Student Information Systems (SIS) in Development – May 24, 2021

During this session, AMI/USA School Administrators spoke with representatives from vendors with SIS-in-development, who shared an overview of their platform and discussed components that schools may be looking for. Work with one or both of these programs in the development phase to design something that would satisfy some of your needs.

Meet the SIS-in-Development Vendors

Clever Education Solutions
Represented by: Dominique Mouthon, Co-Founder
Clever Education Solutions offers the first cloud-based, modular and comprehensive school management system specifically designed for Montessori schools, from Infant to Adolescent programs. Dominique’s experience as a Montessori educator and administrator is now driving her to develop a school management tool specifically designed for Montessori schools.

Education DNA (EDNA)
Represented by: Tina Patel, Founder
EDNA (Education DNA) is a complete school management system that brings all stakeholders responsible for success of children together in an easy-to-use platform bridging the gap between home and school. Administrators, teachers, and parents will be able to use our platform to document all children’s academic, social, and emotional needs inside and outside of school. EDNA is designed from an administrator’s perspective of what it takes to run a successful school, a guide’s perspective to feel supported in the classroom, and from a parent’s perspective to be informed of their child’s growth.

Whally
Represented by: Noah Stahl, Founder
Whally is the modern school management platform and student information system with a fresh approach to running your school. Whally aims to be super flexible and friendly: you’re able to adapt and customize the features to work the way you want, rather than constraining yourself to fit the mold imposed by a traditional solution. Whally provides a delightful set of features out of the box, including attendance tracking, billing & automatic payments, parent and staff communication, online forms, and a slick check-in kiosk. We also love integrations: Whally is special in its ability to interface with the systems you already use. Try it for yourself in an instant, fully featured demo playground.

Do you have opinions about what your ideal early education software would do? We would love to work with you to make it real. Whally is primed to quickly transform feedback into actual features that improve your day and your school. If you’re looking for a better way, say hello! hello@whally.com

 

Follow up questions

CES = Clever Education Solutions

EDNA = Education DNA

W = Whally

How do you transition data from a customer’s current system to your system?

CES – There are several options depending on how much preparatory work the school can do:

  • You fill out the template we provide: (CSV file attached to this email. Fill out your data you want imported into our CSV file. You can import all of the data or some of it and leave the rest to be entered manually later. This way takes about a week to complete the upload and verify once we receive the files.
  • We can merge the information you provide to us in various Excel files, into our template, and proceed with the upload. This way requires a bit longer, around 2 weeks based on the amount of data we have to manipulate. As we are familiar with most of the current systems, we can assist schools with the data extraction.
  • For the schools that do not currently have an electronic database, we will also provide assistance to facilitate the data gathering and entering in our template.
  • The entire data migration process including any additional assistance is provided at no charge.

EDNA – We will handle all onboarding process from our end so that it is easy and painless for the schools.  We will send out a template in Excel that schools can start filling out.  The template will include data entry tabs for both students and staff.  Schools will be able to add additional fields to the template for any other information they wish to track in the app.  Our developers will ensure that this process is smooth and provide any support schools may need.

W – We work hands-on with you to export data from your current system and move it into Whally, safe and complete. We know this can be a daunting process and do everything we can to ensure we make the transition successful and risk-free.

Pricing Information

  • Please include information on any deals that you are offering and for how long a school can benefit from signing on with you.
  • If you don’t have pricing clearly identified, please provide information on the pricing structure – will it be pricing per child? 

CES – Our introductory price is $500/year and it is guaranteed for 3 years regardless of the number of students. If interested, we can start with the on-boarding process at any time between now and the start of the school year. We are launching the initial version of our product this summer for the school year 21-22. It includes Admission and SIS modules fully integrated as a seamless process, and in addition teachers have the possibility to take attendance, upload class photos and have calendar access.

EDNA – Currently, we are considering pricing per child structure.  For those who sign up with us during our first year will be paying the same price for the first three years.  I know what schools are paying for different apps and platforms to meet their various needs.  We want to make the pricing attractive and affordable so that they are essentially paying less than all of the different platforms combined.  I am always happy to work with individual schools and their budgetary needs.  The goal for me is to make their jobs easier and stress free.

W – Whally is priced with a simple per-student-per-month model. See our pricing details to learn more. We guarantee that Whally will be affordable for you.

 
For Montessorians interested in collaborating with us to improve the software, we’d love to discuss a personalized discount for you. Please get in touch!

What stage of development are you in? When will you be ready for a school to start using your system?

CES – 3 schools are already testing our initial version of our product. It already includes Admission and SIS modules fully integrated as a seamless process, and in addition teachers have the possibility to take attendance, upload class photos and have calendar access.This initial version is available for LIVE DEMOS.

We are launching more advanced version of our product this summer, ahead of the school year 21-22after we complete the integration of the last features and complete the testing process.Our tuition/billing management module is under development and we plan to release it this summer as well; however, the pricing structure has not been determined and will be in addition to the $500 promotional pricing.

Deployment Timeline of the remaining modules:

  • December ’21: LMS: lessons planning and recording, teachers observation notes, we will offer standard AMI + AMS curricula for A to I through Upper Elementary that teachers will be able to modify
  • April ’22: Progress Reports, Developmental and skill mapping
  • School Year ’22-’23: communication and fundraising modules

EDNA – We are a few weeks away from piloting phase.  Within next three months, after we have had chance to collect data and feedback from our piloting schools, we will be ready to launch the app.  If any schools are interested in being a pilot school, please contact me at director@montessorione.net or 505.720.6817.  The pilot schools will receive three free months of service once we launch the product and first 10 schools will receive a legacy price rate for the next 3 years, which means your price will not increase for three years.

W – Whally started development in 2019 and is launching in 2021. It has accumulated thousands of hours of effort and much helpful feedback, and we’re just getting started! 

In particular, Whally is in a great place to incorporate ideas and feedback from you.
 
To understand if Whally is ready for your school, let’s discuss your individual needs and show you how it works now.
 
You can also see and use the actual, working software in our online demo playground.

What views/portals are offered? Explain any relevant details on permissions. For example, parents, teachers and admin can all use the system but have different views of what they see.

CES – We will provide a sandbox for you to play in for 30 days so that you can have a first-hand feel. Our system is a single point of entry made available with a web address (URL), The user credentials (email and password) determines the access to corresponding functionalities and features. We have 3 roles:

  1. Admin: An administrator role provides the highest level of access including the admission process, student data, calendars, student classroom assignments, and all the general setups (admission steps, classroom levels and names, teachers profiles and classroom assignments, directories, etc. Later on, only admin will have access to fundraising information. In future versions, there will be different access granted to different roles within administration.
  2. Teachers: A teacher role provides access to classroom related features. This access includes attendance recording and summary, classroom photos upload, calendar, student profile and in a future product version, lessons planning, lessons recording and progress reports.
  3. Parents: A parent role provides access to the admission process status while the child is in the admission process. Once the child is enrolled, parents have access to classroom photos (strictly limited to their child’s classroom), calendars, and in a future product version, progress reports and their child’s progress. Schools have the ability to select what they want the parents to see and edit.

EDNA – We have three main portals.  Admin., Teacher, and Parent.  Each portal has a different view that they will have access to.  The Admin. Portal will allow administrators to customize and grant access to people as they see fit.  Parents will only be able to see views of their own children and not the entire class.

W – Whally is unique in providing all features in a beautiful, single app that works on any device. That means everyone – admins, staff, parents, bookkeepers, IT – can use the same app at whally.com/app

No more juggling multiple portals that only have certain features! Use the right device at the right time, whether that’s your laptop, a phone, or a desktop with your favorite large monitor.

What safeguards are there to protect participants’ information? (a link to your privacy page/information would be helpful here)

CES – Our system is developed with data security in mind. We use the most advanced technologies and design protocols to be compliant with California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). We have integrated security features such as email verification to insure the highest level of data security. Click HERE for our privacy page information.

EDNA – We are putting in multi-factor authentication system which will use face and finger print recognition.  Each user will have their own log in requirements that is easy to use and safe.  For our payment portals, we will integrating software that has great reputation for maintaining security for all users.  We will never sell or share any data to anyone outside of your school.  Each school will have their own unique merchant ID which will provide more security.

W – Whally has extensive of security features built in, including fancy permissions and audit histories. Privacy is also a top-most concern, and we think you’ll find Whally without peer in this respect. Learn more about our security and privacy policy.

Why should a school take the risk to transfer to your system?

CES – We are developing a system that is user centered and that focuses on simplicity and ease-of-use. Also, having a single, central datasource will alleviate waisted time spent on maintaining several systems with no added value. Simplicity and integration will free up valuable time that can be spent with school constituencies (Parents, teachers, value added administrative tasks…). Being part of this effort will reward schools with a system that will meet their needs. Because we have time to dedicate to you, support you in the transition and whenever you need help. Because we know Montessori and understand your language, your needs, and operations. And finally, because it is exciting to be part of helping build something new and see it come to fruition.

W – Any new system is a risk, and we are humbled that schools give us a chance to make their world better. Put simply, we created Whally because we didn’t think the existing solutions were doing enough to serve educators.

Our mission is to solve the school management and student information problems better than ever and to continue working on that for years to come. Whally has been a full-on effort from the start and isn’t slowing down.
That said, we also like doing things in a non-risky way 🙂. For that reason, our approach is to introduce Whally side-by-side with existing systems and carefully plan the transition to avoid hiccups wherever possible. You won’t be on your own.

How can you speak to your longevity?

CES –

  • As a start-up company, we have gone through an incubator program that gave us tools, methodology, and training to develop a software program. They continue to provide us support through their mentoring program. We have also received a grant and support from NC IDEA, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting start-ups. Through thee 2 programs we have made valuable connections with experienced entrepreneurs and investors that support young companies like ours.
  • Through these 2 organizations, we have already made contact with local angel investors that are following our development and who will be ready to support us financially once we show that we have a handful of paying customers. We have taken a rigorous approach to our business development because we have some incredible mentors (business people in different fields like software development, finance, sales, etc.) that are guiding us in this process.
  • 2 of our partners have professional business experience that they bring to our operations and business development.

EDNA – I am the founder and owner of Montessori ONE Academy.  I have been the Director since I started the school from grounds up in 2007.  I have designed and built all of our buildings from grounds up. We started with our toddler and primary program in 2007.  In 2015, we expanded our school to include Elementary program and in 2019, we opened our NIDO program.  I have spent 30 years of my career in education, 15 of them in Montessori.  In 2021, I opened AMARAN, an intergenerational assisted living and memory care.  The entire facility has been designed and built with Montessori concepts and are actively using the pedagogy with Elders who have Dementia and Alzheimer.  I am a firm believer in providing the best education to all children.  EDNA is a product of my personal experience running a very successful school in Albuquerque, New Mexico for 15 years.  I am not going anywhere!  This is my passion and I want to help other schools provide best education for their children as well.

Integrations – How does your system integrate with other platforms the school might be using – including Quickbooks? Authorize.net? Mailchimp? Calendly? etc?

CES – We are working on making these API (Application Programming Interface: integration).

EDNA – We will have integration with QuickBooks, Google calendar, Boom Commerce (for ACH transactions, invoicing, tuition payments, and bill payments).  We will also integrate Swoop, which is an online fundraising software.  We are also prepared to integrate other systems that will provide services that EDNA currently does not.  EDNA is a very comprehensive program.  Users will be able to do everything in one easy to use location, including but not limited to: communication, event scheduling, registration and admission, tuition billing and payment receipts, professional development, new staff on-boarding and off-boarding, lesson planning, record keeping, progress report and analysis, alumni tracking, drop off and pick up sign in and out, attendance, snack sign ups, birthday reminders, and fund raising.

W – Whally loves integrations. It is, to our knowledge, the first software in the industry to be designed with full transparency and integration-friendliness. Whally has a complete API that can be used to integrate with practically any other system that plays nice with others.

We’d love to hear from you about the kinds of integrations you use now and would like to have in Whally.

How can interested parties get a demo or get more information on your system?

CES – choose one of the following options

EDNA – Please visit our website at www.myedna.net to fill out a contact form.  I would love to speak with interested parties personally either via phone (505.720.6817) or email: director@montessorione.net.

W – That’s easy! Just say hello at hello@whally.com