Transforming Student Dismissals for District-Wide Efficiency and Safety

TAMPA, Fla. - Jan. 30, 2024 - PRLog -- Duval County Schools in Florida faced a critical decision when seeking to streamline their technology infrastructure: limit the technology to a few schools or implement it county-wide. The success stories of numerous schools using Pikmykid led to a transformative journey for the district, with J. Allen Axson Montessori emerging as a key player in reshaping student dismissals for district-wide efficiency and safety.

District-Wide Implementation Challenges and Successes

Implementing Pikmykid across 120 elementary schools in Duval County presented unique challenges and successes:

• Smooth Transition: Despite the scale, implementation was seamless, with Pikmykid's support team handling the heavy lifting.
• Customized Support: Pikmykid met individually with each school, customizing support to meet specific needs.
• Efficiency in Training: Holly Lanham, Director Technology Innovation of Duval County Schools, praised Pikmykid's efficiency in setting up, creating training resources, and providing consistent support.

Why Pikmykid?

Jim Culbert, CIO of Duval County Schools, shared, "Recognizing the need for a unified and streamlined approach to dismissal processes across all schools, we were impressed by the success stories and positive experiences shared by several schools within our district that had already embraced Pikmykid."

When initially considering whether or not to move forward district-wide with Pikmykid, the Duval County district leaders sought the counsel of several schools within their district who had already implemented Pikmykid for their school. One of those voices was that of Principal Robinson-Vanhoy of J. Allen Axson Montessori.

The Problem

J. Allen Axson Montessori encountered challenges in efficiently managing student dismissals when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Principal Robinson-Vanhoy recognized the need for a secure and safe system to facilitate student check-ins and check-outs.

The Daily Dismissal Story of J. Allen Axson Montessori

Serving over 550 PK3-5 students with two dismissal times, J. Allen Axson Montessori faced challenges in generating dismissal reports, expediting the process, and ensuring student safety. They used paper plates for student identification, with staff announcing names via walkie-talkies. The COVID challenges highlighted the system's shortcomings, particularly in ensuring accurate communication of dismissal changes via morning parent emails.

The Solution

After implementing the Pikmykid platform, the results at J. Allen Axson Montessori showcased significant improvements:

• Reduced dismissal time: Car dismissal time reduced from 45 to 60 minutes to 15-25 minutes for a 45% decreased dismissal time
• Increased safety & teaching time: Teachers can now remain in their classrooms, extending teaching time and ensuring safety.
• Miscommunications eliminated: Pikmykid's parent app allows parents to make dismissal changes, ensuring accuracy.
• Efficient reporting: Principal Vanhoy can easily generate comprehensive reports and share them seamlessly.

The Final Verdict

Principal Vanhoy expressed high satisfaction with Pikmykid, emphasizing its role in establishing an ideal dismissal management process. Parents appreciated the parent app for its transparency and convenience. Holly Lanham praised Pikmykid's support and implementation process, ranking it among the best her team has worked with.

In Principal Robinson-Vanhoy's Words:

"There are just different features that I feel like have really helped our school be stronger and safer, and that's what some of the parents have said, too. It is one of the most comprehensive tools to use, and that is why we use it."

Read the full details here. https://www.pikmykid.com/case-study-duval-school-district

About Pikmykid:

Pikmykid is the leading safety and dismissal platform that empowers schools to transform their daily and emergency operations without the need to purchase, install, or support additional hardware. Designed by former educators and parents, Pikmykid has helped more than 2,500 schools in all 50 states eliminate the busy work and vulnerabilities of their emergency and dismissal management. With extensive SIS integrations, Pikmykid easily fits into schools' existing ecosystems to make the tools they already have that much more powerful. That way everyone has peace of mind that students are safe throughout the entire school day and can focus on what really matters - learning. To learn more, visit pikmykid.com.