To Whom It May Concern: The school where I teach was designated a pilot school for the new Provincial Report Cards. Concurrent to this we were given the opportunity to also pilot the new Dadavan Reporting System - this being complimentary to the new report cards. To enable us to use the system in-services were given by Doug and Matt Hill. What a task they faced - not only were teachers dealing with a new type of reporting system but were also being asked to master new and unfamiliar computer skills. At all times their patience, understanding and ability to present the system at a level we could understand was outstanding. They were able to explain - by demonstrations, hands-on experience and handouts how to approach the tasks. They were personally "on-call" at all times and dealt efficiently and calmly with all the questions and problems the teachers faced in their exploration of the new program. Nothing was too much trouble, hours were spent, in their own time, going through, step-by-step, any problems a teacher might be having. Extra workshops were put on to enable the staff to best use the program and to increase their comfort level. When we had new staff, their accommodating approach ensured that we felt very comfortable approaching them again for additional workshops and materials. Carol Dodds Vice-Principal / Resource Teacher Inglis Street Elementary School ------------ Dear Sir or Madam: This letter is in reference to Dadavan Systems' computerized planner. I had the opportunity to pilot the planner software while I was teaching at Ridgecliff Middle School in March and April of this year. Because Ridgecliff is a P-3 school, using the software to plan short-term and long-range lessons was a great fit with the philosophy and atmosphere of the school. I have used different planners, grade keepers and time management software programs in the past and I found the Dadavan software includes all the relevant applications and functions that are needed for teachers to effectively plan lessons, reflect on teaching practices and track/evaluate students. The planner section is laid out in a logical manner. You can easily access, from one screen, your daily lessons, monthly planner and student tracking information. The feature I was most impressed with was the ability to attach the SCO to a lesson. It is an efficient way for teachers to ensure they are meeting educational outcomes. In addition, the "grab and drop" method of attaching the activities from the guides to your planner is very easy to use. The end users may also sort records and format the planner to customize it for themselves. I also had an opportunity to evaluate the IPP package. I found that it would be very useful for teachers, students, parents and administrators. The IPP component ensures that all of a student's relevant information is accessible to the classroom teachers. I think this promises to create better communication among all parties involved in IPP planning and implementation. There is also a great Help component to guide you through this section to help you use it to its maximum potential. Overall, I found the Dadavan Systems software program to be a complete and comprehensive package. I say this from the perspective of a teacher and as a person who has experience studying computers in university, using computers in a work setting and teaching computer software programs The layout is logical and intuitive. It provides the teacher with everything they would need to record lesson plans and maintain organized documentation on each of their students. Because the program is so user friendly, I believe that it could be quickly learned and implemented in the school environment. I think it will become an essential tool for classroom teachers. Sincerely, Kelly MacNeil BBA, B.Ed ------------ To Whom It May Concern: During this past year I had the opportunity to work with Dadavan Systems Inc. in preparing for and presenting Seminar in a Box, an IT information session featuring Lotus Notes, IBM, and Dadavan products held in Halifax. Dadavan designs and markets Student Information Systems, Curriculum Planners, and other educational databases created using Lotus Notes as the framework. During our initial discussions, we agreed a good turnout for this type of seminar would be six to twelve people. Dadavan Systems Inc. was able to produce 28 people from the surrounding school boards, which was a remarkable feat. The organizational and marketing capabilities of this young and fast growing company were exceptional. The large turnout was only outdone by the quality of their products and the way they were presented. Those in attendance were very excited about Dadavan's products, as was I. I would be happy to recommend their products to any organization I deal with throughout Canada, and I look forward to working with them again. Sincerely, Robert Brooks ------------ To Whom It May Concern: Two years ago the Cape Breton Victoria Region School Board signed a contract with Dadavan Systems Inc., which made them the provider of student information systems for the elementary schools in this board. We were looking for a user friendly, relatively inexpensive database for the school administrators and a solution for the electronic transmission of student records. Our decision to go with Dadavan turned out to be an excellent one. The program "Data Pro" is very easy to use, glitch free, and allows our elementary principals to do whatever they want to regarding student demographics, attendance, behavior, etc. The training sessions for principals and secretaries were excellent because the Dadavan people made sure they kept pace with the users' knowledge and ability. Our school personnel left the training session feeling excited about using the program when they returned to their schools. Additionally, they felt comforted that whatever support was required would be readily available. Finally, their support and reliability of upgrades is unparalleled. If our secretaries call their 1-800 number, help is often instantaneous or their call is returned within one hour. The Dadavan staff talks to the secretaries very patiently so that even our most timid users feel confident after talking to them. Also, it was not uncommon for them to spend time with the secretaries working on computer topics that are not even related to their program. The people at Dadavan have been directly responsible for a number of our secretaries upgrading their computer knowledge and skills. Our board is now working closely with Dadavan Systems to produce a Lotus Notes version of their database, which will allow an even smoother transition of data to our board from the schools. Over these past two years we have developed an important and valuable business relationship with this company and I am happy to recommend their products and their dedication to doing a job well. I have personally been working with school management software for the past 20 years and can't express strongly enough the importance of having a stable product that is both user-friendly, strong enough for the task, and finally, supported almost instantly. I actually don't know how Doug Hill can have any other life, he is so available to us. Sincerely, Rod MacDonald Coordinator of Technology and Community Education Cape Breton Victoria Regional School Board ------------ Doug, People who are so involved in supporting the work of others seldom get the recognition and thanks they deserve. But hope you know just how important your work is and how much it will always be appreciated. You make a difference!! Thanks for always being so pleasant and helpful when I call time and time again. Shelley Dauphinee Secretary