About CCNY STEM Institute
When the CCNY STEM Institute at The City College of New York began looking for a learning management system, they weren’t just searching for software—they were searching for a better way to run their fast-growing, dynamic program. For years, they had relied on a combination of Jotform, Google Sheets, and Google Classroom to manage student data, attendance, and course materials. It worked, but only barely.
“We were spending timeless hours trying to pull data together. We got the job done, but it wasn’t efficient,” recalls Jennifer Tiveres, Associate Director of the program.
The STEM Institute is not a typical school. Students join for a semester, skip the next, and often return during the summer. Classes vary in schedule and frequency. Our students come from different boroughs, but almost all instruction takes place at the City College campus. We’ve had a few satellite locations at public schools, but those were all located within Manhattan as well.. This unique model made traditional school management systems a poor fit.
“We’re not a school—we’re a program. Our landscape shifts quickly, so we need the flexibility to move and react,” explains Gareth Williams, who supports partnerships and programming at the Institute.
Searching for Flexibility
When the team began evaluating solutions, they tried larger, well-known systems such as PowerSchool and GradeLink, but quickly realized they were too rigid or overcomplicated for their needs.
“DreamClass hit all the right notes—value, customization, flexibility. It was the easiest to comport to the type of program we are,” Gareth says.
DreamClass allowed them to consolidate everything under one roof, while still giving them the freedom to customize fields, manage unique attendance patterns, and integrate their own data workflows.
Schedule a meeting with our experts to discover how DreamClass can perfectly meet your school’s needs!
A Smooth Transition
Implementation was straightforward. The DreamClass team guided them through setup and onboarding, making it easy to rebuild applications and migrate key data.
“Learning to navigate the system was painless. Whenever we had a quirky situation, we could just create a custom field. It was flexible enough to work for us,” says Gareth.
Everything, in One Place
Now, DreamClass powers the Institute’s daily operations. The staff uses it to handle admissions, attendance, grading, and communication—all in one system.
“Everything happens in DreamClass… it’s a one-stop for everything,” Jennifer shares.
Instructors track attendance, record grades, and communicate with students through DreamClass. Parents can log in to see progress and attendance records, while administrators can quickly identify and reach out to students who need support.
The Institute even built an early alert system within DreamClass. When a student’s grades drop below a threshold, their record is highlighted automatically, triggering an email reminder to seek help.
“We set it up right in the gradebook. It works great for us,” says Gareth.
Building a Culture of Growth
Adopting DreamClass also encouraged a culture of collaboration. Instructors receive training each semester to stay up-to-date with new features, and the program team continuously refines workflows to make the most of the platform.
“We offer professional development to our instructors every term. DreamClass is part of that training because it’s central to how we operate,” Jennifer explains.
The program’s flexibility shines through in its ability to introduce new courses quickly—from robotics to electric skateboard engineering. With DreamClass, they can manage course materials, attendance, and grades with ease, no matter how diverse the curriculum becomes.
Results That Matter
Since adopting DreamClass, the CCNY STEM Institute has achieved:
- Streamlined operations: No more manual data merges across systems.
- Improved collaboration: Shared access to communication logs and records.
- Faster admissions: Automated duplicate detection and cleaner records.
- Flexible grading: Instructors manage gradebooks their way.
- Better insights: Real-time data exports fuel dashboards and reports.
“At this point, DreamClass is the hub of our operations,” Gareth affirms.
A Partnership That Feels Personal
Across time zones, the CCNY STEM Institute describes DreamClass support as responsive and human. Emails are answered promptly, and the team feels heard whenever they suggest new features.
“You’ve been great about saying: this is done, this is coming… and making time to meet,” Gareth shares.
Looking Forward
As the program expands and student numbers grow, the Institute continues to rely on DreamClass to keep everything connected. With ongoing updates and new features, they see the platform as a long-term partner in their mission to deliver accessible, high-quality STEM education.
“We needed customization without slowing down. DreamClass delivered,” Gareth concludes.
If your school is grappling with challenges akin to CCNY STEM Institute, seize the opportunity to enhance efficiency and streamline your school management processes by adopting DreamClass!
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