✏️ Invitation for feedback on gradebook updates!

Ben Leddy

--UPDATE ---


Wow! Thank you for the overwhelming interest and response! ? Just wanted to share that while I think we're all set for this particular round of feedback, stay tuned for further feedback requests down the road. -Ben


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Hi all! Ben from Blackbaud here.


We're planning some updates to the gradebook experience this fall, and we'd love your feedback to help us strengthen it.


Are you (or a teacher you work with) willing to connect for a 15-20 minute video call? If so, shoot me a message, reply with contact info, or reach out at ben.leddy@blackbaud.me.


Looking forward to connecting!

Lauren Marcus Eisenberg

Ben Leddy - would like to connect you with teachers from our divisions. What timeframe for the conversation do you have in mind?

Ben Leddy

Thanks Lauren Marcus Eisenberg‍ ! Sometime this week or the next week or so would be fantastic, whenever best on your end -- thinking no more than 20 minutes, and could happen either one-on-one or with a group. Shoot me an email and we can coordinate. ben.leddy@blackbaud.me

Scott Chrysler

Ben -


I just sent an email to our faculty inviting them to contact you directly if they are interested in offering feedback and/or ideas. I didn't think you needed a middleman in all of this.


You mentioned in your post a "fall release." As we are still several months out, I am hopefully encouraging Blackbaud to get this release out mid-summer. In the great state of Louisiana, we begin school early August - need to get in those football practices. What I consider "fall," we are already six weeks into our academic year. Gradebook enhancements at this point could be disruptive or not able to be used depending on the enhancement. At the bare minimum it requires taking time to explain the enhancements and often train a few of our less savvy tech teachers on how to use them. As the college counselor for our school, fall is not a convenient time for this. It also riles up the faculty when features in something as frequently used as the gradebook (or is it grade book?) get changed after they have been using it for weeks, are familiar with the how it works, and have developed a routine for how they interact with the system. It's much like changing how the scheduling module functions right at the beginning of the semester when we are all using it everyday as students adjust their schedule. Timing is everything.


A mid-summer release will give us all time to learn the enhancements and introduce them to teachers as they return for the new school year. I just wanted to throw this out there for your consideration.


All the best,

Scott

Ben Leddy

Thanks so much, Scott Chrysler‍ , for reaching out to your faculty and for sharing this context. My wording may not have been right, and I think we're on the same page -- that is, the value of getting this out as close as possible to the beginnings of the school year or prior to give the most breathing room to adapt to the changes. Feel free to shoot me an email if you'd like to connect further around your general training schedule -- would love to learn more!

Christine Nichols

Sent an invite out to our faculty and asked them to connect with you directly. I have to second the motion that this be released prior to August 1 so that we can become familiar with any changes. Thank you for doing this!

Ben Leddy

Thanks, Christine Nichols‍ !