Wow! SchoolDude University 2008 was a blast!
If you want to relive the excitement of this year's University, simply click the link below to browse through the SchoolDude University 2008 photo album!
www.flickr.com
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And don't forget to mark your calendars for SchoolDude University 2009, March 28th - April 1st, 2009!
Thank you again for another great year.
SDU’08 felt like a summit of great minds, coming together to enhance, learn, and disseminate. This year, like the past three, I have walked away from these five days with a refreshed feeling of capability, keen insight, and a substantial plan to refine what I do.
SchoolDude, you have put on a fantastic show. I had the opportunity to network with people I have met there before with whom I can catch up on the previous year’s challenges, accomplishments, and new initiatives. People are doing amazing things around the country to better operations while preserving the teaching in learning process.
I thought the lab was busily last year, this year it was hopping every minute. This is one of the best resources you offer each year and this year was no different. My converging partner, Ken Wertz, utilized the lab and got started on the set up of PMDirect. This will give us a great head start on implementing a very much anticipated product.
Your entire team was friendly and responsive to questions and general discussion about products and events. Donna gave us a nice introduction to our audience in our session, and we really appreciated her kind words. Dave K gave me a great walk through the new MySchoolDude which I cannot wait to see in action. Scott, Mark and Bill, ran an informative roundtable on ITAM as well as suffered through all my enhancement requests. I could go on, but this blog entry would be much to long.
The sessions this year offered more IT centric subjects than ever before. I really found the workshop run by Bev White to be illuminating and engaging. As an IT Director I am pleased to see so much being offered that directly enhances what I do day in and day out.
On a final note, I want to thank our two local sales reps, Josh and Bob for always making the New England contingent feel like a cohesive group. Josh and Bob always go above and beyond to make us feel welcome and informed. Thanks Bobcat.
So have you recovered from SchoolDude University yet? Between the travel, the learning and the good times, you might feel like your body and mind need some time to recover. Of course when you think about all the information sharing and time catching up with friends, then you begin to realize you’re not feeling tired…it’s full on SDU withdrawal!
Having attended all six SchoolDude University events, I can honestly say that this year’s conference was the most amazing in so many ways. We had a new record attendance, some of the most intriguing classes ever, and many fantastic events. It might seem strange for someone from the SchoolDude team to say this, but I learned so much! Our attendees are such wonderful people, and I was privileged to have many of you share your knowledge with me. Plus, you guys are just fun; I had a great time with you all, whether we were hanging out in the hallways or dancing at the General Session. I will miss all you Dudes who came from across the nation (and even across the globe) for this great event, but I look forward to seeing you all next year and greeting you with a friendly hug around the neck instead of a handshake.
As I sit in my office on day 1, post Dude U 2008, I can't help but be a little sad that it's all over. I love all of you and most of you I only get to see once a year!
However, yet again, we have managed to pull off our biggest and best SchoolDude University...and now the countdown begins for Dude U 2009! Which, by the way, is March 28 - April 1, 2009.
A big thank you to everyone who made this year great. I was able to speak with many of you during my classes and thank you to everyone who participated and made each of them great.
Speaking of my classes, the MaintenanceDirect Best Practices roundtable had over 100 people in it on one day - so much so that we brought in extra chairs!! :) A special thank you to my panelists -- Michael Cosentino from St. Lucie Public Schools, Ken Wertz from Sharon Public Schools, Steve Hibbard from Concordia University and Phil Raney from Mountain Home School District. Everyone loved you all and you provided a great insight into how our products help make a difference.
Also, if you are a MaintenanceDirect client, the Facilities Maintenance PMT is looking for your help! Please take our product survey found here - the password is "schooldude":
Thanks to all Dudes -- new and old for making this a great event. I can't wait to see you again next year!
Thank you to all those who participated in our ITDirect and ITAMDirect Roundtable discussions!! I was excited to see alot of new faces in our classes this year...even in our 8am class after General Session!!! Many thanks to our panelists who were able to lead us off in great discussions not only in our products but to the many challenges that IT Directors face in education. I look forward to seeing you again at SchoolDude University '09!!!!
Just a quick note here... The response I've had from clients who take there first look at SchoolDude's critical alarm automation is outstanding. Imagine a world where SchoolDude can talk directly to your buildings. It really feels like something from a Sci Fi movie. The efficiency gains are really out of this world...
With the conference a week behind us, is anyone going through SchoolDude University withdrawal?
Symptoms include (but are not limited to):
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!!
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!
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.
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!!!!
