Nashua School District (NSD) in Nashua, New Hampshire, serves over 11,000 students across 19 schools with more than 1,300 staff members. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the district faced numerous challenges, including managing processes that were traditionally carried out in person. To address these challenges, Follett Software introduced a new Online Registration module for the Follett Aspen® Student Information System (SIS). 

Trusted Partners

Since 2008, Follett Aspen SIS has been a trusted partner for Nashua School District, providing a comprehensive solution for managing student information. As a result, Nashua was one of the first districts to adopt the new Online Registration module. Greg Rodriguez, Director of Technology, explained, “Since starting my role, my goal has been to build around the program by integrating online registration, grading, and data analytics. We have used other grading platforms for standards-based grading and found them not to be as robust and customizable as Aspen. With a district our size, we need customized features that make Aspen work better for the staff in the district. Aspen has given us that functionality.”

Streamlined Registration

The Online Registration module provides a secure, convenient, and socially distanced method for completing yearly registration tasks for students and families. Parents can log in to the module to enter their children’s registration data, which school staff then process directly in Aspen, eliminating the need for paper forms and data entry. This speeds up the enrollment process and increases the accuracy of student records.

Rodriguez highlighted the importance of having one system containing relevant information such as a gradebook, student information, and staff information, all easily accessible by leveled permissions to various user roles. “We can easily pull reports. The portal creates dynamic transparency, and integration abilities help to connect with additional district software, keeping all information easily accessible and streamlined,” he said.

The Solution

Follett Aspen SIS provided a detailed plan for setting up and going live with the Online Registration module. The Aspen team worked closely with Nashua’s staff, outlining the steps required and setting a timeline with weekly meetings to assess progress and set new goals. “They included several of our team members, assigning specific tasks to each person, so everyone felt invested,” Rodriguez recalled. “From language translations to state reporting, Aspen team members were always available to help answer questions and concerns as well as walk us through the various stages of setup and going live.”

The Results

Rodriguez noted that the Online Registration module has been a significant time-saver, enhancing data accuracy and reducing costs on paper, toner, and human resources. “It has been a cost-saver on paper, toner, and human capital too!” he emphasized.

As with any customization, issues occasionally arose, but the Aspen team was responsive and efficient in addressing them. “For starters, we can put in help requests through Pando, the Aspen help-desk ticketing system, and we always hear back quickly. Also, when we have larger projects, the team at Follett dedicates personal attention to us with the planning, staging, implementation, and execution,” Rodriguez observed.

The user-friendly nature of Aspen was appreciated by staff, with user-defined roles keeping the system simple. “In a new staff training, we had a teacher tell us, ‘This program is very intuitive,’” Rodriguez shared.

Would Rodriguez recommend Follett Aspen Student Information System to his peers? “The Aspen support team is friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. They truly listen to our needs and make relevant suggestions based on our conversations and their product knowledge. I would recommend Aspen as it is a one-stop shop for a district’s SIS needs.”

For more information on how Follett Software can support your district, visit Follett Software.