BuildYourOwnCurriculum (BYOC) Wins
eSchool News 2012 Readers' Choice Award
School Software Group is proud to announce that BuildYourOwnCurriculum (BYOC) has been awarded the 2012 eSchool News Readers’ Choice Award. This prestigious award recognizes the top ed-tech products and services that are making a real difference in K-12 schools. Over 1,400 nominations for the award were submitted by educational leaders and teachers nationwide. The top fifty products were selected as being the most effective solutions to improve teaching, learning, and school administration. BuildYourOwnCurriculum is honored to have been awarded this distinction as a leading curriculum management solution by our customers.
BuildYourOwnCurriculum Named to Readers' Choice Top 100 Products of 2011 by District Administration Magazine
District Administration Announces Its Readers’ Choice Top 100 Products of 2011 from a Record Number of Nominations. All Products Are Credited with Making a Difference in Education by Helping to Support Education Innovation.
The prestigious acknowledgement is given annually to K12 education products that have supported education innovation. The winners were selected by the editors of District Administration from hundreds of nominations submitted by readers, including school superintendents and district-level directors in districts across the United States. The winning products were determined by the quantity of nominations received per product, as well as an evaluation of product quality based upon readers’ nominations and explanations.
The District Administration Readers’ Choice Top 100 Products awards program provides senior district leaders with the unique opportunity to learn what products their colleagues around the country are using and how these products contribute to the success of their districts. There were a record number of nominations this year.
“The nominations offer a view into the inner workings of how districts use products to help solve particular issues,” says District Administration’s editor in chief, Judy Faust Hartnett. “The recommendations we receive include extensive descriptions from school administrators of how these products are used in their districts and the difference they have made, making it very challenging to choose only 100 products. We hope these products and their accompanying testimonials will provide a valuable resource for our readers.”
About District Administration
District Administration is a monthly publication covering all of the important topics faced in today’s K12 school systems. With a circulation of more than 73,000, District Administration reaches top decision-makers in virtually every school district across the country. Subscribers are district-level leaders in K12 education, including superintendents, assistant superintendents, curriculum directors, business officers, IT directors and federal funds administrators. For more information, visit www.DistrictAdministration.com.
CESA 6's Curriculum4Schools and
BuildYourOwnCurriculum Announce Partnership
Through a new partnership, Wisconsin schools can benefit from a comprehensive resource that integrates industry leading curriculum management software, technical support, and professional development.
Cooperative Educational Service Agency 6 (CESA 6) and School Software Group (SSG) are excited to announce an agreement that merges CESA 6’s professional development with SSG’s industry leading curriculum development tool. Under this agreement CESA 6 associates will become certified in the use of SSG’s BuildYourOwnCurriculum and BuildYourOwnAssessment products, and then in partnership with other CESAs, will offer professional services to Wisconsin School Districts in the development and implementation of high quality curriculum and assessments.
 BuildYourOwnCurriculum, which originated in Wisconsin, but has now expanded into 19 other states, will become CESA 6’s curriculum management tool of choice and districts will be encouraged to migrate from CESA 6’s previous tools, Curriculum4Schools and LessonPlanner4Schools. Once the existing Curriculum4Schools users migrate to BuildYourOwnCurriculum, approximately one third of the public schools in Wisconsin will be covered by this network, creating a great opportunity for the sharing of ideas and cooperative district endeavors.
“We are extremely excited and honored that CESA 6 has chosen to move forward with BuildYourOwnCurriculum. We’ve been searching for a quality partner to provide ongoing professional services to our clients and CESA 6 will be a great fit” - Chris Trina - Founder, SSG
“We pride ourselves at CESA 6 on being the educational solutions provider that school districts turn to when they are looking for high quality and affordable services. Our partnership with SSG is exactly that. Together, we are making it easier for schools to get the software they want as well as the professional expertise they need to implement it. It is clearly about doing what is in the best interest of teaching and learning in the school districts we work with.. ” - Joan Wade, ED.D., CESA 6 Agency Administrator
Existing Curriculum4Schools clients will be contacted individually with further details and to discuss the migration path to BuildYourOwnCurriculum. Existing SSG clients will be contacted and offered a menu of professional services that CESA 6 will be bringing to the table.
 Cooperative Educational Service Agency 6 (CESA 6)
BuildYourOwnCurriculum (BYOC)
BuildYourOwnCurriculum named finalist in AEP's 2011 Distinguished Achievement
Awards for excellence in educational resources
School Software Group is pleased to announce that BuildYourOwnCurriculum (BYOC) has been named a finalist in the 2011 AEP Awards, the highest standard for quality, professional educational resources and excellence in education marketing. The Association of Educational Publishers' annual awards program and its seal of excellence are widely recognized by educators, administrators, and parents as a mark of outstanding educational value.
BuildYourOwnCurriculum is a finalist in the Distinguished Achievement Awards for Technology/Administration. The Distinguished Achievement Awards (DAAs) are judged according to category (Curriculum, Periodicals, Professional Development, and Technology), subject area, and grade level. Entries are evaluated on traits such as efficacy, usability, and overall educational value. The full list of finalists for this year's DAAs is posted online at www.AEPweb.org/awards/finalists.htm.
 About the AEP Awards
For more than four decades, the AEP Awards have honored outstanding resources for teaching and learning in all media and for any educational setting. Award winners meet the highest standards for quality, professional content for education and represent the most innovative learning solutions currently on the market.
One of the largest and longest-running programs of its kind, the AEP Awards and its seal of excellence are widely recognized by educators, administrators, and parents as a mark of outstanding educational value. Find out more at www.AEPweb.org/awards.
School Software Group Named as Official Common Core Endorsing Partner
School Software Group is proud to announce our partnership with the Common Core State Standards Initiative as a Common Core Endorsing Partner. As an endorsing partner, we support the Common Core State Standards Initiative in its mission to ensure every American student graduates high school with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the 21st century. We agree with the goal of the Common Core State Standards Initiative to produce a common core of voluntary state standards across grades K-12 in English/language arts, math, and eventually science.
Furthermore, we have committed to offering input, expertise, support, and guidance to the development and adoption of a common core of state standards through the Common State Standards Initiative led by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers. To learn more about the Common Core State Standards Initiative, please visit the links below:
Common Core State Standards Initiative
Common Core Endorsing Partners
Indiana Department of Education Partners with BuildYourOwnCurriculum on Strategic Initiative to Address Common Core Standards
School Software Group is pleased to announce a partnership with the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) in utilizing BuildYourOwnCurriculum (BYOC) to create statewide English/Language Arts and Mathematics Curriculum Maps.
In preparation for adoption of and transition to the Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts and Mathematics, the IDOE will work with 66 teachers and content experts from Indiana school districts and universities this summer to develop curriculum maps in the BuildYourOwnCurriculum program. The curriculum maps will be available online and accessible to Indiana teachers and administrators for use as a starting point to plan their instruction.
The first set of maps, which will be available this August, will contain the current Indiana Standards. The second set of maps will be released in the spring of 2011 and will include both the Indiana Standards and the Common Core State Standards. The maps will allow teachers to smoothly transition from one set of standards to the other while ensuring any existing content gaps between the standards are addressed. The third set of maps will include only the Common Core State Standards. Training on curriculum mapping and on the Common Core Standards will be part of the rollout process.
 Indiana Department of Education - Common Core Standards Press Release
 Indiana Department of Education - Success Story
Missouri Organizations SMCAA and CSD Partner with School Software Group
 School Software Group (SSG) is proud to announce a partnership to provide solutions to Missouri’s schools through the Show-Me Curriculum Administrators Association (SMCAA) and Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis (CSD). Members of SMCAA and CSD will have the opportunity to take part in online training sessions and informational webinars to learn more about our assessment and curriculum solutions.
BuildYourOwnCurriculum (BYOC) and BuildYourOwnAssessment (BYOA) have already been adopted by several member districts including Pattonville, Hancock, Lindbergh, Mehlville, Brentwood, New Haven and Clayton, as their platform for curriculum and assessment mapping and development. The partnership was fostered through the efforts of Education Technology Partners, the exclusive distribution partner for SSG in the Central United States.
"BYOC was head and shoulders above the other options we looked at," David Miller, Coordinator for Assessment & Library Services for Pattonville School District, said. "Number one – it’s easy to use. Number two – they have a good support team who continue to deliver support to our district. And number three – it meets the needs of our teachers in the classroom; they now have material available at their fingertips."
 Visit the Show-Me Curriculum Administrator's Association (SMCAA) website
Visit the Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis (CSD) website
Visit the Education Technology Partners website
Welcome Aboard - Montello, Beaver Dam, and Sun Prairie School Districts, WI
January, 2011
Helping us start 2011 with a bang, we are excited to have three Wisconsin districts join us in the first two weeks.
Please join us in welcoming the Montello, Beaver Dam, and Sun Prairie School Districts in Wisconsin to our network.
Welcome Aboard - Campbell County School District, KY
December, 2010
Taking the honor as the last district to join us in 2010, Campbell County is also our first district in Kentucky! Campbell County invested a good amount of time looking into BYOC and we are honored that they choose to move forward with us.
Welcome Aboard - Goshen and Greencastle School Districts, IN
December, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Goshen and Greencastle School Districts in Indiana to our network. We have had a great year in Indiana ranging from working with the Department of Education during the summer to adding several great districts during the year. Thanks Goshen and Greencastle for helping to top a great year and we look forward to working with you.
Welcome Aboard - Fredricktown and Hartville School Districts, MO
December, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Fredricktown and Hartville School Districts in Missouri to our network. Fredricktown and Hartville were the last two Missouri districts to join us this year and we thank them for helping us conclude a great year in the state. Over 25 Missouri districts joined the BuildYourOwnCurriculum network in 2010! Thanks Fredricktown and Hartville and we look forward to working with you.
Welcome Aboard - Havanna Community and Woodridge School Districts, IL
December, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Havanna Community and Woodridge School Districts in Illinois to our network. This has been a great year for BYOC in Illinois as we have gone from zero to five districts this year! Thank you to Havanna and Woodridge in particular and to all of our new Illinois districts, we look forward to working with you for years to come!
Welcome Aboard - Lancaster Community Schools, WI
December, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Lancaster Community Schools in Wisconsin to our network. Lancaster joined us for a webinar on BYOC and decided we were the right product for them. Lancaster is located in south eastern Wisconsin where our presence is steadily growing, we look forward to visiting with Lancaster and our other districts in that area in the near future.
Welcome Aboard - Sheridan Japanese School, OR
December, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Sheridan Japanese School in Oregon to our network. We are always excited to have new schools join us and look forward to working with the Sheridan Japanese school moving forward.
Welcome Aboard - Platte County, Lewis County, Malden, Riverview Gardens, and Bayless School Districts in Missouri
October, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Platte County, Lewis County, Malden, Riverview Gardens, and Bayless School Districts in Missouri to our network. Thank you to all of these districts for honoring us with their selection and thank you to all of our existing Missouri districts for their kind words, good clients talking to their peers is the best sales process we could ever have.
Welcome Aboard - South Milwaukee, WI
October, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the South Milwaukee School District, Wisconsin to our network. South Milwaukee took a very careful look at BYOC prior to joint us and we are excited that they choose to move forward with BYOC. As always we look forward to working with the team at South Milwaukee.
Welcome Aboard - Delran, NJ
October, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Delran School District in New Jersey to our network. Delran is our first district in New Jersey so we are doubly thrilled to have them select BuildYourOwnCurriculum. Thanks to Delran for making this decision and we look forward to working with you.
Welcome Aboard - Neelyville and East Lynne School Districts in Missouri
September, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Neelyville and East Lynne School Districts in Missouri to our network. Thank you to all of these districts for honoring us with their selection and thank you to all of our existing Missouri districts for their kind words, good clients talking to their peers is the best sales process we could ever have.
Welcome Aboard - Cascade, OR
July, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Cascade School District, Oregon to our network. We now have 3 districts in Oregon purely by word of mouth. Thank you both to Cascade for deciding to join us and to Dallas and North Marion districts for letting their neighbors know about us!
Welcome Aboard - Diocese of Altoona Johnston, PA
July, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Diocese of Altoona Johnston to our network. Thank you to the diocese for making this decision and we are thrilled to have you join us.
Welcome Aboard - Kearny, Stockton, and Smithville Districts in Missouri
July, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Kearny, Stockton, and Smithville School Districts in Missouri to our network. Thank you to all of these districts for honoring us with their selection and thank you to all of our existing Missouri districts for their kind words, good clients talking to their peers is the best sales process we could ever have.
Welcome Aboard - Galapagos Charter School, IL
June, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Galapagos Charter School, Illinois to our network. Galapagos is located in Chicago and, as their misson statement states, "Galapagos is dedicated to preparing students to be responsible, productive, college-educated adults who will prosper in the global economy".
Welcome Aboard - North Callaway, North Nodaway, Saint Elizabeth, and Lonedell School Districts in Missouri
June, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the North Callaway, North Nodaway, Saint Elizabeth, and Lonedell School Districts in Missouri to our network. Thank you to all of these districts for honoring us with their selection and thank you to all of our existing Missouri districts for their kind words, good clients talking to their peers is the best sales process we could ever have.
Welcome Aboard - Winneconne School District, WI
June, 2010
Winneconne went through a very through analysis and review of the major curriculum packages being used in Wisconsin and we are honored that BuildYourOwnCurriculum came out on top! Please join us in welcoming the Winneconne School District, Wisconsin to our network.
Welcome Aboard - Hallsville Independent School District, TX
May, 2010
Representatives from Hallsville visited with us at the recent ASCD conference and shared that they had tried a different curriculum system in the past but it just wasn't flexible enough for their needs. Shortly after the conference we provide Hallsville with a demonstration of BYOC and provided them access to one of our testing environments so they could thoroughly try it out. We are excited and honored that they have chosen to move forward with us. Please join us in welcoming the Hallsville ISD, Texas to our network. Hallsville is our first school district in the state of Texas!
Welcome Aboard - Park Hill School District, MO
May, 2010
Please join us in welcoming both the Park Hill School District, Missouri to our network. Park Hill, based in the Kansas City area, performed an exhaustive evaluation of various curriculum management solutions. They are very committed to Understanding by Design for their curriculum work, and we are honored to have been selected by their team and look forward to helping them move forward.
Welcome Aboard - Iroquois West CUSD #10 and Central School District #104, IL
May, 2010
Please join us in welcoming both the Iroquois West CUSD #10 and the Central School District #104, Illinois to our network. We are always excited to get districts in a new state to join our network and were thrilled when both of these districts decided to join us on the same day! Once again we welcome them to the network and as always look forward to working with them.
Welcome Aboard - Confluence Academy Charter School, MO
May, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Confluence Academy Charter School, Missouri to our network. Confluence is the largest charter school in the Saint Louis area. After working with their staff to configure the system, we were quite impressed and look forward to working with them and seeing their curriculum evolve.
Welcome Aboard - Benjamin Banneker Charter School, MO
April, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Benjamin Banneker Charter School, Missouri to our network. Benjamin Banneker sets a new record for decision making, they attended a presentation of ours in Kansas City on a Thursday and delivered a purchase order the next day, Friday. Thanks to the school for their decision and as always we look forward to working with them.
Welcome Aboard - Ritenour, MO
April, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Ritenour School District, Missouri to our network. Ritenour was a guest at our Winter Missouri User's Group and made the decision to join the network in part due to the feedback they recieved from our existing clients. Thank you to Ritenour for the decision to join us and a special thank you to the existing users for their good comments!
Welcome Aboard - Ashwaubenon, WI
April, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Ashwaubenon School District, Wisconsin to our network. Ashwaubenon reviewed a number of competing products prior to making the BYOC decision. We are gratified by their decision and look forward to working them moving forward.
Welcome Aboard - Special School District of Saint Louis County, MO
April, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Special School District, Missouri to our network. Special School District of St. Louis County (SSD) is a leader in providing special education services to students with disabilities. This mission presents a variety of challenges from a curriculum perspective and we look forward to working with them to meet these challenges.
Welcome Aboard - Kingston K-14, MO
April, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Kingston K-14 School District, Missouri to our network. We are excited to add Kingston K-14 to our rapidly growing presence in Missouri and look forward to working with them in the future.
Welcome Aboard - Richland R-1, MO
March, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Richland R-1 School District, Missouri to our network. We are excited to add Richland R-1 to our rapidly growing presence in Missouri and look forward to working with them in the future.
Welcome Aboard - Dodgeland, WI
February, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Dodgeland School District, Wisconsin to our network. Dodgeland did a very exhaustive review of curriculum management products and we are excited that they choose to move forward with BYOC. As always we look forward to working with the team at Dogdeland.
Welcome Aboard - Monroe City, MO
February, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Monroe City School District, Missouri to our network. Monroe City had previously used a competing, Missouri specific product and we are extremely honored that they choose to make the change and join the BYOC network.
Welcome Aboard - Poynette School District, WI
February, 2010
Please join us in welcoming the Poynette School District, Wisconsin to our network. Poynette had previously used a competing, Wisconsin specific product and we are extremely honored that they choose to make the change and join the BYOC network.
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