"EduKite has transformed the way we inform parents of the work that we do with children in class settings. It allows parents to keep up to date with their children and for ourselves, it provides us with a contemporary 21st centuryeducational IT experience focussed in early childhood"

Sally Jeffrey

Kincoppal Rose Bay

Canberra Grammar School is situated in the southern suburbs of Canberra. It was opened in 1927 and has a proud history in the ACT region. The school has over 1400 students, co-ed preschool to Yea r 2 and boys only Year 3 to Year 12. The Primary School has around 650 students.

A number of years ago we began looking for a portal that would be suitable for Primary aged children and their parents. In 2005 three staff met with John Harris and looked at the possibility of having EduKite as the ‘centre piece’ of communication between teachers, students, parents and the School.

The initial version had been only partially trialled but we began to believe that with some specific tweaking it could become the ‘vehicle’ that we were looking for. Finally, after many discussions EduKite was ready to trial in the School.

Initially, it was rolled out to our Year One classes. The classes were chosen because the teachers involved were young, adaptive, worked very closely as a team and were keen to embed technology into their education pedagogy. The trial period was two terms and the teachers involved then reported back to staff. Their response was positive. Most of the parents who used it thought it was wonderful and with some minor adjustments we were ready to put it across the whole of the Primary School.

EduKite was launched at Canberra Grammar in August of 2006. Invitations were sent to all parents to attend an information evening and the response was overwhelming. To a packed hall we went live onto the Net to show parents how they could access their child’s kite and just exactly what they would find lurking within.

Teachers were given extensive professional development to ensure all kites looked attractive and contained up to date information and homework tasks. This PD was continuous and ongoing. The Educational Mentor within the School took a leading role in ensuring teachers were using EduKite appropriately and to answer enquiries from parents. Both the Head and Deputy Head of the Primary School became adept users of EduKite and at every opportunity conveyed to teachers that it was no longer an option not to use EduKite to communicate with students and their families.

Cultural change within any educational institution is difficult. It takes time, patience, persistence and very good planning. At Canberra Grammar we have been able to embed EduKite into everyday use in a very short space of time. It is now used extensively from preschool through to Year 6. EduKite gives students a very special place on the world wide web, it contains personal notes, class notices and school wide information. It informs students about homework activities and has the ability to portfolio digital work of choice. It has become an important tool for us at the School .

Tony Laudenbach

Canberra Grammar School

We have been using the Edukite system at Loquat Valley School since April 2008 and have found it be to a very effective tool in communication with parents, teachers and children.

From an administration point of view Edukite has reduced our time, effort and paperwork spent communicating usually through weekly newsletters, flyers and forms about activities, functions and the general running of daily school life.

We now post all this information on the kite and parents are encouraged to log in every week, to print off any information relevant to themselves or their children.

Di Chambers

Loquat Valley School

The student kites are extremely easy to set up and look very professional. The students love logging on at home and reading their individual notices or class newsletters with their parents. It is also a great way for absent students to keep up-to-date. As a way of communicating information with parents, it is fast, simple and reliable. There is no longer an excuse for lost letters or homework! Parental feedback from our trial has been fantastic. They like the portfolio section, being able to access work that their child is doing on the computer or in class work. As a school, we will definitely be expanding our use of EduKite for next academic year.

Sarah Marginson

Newington College - Wyvern