Meet Rayna Messer of Bethel School District in Spanaway, Washington, who was instrumental in moving paper processes at Bethel online.
When I moved to the district office, I very quickly realized how time consuming and cumbersome our transfer process had become.
What's your background and how long have you been with Bethel School District?
I have worked in Bethel School District for ten years; nine years as Secretary to the Principal at an elementary school, and just this year I moved to the district office as Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Schools.
Why did you decide to implement Informed K12?
When I moved to the district office, I very quickly realized how time consuming and cumbersome our transfer process had become.I had dealt with it at the building level, ut at the district level it was a whole different story. There was an inordinate amount of data entry, copying, scanning, mailing, and processing to do, so we began to investigate how we could simplify the process and move to an online format.
How long did it take to get up and running on Informed K12?
Formatting our specific forms to what we needed took the most time, but once they were uploaded to Informed K12, the system was up and running in a matter of days.
What surprised you most and/or excited you about the tool? What have you learned along the way?
We are excited about the many services Informed K12 offers. Parents input the data on a form and we are able to download the information into a database instantly. Routing the form and obtaining multiple signatures, along with tracking the form is incredibly simple. Attachments may be added to forms, so the savings in paper and postage is remarkable. These are just a few of the benefits. The whole process is very user friendly and manageable; we have received positive feedback from our families and other districts.
What would you recommend to people who want to improve an existing way of doing things?
If you have the ability to initiate change for the better, do it! Find a system that works for you and will make the most sense as technology moves forward. Informed K12 has been amazing to work with, they have provided excellent support along the way, and they are always coming up with ways to make their system even better than it already is! I would encourage anyone who is even thinking about making a change to take a look at Informed K12 and see what they can do for you.
