Achieving Smooth Transition and Effective Implementation When Moving Platforms
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Washington Township Public Schools, a district with nearly 8,000 students and multiple schools, has successfully transitioned from Microsoft to Google as their technological ecosystem. This shift, spearheaded by Kathi Kersznowski, an educational technology specialist, has proven to be a significant step towards digital transformation.
Kersznowski and a team of three others were tasked with making the transition, and their approach has demonstrated that with proper planning and time to learn the technology, a district can set itself up for success.
The main focus of Google Day, a full district in-service day organized by Kersznowski and her team, was to identify and teach the core things every person in the district needed to know to survive in Google. This included Google Drive, Chrome OS, Google Calendar, Gmail, and the overall app suite. Live sessions and recorded sessions were offered for everyone to attend, and each person was required to take at least two live sessions.
The switch was initiated by a new superintendent who came from a Google district. To effectively plan and execute a smooth transition, Kersznowski and her team followed several key strategies.
- Comprehensive Planning and Onboarding Process: The migration was structured with a clear onboarding process that minimized disruption and stress for educators and students. This included phased rollouts and ample training on Google Workspace for Education tools such as Google Classroom, Docs, and Slides, which are cloud-native and facilitate collaboration and management.
- Leverage Cloud-Native Advantages: Google’s ecosystem, particularly Chromebooks and Google Workspace for Education, offers cloud-centric, lightweight, and cost-effective solutions suited for educational settings. Their central management, quick boot times, and seamless integration support smooth deployment and user acceptance compared to some of Microsoft's bulkier tools.
- Staff and Student Training with Leadership Support: Instructional leaders like Kathi Kersznowski championed the change, modelled use, and provided professional development. Kersznowski’s approach relied on thorough understanding and demonstration of Google tools' benefits to gain buy-in and sustain momentum.
- Technical and Organizational Readiness: Before migration, technical infrastructure was readied—networks, identities, and security policies were aligned with the new cloud environment. A clear operating model for IT and workflows were established to maintain security and compliance.
- Pilot Projects and MVP Approach: The new ecosystem was tested through pilot projects or minimum viable product (MVP) approaches to allow fast learning, troubleshoot issues early, and refine deployment strategies.
- Focus on AI and Productivity Enhancements: Transition plans may also incorporate Google’s evolving AI integrations (Google Gemini) in Workspace to enhance productivity, which can smooth adoption and encourage innovative instructional activities.
The early PD, training, and support provided to the district helped in dealing with potential pushback during the transition. The switchover to the Google ecosystem for Washington Township Public Schools occurred on February 16th of the previous year, before the official summer transition.
Kathi Kersznowski was recently recognized with an Innovative Leader Award at a Tech & Learning Regional Leadership Summit for her efforts in this transition. The success of this transition serves as a model for other districts considering a similar shift.
- Kathi Kersznowski, along with her team, emphasized professional development by providing extensive training on Google Workspace for Education, such as Google Classroom, Docs, and Slides, to ensure a smooth transition for both educators and students.
- A significant part of Kersznowski's approach to the transition involved leveraging the learning opportunities provided by Google's cloud-native advantages, like Chromebooks and the Google Workspace for Education suite, to facilitate collaboration and management.
- Understanding and demonstrating the benefits of Google's tools were crucial for Kersznowski in gaining buy-in and momentum from teachers and administrators, making them essential components of her personal-growth strategy and education-and-self-development plan.
- By focusing on AI and productivity enhancements, like Google Gemini, within the new Google ecosystem, Kersznowski laid the groundwork for innovative instructional activities and learning experiences that could potentially be implemented across the district.
