Load all articles

Technology Tips: January 2025 Edition From tax season scams to Daisy the AI granny, get the latest tech news and tips. And watch out for the malware of the month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Qmlativ Spotlight: Travel Reimbursements Just Got Easier Most of us haven’t found a way to teleport yet. That means it takes time and money to move from one place to the next. If your district has employees splitting time between buildings, reimbursing their travel just got a whole lot easier. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

5 Free, Can't-Miss Skyward Resources From training sessions to a Spanish toolkit, check out these five resources that will help you get even more from your Skyward experience. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: December 2024 Edition Find out how to unsend an email, a trick for using USBs, and how to avoid picking up malware at a public charging station. Plus watch out for the malware of the month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Partner Guest Post: A Day in the Life of AI-Enhanced K-12 Procurement: Sarah's Story Join Sarah, the procurement manager at Westfield School District, as she walks you through a day at an AI-enhanced district office. #Tips by Sarah Brezina

Know Your Skyward Support Options When you need Skyward support, where do you turn? Here’s a quick guide to the Skyward support options available to you. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: November Gift Guide Edition It’s the most wonderful time of the year! That means gathering up our favorite techy gift ideas. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: October 2024 Edition October brings many things: crisp air, Halloween fun, and Cybersecurity Awareness Month! This edition of Tech Tips is filled to the brim with harrowing hacker facts that just might make your skin crawl! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips September 2024 Edition What's your best technology tip? Now accepting your submissions. Plus, keeping your identity safe and a back-to-school crossword. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Global Search: Find Anything in Skyward in a Flash! Did you know the Qmlativ search bar can do way more than search for keywords? You can use it to find just about anything in the system. Check out 7 searches that will save you time. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Guest Post: 4 Steps to Streamlined Attendance and Tardy Tracking Take attendance and track tardies without teacher or office staff intervention!  #Tips by Rachel Mathwig

Technology Tips: August 2024 Edition Data security has a ripple effect. Explore how to keep your personal information, bank account, and credit private. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: Best of Edition We've gathered up the best of the best from back issues of Technology Tips. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: June 2024 Edition This month, we’ve got tips to reduce your screen time, a tool that turns your iPhone into a magnifying glass, and advice for keeping your tech safe while traveling. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Eight Budgeting Tools in Qmlativ When it comes to budgeting, make Skyward do the heavy lifting for you! #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: May 2024 Find out how to keep your smart devices safe from hackers, some PDF best practices, and a surprising stat about USPS fake websites. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Partner Guest Post: Lightning-Fast Procurement Thanks to Amazon Business Integration Did you know Amazon Business e-Procurement technology is fully integrated into Skyward's ERP? That means you can make purchases from Amazon without ever leaving Skyward! #Tips by Sarah Brezina

Skyward FAQs: What Can Skyward Help With? In this article, we aim to address some of the most frequently asked questions regarding what Skyward can and cannot help your district with. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Partner Guest Post: 7 Game-Changing Ways School District Staff Can Save Time and Stress Get seven stress-busting, time-saving tips for school administrators. See how embracing smart technology can make a world of difference. #Tips by Dan Gretz

Technology Tips: April 2024 Contactless payments pros and cons, spotting hidden cameras in rentals, and QR code phishing—plus, watch out for the aged-to-perfection malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

6 Things Districts with Smooth Qmlativ Migrations Prioritize Migrating to Qmlativ is an exciting time—one that doesn’t have to leave you frazzled. By following these tips, you can help ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. #Tips by Casey Hernandez

Technology Tips: March 2024 Edition Taking a little time off this spring? Here are some tips to keep your trip hassle-free! Plus, watch out for a tricky malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: February 2024 Edition This month's tips cover caution with social "get to know me" trends and award emails. Plus, find out if your tech strategy is true love or due for a trade-in—and watch out for a unique Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

5 Ways to Use Skyward’s Knowledge Hub As its name implies, the Knowledge Hub is a central source of important information for Skyward users. From professional development to printing services, there are so many features and tools Skyward users aren’t aware of. That's why we’re spotlighting them today! #Tips by Bob Jung

Technology Tips January 2024 Edition This month's tips feature security bugs, how to unsubscribe safely, and a crossword challenge. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Decoding Skyward Lingo Do you hear words tossed around like PDC, Toolkit, Qmlativ, or User Research Panel and don’t know what they mean? We’ve got you covered! #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: December 2023 Edition 'Tis the season to double-check passwords, keep new gifts secure, and manage ads (fa la la la la, la la, la la). #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Outsmart Hackers by Recognizing These 5 Phishing Email Clues Stop the attack before it starts! Here are five red flags to watch out for to keep your credentials, devices, and district safer. #Tips by Tom Kellnhauser

Technology Tips: November 2023 Edition (Gift Guide) It's the most wonderful time of the year! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Cómo Traducir Skyward A Cualquier Idioma Please share this article with Spanish-speaking families in your district! It describes how to translate Skyward into Spanish and how to access tutorials in Spanish in our Spanish Family Access Toolkit. #Tips by Efrain Rivera Velasquez

Technology Tips: October 2023 Edition (Cybersecurity Special) This month's tips are all about cybersecurity. Test your knowledge with trivia questions, learn surprising information about your car's privacy (or lack thereof), and read about some funny cyber hacks! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

How to Translate Skyward into Any Language Language barriers can make it nearly impossible for some families to play an impactful role in their student’s learning experience. Here’s how to take this barrier out of the equation. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: September 2023 Edition This month we're keeping our eyes peeled for sophisticated new scams. Find out why airplane mode matters. And watch out for the malware of the month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: August 2023 Edition This month, we’re talking ChatGPT and passkeys, and taking a look at a very convincing smishing message. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: July 2023 Edition Check out this month’s tips for back-to-school device prep, the pros and cons of VPNs, and why you should consider locking your credit. Plus watch out for the malware of the month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Automate Attendance Letters and Keep Kids Learning Follow this three-step process to help reduce absenteeism this school year. #Tips by Erin Werra

Post-Year-End Processing in the Student Management Suite School may be out for summer, but IT administrators are busy as ever. Wrap up your previous year and get ready for the year ahead with this handy checklist. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

11 Creative Uses for Online Forms How do you use online forms? In this post, we’re sharing 11 ideas for using them in SMS 2.0 and Qmlativ.  #Tips by Leah Kruger

Technology Tips: June 2023 Edition Summer break is a great time to do some security housekeeping. Check in on your password managers, ensure your credentials are sound, and learn how to keep kids safer on TikTok. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Closing Out the Year in Skyward: SIS Edition The end of the year can be a busy time, but it doesn’t have to leave you frazzled. With the help of this checklist, you can put yourself on the right track to a smooth end-of-year experience. #Tips by Jason Anderson

Closing Out the Year in Skyward: Business Suite Edition From general prep to module-specific checkboxes, here's how to make sure your rollover process is clean, compliant, and done right the first time. #Tips by Jason Anderson

How to Become a Cashless School Spend time and resources on activities that matter to your school. Learn how Skyward and Vanco integrations can help you start building a cashless campus. #Tips by Travis Prowell

Technology Tips: May 2023 Edition May brings flowers and reminders to take care of your mental health! Find out how tech can help, and how you can manage your tech usage. Plus, beware the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Know Your Skyward Training Options Want to work smarter, not harder in Skyward? Here’s a quick overview of the training tools you can use to grow your Skyward knowledge. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: April 2023 Edition 🌎 This month is all about reducing, reusing, and recycling technology to save the earth and the budget! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: March 2023 Edition This month's tips cover online job scams, how to change Alexa’s name, and a Bluetooth accessories hack. Plus watch out for the malware of the month!  #Tips by Skyward IT Services

3 Common Myths About Standards-Based Grading—Debunked For over 100 years, the grades in our schools have not communicated what students have learned. (Yes, you read that correctly!) Find out how an alternate approach to grading can better assess student knowledge. #Tips by Kendell Hunter

Banish Dual Data Entry with Interoperability in Qmlativ When your software programs talk to each other, there’s no need to enter the same information in multiple places. Are you taking advantage of Skyward’s integration capabilities?  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: February 2023 Edition This month's tips cover data backup tips (hint: follow the 3-2-1 rule), Apple Activation Lock best practices, and an update on the SH1MMER Chromebook exploit. Plus watch out for the malware of the month!  #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Guest Post: Migrating Your School Technology Devices to Qmlativ School Technology Associates breaks down how each of their devices will transfer to and work with Qmlativ. Plus they highlight exciting new features your district can look forward to after migrating! #Tips by Rachel Mathwig

Technology Tips: January 2023 Edition This month’s tech tips cover Google Analytics for school marketers, an insidious tool exploiting Chromebooks, and a simple way to help spot phishing emails. Plus watch out for the malware of the month!   #Tips by Skyward IT Services

7 Remote Learning Wins We’re Taking into 2023 What comes to mind when you think of remote learning? Stress, exhaustion, kids falling behind? While all of these memories could not be more true, remote learning also had its share of positives. Some of them were so good, in fact, they’ll be sticking around in 2023! Can you guess which ones? #Tips by Erin Werra

Technology Tips: December 2022 (Hygge Edition) This month’s tips are all about using technology to make your home more relaxing and inviting, taking inspiration from the Nordic traditions of thriving in the darkest months of the year. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Two Tips to make Teachers’ Lives Easier (Qmlativ) Here are two timesaving tools to share with teachers in your district!   #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Paid in Full: Collect Your Unpaid Fees (SMS 2.0) School districts lose millions of dollars every year in unpaid fees. Here are 5 tips and 3 Skyward tools to help keep your accounts out of the red.  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: November 2022 Edition (Gift Guide) The 2022 gift guide is here! Whether you’re shopping for wellness enthusiasts, pet parents, young learners, or coworkers and friends, we have something for everyone on your list! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Making Friends with the Parent Portal We’ve got everything you need to help guardians get on board with the parent portal and reap the benefits of increased engagement.  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Budget Better in Qmlativ: Automate Your Payroll Encumbrances Are you forecasting payroll encumbrances manually? Hand it over to Skyward!  #Tips by Erin Werra

Are You a Member of the Skyward Community? The Skyward Community connects you to a worldwide network of Qmlativ users who help each other work more efficiently. Find out what awaits you in the Community!    #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: October 2022 Edition It's Cyber Security Month! Stay vigilant and avoid tricks with these tasty tips—plus a king-sized malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

One-Page Pitch: Automate Late Passes with a Tardy Kiosk What if students arriving late to school could simply print a pass and head to class—no office staff intervention required?  #Tips by Erin Werra

Technology Tips: September 2022 Edition Explore whether browser sync is worth the risk and find out how to spot a deepfake (they’re becoming more common than you think!).  Plus, make sure your Samsung device is up to date.   #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: August 2022 Edition Check out our back-to-school IT checklist, some web accessibility tips, Apple's back-tap feature... and of course, watch out for the malware of the month!  #Tips by Skyward IT Services

5 Ways to Increase Parent Engagement This School Year Don’t leave parent engagement up to your students’ parents! Here are 5 steps you can take to boost engagement this year. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: July 2022 Edition Dive into a phishing email to spot all the clues it's a fake, public USB risks, and makerspace for cheap! Plus watch out for the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Texas Spotlight: Top Tips for PEIMS Coordinators We've got a special article for Skyward users in Texas! Check out these tips for PEIMS coordinators.  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: June 2022 Edition This summer edition of tech tips is all about personal wellbeing. Check out tools you can use to reduce eyestrain, improve posture, and stay focused. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: June 2021 Edition Hackers continue to be ruthless criminals, compromising organizations of all sizes and people of all ages. This month’s edition of Tech Tips is all about the latest in cyber security attacks and ways to protect you and your district.   #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: May 2022 Edition This month's tips cover out-of-office message security, on-the-go translation services, and voice-to-text dictation. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month and you might make millions! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Pre-Year-End Planning in the Student Management Suite Get a jump-start on planning your year-end process in Skyward. Follow step-by-step checklists to ensure a smooth transition between this school year and next year.  #Tips by Justin Anderson

Technology Tips: April 2022 Edition This month's tips cover digital spring cleaning, the new Google multisearch tool, and ways to increase your home internet speed. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: March 2022 Edition This month's tips cover data security best practices for home and office, MS Teams updates, and the internet of things. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

6 Popular Business Suite Widgets and Tiles Which widgets and tiles do Skyward users say they just can't work without? Here are three of the most popular options for both SMS 2.0 and Qmlativ. #Tips by Dylan Luer

Technology Tips: February 2022 Edition Explore free professional development options, the latest Android and iOS updates, and best practices for recording your own videos. Watch out for the Malware of the Month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: January 2022 Edition (A Year in Tech) The more frustrating the situation, the bigger the lesson learned. Dive into 4 of the costliest tech dilemmas of 2021 and, most importantly, how you can keep your district safe. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

SMS 2.0 Spotlight: SkyBuild Did you know there’s a tool you can use to integrate Skyward with all your third-party programs and make sharing data between them a breeze? #Tips by Liz Kelley

Introducing: Herramientas de Recursos (The Spanish Family Access Toolkit) Tenemos buenas noticias: a new version of the Family Access Toolkit is here! #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

One-Page Pitch: Attendance Letters Check out the one-page pitch to find out what attendance letters are and how they can be a game-changer for chronically absent students and their families. #Tips by Chad Aiken-Zdroik

Technology Tips: December 2021 Edition Let's get cozy! This month's tips are all about using technology to achieve hygge: the Nordic-inspired lifestyle of simplicity throughout the winter months. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Ed-Fi Spotlight: A Feature Unique to Skyward Users! Skyward is currently the only SIS vendor capable of sending in-progress grades. Are you taking advantage of this feature? #Tips by Ali DeGeorge

Technology Tips: November 2021 Edition Gift Guide Get started on your holiday shopping! This year, we’re sharing gifts for remote workers, employees and staff, and kids who love STEAM. We’re also highlighting “buy one, give one” gifts that make an impact! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Here to Stay: 9 Changes COVID Inspired in Schools Though much of life will return to normal, some changes in schools are here to stay.   #Tips by Erin Werra

Keys to Efficient, Effective Hiring (Fully Remote!) Finding the best new hires is getting especially tough, but you can stand out! Are you telling your district’s story the way you want people to hear it? #Tips by Erin Werra

Technology Tips: October 2021 Edition It's Cyber Security Month and this edition is full of treats to keep your district secure! Read on—but watch out for tricks! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Want to Boost Participation in Parent-Teacher Conferences? Here’s How. What if your district could achieve 100% participation in parent-teacher conferences? One Skyward district did and we’re explaining how. #Tips by Erin Werra

Technology Tips: September 2021 Edition This month’s tips include keyboard shortcuts, passphrase tips, and how to charge your device safely. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Using Behavior Management and ESSER Funds to Recognize Positive Self-Care Here’s how you can use behavior management tools and COVID relief funds to help students get back on track this year.  #Tips by Dan Grabski

Advice from a District Data Expert (Featuring Michigan’s Tim Howard) Tim Howard helps districts around the world maximize their use of Skyward. Here he shares his tips for you!  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: August 2021 Edition This month's tips include ways to reduce eyestrain, keep tech at its best, and ensure your router is secure. Plus watch out for the malware of the month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Qmlativ Spotlight: Simplify Audits with View-Only User Accounts Preparing for your school to be audited can be time-consuming and tiresome. Here’s how to simplify the process without sacrificing security. #Tips by Caroline Gilchrist

Technology Tips: July 2021 Edition This month's tips include resources for stopping ransomware and combatting Zoom fatigue, plus an online note-taking app and the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Reduce Data Entry with Interoperability Want to give teachers more flexibility with classroom tools, while also helping them save time on data entry? With interoperability, you can! #Tips by Jacob Baumann

Technology Tips: May 2021 Edition This month's tips cover changes coming to website cookies, keeping kids safe online, and voice-to-text dictation. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

5 Ways to Plant the Seeds of Sustainability Schools have the unique opportunity to instill a sense of stewardship in Earth’s future caretakers. Here are five ways to get started. #Tips by Caroline Gilchrist

Technology Tips: April 2021 Edition This month's tips cover multifactor authentication, interactive physics resources, and Microsoft Edge’s Learning Tools. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: March 2021 Edition This month's tips cover steps to increased data security, faster internet speeds, and maximized screen space. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

4 Surefire Ways to Increase Parent Engagement While some parents don’t need prodding to engage in their child’s education, others need some help. Check out these steps to increase parent engagement! #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: February 2021 Edition This month's tips cover pro-level video production, blue light reduction, and delayed email delivery. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: January 2021 Edition We’ve got phishing attack texts to watch out for, battery charging habits, and a teleprompter app for video updates—plus the malware of the month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: December 2020 Edition Let's get cozy! This month's tips are all about using technology to achieve hygge: the Nordic-inspired lifestyle of simplicity throughout the winter months. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Has Your District Tried This Approach to Discipline? More and more schools are turning to positive behavior management and seeing the benefits. Take a look at what it is and how you can use it in Skyward. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Less Paper, Not Paperless: A New Year’s Resolution Whether you crave the usual benefits of less paper or this new normal has thrust innovation upon you, we’ve got simple ways to get your school started! #Tips by Caroline Gilchrist

Free Resource Kits Make Using Skyward Easier Share Family Access and Employee Access Toolkits with families and staff to make their lives easier.  #Tips by Erin Werra

Technology Tips: November 2020 Edition (Gift Guide🎁) This year we are making holiday shopping easy with our favorite gadgets, gift boxes, STEM projects, and work-from-home items. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

How Accessible is Your District, Really? We've got tips for making your district’s digital presence more inclusive so you can give everyone a better experience. #Tips by Nou Chee Her

Free Training in the Skyward Academy! We can’t send you to Hogwarts or Starfleet Academy, but we can extend an invite to the Skyward Academy—and that’s just what we’d like to do! #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: October 2020 Edition This month's tips include phishing alerts, passphrases, and renaming a certain smart speaker. Plus, watch out for a troupe of untrustworthy scammers. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

One-Page Pitch: Why You Should Ditch Passwords and Use Passphrases “Passphrase? Is that the same as a password?” Not quite! Find out why you should be using passphrases in this quick, shareable pitch. #Tips by Mike Bianco

Technology Tips: September 2020 Edition Explore Snapchat safety, social media tips, and a COVID tracker that may already be on your phone. Plus, watch out for malware of the month! #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! It’s Time to Improve Parent Communication There has perhaps never been a year where parent communication was more important. Let’s look at tools for fast, clear messaging. #Tips by Jacob Baumann

Teachers: Tips for Refreshing Your Gradebook What’s the best way for teachers to refresh their gradebooks? Here are a few tips for both administrators and teachers to consider. #Tips by Sarah Paul

Technology Tips: August 2020 Edition This month, let's explore TikTok, web design tips, and whether or not "Log in with Facebook?" is a good idea. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

From Educators, To Educators: Tips for Better Presentations Last month, we shared our own tips on what makes a good presentation. This month, we turned to your peers for their advice!  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: July 2020 Edition This month's tips include how to start a blog, work from home tools, and how to create DIY videos for training and more. Plus, a pretty pricey malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Remote Onboarding: A New Hire’s Story Hear from one of Skyward’s new hires: How can you make remote onboarding smoother at your district? #Tips by Cassidy Downs

Mic Drop: 18 Tips for a Brilliant Presentation Without the proper presentation skills, the best ideas may fall flat. Learn to engage and inspire your audience with these tips. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: June 2020 Edition This month's tips cover data backup, tech hygeine, and relaxing tracks from nature. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

How Teachers Empower Kids Through eLearning Learning doesn’t stop. But it will be different, and that’s okay.  #Tips by Erin Werra

Technology Tips: May 2020 Edition This month we'll cover working from home summed up in a quick video, accessibility on the web, and video chat tips. Plus, watch out for an expensive Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Maintaining Social Distance with Online Enrollment Did you know you can move your entire enrollment process online? Watch our video chat with a Texas district using NSOE to do just that!  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: April 2020 Edition Stay safe and work smarter from home with this month’s tips!  #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Navigating COVID-19 with Skyward COVID-19 complicates daily tasks, but you can still accomplish them! Learn about the resources Skyward has available to help. #Tips by Leah Kruger

Technology Tips: March 2020 Edition This month we're spring cleaning our to-do list, hardware, and security practices. Plus, watch out for hacks from so-called healthcare pros.  #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Introducing Skyward Insider We are so excited to unveil the re-branded version of Educator Newsletter. It’s your new guide to becoming a Skyward super user. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

COVID-19: Documenting for State & Federal Funding Coronavirus has all but taken over our world. How can you document expenses to prepare for any state or federal aid offered in the future? #Tips by Caitlin Barton

Technology Tips: February 2020 Edition This month's tech tips cover fighting the flu, polishing your school website, and quick shortcuts for Windows users. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Skyward Security Best Practices Take a deep dive into applying security best practices to your Skyward applications. #Tips by Mike Bianco

Skyward Updates – Winter 2020 What new Skyward features await you? Let's take a look! #Tips by Kevin Duda

Technology Tips: January 2020 Edition Save cell phone battery life, teach your students to be Internet Awesome, and start 2020 right with the assistance of health apps. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Marie Kondo Meets School Data Marie Kondo's Kon-Mari method gets a SIS focused makeover. Student data sparks joy with Skyward. #Tips by Erin Werra

Make Your Life Easier: 7 Ways to Use Global Search in Qmlativ Did you know the Qmlativ search bar can do way more than search for keywords? Check out seven searches that will make your life easier. #Tips by Rebecca Gaboda

Technology Tips: December 2019 Edition Simplify, simplify: This month's tech tips help ease us into a more productive new year. Block junk mail, use Do Not Disturb settings thoughtfully, and clean up a cluttered inbox quickly. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

What Are Top Ed Leaders Reading? Join us at Advancing K12 for deep insight into leadership, technology, and culture. #Tips by Erin Werra

10 Things Every Teacher Should Know in Skyward What are the core features teachers should know in Skyward? Check out this video to be sure you’ve mastered these 10 tools. #Tips by Justin Anderson

One-Page Pitch: Positive Attendance Increase student agency and decrease administrative responsibilities with positive attendance. #Tips by Avery Faehling

Technology Tips: November 2019 Edition This month’s tips are all about gift giving! We’ve crafted a gift guide for the children, coworkers, foodies, and techies in your life. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

“Easy-Peasy” At Your Fingertips: Embedding Skyward Videos on Your District Website Did you know you can embed our tutorial videos directly onto your district's website? It's easy, effective, and helpful—we'll show you how! #Tips by Chad Aiken-Zdroik

Guest Post: Creating a “Customer Obsessed” Culture While Lowering Your Total Cost of Procurement When processes are complex, they pull time, money, and energy from what matters most: serving students. #Tips by Michael Levin

A Day in the Life: Personnel and Skyward Support Specialist People and technology—two very different subjects personnel and support specialists must master. What does a day in their lives look like? #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: October 2019 This month’s tips feature talk-to-type and read-aloud options, a language assistant, and tips on keeping your data (and Android phone) safe. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: September 2019 Can your smart coffee maker lead to a hack? Learn to stay safe, report phishing emails, and distinguish helpful tools from malicious ads. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

An Ed-Fi Primer What is Ed-Fi and how does this standard make managing data easier? #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: August 2019 Edition Back-to-school season is the best time for a special security edition of tech tips. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: July 2019 Edition This month's tips cover smart speaker privacy settings, security for team collaboration, legal action following data breaches, and of course, the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

A Day in the Life: Data Management Coordinator Data management coordinators turn ordinary numbers into state reports and decision-making tools. What’s a day like in this role? #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: June 2019 Edition This month's tips include adjusting gracefully to new naming conventions, getting the most from WiFi 6, constant vigilance against ransomware, and an especially wild Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: May 2019 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. This month's tips cover three hands-on tech tools to try, and a Trojan "Emotet." #Tips by Skyward IT Services

State & Federal Compliance Resources With funding on the line, state & federal reporting is nothing to take lightly. Learn about resources that will make your job easier. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: April 2019 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. This month's tips cover mobile screen sharing, MicroSD readers, USB charging, and malware from an ASUS update. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Setting Up A Tardy Kiosk When your students show up late to school or class, it not only cuts into their own learning time; it also interrupts the work of office staff and teachers. Not anymore! #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Tracking Student Medications: A How-To Guide For some kids, getting the right medications at school is vital to their health and wellbeing. How can you use Skyward to make sure nothing is left to chance?  #Tips by Sarah Paul

Tech Directors: Make Your Life Easier (Qmlativ Edition) Calling all tech directors! If you're looking for tips and tricks that can make your life a little bit easier, this post is for you. #Tips by Deb Ramlow

Work Smarter: Processing Lists Spotlight Did you know there’s no need to recreate the wheel every time you want to run a report on a select group of students?  #Tips by Deb Ramlow

Technology Tips: March 2019 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. This month's tips cover student focus, iPhone security, online shopping, and Fortnite malware. Help your students focus, stay secure, and avoid scams. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

5 Tips for a Great User Group Experience Step one is complete: You’ve signed up to attend a Skyward user group. But how can you make sure you’re getting the most out of this experience?  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: February 2019 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. This month’s tips are all about video! Take your first step in video creation, become a savvier YouTube viewer, and stay away from a Netflix phishing scam. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Interoperability Update: OneRoster Certification For the past year, one of our chief efforts has been improving interoperability, including becoming OneRoster 1.1 certified. What does that mean, and how does it impact you?  #Tips by Rebecca Gaboda

The School Marketing Plan Create a plan to help your district stand out as a destination for families and high-performing candidates. #Tips by Ray Ackerlund

Technology Tips: January 2019 Edition This month’s tech tips include tricks for promoting a healthy work-life balance by adjusting mobile notifications and creating inbox rules. We’ll also explore the options for reporting questionable social media posts. Plus, watch out for the (mobile) Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips December 2018 Edition This month’s tips are all about gift giving! We consulted our tech gurus to bring you 24 of our best ideas. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Integrate Your Vending Machines with Skyward Adding a vending machine for reimbursable meals is almost like adding an additional point of sale (POS) lunch line—hold the labor costs.  #Tips by Erin Werra

Technology Tips November 2018 Edition Beef up two-factor authentication with USB security keys, keep spam from spawning advertisements, and record Skype calls for posterity. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Qmlativ Spotlight: The Skyward Community Welcome to the Skyward Community! Let’s take a tour of this new social platform and discuss the ways it can enhance your Skyward experience.  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Do Not Get Burned on Reimbursement What if your expense reimbursements became public knowledge tomorrow? Would you have anything to worry about? #Tips by Erin Werra

Getting More from RTI in Skyward Monitor and communicate progress toward Response to Intervention goals to help administrators, teachers, and parents on the same page to help students. #Tips by Rebecca Gaboda

Technology Tips: October 2018 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article to learn about solving time change tech dilemmas, fine tuning volume and brightness adjustments on your Mac, cleaning up large Windows files, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Packing Light for Qmlativ Prepare your data now and make the shift to Qmlativ easier later! #Tips by Erin Werra

Introducing the Qmlativ Mobile App Our Qmlativ mobile app features three portals: Family Access, Teacher Access, and Employee Access. Learn about each of these platforms (and a new one on the way!).  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: September 2018 Edition Learn how to limit Google searches to a single website, discover mobile PDF scanning options, and jazz up communication with the MacOS emoji keyboard. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Visitor Management Made Easy A new partnership leads to improved school security for Skyward customers.  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

10 Ways to Keep Your Data Clean Is your data a mess? Think mismatched entries, misplaced records, duplicated names…  Here are 10 tools that can help you clean up your Student and Business Suite data.  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: August 2018 Edition Reduce blue light, connect classrooms to global citizenship opportunities, and see exactly when a web page was updated last. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Improving Your Dashboard Learn some tips and tricks to freshen up your dashboards and get the right data into the right place. We'll cover all four products and product lines. #Tips by Erin Werra

Skyward Updates – Summer 2018 What new Skyward features await you in the coming school year? Let's take a look!  #Tips by Leslie Strong

Technology Tips: June 2018 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article to learn about speeding up your PC, Google’s G Suite Learning Center, iPhone magnification options, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

2018 Mid-Year Qmlativ Update It's been two years since the announcement of Qmlativ. What's been happening, and where do we stand today? #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Refresh Your Gradebook for a New Year What’s the best way for teachers to refresh their gradebooks in preparation for a new year? Here are a few tips for both administrators and teachers to consider. #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Developing the Qmlativ Data Miner Here's how you shaped the development of Qmlativ's Data Miner, from beginning to end and back again.  #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Technology Tips: May 2018 Edition May’s tech tips include prepping hardware for severe weather, spring cleaning your devices, and preserving battery life with iOS 11. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Prepare Your Summer Payrolls Those summer nights are getting closer and closer… Wouldn’t it be nice not to have to worry about teacher payrolls over summer? Find out how to finish up summer payrolls before school's out. #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Guest Post: Our True Time Journey Seven years ago, our district was drowning in paper, short on time, and lacking accurate time-keeping records. That’s when we decided to give True Time a try. #Tips by Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

Technology Tips: April 2018 Edition This month’s Tech Tips include Mac OS search optimizing services, tricks to control delivery times in Outlook, and crowd-sourced explanations to put confusing tech topics in layman’s terms. Plus, watch out for the Malware of the Month.  #Tips by Skyward IT Services

5 Ways to Personalize New Student Online Enrollment Whether you’re new to online enrollment or trying it for the first time, these tips will help you create the best setup. #Tips by Leah Kruger

Tracking Data Beyond Skyward Find out how you can use Skyward to track the data you need, including fields that aren't predefined in Skyward. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: March 2018 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article to learn about Microsoft Forms, creating bookshelves in Google Books, cleaning your keyboard, and a way to fight the Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Disaster Recovery: The Skyward Way The Skyward Guarantee: No matter how severe the disaster, your data will be up and running within 24 hours of notification.  #Tips by Tom Kellnhauser

Better Together: Group/Team Conference Scheduling Learn about a popular new option in conference scheduling which offers greater choice and more effective conferences. #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Electronic Contract Letters: A Start-to-Finish Guide Ready to simplify your contract letter process, while saving time, money, and decluttering your office? Here’s a start-to-finish guide to help you move your entire routine, from creating to delivering to collecting letters, online.  #Tips by Jake Breneman

Decaying Average Background and Setup Many advocates of standards-based grading are making the switch from the power law formula to decaying average. What are the reasons for this change, and should you follow suit?  #Tips by Jacob Baumann

Technology Tips: February 2018 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on screen recording with PowerPoint, a read-aloud feature on your Mac, Snapchat ghost mode, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Simplify & Speed Up Offboarding When an employee leaves your district, keep tabs on every step of the offboarding process with Task Manager.  #Tips by Dylan Luer

Mastering Honor Roll, Rank, Report Cards, and Transcripts It's time to start thinking about recognition for students who have gone above and beyond. Here's how you can do more honor roll, student rank, report cards, and transcript prep in Skyward. #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Technology Tips: January 2018 Edition January’s tech tips include ink-saving searches, an augmented reality application, and a makerspace makeover on a budget. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Schedule Considerations for a New Semester Head into the new semester well-prepared for scheduling snafus. Here’s your mid-year scheduling round-up. #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

5 Common Misconceptions About the ACA In the face of rumors, challenges, and changing requirements, it can be difficult to keep track of what's real. Here are the top 5 misconceptions about the current status of the ACA. #Tips by Karen Breitnauer

Prepping for W2s, the ACA, and 1099s With 2018 just a couple months away, now is the time to complete final preparations for W2s, the ACA, and 1099s. Here are three checklists to get you started.  #Tips by Dylan Luer

Technology Tips: November 2017 Edition November’s tech tips connect Office 365 with your Mac, create formative assessments with smart speakers, and what Pixel Buds have in store for edtech. Plus, watch out for the malware of the month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Introducing the Family Access Toolkit: Qmlativ Edition We’re thrilled to be announcing the second installment of the Family Access Toolkit, this time for Qmlativ users! #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: October 2017 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on iOS 11’s screen capture and screen shot tools, the useful app Evernote, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Speed Up Lunch Lines There’s no need to settle for a rush hour experience in the lunchroom. With the right technology in place, you can make overcrowded, slow-moving lines a thing of the past. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Turnover Costs and the PDC Can the PDC help reduce expenses related to employee turnover? Signs point to yes! Increase onboarding efficiency, add depth to your lineup, and increase productivity with the help of the PDC.   #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Technology Tips: September 2017 Check out this month's article for information on Chromebook buybacks, HyperDocs, Microsoft To-Do, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

3 Handy Gradebook Tools “What? I didn’t know it could do that!” We’ve all had those moments. In this article, we'll explore some underutilized gradebook features to unlock greater insight and timesaving opportunities for teachers. #Tips by Jacob Baumann

Technology Tips: August 2017 The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on Outlook’s FindTime add-in, password protecting your folders, Google’s Data GIF maker, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Skyward Starter Kit for School PR Pros It's everything your communications team needs to get the most out of your partnership with Skyward. #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Project Qmlativ – Establishing Timelines The next two years will feature some important transition conversations for much of the Skyward family. Here's what you can expect when Qmlativ lands on your radar. #Tips by Casey Thompson

Back-to-School Message for Parents Stay involved. Stay informed. Make a difference. As a new school year dawns, this is our message to you. #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Technology Tips: June 2017 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on Google calendar sharing, the GSFE Admin forum, quick fixes for web accessibility, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Skyward Updates – Summer 2017 This Skyward Updates article offers a snapshot of the latest and greatest updates to SMS 2.0 and Qmlativ. No matter which product line you use, you'll find out what's new here!  #Tips by Kevin Duda

Guest Post: Collecting Your Back-to-School Payments Did you know you can automatically post all back-to-school payments into Fee Management in Skyward? Find out how SchoolPay, an online payment service, integrates with Skyward to save time, reduce errors, and make back-to-school payments easier to process. #Tips by Ann Dunaway

Technology Tips: May 2017 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on scheduling texts, understanding the Windows10 Creators Update, improving Windows PC speed, and avoiding Malvertising.  #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: April 2017 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on optimizing images, Facebook friend privacy, Chrome startup pages, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Introducing the Employee Access Toolkit Is your staff getting the most out of Employee Access? We have something that might help... #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Technology Tips: March 2017 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on Excel Flash Fill, recovering deleted Outlook emails, reducing tab clutter, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: February 2017 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on personalizing your Amazon Echo, Windows 10’s dark mode, closing frozen browser tabs, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: January 2017 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on iOS Color Filters, Google search tips, securing your router, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: December 2016 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on mobile shortcuts, Google Drive comments, Gmail address tricks, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

What to Expect from Skyward Support in 2017 As a new era for the Skyward community begins, we want to take a moment to introduce you to our new and improved support model. #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Technology Tips: November 2016 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article to learn to send large attachments in Gmail, find documents in Google Drive, and easily take & edit screenshots. Plus, read about the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Prepare for Budgeting To state the obvious, budgeting is no easy feat. Here are 6 steps you can use to craft a successful budget, and 2 Skyward tools that make the process easier.  #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Guest Blog: The 2017 IRS Updates You Need to Know About Get the information you need to ensure a smooth and stress-free filing process. Nelco, a trusted Skyward partner, shares the essential 2017 IRS updates, from new W-2 and 1099-MISC filing deadlines to ACA updates and more.  #Tips by Nelco

Technology Tips: October 2016 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on a recycle bin for your phone, personalized background noise, GIF creation, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Video School Episode III: Personalize Your Feedback What if you could eliminate the need to scrawl feedback in the margins of your students’ papers – and say a lot more in a lot less time? Introducing three creative methods of providing personalized feedback.  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: September 2016 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article to learn how to merge multiple webpages, scan hard copies as PDFs with your phone, use several keyboard shortcuts, and avoid the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

4 Skyward Tips for More Flexible Scheduling As schools find new ways to make their schedules more student-centered, we’re working on scheduling solutions to keep things running smoothly. See if one of these four Skyward tips for more flexible scheduling will work for your school! #Tips by Justin Anderson

Skyward and the LMS A lot has changed for us in the past year on the LMS front. Whether you're on the hunt for a better option or your teachers are already comfortable with what they're using, you'll find answers here. #Tips by Kevin Duda

Guest Post: What You Need to Know about the TCPA In light of some recent revisions to the law, we’re handing it over to our long-time partner, SchoolMessenger, for a comprehensive guide to TCPA compliance.  #Tips by SchoolMessenger (West's Education group)

Paid in Full: Collect Your Unpaid Fees School districts lose millions of dollars every year in unpaid fees. Here are 5 tips and 3 Skyward tools to help keep your accounts out of the red. #Tips by Kevin Duda

Technology Tips: May 2016 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for a way to charge your phone faster, a free photo editing tool, an automatic MS Word date and timestamp, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

3 Tools You Can Master in 15 Minutes Sometimes, just the thought of learning a new tool is a deal-breaker. Here are 3 easy-to-learn resources that are worth every minute.  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Introducing: The Family Access Toolkit The lights are dimmed. Excited chatter becomes an anticipation-filled hush. The big moment has arrived. This one is for you, Family Access fans! #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: April 2016 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information about Chrome apps that work offline, a hidden iPhone tool, an app that serves as your personal assistant, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: March 2016 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on Windows 10 virtual desktops, free & cheap cell phone services, Microsoft OneDrive, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

2016 District Leaders in Excellence We are pleased to announce the 2016 Leader in Excellence Award winners! This program recognizes K-12 districts that are using Skyward to improve education and inspire new ideas and initiatives. #Tips by Alexis Bushman

Technology Tips: February 2016 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on how to properly position wireless antennae, what to do if a device is slow to charge or will not charge, a free online fax service, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Get a Head Start on Scheduling Did you know that Skyward’s scheduling tools can give you a leg up on next year? Here are three flexible options for you to consider as you start to look ahead.  #Tips by Jacob Baumann

Special Delivery: W-2s Made Easy It’s time to make manual, mind-numbing W-2 distribution a thing of the past. Save time and money by giving your employees the option to receive W-2s electronically through Employee Access. #Tips by Skyward Insider Team

Technology Tips: December 2015 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on free antivirus options, how to create a PDF on your phone, how to undo a sent email in Gmail, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: November 2015 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on the new iPhone low power mode, the Windows 10 metered connection option, Amazon Prime photo storage, and the featured Malware of the Month. #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Technology Tips: October 2015 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on free online photo storage options, recommendations for how often to reboot your computer, keyboard shortcuts, and the featured "Malware of the Month." #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Standards-Based Grading in Skyward So, you want to bring standards-based grading to your high school? Read this primer for everything you need to help you get started.  #Tips by Leah Kruger

Video School: A Digital Alternative to Professional Development Check out our first episode of Video School, a series that highlights the many uses of video in education, from the district office to the classroom and beyond! In this video, we travel to P.J. Jacobs Junior High School in Stevens Point to see how their educators and technology support staff use videos to create and consume impactful professional development resources.  #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist

Technology Tips: September 2015 Edition The Tech Tips series is designed to help you stay safe, increase productivity, and build your digital literacy. Check out this month's article for information on dusty laptops, MS Office screenshots, computer disposal tips, and the featured "Malware of the Month." #Tips by Skyward IT Services

Education Innovations: Positive Attendance When two of our customers came to Skyward independently and asked for an attendance solution that could support their personalized learning objectives, we took a long, hard look at what might be possible. After months of close collaboration, Positive Attendance was born. #Tips by Lauren Gilchrist


Show fewer articles