New Customizable Alert for Pass-a-Note
If you already use Sycamore Education, you probably love the Pass-a-Note feature (let's call it PAN, for short). The PAN already has a lot of great features built into it. Users can upload a graphic or photo, change the background color, and add a signature. Users can even have their PAN's forwarded as text messages or emails.
Now users can add a custom audio alert, so every time you receive a new PAN you can hear Marlon Brando say "The horror," or Larry the Cable Guy saying "Git-R-Done."
Some advice: pick a sound that's not going to annoy the people who work around you. That means no Celine Dion samples.
Sycamore Announces New Web App
Sycamore Education is proud to announce a new web application for use with mobile devices! This application is meant to help parents access vital information about their students, while giving parents the flexibility to use pretty much any mobile device available.
What is the difference between a “web app” and a normal app?
A web app is an application that is accessed from your phone or tablets mobile browser. A normal or ‘native’ app is downloaded from an app store like iTunes or the Android Market Place.
Why did you not create a normal app?
Native apps only work on a specific phone type: ie, apps written for the iPhone only work on iOS products. If we had gone this route, we would have had to create multiple versions of the same app to work on all types of devices. This approach would have led to increased production cost and time.
By developing a web application, we’ve broadened our reach and reduced our cost. Our web app can be accessed by almost any web enabled device out there (phones, tablets, etc). Sycamore’s philosophy has always been to keep our costs down so we can in turn keep our product super affordable. By building a web app, we’re letting the largest number of people take advantage of it at a fraction of the cost!
But I really want that icon on my phones screen to click on!
We can do that! Both iOS device and Android devices allow you to bookmark a web page - http://m.sycamoreeducation.com/ - and create a shortcut for that bookmark on your home screen. We even have a lovely icon that shows up for you. This way, any time you want to view our app, just click the icon and away you go!
Who can use this web app?
Right now, all parents of Sycamore students will be able to log in and access school news, events, their student’s grades and their current financial information from the school. In the near future we will open the app up to students themselves to look at their grades and current homework. After that, teachers will be enabled to access their classroom resources and eventually will be able to access their Pass-A-Notes, grade assignments and take attendance from the application!
From what devices can I get access to this application?
The beauty of a web application is that pretty much every modern mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, Windows Phone 7 devices, etc) has a browser capable of accessing the app. Even your desktop computer can pull it up if you really wanted to (just be warned- the app was made for use with a very small screen, so it may look a little goofy on a huge computer monitor).
Sponsor Ads
You've probably heard me say this before, but Sycamore Education is so much more than just a student information system. The system has been evolving for more the 12 years and there's an unbelievable amount of functionality that goes beyond an SIS. We are constantly adding new features and enhancements in response to feedback from administrators, teachers, parents, and students, A few years ago, we had a principal send us an email suggesting that a sponsor ad on the homepage would be a good idea. We agreed, and a few days later our developers added it to the system. ( By the way that's one of the myriad benefits of using a school administration system that is 100% web-based: new features and enhancements can instantly be added to the system with no participation necessary from users).
Personally, I have five kids - all of whom attend a private school - and I can tell you from experience that schools are constantly looking for ways to raise money. I've lost count of how many cases of chocolate bars I've purchased over the years.
Check out this screen shot: 
If this were a live site, the ads would be constantly scrolling, and there is no limit to the number of ads showing at any given time. The ads appear all the time when parents and students login to the system. The ads also appear to teachers, staff and administrators, but not during school hours.
The sponsor ad feature is an easy way for schools to generate a little extra income. We have many clients who more than pay for the cost of using Sycamore by simply selling one or two ads and running them throughout the school year. Car dealerships and banks are often more than happy to get a little exposure.
