Over the past two decades the importance of valid, accurate, and timely student and school information in decision making has steadily increased , and the trend will only continue. When The School System (better known as SIMS) was first introduc ed in the 1980’s, the focus was on providing the schools with tools to improve the efficiency of their processes such as collecting attendance and marks, printing report cards and transcripts, creating classes and scheduling, and producing useful reports such as address labels, class lists, and schedules. Only limited data were exported to or used at other levels of the system—districts, regions, or DoDEA.

The introduction of Win School in 2000-2001 provided both enhanced functionality to the schools and more information about the schools and students to other levels of DoDEA. Virtually the complete database was exported monthly with a concomitant increase in the need for standardization of data elements and an increased emphasis on data quality.

The full implementation of SMS (more correctly known as Chancery Student Management Solutions) takes these two themes—enhanced school functionality and improved access to data at other levels—a step forward. With the transition to SMS we will gain. . .

• An improved, web-based interface that will make navigating the system much easier.
• A single database at the area level. This means,
  • that schools are relieved of maintaining a student database and performing maintenance and data extraction tasks,
  • a greater role for above-school offices in the setup of the database (e.g., entering new staff, and adding and modifying database codes such as course codes), and
  • a reduction in the need for schools to run data-checking reports.
• A greatly enhanced capability for entering and using data about educational programs such as AVID, ESL, and the Pacific Literacy Project. This new component may be very useful in monitoring student participation in and eligibility for Far East Activities.
• A greatly enhanced ability to track student behavior.
• The ability to record student health information in SMS instead of in a separate program.
• The ability to import student test scores at the area level instead of at each school.
• The availability of real-time access to student information at the district and area levels.

SMS represents a major departure from Win School both in its underlying technology and in its design. With SMS, Chancery is offering a generic database that is highly customizable. The end result will be a much better user experience, but a tremendous amount of work is required to customize the database and the associated reporting. The road to SMS has not been and will not be free of pot holes and speed bumps, but the Pacific Director’s Office is dedicated to making the transition as smooth and effective as possible for our schools.

The transition from a school-based to an area-based system requires that we rethink SMS roles and responsibilities and our mechanisms for providing training, guidance, and support. Details will be forthcoming, but I want to provide some expectations that are guiding our approach to SMS.

1. SMS is a work in progress. Major components will be added to the program between now and the start of school, and much work needs to be done to fully develop those components already in SMS. I expect Pacific Director’s Office personnel to make every effort to develop the database, the documentation, the guidance, and the training plans necessary for the best possible implementation of SMS in the Pacific. Summer leave for certain GS employees is on hold until the required work has been completed.

2. Increasingly, information technology is the glue that holds our system together by providing the primary means by which we communicate and by serving as a major source of the information we need to make decisions. The computer desktop is becoming the educator’s “cockpit,” and all educators must become expert at using information technology.

It is my expectation that all administrators will be skilled users of SMS in order to take full advantage of this tool for school administration. I also expect that one administrator at each school will become expert in the use of SMS in order to provide leadership to other school personnel.

3. I expect all school personnel—teachers, counselors, nurses, secretaries, registrars, and clerks—to master the use of SMS in their areas of responsibility.

4. Following implementation, I expect the appropriate area and district personnel to provide and coordinate the training, guidance, and support necessary to allow school personnel to master SMS and use it productively.

A change in the student data management system is never easy, and the change to SMS has been made more difficult because it is incomplete; however, we appreciate your patience, dedication, and perseverance. Challenges remain, but be assured that the Director’s Office staff is dedicat ed to making the transition to SMS as trouble free and as effective as possible. Please inform Jerry Farmer or David Doss of any problems or difficulties that you encounter. Jerry is the primary point of troubleshooting support for this school year.

Nancy C. Bresell
Director, DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam