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The Jamestown School District serves a community of about 35,000 citizens with 10 schools, approximately 5,400 students, and 1,000 employees, all of which generate a lot of documents. In 2003, Karen Briner Peterson, Director of Human Resources for the district, began researching ways to manage the mounds of paper the district generated in an effort to streamline operations and allow multiple departments easier access to information. The Human Resources Department was split, with multiple users on different floors of the administration building needing access to the same files. Even worse, there was no backup system for the files, putting the district at risk of great loss in the event of a fire, flood or other catastrophe.
The district explored several document management solutions and vendors before deciding on a Laserfiche system from General Code. It initially rejected the system as too costly, but after further research realized that Laserfiche’s pricing structure was actually very affordable and that the Laserfiche system was the most user-friendly option available. Karen was specifically looking for a system that computer novices could learn and be comfortable using on a regular basis, and Laserfiche fit the bill. Karen says: “We realized that if those of us researching it could easily understand the system, anyone in our offices could do the same.” And Karen has concluded that the system has been worth the investment, noting: “We have gotten far more than we paid for.” The district’s users also have high praise for General Code’s support staff, who have trained and provide on-going support to district users.
The district's Laserfiche system was installed in 2004 with four users to manage
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Left to right: Karen Peterson, Human Resources, Director; Sandy Brennan, Laserfiche Document Specialist; Joyce Anderson from the Human Resource Department and Pam Brown from the Superintendent’s Office look on as Shelly Stahlman from the Human Resources Department enters data during a Laserfiche Document Imaging and Management training session. |
documents including payroll files, litigation files, union contracts, and other human resources documents. To get the system up and running, they scanned thousands of documents over the course of the first year. Documents are now scanned into the system on a daily basis so that it is current and fully functional.
As more people in the district are being exposed to Laserfiche, the enthusiasm for expanding its use is growing. In one instance, an old union contract had to be researched to track the history of a work rule. The district’s system contains contracts dating back to 1919, but Karen quickly found the information by doing a word search. According to Karen: “The Assistant Superintendent was amazed that I could bring the information to him so quickly.” And the system has also been used for research in labor negotiations and arbitrations, where the district’s attorneys have been “blown away” by the system’s functionality and security.
Pam Brown, Records Management Coordinator for the district, has also been very involved with the Laserfiche system. One of Pam’s main responsibilities is ensuring the protection of the district’s documents and overseeing the retention schedules. “Laserfiche has improved the organization of records in the departments that have utilized it so far. Our inactive records are much easier to access in electronic format right at our PCs rather than taking up valuable time going to the records storage area and searching for the information.”
The district has plans to expand its Laserfiche system in the future to include more users with access to other documents, including:
- Architectural drawings of the district’s 10 school buildings and three ancillary buildings, from original construction through current upgrades and construction projects. The district originally applied for a grant to microfilm these drawings, but microfilming was limited. Under the guidance of Pam Brown, General Code scanned 1,800 architectural drawings (to scale) into Laserfiche, enabling buildings and grounds employees to quickly find the information they need. Eventually, Jamestown’s system will include other building project documents which can be connected to the drawings for quick access to all information related to a building or project.
- Biweekly Board of Education packets (averaging between 300 and 400 pages each) will soon be distributed to Board members using Laserfiche Viewer CDs. The district will save hundreds of dollars in copying costs and enjoy security and confidentiality benefits, with no paper packets to get lost, mixed up or stolen.
- Staff development packets for teachers, which are distributed three times each year, will be available through Laserfiche.
- Greater use of Laserfiche WebLink to enable district employees to work from home by accessing Laserfiche from their home computers to view documents.
- Expansion of the system to other departments in the district for documents like students’ permanent record cards, medical information, older transcripts and other Guidance Department documents that are currently stored in vaults.
General Code is delighted to have brought this document management solution to the Jamestown School District, helping the district to realize its benefits throughout its organization. To learn how Laserfiche document imaging software can help your district manage the paper mountain, call General Code’s Education Specialist, Ginny Butler, at 800-836-8834 or e-mail her at
to schedule an appointment.
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