Student Information Systems

Pennsylvania Districts Adopt New SIS

• By Michael Hart
• 10/21/15

Two school districts in central Pennsylvania have adopted new student information systems on the advice of a third area district.

Dover Area and Central York school districts took the advice of information technology leaders at the neighboring Gettysburg Area School District and chose the Skyward Student Information System to replace their current systems.

"I have learned that the best information comes from speaking directly with the customers using the system," Perkins said. "After our visit with Gettysburg, we knew that Skyward was a provider we needed to consider."

According to Brad Perkins, a data specialist at Dover Area School District, the Gettysburg district convinced him that Skyward's state reporting function, scheduling system, parent notification system, electronic gradebook and integration into its 1-to-1 program were superior to other systems it had looked at.

"The educators have really taken to the online assignments feature from Skyward," said Lynn Schoppaul, software specialist with the Gettysburg district. "The students can log into the system and complete the assignment online, which is automatically graded, enabling students and educators to view the grades instantly."

Now, all three school districts are involved in a Skyward state user group that allows them to communicate with each other on the system and to participate in user group conferences.