Calvary Chapel Christian School in Fredericktown, Pennsylvania offers preschool, elementary, junior high, and senior high school classes. Beginning with a single church classroom in 1996, the campus now includes two additional school buildings and a playground.
As enrollment started increasing, Principal Beckie Cannon searched for fully-featured school management software that was affordable. “We were not completed satisfied with the grade book solution we were using; it was very costly, and the staff was struggled to adapt to it,” she explained. “I was passively looking for different vendor.”
While visiting another Christian school in New York, she saw the QuickSchools programs in use. What she discovered after exploring it further was reassuring.
“The cost was within our budget. We pay monthly on a per student basis. It not only had the grade book and report card function, it also had the discipline function,” commented Cannon. “We were still tracking discipline actions on paper.”
Introducing the program to the staff went smoothly recalled Cannon. “It was pretty easy. We started with the teachers using the grade book and discipline function.” The following year, CCCS implemented more of the functions—report cards, homework, parent communications, and calendar.
QuickSchools ties together all the student touch points in one customizable screen. As an administrator, Cannon adds, “I like the student tab the most. I can pull up one student and I can see their grades, see their discipline—I can basically see everything I need to see about that student in one place. We’re not using multiple software things; it's all under the same area.”
Carol Steve, first and second grade teacher, is also a CCCS parent.
I like it from both sides. As a parent, I can go online anytime. I can see what events might be happening the next day or week or month on the calendar. I can see my child’s homework assignment. I can look back over the discipline actions that have been taken for my child.
Both Principal Cannon and Carol Steve are most enthusiastic about the user support offered by QuickSchools.
“I can click on the chat function and ask that question immediately while it's still fresh in my mind,” said Steve. “My time is so limited; the chat function really helps me.”
“Our teachers love the online support. If they are working in a program and have a question or if they didn't understand something, or something was not working properly, they just talk to a QuickSchools programmer right at that moment on the phone or in a chat window and get their question answered,” said Cannon.
"I would definitely recommend QuickSchools for small schools. It's unlike other programs we looked at and is working well for us."