In September, 78 schools in Nova Scotia began registering and managing student information on one common system.  And soon, students and parents of these Phase I schools (78) will see the same provincial report card format and connect with their school using the same student-parent portal.

It’s all part of iNSchool, a province-wide program aimed at leveraging technology to better support student achievement.  iNSchool is being led by our province’s eight school boards and the Department of Education.

Once in place, iNSchool will contribute to other key functions - such as curriculum and program development, student assessment, and school accreditation and improvement programs - with real-time access to information on our students, schools and programs.

“It’s very powerful... the department will have what they need, instantly,” says Annette Lefort, Junior High Teacher at Ecole NDA . “It will stop the need to produce reports on paper.  It will already be there – marks, absenteeism, enrolment, disciplinary reports, etc.”

iNSchool will have a significant impact on Nova Scotia's public school system.  Everyone will benefit – students, parents, teachers, school administrators and assistants, school boards, and the Department of Education.  It will enable parents to be more engaged in their children's education, and lead to a more responsive education system.

iNSchool will be implemented gradually over the next three years, starting with 78 schools this year.  

“I’m not a technically savvy person at all, but I think the new system is wonderful,” says Nancy MacBain, Guidance Counsellor at Sir John A Macdonald High.  “It’s a long time coming and we need it”