What’s your why?
My middle sister has Asperger’s syndrome. I watched the issues and struggles my mom had as my sister went through the education system. It isn’t that there is anything wrong with the education system exactly, but classrooms are pushed to the limit in terms of resources so communication between parents and teachers is often challenging.
Right now, many parents use a notebook system where the child carries a notebook in their backpack, and the parents and teachers can communicate about the child’s day and needs. Other parents rely on email.
It seemed to me that there could be better and easier ways of communicating that would benefit the students, the teachers, the parents and the whole system.
What’s the problem you are solving?
I am in the process of developing SUNSHINE, an online platform that parents and educators can log in to on the web or through an app in order to share information that tracks a student’s behaviour, moods, health issues, medical events, etc. I also see it as a way to better incorporate psychological and educational strategies with therapists and experts providing resources so that both the school and home can use the same strategies for managing a student’s challenges. Instant updating of information will allow teachers to be able to react, adjusting their education plans, and parents to know what is happening in their child’s day. I believe this system will streamline the process rather than adding a layer of administration.
Right now, I’m one step past the idea stage and am in the process of developing a prototype platform. I plan to have it ready by the end of the summer so that I can bring it to teachers and parents to see whether this is something that will meet their needs and something they can use.
I’m also working this summer on issues such as registering my business and pricing. My hope is that this will be a platform that school boards will purchase to streamline communication between schools and families.
What keeps you up at night?
What I really need at this point is a team member to share the workload of this project — someone who is better versed in terms of technology but who also shares my passion for this issue. It would be ideal to work with someone who is on the autism spectrum!
Right now, I’m not concerned about funding, although eventually I’d like to have funds to hire software developers to work out the back-end development of this product.
- by Susan Fish