Kelowna-based FreshGrade announced today it has released a new mobile app that connects parents, teachers and students to advance learning. The new app augments FreshGrade’s existing web product by giving teachers more freedom to work efficiently in a busy classroom.
The launch of the new mobile app will allow teachers to capture and document even more learning in the classroom, thus enabling greater collaboration and engagement with parents.
“I usually see parents after school or at parent-teacher meetings but FreshGrade allows me to create a bond with parents that hasn’t been there before,” says Los Angeles teacher Max Schafer. “I can share instantly what’s going on in my classroom with parents – samples of reading, video, performances. Everything that sparkles in the classroom. In the past, it’s been difficult to do but with FreshGrade, the design is so eloquent and simple you can catch the spontaneous moment.”
Studies have shown that ongoing, meaningful parent engagement is a critical factor in the academic success of a child; the classroom, however, remains a mystery for many parents. FreshGrade is addressing this issue by giving teachers a more robust toolset to capture and document learning that can be shared with parents in real time – opening a window into the classroom for parents and providing a platform by which teachers and parents can more effectively support a child’s learning.
“We understand that teachers are already using a variety of methods to track and report on students’ progress and communicate with parents,” said FreshGrade CEO Lane Merrifield. “FreshGrade simplifies and enhances this process, and offers a more efficient and impactful way to approach these tasks. We’re excited that through our new mobile app, we’ll be able to alleviate even more of the workload that teachers endure on a daily basis.”
Traditional report cards are static, periodic evaluations of student learning and have not caught up with today’s mobile, digital and interactive platforms that allow for real time, meaningful connections and engagement. FreshGrade is changing that approach and providing better information to parents, sooner.
FreshGrade has already been widely adopted in select regions of Canada, including the Surrey School District, the largest school district in British Columbia and one of the largest in Canada, which has implemented FreshGrade as its standard reporting tool for the 2014-2015 school year.
FreshGrade was founded in 2011 by Lane Merrifield, Steve Wandler and Mark Payne and is headquartered in Kelowna.
Teachers are able to use FreshGrade for free by signing up for the new app, which is available in the Apple App Store, or by visiting freshgrade.com.
