SchoolDude University 2008 Blog

SDU photos available!

With the conference a week behind us, is anyone going through SchoolDude University withdrawal?

Symptoms include (but are not limited to):

• Nausea
• Mild dizziness
• Unexplainable cravings for salt water taffy
• Hallucinations of Wings surf shops on every third corner
• Expecting husbands/sons/pets to answer to “Hey, Dude!”
• Turning the dinner table into a nametag-required networking event
• Spontaneous outbreaks of the Electric Slide
• Adding an extra chair to your desk hoping a client services rep stops by for product Q&A

If you're one of the 32.6% of educational operations professionals who suffers from SDU withdrawal, don’t fret.  We have the cure: a huge dosage of photos—nearly 700 in fact!!

Click here to view more photos from
SchoolDude University 2007!
Warning: may cause excitability in children attendees.

great conference!

I have been home 4 days now, and having fun using what i learned at School Dude.  School dude started for me with a great golf outing on Saturday.  I met 2 new friends, Cal from Chicago and Jason from St. Louis!  I did have to watch the North Carolina State Basketball game after the golf outing while my Wisconsin Badgers were on another station!  When in Rome you know!!  My School Dude Rep Dan Gould is becoming a runner!  How cool was it to run 4 miles on the Beach in March in 70 degree weather.  I am from Milwaukee so i thought it was cool.  And then breakfast was all prepared, all we had to do was serve our selves and find a table no one would mind having 2 guys that just ran 4 miles! (we ended up eating alone!) 

I saw a lot of old friends, and met a lot of new friends.  It was amazing that even on the flight home, i had School Dude attendees to visit with at the airport or on the plane. We were able to continue to talk about all the things we experienced at School Dude U.

Aside from the great food, weather, and hospitality i would have to say that School Dude University is a great conference to attend. The presentations were obviously relevant for School Dude clients, and they were very interesting. The round table discussions allowed for very interesting interactions especially when common issues and concerns were addressed.  The computer lab allowed me to use immediatly what i just learned in a session.  If i had a question there was someone there from School Dude, to be my hero, and help me through the process. The networking with other Facility professionals both in Higher Ed as well as the K-12 school districts from across the country is something that you cannot put a value on.  That alone would have made attending this conference worth it to me. 

This is my 3rd School Dude University!  I am impressed with the value that i receive in a short time frame.  I appreciate this School Dude opportunity that i have to learn and network!!  I am very much looking forward to next year!   

I want to go back!

Does any one else have a huge amount of snow on the ground? I know my buddies at Wentworth do. I miss the 80 degrees and I miss all my SchoolDude buddies, Josh, Jamie from CA (lucky girl), Julie, Brad, Scott (times 2), and the list can go on. It's always a new adventure at DudeU and you always leave with the feeling that you can't wait until next year. Can't beat the southern hospitality!! See everyone next year and hope to see some new faces as well. Good luck with the rest of the school year or semester!!

Over the Top!

After a needed 3 day recovery time, I am thrilled to share some of the feedback I have received from SchoolDude University 2007 with you! I can not be more proud of the team we have at SchoolDude...without a doubt, this was the best SchoolDude University thus far. My inbox was full on Friday from clients sending me thank you messages about attending the University. Check some of the comments out for yourself -

I would like to thank you for the opportunity and hospitality that you and the Schooldude team provided me during my trip to dudeU. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and came away with some much needed knowledge.

Michael Study, Miami Valley Career Technology Center

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I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I enjoyed the conference, the information and the chance to speak with counterparts across the Nation was absolutely the best. Your time and hospitality is/was very much appreciated and enjoyed. I have been to many conferences in my time and without a doubt, this was definitely the best. Please pass on to all that they did an outstanding job coordinating everything.

Chuck Inman, Bensalem Twp. School District

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Thank you for one of the best times I’ve had at Schooldude University you guys really made me feel at home there and I hope to come back for a fourth year.

Tige Dague, Cleveland Heights - University Heights School District

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The conferences were great and I not only learned about using your produces in class but also in the Lab, the lobby, at breakfast, everywhere you turned there was a Dude to share information about your products and how they were using them at there facilities. It felt like a family reunion meeting all the employees I have made friends with over the phone. I can not say enough about how friendly and helpful they are. I was just one of hundreds of clients attending and I received so much attention I almost felt like a celebrity.

Ron Sweigart, Great Valley School District

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I want to thank all of our clients, as it is you who makes this conference successful each year. Looking forward to seeing you in April for SchoolDude University 2008!

My Mom and Dad

Some of the SDU 2007 attendees might have experienced a ride in the shuttle van by Ralph and Marty Prevost.

This is my Mom and Dad and this was their first SchoolDude University experience. 

I'm awfully proud to have had the opportunity to share the experience with them and they really enjoyed meeting the Dudes including employees and clients. 

Many thanks to my Mom and Dad as well as Mr. and Mrs. Mack and Juanita Hudson (Kent's Mom and Dad) and Mr. and Mrs. Norfleet and Barbara Gardner both of Coats, NC.

You might find it interesting that one of the SDU 2007 shuttle drivers was Norfleet Gardner.  Mr. Gardner is the retired head of Pupil Transportation for the State of NC.  It is rumored that Mr. Gardner was overheard stating that at Dude U, he is still transporting pupils!

Dude U 2007 - Another One to Remember

This year’s SchoolDude University was informative, exciting, and professionally rejuvenating. A constant energy filled the hallways with people networking and sharing ideas during these past five days. This year’s session tracking format worked very well for me, as I was able to focus on my technology related interests and be able to jump to other sessions that interested me. The SchoolDude staff was, as always, helpful, informative, patient, and ever friendly.

The open lab seemed to be the hottest spot in town. The word is out, as I told people in my sessions and others by word of mouth, the lab is your best chance to implement a product with the experts at your finger tips. It seemed as though every time I walked through, empty seats were scarce and the dudes and dudettes were hopping. I will head home prepared to implement many of the things I learned about ITAM and ITD. I am eager to use the project and planning features of both of these products and I am sure they will help my department run more efficiently and will set the pace for the rest of my organization.

Thank you SchoolDude for putting on another classy and top-notch show. I am looking forward to next year and the new and exciting enhancements to come to your product line.

Dude continues to raise the bar!

This year's University was nothing short of amazing. The sessions, the presenters, the topics and the available information were all spot on. I was amazed to discover the knowledge of the folks in attendance. The facility professional of today is equipped with state of the art software and solutions needed for success, mostly because of School Dude.

To those that attended my sessions I offer my thanks. To the countless people I met for the first time I thank them for their perspectives. To the folks I have met before, thanks for your kind comments. To the staff of School Dude thank you for realizing our needs and for providing solutions.

Everything about Dude University was top shelf. The integrity, honesty and dedication of all the Dude's personnel was cleary evident. We have gone from crude to Dude and all students, faculty and administrators will benefit.

I hope I'm invited back next year.

A Family Affair

Being my first SchoolDude University I was very excited to see what all the talk was about. SchoolDude.com became a house hold name in the Bittner family 2 years ago when my dad came home from SchoolDude University talking about how wonderful it was. He went on and on for a good hour about what a great time he had and how he much he liked all the folks as SchoolDude. 

I thought, if a vendor can get a "prospect" this excited about their company, this is something I need to check out. I've been on board with SchoolDude for 7 months and I'm a believer. I've caught the buzz and you can't get me to stop talking about SchoolDude.

Most dads are proud of their daughters because that is their job. And most children are embarrassed by their dads because that is THEIR job, but not this daughter. It was so interesting to learn what my dad does on a daily basis and to see how he is respected in his profession. 

There were lots of families at Dude U from clients, to attendees to your bus driver, you may have been talking to a Dude family member. Work just doesn't get any better than that.

The Bittner clan will be part of the SchoolDude family for a long time to come.

My Dude U Debut

What an Experience!!!

Being one of the new employees, I was one of the new faces in attendence. From my first day as an employee, I'd been looking forward to attending Dude U. The opportunity to meet so many of our various clients, share ideas/stories, and all the laughs was absolutely fantastic.

I definitely enjoyed my first Dude U and truly look forward to next year!!!!

New Mexico Session at Dude U

Dude U has come and gone but certain sessions leave you motivated and ready to come back.  Although I may be biased, being the account manager in New Mexico, I have to say the New Mexico FIMS Implementation session was great! 

We were joined by groups from Colorado, Missouri, Arizona, Lousiana, and Texas.  Along with a strong contingency from New Mexico, Les Martinez, Maintenance Specialist for the New Mexcio Public Schools Facility Authority (PSFA), laid out the New Mexico Statewide implementation plan for three SchoolDude solutions.  He shared why the state chose SchoolDude, their progress to date and the challenges they faced on a statewide level.  With 81 of 89 districts now using SchoolDude in the state, the PSFA is now starting to compile data to take to the legislature and help districts get the resources they need. 

I heard several good comments on Les' presentation, especially from the "out of towners."  Once again kudos to Les on a great job and we're very proud of the work they and we are doing in New Mexico.