This is part three of an unknown number of posts revolving around the obtaining, implementing, and utilization of Naviance. You can find the first post and second post by clicking on these links.
Tomorrow, we are having our “site manager” training. In the past few weeks there has been two other trainings – one being an introductory phone conference with our coordinators and the other a webinar based walk-through with all the major players.
I feel that most of the staff involved are getting excited – especially after the webinar. That training got all of us on a demo site to get hands on with “the solution.” Each training lasts about two hours (you are allotted a certain amount that you paid for) and while the two hours is a good time to cover needed info – Naviance has so much to offer, I cannot help but feel like I am missing something. Guess that lets me anticipate our next training date.
Some of the hang-ups we have found falls in one of two categories: time and access. Getting everyone together at the same time has slowed down our implementation a bit, but I feel we are on track for an April roll-out.
The second hangup has to do with getting the data needed to import into Naviance from our SIS (student information system). Most of this issue is needing multiple (already busy) people to get the information we need from different sources. I had guessed and am thinking this will be our “hurry up and wait” moment. Hopefully I am wrong!
Just getting to play around with an empty account has got my wheels turning regarding all the possibilities that will come from Naviance and how much it will help our students and families.
One suggestion to Hobsons / Naviance: it would be helpful and I feel you would get more clients if you made a demo account available to play with for schools and districts to see the features in action. It would have been easier to convince administrators by showing them the features that telling them about all the cool stuff!
The blog author, Jeffrey Ream M.S, PPS, writes for The Counseling Geek. Connect with Jeff via email, Twitter, Google+, and Facebook.
Hi Jeff
Excited to hear about your Naviance journey. I’m always on the look out for new ideas in how we can best utilize all this program can offer. We have used it with our Juniors and Seniors for a little over a year, and now I am getting ready to work with our Freshmen in using it. It has many features I am liking and I’m interested to see how my Freshmen take to it.
Thanks a lot! I am super stoked too. I was planning on doing a grade level roll-out, but our administration wants to do all students ASAP (it’s paid for and it is a yearly cost so lets get everyone on board mentality). SO we are shooting for April — but we will see. I at least want it in the hands of our current juniors by May.
Hi Jeff
Excited to hear about your Naviance journey. I’m always on the look out for new ideas in how we can best utilize all this program can offer. We have used it with our Juniors and Seniors for a little over a year, and now I am getting ready to work with our Freshmen in using it. It has many features I am liking and I’m interested to see how my Freshmen take to it.
Thanks a lot! I am super stoked too. I was planning on doing a grade level roll-out, but our administration wants to do all students ASAP (it’s paid for and it is a yearly cost so lets get everyone on board mentality). SO we are shooting for April — but we will see. I at least want it in the hands of our current juniors by May.