Canton Public Schools Builds a Connected Data Hub with PowerSchool SIS

Massachusetts’ Canton Public Schools wanted one reliable platform to manage student information. Previously, fragmented systems required teachers to log in and out of multiple applications just to take attendance, record grades, or check student progress. It was slow and frustrating—and families couldn’t easily stay up to date. 

“We were using systems that didn’t really play in the sandbox together,” says Josh Fogel, Director of Technology and Data Analytics, Canton Public Schools. We wanted everything under one roof so staff could save time and parents could have instant access to the right information,” Fogel says.  

The challenge: too many systems, too little efficiency 

Canton relied on several disconnected platforms for attendance, grading, and special education management. Each system handled a single task, forcing teachers to jump between programs and call technical staff for reports. 

These inefficiencies slowed down data entry, created reporting errors, and left families waiting for updates.

The district needed one system that could act as a central hub for all student and staff information—a solution that would also align with its strategic goal of becoming a true “educational hub” for every stakeholder. 

Why PowerSchool

After evaluating options, Canton chose PowerSchool SIS as its student information system for its connected ecosystem, ease of customization, and forward-looking roadmap. The district also implemented PowerSchool Special Programs, PowerSchool MTSS, and PowerSchool Student Analytics, part of the Analytics & Insights platform. 

“You go to one spot and you have these arteries or streams that can go to any corner of student or staff information,” Fogel explains. “That central hub was incredibly attractive for us. Because PowerSchool products are all braided together, it was a very enticing set of tools for us to pursue.” 

He also credits PowerSchool’s strong vision for future enhancements, including AI-driven insights and flexible customization options that adapt to each district’s workflow. 

“PowerSchool’s future plans are coming to life, and we’re starting to see the benefits of those updates in real time,” he says. “We found that their vision for educational users was strong, they enhance software by maximizing tools with the integration of AI, and they can customize certain aspects of the SIS so that it meets our specific needs.” 

The promise of connecting families, teachers, and administrators through one platform sealed the decision. 

Implementation: collaboration and strong support

Canton’s transition to PowerSchool SIS was a major project that was streamlined through a collaborative effort between the district and PowerSchool’s implementation and support teams. “It was a very big endeavor,” Fogel says, “but our staff, teachers, and community worked together to make it happen.” 

He oversaw the entire rollout and training process, coordinating with PowerSchool specialists and internal teams. While the learning curve was steep, responsive support made the difference. “When we had questions, we knew exactly who to go to and how long it would take to get a response,” he says. “The support team was swift and incredibly helpful.” 

Canton’s implementation specialists often went “above and beyond,” translating old processes into the PowerSchool approach and helping staff build confidence with new tools.
Teacher leaders, named “The Avengers” by Fogel, trained colleagues across schools, tailoring workflows to fit the “Canton way.” 

The impact: time savings, insight, and family connection

With PowerSchool now serving as the district’s single source of truth for student information, staff no longer rely on technical teams for data pulls. Teachers can view and customize real-time information on attendance, grades, and interventions, all in one dashboard. 

They were able to tailor PowerSchool SIS based on teacher feedback. In addition to gradebook customizations that improved functionality, teachers were able to customize simple things like running a mailing label report to mail “welcome back” letters to students’ homes.  

Teachers have also expressed appreciation for the ease in taking and modifying attendance and attendance tracking, the grading system, and student alerts that allow teachers to quickly click into student plans to see information associated with the alert.  

Teachers can now see more visually represented successes in their students’ achievement, including the ability to see attendance concerns that allow them to build lists for targeted reach-out efforts.   

The one-stop shop functionality of PowerSchool products has also reaped time savings. Fogel provides the following example: “You can go into one spot and see a pie chart with achievement scores, and in the same screen, we can see IEP plans while also seeing and taking student attendance. With so many demands on our staff’s time, it’s good to just go to one spot.”  

Those reclaimed minutes are being redirected to instruction, communication, and support. 

Parent and student engagement has also grown thanks to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and mobile app. Families receive instant updates on grades, assignments, and attendance, and can contact teachers directly from the portal. 

“School-to-home communication is now instant,” Fogel says. “Families can get up-to-date information right away and have a swift way to communicate with the teacher. Our families can log in any time to see report cards, bus passes, or assessment results. That saves hours for our main office staff.” 

Staff surveys show widespread satisfaction with PowerSchool’s features: 

• Attendance tracking—“quick, easy, and efficient.” 
• Student alerts—a “fan favorite” that helps teachers respond faster 
• PowerTeacher Pro gradebook—praised for ease in taking attendance and grading capabilities 

Next up: deeper insights and MTSS expansion 

Having stabilized its SIS foundation, Canton is now extending its ecosystem with Student Analytics, which allows them to “harvest data quickly” from PowerSchool SIS to support MTSS student plans and interventions. 

“Teachers feel comfortable with PowerSchool now,” Fogel explains. “The next step is using Student Analytics to measure academics, attendance, and Title I interventions so teams can track progress and effectiveness.” 

 The district also plans to launch family surveys to gauge parent-portal satisfaction and continue refining its “educational hub” vision with data-driven decisions that improve student outcomes. 

The results: a cohesive ecosystem 

Today, PowerSchool provides Canton with a cohesive, customizable, and secure system that saves time, empowers teachers, and keeps families informed. 

“The ecosystem has everything in one spot,” Fogel summarizes. “It’s outstanding for our staff who already have so many demands—and the PowerSchool community itself has been incredible.” 

Through peer collaboration, responsive support, and continuous innovation, Canton is building not just a data system, but a community of educators empowered by information.