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February2016ImportantUpdateHopeyouarehavingagreatyear.IhavesomeexcitingupdatesaboutSSICA(ScanStudentIdentificationCardAuthorization)andI’msoproudofthemilestonesSSICAhasnowreached.IwantedtosharesomeupdatesinregardstoSSICAthatbringgreatbenefitstoyourschoolandyourteam.Justlikeanadministratortoldmeearlierthisschoolyear,SSICAisnotanoptionorawantfortheirschoolbutarequirement.SSICAhaschangedschoolcultureinlessthan3monthsonceschoolsbegintousethePoweroftheSSICAapp.SchoolsanddistrictsarenowusingSSICAforbustransportation,SaturdaySchool,RTI,recordingtardies,keepinglunchdetentionuptodate,attendance,monitoringstudentactivityforsportevents,andsomanyotherways.Iencourageyoutocheckoutmywebsiteatwww.drssica.comformoreinformation.HerearetheupdatesIwantedtosharewithyou:1.SSICAisnowavailableforscanningIDcardsusingourSSICAappavailableonIOS(Apple),Android,andPC/Mac(laptopanddesktop).I’mgladtopresentwww.proscanner.org.Forthoseteachersorstaffmembersthatdon’thaveasmartphone,theycannowusetheircomputertoscanIDcardsormanuallyinputIDcards.ThisworksgreatfortheAttendanceoffice,secretaries,teachers,andadministratorsthatdon’thaveaccesstoasmartphone/tablet.ThecredentialsstaffwouldusefortheSSICAappworkatwww.proscanner.org.Allscansperformedonwww.proscanner.orgareimmediatelyuploadedtoyourssica.orgaccount.Sonowyoucanhavestaffscanningusingtheirsmartphone,tablet,andontheirPC/Mac.Keepinmindproscanner.orgworksonPCandMacbrowsers.IrecommendyouuseChromeforwww.proscanner.org.AnicefeatureavailableunderSettingisthatyoucanmanuallyinputIDnumbersreallyfastifyourschooldoesn’tuseIDcardssinceithasAutoLookUpOn/Off.Inorderforthewww.proscanner.orgtoscanIDcards,youwillneedahighdefinitionwebcam.Thecameraonalaptopisnotasaclearsoanexternalcameraisrequired.IdidtryitwiththeProLogisticWebCamanditworkedgreat!

2.AnotherawaitedfeatureisthatSSICAcannowsendatextmessagetotheparent/guardianimmediatelyoncetheIDcardisscannedviaourSSICAapporwww.proscanner.org.OnceanIDcardisscannedorthestudent’sinformationisinputtedintotheapporwww.proscanner.org,thetextissentto

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theparent/guardianinabout2seconds.SSICAiscapableofsendingatextandanemailtotheparent/guardiansimultaneouslymakingsuretheparent/guardianknowswhat’sgoingonwiththeirchild/student.TheemailisinSpanishandEnglishwhilethetextisonlyinEnglishduetocharacterlimitations.Howwouldyouusethis?Usesareendless.Youcansendatextand/oremailtotheparentifthestudentarriveslatetoclass,studententeredaschooldance,studentgotofftheschoolbus,studentleftaschoolevent,studententeredasportsevent,studentarrivedforSaturdayschool,studentarrivedforlunchdetention,studententeredtheschool,andsoon.Hereisasampletextsenttoaparent:

3.SSICAcannowcreateAttendanceRostersforSaturdaySchool,sportevents,oranyevent/classthatateachersignatureisrequired.Howdoesthiswork?Afteryouaredonescanningstudentsintoclassortheevent,simplygotossica.organdclickonAttendancebuttonunderScans,youcangenerateaPDForExcelspreadsheet.Youcangointoyourssica.orgaccountandselectwhatformatyouwanttheattendancesheet.IfyouselectPDF,youcangeneratethisdocumentonaniPadandprinttoaprinterinlessthanaminute.WhatifyoulosethephysicalAttendancesheettwoweeksaftertheevent?Noworries,gointoyourssica.orgaccountandgotoHistoryandprintanotherAttendancesheetinlessthat30seconds.HereisasampleattendancesheetinExcel:

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4.HaveSSICAemailyouoryoursecretaryanExcelspreadsheetsofscansduringthedayatatimeconvenienttoyouandyourteam.SomeschoolshaveaskedmeifSSICAcanprovideExcelreportsat9amand2pm.Theanswerisyes,infact,youcanhavemultiplereportsemailedduringthedayataconvenienttimetoyouwithmynewScheduler.Simplygointossica.organdgounderAccountandsetupthetimesyouwishSSICAtogeneratethesereportsforyouandSSICAwillemailthesereportstoyouoragroupofpeoplethatneedthisdatawithoutyoudoinganythingsinceasanadministratoryouaretoobusytosendreports.HaveSSICAdoit.5.Colors.SSICAhasnow5colorsthatyoucanusetoclassifystudents.Thefollowingcolorsarenowavailabletoyou:Green,Red,Brown,Yellow,andPurple.6.SSICAcannowconnecttoanyStudentInformationSystem(SIS)aslongasithasanAPI.MostSISprograms(e.g.Aeries,PowerSchool,Edusoft,InfiniteCampus,Skyward,Illuminate,etc.)haveanAPIthatallowsSSICAtocommunicatewithyourSIS.YourITdepartmentusuallyhasaccesstothisAPIthatweneed.TheonlyinformationSSICAneedsfromyourAPIisthestudentIDnumberfoundontheIDcard,student’sfirstname,student’slastname,andgradelevel.Youcanprovidephonenumberforparent/guardianandparent/guardiannameviaAPIandIcanhavethisinformationcomeuponeachscanperformedbyyourteachers.Thisisagreatfeaturewhenyouneedimmediatecontactinformationduetoanaltercationatyourschoolandyouneedtocontactparent/guardianNOW.What’scomingupinthenearfuture?Well,thisiswhatIhaveplannedandI’mcurrentlyworkingon:1.PictureswillbeincludedwhenscanningIDcardsormanuallyinputtingstudentinformationintotheSSICAapporproscanner.org.Byincorporatingapictureforeachstudent,additionaldatawillbeusedwithSSICA.Rightnow,apersonwhoscans100scansadayfivedaysaweekanddoesthis25daysinamonthiscurrentlyusingabout50mb.Withapicturewillusemuchmorebecauseanimagewillbeincluded.IwilltrytocompletethisbyAugust2016.2.iWatchappiscomingoutsoon.3.iPadappforallthreesizesofiPadsiscurrentlybeingdeveloped.4.Windowsapptofollow.5.Surfaceappiscurrentlybeingdeveloped.Staytuneformoreupdates.SSICAonlyisgettingbetterwithtimeandwillbetheeducationalstandardforchangingstudentbehavioronescanatatime.ToorderSSICAfornextyear,contactmeatthenumberbelowtosetupyouraccountand/orforaquote.WrittenbyDr.PeteChavezownerandfounderofSSICA:

www.drssica.comPhone:(559)393-7322Email:pchavez@ssica.org