Aeries remains a work in progress

In August, parents, students and staff had difficulty adjusting to Aeries. While Edline was well-known and reliable, Aeries was riddled with glitches.

Because Edline seems more user-friendly and has been used here for the past ten years, many district participants have failed to acknowledge the long-term benefits of Aeries.

After almost an entire school year, teachers and staff are still learning how to use the program. Most have remained skeptical and hesitant when using the program, letting any inconveniences overshadow the positives.

In truth, Aeries reduces technology spending. According to Administrator of Technology Services Trent Bahadursingh, PVPUSD spent about $47,000 a year on a system known as Data Director.

“Data Director is a web-based data warehouse solution that stored student demographic and achievement data that staff could access for reporting and analysis,” Bahadursingh said. “A decision was made to discontinue using the Data Director system at a cost savings of approximately $35,000 and to utilize the data reporting and analysis features in Aeries.net.”

Although Data Director was cut, the district does continue to use Edline for school websites and as a communication tool. The major difference is that Aeries is currently the main system used for storing most student data, including enrollment, attendance, transcripts, class scheduling and test scores.

By switching to the Aeries system, all student data can now be accessed from a single website. Not only is the district saving $35,000 a year, but it has combined student data into one storage area, facilitating access and analysis.

“You have more access to your information, and I like that about it,” Principal Mitzi Cress said. “You can see your transcripts; you can see your test scores, and I think it’ll be valuable for families once we can figure out how to make it a little more user-friendly.”

Aeries continues to be a work in progress, and will definitely take some getting used to.

“The Aeries.net system provides a comprehensive solution for reporting and analyzing student data,” Bahadursingh said. “It allows staff to have greater access to a wider range of student data that may impact student achievement beyond just test scores.”