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John Jennings Contributor

John is a champion of risk-taking leaders and positive cultures, a sworn enemy of "the way we've always done it," and a destroyer of red tape. His goal is to dream up new ways to deliver a better experience to your (digital) doorstep.

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Parent Engagement: Beyond the Homework Helper #Leadership

What factors make parents into your biggest advocates? by John Jennings

Fact Check: 3 Examples of Data Gone Wrong #Data

How far should you trust the data? About as far as you can throw it, if these examples are any indication. by John Jennings

EdTech Playbook: Moving to a New Student Information System #Technology

The move to a new SIS is one of the largest, most challenging projects faced by school technology leaders. Learn how to do it right in this five... by John Jennings

Let's Change the Integration Conversation #Data

Is product x compatible with product y? More importantly, is that even the right question to ask anymore? by John Jennings

The 4 Stages of Filling Big Shoes #Leadership

Few leadership challenges are more difficult than following in the footsteps of a local legend. Grab the torch and run with this four-step blueprint. by John Jennings

Micro-credentials: A One-Year Reflection #Technology

One year after the rollout of the Future-Ready Teachers badge group, we reflect on slow starts, implementation hurdles, and the state of micro... by John Jennings

View more Advancing K12 articles by John

All Articles by John

Parent Engagement: Beyond the Homework Helper #Leadership

What factors make parents into your biggest advocates? by John Jennings

Fact Check: 3 Examples of Data Gone Wrong #Data

How far should you trust the data? About as far as you can throw it, if these examples are any indication. by John Jennings

EdTech Playbook: Moving to a New Student Information System #Technology

The move to a new SIS is one of the largest, most challenging projects faced by school technology leaders. Learn how to do it right in this five... by John Jennings

Let's Change the Integration Conversation #Data

Is product x compatible with product y? More importantly, is that even the right question to ask anymore? by John Jennings

The 4 Stages of Filling Big Shoes #Leadership

Few leadership challenges are more difficult than following in the footsteps of a local legend. Grab the torch and run with this four-step blueprint. by John Jennings

Micro-credentials: A One-Year Reflection #Technology

One year after the rollout of the Future-Ready Teachers badge group, we reflect on slow starts, implementation hurdles, and the state of micro... by John Jennings

FERPA and Your Student Information System #Data

Student information systems are the default location for most educational records, but how do you balance the need for speed and access with legal... by John Jennings

The Elusive Coaching Culture #Culture

Imagine a work environment where transparency outweighs fear, growth defeats insecurity, and positivity reigns supreme. This is what a coaching... by John Jennings

It's Ok to Have No New Projects #Leadership

Is innovation always the right answer, or are we just spinning our wheels? Give yourself a breather to build on what you're already doing. by John Jennings

The 3 Leading Causes of EdTech Breakups #Technology

When you stop and look around, how many of your edtech partnerships are still fulfilling? Here are some common reasons why they fail and some ideas... by John Jennings

Why We Need Computational Thinking #Achievement

“Teaching kids to code” has been a rallying cry for a number of years, but the desired outcome has more frequently evolved into &ldquo... by John Jennings

What is ePayables? #Business

What if you could turn accounts payable into a revenue generator for your district? ePayables is emerging as a preferred payment method, and for... by John Jennings

5 School District Data Center Mistakes #Technology

Based on true stories; this is what happens when technology leaders don't get final say on where their data center goes or how it's... by John Jennings

Playing Nice: The EdTech Interoperability Landscape #Data

Someday we may see an edtech system that can do everything. Until that happens, interoperability is the new standard. by John Jennings

Is EdTech Ready for Multi-Factor Authentication? #Technology

The push for multi-factor authentication is becoming stronger every year. But what does this security approach even look like in a school district... by John Jennings

15 Advanced Metrics for Superintendents #Data

Knowing what to look for is half the battle. These 15 datapoints and four overarching categories can boost any superintendent's ability to... by John Jennings

EdTech Playbook: Twitter for Educators #Technology

If you're doing it right, Twitter is one of the most valuable professional development resources for any education professional. Here's how... by John Jennings

The Right Fit: Hiring a New Superintendent #Leadership

If recent trends are any indication, these four central themes will dominate superintendent job postings, interviews, and hiring decisions in the... by John Jennings

EdTech Playbook: School Data #Data

Data-driven is just a catchphrase, until it's not. In the world of education, learning how to turn data into insight is one of the most... by John Jennings

How Can We Fix Professional Development? #Leadership

Two years removed from one of the most eye-opening professional development studies ever published, what's changed? by John Jennings

The School Culture Survey Template #Culture

Want to take the pulse of your district's culture? Start from this free, research-based template. by John Jennings

The 3 Places Your Candidates are Looking #Business

Job seekers are doing the bulk of their research online before reaching the application stage. What does your digital presence say about your... by John Jennings

The Self-Fulfilling School Culture #Culture

What do the lessons in Outliers tell us about the self-perpetuating cycle taking root in the education job market? by John Jennings

5 Signs of a Tech-Friendly District #Culture

How does one identify which districts have taken steps to modernize and improve the experience of their stakeholders? Here are 5 processes worth... by John Jennings

Design Thinking for School Leaders #Leadership

What does it mean to be a "visionary" leader? Here's what happens when we apply design thinking to three common school scenarios. by John Jennings

The Future-Ready Teachers Badge Group #Culture

We've teamed up with our friends at Badge List to offer a unique professional development opportunity for teachers. It's fun, it's free... by John Jennings

EdTech Playbook: Parent Portals #Technology

The parent portal is one of the most valuable tools in your edtech arsenal. In this four-part playbook, find out how administrators, school PR pros... by John Jennings

When Teachers Don't Take Attendance #Culture

Will future generations still be able to relate to the concept of roll call? Not if positive attendance continues to flourish. by John Jennings

5 Ways to Get Better RFP Results #Business

I responded to K12 enterprise software RFPs for more than a year. Here's what I learned. by John Jennings

3 Ways to Up Your EdTech Game #Technology

The people who get the most out of their edtech investments are the same people who refuse to play the role of passive consumer. Here's how... by John Jennings

8 Social Media Accounts to Learn From #Leadership

Social media is no gimmick; it's a direct line to audiences you wouldn't otherwise reach and mediums better served to deliver your message... by John Jennings

4 Ways to Save Money in EdTech Purchasing #Business

Edtech purchasers are tasked with getting the most bang for the district's buck. These four strategies are tried and true. by John Jennings

EdTech Battle Lines: Specs vs. UX #Technology

Is it time to look beyond features and functionality? When making smarter edtech purchases, user experience is the best place to begin. by John Jennings

10 School District Websites to Learn From #Leadership

The web may be a place of constant change, but most district websites are frozen in time. As digital presence becomes a higher priority for... by John Jennings

EdTech Playbook: The District Website #Technology

The worlds of marketing and education have never been as closely entwined as they are today. School choice, family mobility, and a growing need to... by John Jennings

EdTech Playbook: Digital Badging #Technology

We're pleased to introduce this multimedia launch kit for digital badging. Included: A four-part video series on how to launch your badging... by John Jennings

Is Email Dying? #Technology

If email is on its way out, what is taking its place? Here's a look at three communication trends vying to fill the gap. by John Jennings

Flex Mod Scheduling Makes a Comeback #Achievement

Looking for an alternative to the 7- or 8-period daily schedule? We’re taking a closer look at the Flex Mod schedule and the possibilities... by John Jennings

How to Win a Millennial’s Loyalty #Culture

Your millennials want to be your biggest cheerleaders. We want to wear your t-shirts, puff out our chests, and say, "Yea, I work there."... by John Jennings

1974: A Brief History of Student Data Privacy #Data

A lot can change in 40 years, but the guiding piece of legislation protecting the privacy of student education records remains the same. Do you... by John Jennings

Too Much Access: The FERPA Compliance Gap #Data

What does the "legitimate educational interest" clause of FERPA have to do with your SIS? Here's how you can avoid the kind of audit... by John Jennings

Test Scores: The RBI of Student Data #Data

For the first 100+ years of baseball's existence, the run-batted-in (RBI) stood in the pantheon of baseball card statistics. Only recently did... by John Jennings

A Future Ready Primer for Superintendents #Leadership

One of the major takeaways from the 2014-15 school year was the Future Ready Schools initiative, led by the U.S. Department of Education and... by John Jennings

Hot Take: Automated Classrooms #Technology

Instructional hours have always been at a premium, but never more so than today. Here's a look at how new advancements in technology can help... by John Jennings

The Possibilities of Blended Hiring #Business

Blended learning has taken off in classrooms, and the same elements being used to support instruction can also be applied to district hiring. In... by John Jennings

View less Advancing K12 articles by John

#Product Updates

2018 Mid-Year Qmlativ Update

by John Jennings It's been two years since the announcement of Qmlativ. What's been happening, and where do we stand today?

#Product Updates

Project Qmlativ: Steps to Success

by John Jennings The transition to Qmlativ will be one of your most important technology undertakings in the next several years. Here are just a few of the...

#Tips

Skyward Starter Kit for School PR Pros

by John Jennings It's everything your communications team needs to get the most out of your partnership with Skyward.

#Tips

Back-to-School Message for Parents

by John Jennings Stay involved. Stay informed. Make a difference. As a new school year dawns, this is our message to you.

#Tips

Introducing the Employee Access Toolkit

by John Jennings Is your staff getting the most out of Employee Access? We have something that might help...

#Product Updates

An Early Look at Skyward’s 2017 Roadmap

by John Jennings n this article, we’ll review your options for converting to Qmlativ, reveal how our product development team will be handling the transition...

View more Skyward Insider articles by John

All Articles by John

#Product Updates

2018 Mid-Year Qmlativ Update

by John Jennings It's been two years since the announcement of Qmlativ. What's been happening, and where do we stand today?

#Product Updates

Project Qmlativ: Steps to Success

by John Jennings The transition to Qmlativ will be one of your most important technology undertakings in the next several years. Here are just a few of the...

#Tips

Skyward Starter Kit for School PR Pros

by John Jennings It's everything your communications team needs to get the most out of your partnership with Skyward.

#Tips

Back-to-School Message for Parents

by John Jennings Stay involved. Stay informed. Make a difference. As a new school year dawns, this is our message to you.

#Tips

Introducing the Employee Access Toolkit

by John Jennings Is your staff getting the most out of Employee Access? We have something that might help...

#Product Updates

An Early Look at Skyward’s 2017 Roadmap

by John Jennings n this article, we’ll review your options for converting to Qmlativ, reveal how our product development team will be handling the transition...