District Administration - May 2012 - (Page 67)

SponSored CaSe Study A unified “cloud” brings resources and applications together on one web desktop Stoneware’s webNetwork gives Marion County (FL) users access to files, applications and reports on-demand, anywhere and on any device chool districts are clusters of disconnected technology, and students with access to teaching and learning applications, digital assets, web applications, third-party software and administrators have access to payroll services and other and online services. For teachers, students and even par- business platforms. The rollout to staff began in August 2011 and was extended ents, many of these applications need to be available outside to students in September. Currently of school hours and even outside of more than 20,000 students and staff school itself. have access, And parents have access The School Board of Marion to the Parent Portal. What each County, FL., led by its director of person sees is based on roles and technology and information syspermissions set up in Active Directems, Scott Hansen, addressed this tory (AD). “The integration with problem by implementing Stoneour active directory structure has ware’s webNetwork. The system been seamless,” said Hansen. “This creates a framework for accessing allows IT to leverage existing techall digital assets and applications nology to manage the webNetwork through a web browser regardless framework.” of where you are or what device The other major advantage you are on. “Stoneware enabled us to address of webNetwork is single sign-on. Stoneware’s unified cloud platEach application, online service or form brings together local systems three issues: allowing authenticated system has its and data with online application access outside of school, leveraging integrated often differentown password and password services into a single desktop delivour infrastructure inside school requirements, but with webNetered through a web browser. work, these are handled securely The framework created by and allowing students to use in the background. “We are able to Stoneware is part of a vision Hansen their own devices.” create efficiencies, reduce help desk and Marion County have for their calls and increase usage of applica41,250 students and 6,000 employtions because users are not chalees—a vision of a digital learning lenged with passwords all the time,” Hansen said. environment, accessible anywhere on any device. In partnership with Intel and Lenovo, Stoneware is Marion County Schools began a BYOD initiative three years ago, but Hansen said “we weren’t fully leveraging our developing “client-aware” technology that exploits features on new Intel® processor-based systems that detects what infrastructure.” “It really solved a major problem for our school district,” kind of device the user has and maximizes content for it. said Hansen. “We had no way of easily pulling in various appli- So a smartphone user and a laptop user can go to the same cations, including grades and other resources, and making resource, but each will get content delivered in a way that is them available beyond the school walls. With webNetwork, we optimal for their device. could place all those resources in a framework, which allows This eliminates a problem facing many districts that initiyou to increase usage and extend your investment.” ated a BYOD and realized they had to “dumb down” content so For instance, webNetwork gives Marion County high school all devices could take advantage, according to Paige Johnson, students unified access to a variety of resources, applications education strategist with Intel. Instead she says, “client-aware and sites, including class grade reports, cloud-based document cloud optimizes to get the best out of each device, from phone collaboration and storage, an online library system, a website to desktop. to prepare for state assessment tests and an online study guide for college admissions tests. The system also provides teachers Learn more about webNetwork at www.stone-ware.com. S www.DistrictAdministration.com May 2012 67 http://www.stone-ware.com http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - May 2012

District Administration - May 2012
Contents
From the Editor
Letters
News Update
Sustainability Update
Conversations
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Problem/Solution
Product Focus
Digital Reading Empowers Students
The Critical Task of Hiring a New Chief
Hard Acts to Follow
Leading the Way
Sally Reis & Joe Renzulli
CIO News
Not Your Mother’s Student Information System
Professional Opinion
Noteworthy Books
New Products
Going Mobile

District Administration - May 2012