Customer stories


Super School Software

The Right Tools for the Job

When it comes to software for education, there's no such thing as "one size fits all." Unique challenges, innovative ideas call for customized, specialized applications. That's what Project Super School is all about -- but as varied as their software applications may be, they have one important component in common. They're built around FileMaker Pro, the award-winning database software application from FileMaker Inc.

Serving a wide range of school systems across the US, including those in major cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and Cleveland, Super School Software creates tools that work, for administrative tasks and for exciting classroom applications. "Project Super School provides technology based educational solutions designed to assist special, general, and gifted students in meeting their academic goals," explains software designer Bob Barboza. And whatever the applications, Bob and his programming team used FileMaker Pro to construct the engines for the programs. "It provided all the necessary features," Bob declares, "and met the cost requirements necessary to complete the project for Macintosh and Windows-based computers."

The applications available from Project Super School are as varied as the schools that use them. One is IEP (Individual Education Plan) Writer Supreme IIc, a FileMaker Pro-based solution for automatically completing the intricate and detailed paperwork required for compliance with each state's regulations governing Special Education programs -- a program adopted with great success by the Los Angeles Unified School District. "With teachers licensed to use the program at work or at home," Bob explains, "this Macintosh and Windows-based solution makes it possible for thousands of Special Education teachers and support staff to write individual education plans for special-needs students throughout this enormous district."

Another FileMaker Pro application developed by Project Super School offers students a unique opportunity to explore a fascinating culture. "The Super School Oral History Project was designed for the Cape Verdeans of Southern California as a way of involving their young children in the culture of their ancestors from the Cape Verde Islands." describes Bob. "Students are given $100 to interview a family member. In return they interview an older family member who has knowledge of the Cape Verdean diaspora. Teachers assist the students to assemble their histories on File Maker Pro and document them with digital photos. Each completed history is posted as an electronic e-Book, PDF File, and a Super School Virtual School File. All files can be distributed to every member of the family." While the application is designed around FileMaker Pro 6, Bob anticipates it will continue to evolve with each successive version of FileMaker Pro.

A third package offers a range of Before and After School programs -- helping gifted students at the elementary and middle school levels explore their early interests in medicine, the law, or business. Each of these applications provide a classroom simulation of medical, legal, or business training.

A fourth new package entitled "Goals, Objectives, Benchmarks, and Standards" helps teachers to write individualized lesson plans and IEP's based on state standards. "Teachers save time by having all the components necessary to construct individual educational plans from a powerful new database," Bob explains. "With a click of a button your new plan is translated to Spanish." As with all of Project Super School's products, the package makes effective use of FileMaker Pro's flexibility and ease of use.

Ease of use was an important factor in Bob's decision to base his projects on FileMaker Pro -- not just for students, but for teachers as well. "There is very little time in the educational day to learn long complicated relational databases," Bob declares. "If the learning curve is too long educators will turn to other solutions. We had lots of experience early on with relational databases that were just too difficult to learn and use. Our customers would get stuck and the customer service phone would ring too often. FileMaker Pro made it easy on both programmers and customers. We could make better products that were easy to use."

And there are plenty of new ideas emerging from the Super School Software development team -- projects with benefits for students with special needs, students at risk, students with exciting talents and varied interests. Whatever those applications, however they work -- they'll be built on the strong foundation of FileMaker Pro!



Contact information

Contact Info for Customer:

Bob Barboza
Developer
Project Super School
562-594-8580
Suprschool@aol.com
http://www.superschoolsoftware.com


Filemaker Contact:

Kevin Mallon
Public Relations Manager
FileMaker Inc.
408-987-7227
kevin_mallon@filemaker.com
http://www.filemaker.com


Overview
  • Software for teachers, software for students, software that makes school productive, software that makes school fun. That's what Project Super School is all about -- with a range of products built around FileMaker Pro.
Industry
  • K-12 Education
  • Small Business