Learn about the newest capabilities in Blackboard Connect 5 released in summer 2011. Hear from our SVP of client care and clients eager to upgrade.

1. 1 Easy Does It: Introducing Blackboard Connect 5Mario JoySVP Client Care Blackboard ConnectTim HensleyFloyd County Board of Education, GADiane Turner and Karen SaundersFederal Way Public Schools, WA 1

3. HTML emails

4. Email attachments

5. Weather Alerts

6. Language TranslationsWhat Have we Been up to? Connect 5.0 Connect 5.2 Connect 5.1 2011 2009-2010 Set new record: 19M+ messages in a single day 2009 545M voice calls 153M emails 4M SMS 2010 639M voice calls 191M emails 8M SMS 2

8. A proven and flexible messaging infrastructure

9. New online environments for organization leaders and the audiences they serve

10. Dozens of enhancements designed to make communications more effective and parents, students and staff more responsive3

12. 3 million emails per hour

14. 6 What’s New in Connect 5? Interface Simpler, more intuitive interface. Enhances ease-of-use and decreases training. Templates Streamlined message workflow and pre-set scenario templates Access Portal Portal to help you deliver a more customized user experience Geo-mapping Message targeting with enhanced geo-mapping and subscriptions Reporting Real-time reports provide better visibility into message delivery iPhone App iPhone® app allows you to send messages from anywhere 6

15. 7 Let’s Take a Walk Through Connect 5 7

16. Improving Communication Through Mass Notification Systems Tim Hensley Assistant to the Superintendent Floyd County Schools

17. Overview About Floyd County Schools Communications Strategies Accomplishments with Mass Notification Anticipated Improvements with Connect 5 Questions

18. Our Mission “Floyd County Schools will provide a quality education for a quality life.”

19. About US 10,000 Students 1,800 Employees 11 Elementary Schools, 4 Middle, 4 High Schools Located in Northwest Georgia 57% Free/Reduced Lunch

20. Communication Strategy Our goal is to build a strong relationship bond between our school system and the many publics in the community by using proven, two-way communications strategies to inform them about the system and listen to the hopes and dreams they have for our schools, children and the community.

21. How we use Mass Notification Used Mass Notification since 1991 Emergency Notification General School Announcements Attendance Past Due Lunch Accounts Surveys Elections for middle and high schools

22. Connect 5 Enhancements Best of both worlds (Connect Ed and AlertNow) Again utilize system for past due lunch notices Social Media connectivity iPhone app Ease of use Easy transition of the Parent Portal

23. Increasing Parental Involvement to Improve Student Achievement Diane Turner - Chief Communications Officer Karen Saunders - Community Relations

25. District Size = 37 Schools

26. Student Enrollment = 22,271

27. Staff = 2,693

28. 54% Free and Reduced Lunch

29. Diverse Population

30. Hispanic-Latino

31. Korean

33. Parental Involvement

34. Parent/Guardian/Teacher Communication

35. Good Attendance

37. Grade Threshold Program

38. District Improvements Increased efficiencies throughout district Communication w/ non-English speaking families Expanded ability to contact and engage parents Improved student achievement – grade threshold

39. Federal Way and Connect 5 We’re excited for more! Automatic translations Will not have to create multiple messages Parent Portal Easier interface with one main window Excited about the iPhone app.

40. Federal Way and Connect 5 Blackboard Connect 5 will… Decrease number of calls from parents to remove #s Record single multi-language messages in emergencies Reduce the number of calls made Give message options to parents (i.e. email, text message, voice)

41. 23 Q&A 23

42. 24 Thank you for attending! Contact Info for Federal Way Diane Turner – dturner@fwps.org Karen Saunders – ksaunder@fwps.org Contact Info for Floyd BOE Tim Hensley - thensley@floyboe.net 24

43. 25 Please contact us to upgrade to Connect 5: (888) 599-2720 Not a part of the Bb Family? Join Today: (800) 424-9299 25