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  • 1.  Student application portal

    Posted 02-28-2024 05:07 PM

    I did a search and didn't come up with anything, so asking the community if you're currently using Clever, Classlink or something else as a portal to enable easier access to applications for students.  We are primarily interested in helping our youngest students (grades 1-4) with accessing their digital tools.  If you don't mind sharing what you use, the pros and cons, and how you landed on your solution, I'd be grateful! 

    Best,

    Susan


    #TeachingandLearning
    #ITSystemsandSupport

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    Susan Fuhs, Director of IT Services
    Norfolk Academy
    Norfolk VA
    swfuhs@norfolkacademy.org
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  • 2.  RE: Student application portal

    Posted 02-29-2024 07:38 AM

    Hi @Susan Fuhs, we use Classlink for rostering, but generally try to push web clips or apps directly to students' iPads vs using the Classlink launchpad.  We also try to use Google SSO where possible over using Classlink for authentication (which in turn uses Google SSO).  Hope that helps!



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    Brent Halsey
    Columbus Academy
    Gahanna OH
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  • 3.  RE: Student application portal

    Posted 02-29-2024 11:04 AM

    Brent, 

    Thanks for that information.  Do you have 1:1 iPads and do they go home for students?  Our lower school has classroom iPads, so if there is a digital resource to access at home, they don't have that web clip or app on the iPad from school and have difficulty.  We're looking for ways to make it a little simpler. 



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    Susan Fuhs, Director of IT Services
    Norfolk Academy
    Norfolk VA
    swfuhs@norfolkacademy.org
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  • 4.  RE: Student application portal

    Posted 02-29-2024 11:41 AM

    Hi Susan,

    We do have 1:1 iPads that go home with students starting in the 5th grade.  For K-4th the iPads remain in the classroom.  There hasn't been an expectation of using the apps/sites at home for K-4th, so there hasn't been a need for a launchpad that is remotely accessible.  



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    Brent Halsey
    Columbus Academy
    Gahanna OH
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  • 5.  RE: Student application portal

    Posted 02-29-2024 07:54 AM

    Hi Susan,

    We just implemented Clever to work with our SSO; we're in the final stages of testing before rolling it out to the whole lower school.  It was driven by our Learning Technologist who had worked with Clever in a previous school and is a big proponent.



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    Lauren Henderson
    Dexter Southfield School
    Brookline MA
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  • 6.  RE: Student application portal

    Posted 02-29-2024 01:24 PM

    Hi Susan, 

    In addition to what has been mentioned, we ask all teachers to maintain a class page.  There is a section for resources with links to all the edtech tools used by the teacher.  The teachers are also responsible for sharing login information with parents on back-to-school night.

    Kim



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    Kimberly Pearson
    Kent Place School
    Summit NJ
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  • 7.  RE: Student application portal

    Posted 03-01-2024 09:05 AM

    We are a Clever to Classlink convert and we would never look back. I believe it's totally a situation of "you get what you pay for" experience; at least that has been our experience when it comes to customer support.

    We have the app launchpad app loaded onto the school issued iPads which are 1:1 for all students. This allows them to be logged into the services on the iPad and not have to worry about logging in and out on shared iPads. We use Azure for primary authentication students can log into Classlink directly or via SSO from our Blackbaud LMS Resource Boards.

    Hope that's helpful.

    -Jimmy



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    Jimmy Cudzilo
    Chief Information Officer
    Miami Country Day School
    601 NE 107th Street
    Miami, FL 33161
    http://www.miamicountryday.org
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  • 8.  RE: Student application portal

    Posted 03-01-2024 10:53 AM

    We have been using Clever for this purpose for a couple of years for PK-4.  We use Google SSO and push links to the devices (Web Clip for iPads, managed bookmark for Chromebooks).  PK-2 devices stay in the classroom and students are not expected to sign on from home, but if they had to, I believe parents are given their children's login info.  3-4 devices go home every night.  We do also have homeroom pages in our LMS, Canvas, that, in addition to various non-tech info, have links to Clever and a couple other resources.



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    David Fulton-Howard
    Technical Support Manager
    McDonogh School
    Owings Mills, MD
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  • 9.  RE: Student application portal

    Posted 03-19-2024 09:58 AM

    Hello, our campus is using Classlink and is in its second school year. Our lower school students from Prek-4th love the changeover, as they use QR codes for logging. We have SSO enabled for 95% of the learning applications. The rostering function has reduced hours and the need to remember which systems to touch when a new student starts during the school year. We use Google SSO with classlink. Has been a bonus for students and teachers. 



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    Natasha Rodriguez
    Fort Bend Christian Academy
    Sugar Land TX
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  • 10.  RE: Student application portal

    Posted 03-20-2024 04:44 PM

    I have limited experience with ClassLink (and none with CLever), but I would say that in my experience with ClassLink, I was careful with what you provided. This may be directly connected to the service I was connecting with, but there was a request for WAY more access to data via the API than they needed to do the required work.

    I would be sure to do your due diligence when following any instructions provided where you will expose data. I pushed back on the items in question and gave them just what they needed to accomplish the task.  



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    William Stites
    Montclair Kimberley Academy
    Montclair NJ
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