May 15, 2004
For immediate release:

Teachers design free online course management system

Teachers at Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, have devised a grade book website after becoming unsatisfied with the costly systems presently available. The site, called GradeConnect.com, allows teachers to securely post grades, homework assignments, messages and more to students and their parents.

"We were using a popular on-line gradebook system three years ago when suddenly the company decided to start charging money for its use," said Louis Osinski, a computer science teacher at Bonner. "Our school didn't have the thousands of dollars required to continue using it."

The solution? They made their own.

Osinski had realized he had the resources to tackle the problem. In addition to being a computer science teacher, he is also the head programmer of Media Website Design, a web communications design firm which has been in business since 1997.

"I decided I could write my own program and tailor it to secondary schools."

With almost daily input from his fellow teachers, Ray Anger and Charlie Gallagher, Grade Connect evolved into much more than a system for calculating grades—it grew into a program that established communication among teachers, students and parents.

Grade Connect allows the posting of grades, homework assignments, announcements, resourceful web links, as well as automated e-mail to students and parents. Teachers can even generate a progress report or failure warning with just a few clicks of the mouse.

Perhaps the site's best feature is that it's completely free to use. The cost of maintaining it is currently offset by donations and sponsored advertisements. Schools may opt-out of seeing advertisements in return for a fee that would replace the advertisement income.

Launched in September 2003, Grade Connect quickly grew in popularity. Currently there are over 3600 users among 15 schools. "Schools from as far away as Hong Kong have enrolled," said Osinski. "I'm sure the features of the site and the fact that's is absolutely free to use is why it's taking off so fast."

Grade Connect has just moved on to its own dedicated web server and now offers secure transactions. And Osinski reports that a new, improved design and user interface is currently in the works.

Teachers can learn more about the site by visiting www.gradeconnect.com. Enrollment is quick and simple by faxing a name and e-mail address on a school letterhead to 215-780-1772.

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