Customer stories


Academy School District 20

Academy School District Uses FileMaker to Run District-Wide Web Services

In any business, it's all about communication. Communication with customers, with clients, with the people who make the business happen.

And that's true even when the business in question isn't a business at all.

School districts don't have customers or clients to worry about. Their concerns are even more important – they deal with taxpayers, with parents, and with students. And healthy lines of communication are even more essential. Just ask the people of Academy School District 20 in Colorado – where web-based communication is keeping everyone connected, thanks to the power of FileMaker Pro – the award-winning database software application from FileMaker Inc.!

'When I need to communicate information via the web, I think first of FileMaker Pro!' That's Janie McCarthy speaking – the Web Specialist for Academy School District 20. She's a teacher by profession, not a computer wizard or a technology wonk. But she understands the importance of communication – and she's overseen the development of a website that's revolutionized the way in which district residents, staffers, and students keep in touch.

FileMaker databases make it all happen – over thirty of them, by Janie's count, tied into the website http://www.d20.co.edu. And it all started with a challenge: how to streamline the way in which the district posted notices of job openings.

'We used to type out the job postings and send them out on paper,' Janie explains, 'and it took a lot of time and a lot of work. But now it's all done on line. We've designed the job posting form to look like the old printed form, so it's easy and familiar to work with – but instead of having to do it on paper, the information goes directly into an FMP database. Now I watch that database 'sing' as people look over the job listings. We've had applicants from all over the world who've seen our listings over the web!'

That success opened the floodgates – and now FileMaker Pro is a vital component in the district's communications strategy. FileMaker databases power the website's unique 'Special Delivery' system, which keeps staff and parents up to date on essential school announcements. FileMaker Pro keeps students and parents up to the minute on current homework assignments. FileMaker Pro displays curricular resources, tracks work orders, makes files easily accessible to the people who need them, and most importantly keeps the lines of communication open – quickly and efficiently. And there are directly practical benefits as well.

'I can't put a dollar value on how much FileMaker Pro has saved us,' says Janie, 'but I bet it's a lot. It's saved us reams and reams of paper and hours and hours of time. 'FileMaker Pro puts pertinent resources and information on our desktops via our Internet and intranet web sites and makes us more efficient, effective, and accountable.'

Doing what a school system is supposed to do – teaching, educating, and most of all – communicating. That's what it's really all about at Academy School District 20.

And FileMaker Pro is proud of its part in helping to keep those communication channels open!



Contact information

Contact Info for Customer:



Filemaker Contact:

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


Overview
  • At Academy School District 20 in Colorado, communication with taxpayers, parents and students is critical -- and the most efficient means of communication is the internet. Thanks to a FileMaker Pro-powered Web site, Academy easily keeps everyone connected.
Industry
  • Information Technology
  • K-12 Education