I'm a Believer

I'm not a big fan of change. Some might even call me a lot little set in my ways. Our District has rolled out a new data system in the past year and a few months. It is from Illuminate. Now, being on the District Tech Committee, it is my responsibility to learn these new systems, embrace their use and get others as "excited" as I am about them. It was a rocky start last year and this year wasn't much easier. With roster errors, students changing and all of the rest of the difficulties that come with the new year, it was tough to be the cheerleader that I needed to be.

Then came the gradebook function. It was an optional rollout. But, for those on the Tech Committee, optional meant required. I wasn't a fan. It wasn't what I was used to, but I soldiered on. I have to admit though that I was keeping my grades in two places... on the new "optional" online gradebook and my trusty old computer-based gradebook. Hedging my bets as some might say.

Now we are being introduced to phase three... our online report cards. They look just like our old report cards only we can do them through Illuminate and our gradebook is supposed to automatically link up and populate the report card fields. I was a skeptic, but after today... I am a believer.

I have completely changed my tune. I am an Illuminate gradebook and report card convert. All it took was my trusty trainer Ben to show me the light. He helped me link my standards and assignments to the right fields on my report card and with the touch of a button, voila, my report card was almost done. What a time saver!

So, when your District asks you to have faith and try something new... remember me and that sometimes, it does work out the way they say it will.