (iCon) February 27 – March 1, which showcased the latest developments of the Skyward School Management System. This year’s theme of “Connect. Motivate. Achieve.” focused on promoting enhanced communication, motivating students and employees to reach higher goals, and ways to increase student achievement and budget management efficiency district-wide.
During the three-day conference, attendees previewed future industry-leading product developments, participated in sessions that highlighted advanced features and new enhancements, and received one-on-one access to Skyward executives.
“We showcased a variety of innovative product offerings that will become available to customers within the next year, and the response from attendees was tremendous,” said Scott Glinski, president of Skyward. “As a company, we are always looking for ways to improve our product to meet the increased demands placed on districts. Our customers were equally as excited to incorporate the tips and tools learned at iCon into their daily operations.”
The Course Learning Center was one of the new products unveiled at this year’s conference. Available to customers in the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year, the Course Learning Center provides teachers and students with a simplified way to manage daily classroom activities and improve collaboration through a central online portal.
With the center, teachers will have complete control over instructional management with the ability to share documents, videos and images; plan lessons; and grade assignments. Students will have the ability to view their grades, upload assignments, get teacher feedback on their work, store documents such as study guides in their Digital Lockers, and participate in discussions with their peers.
One of the most anticipated products showcased during iCon was the Skyward Student Reward System that focuses on promoting positive student behavior. The reward system was first announced at the 2012 iCon, and this year, attendees saw the game-based program come to life with a demonstration on how students earn points to customize their avatar, advance to new levels in the game and other incentives. The Student Reward System is in its final development stages and will be released to all customers at no additional cost during the 2013-2014 school year.
In conjunction with new product offerings, attendees also learned about enhancements that will be incorporated within their Skyward solution. Within the Student Management Suite, users will see enriched online assignment capabilities, Common Core management and reporting, along with expanded support for Response to Intervention (RtI) and Special Education. In the School Business Suite, customers will see additional online reporting capabilities, improved credit card processing and reporting, as well as enhanced functionality to support campus level budget controls.
“iCon was a wonderful experience,” said Steven Harwood, systems and programming manager for Jordan School District in Utah. “I had the opportunity to learn about new products and changes in an informative setting. The best part, however, was the ability to talk to and develop relationships with Skyward staff and fellow customers.”
The 2014 Skyward iCon event will take place February 26-28 at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa in Orlando, Fla.
Ray Ackerlund
Skyward, Inc.
800-236-7274 ext: 1319
Kristen Plemon
C. Blohm & Associates
608-216-7300 ext. 18
About Skyward
Skyward is a leading provider of K-12 school administrative software that surpasses districts’ needs in state reporting, improves operational capabilities, and opens communication between schools and families. Today, the Skyward School Management System™ is used in more than 1,600 school districts worldwide, ranging from districts with as few as 50 students to statewide implementations supporting more than 800,000 students. Founded in 1980, Skyward serves school districts with its integrated student, finance, and human resources suite of products and is proudly made and supported in the United States. To learn more, visit www.skyward.com.