Norwood explained that in the old system, switching a substitute required complicated, time-consuming data entry. With Red Rover, that function is done in minutes. She also noted that Berrien RESA recently added 23 new employees to their roster and with Red Rover, “It took me about 2 or 3 minutes! And now it’s also much easier to handle half-day substitute requests, staggered schedules, longer-term vacancies and our districts’ other unique needs.”
Berrien RESA transitioned to Red Rover in February of 2020. Rolling out a new absence management program to all of the Berrien districts and schools meant that the HR team had to ensure there was no interruption in their substitute placements. Norwood enthusiastically noted that Red Rover’s initial training, support videos, and the software’s simplicity made the transition smooth and hassle-free, saying, “The on-ramp was seamless.”
Norwood particularly appreciates Red Rover’s free app for substitutes and its sleek text messaging system, and she credits these features in helping to increase fill rates. She said, “It’s modern. It looks young and refreshing, and it fits with today’s substitute teacher pool. Our subs think it’s really easy to use, and it’s like other apps they use in their everyday lives. That’s an advantage for them…and for us because it’s easier to find qualified people.”
With Berrien RESA’s old system, reporting and analysis of absence management data typically required a large amount of manual data entry and manipulation. With Red Rover in place, Norwood explained that reports are easier to generate and because the program has re-designed substitute data records, she’s found that she prints fewer reports, because the system’s core reporting functions are more automated and comprehensive.
Berrien RESA is a service-focused agency and Norwood expects the same high standard of response and support from her vendor partners. She said, “This is the way tech support should be. Our Red Rover team is just a call away and they answer. Every time. They take the time to explain and they really care.”
Berrien RESA is accountable for serving 25,600 students and the faculty and staff it takes to deliver quality teaching and learning every school day. Red Rover K12 delivers a modern, flexible, and intuitive substitute placement solution to ESAs and their school and district stakeholders.