School District 23

• Paper-based processes caused bottlenecks and wasted staff time

• Filing cabinets obstructed physical office space

• Inefficient distribution of information

Technology is an integral part of today’s modern education, both for the students and the administrative staff that supports them. And while staff at School District 23 aimed to provide high-quality services to their students, they lacked the technology to help them deliver on this mission.

“When I first started with the District, technology was not used to any advantage,” said Larry Paul, CFO/Treasurer, School District 23.

Staff were struggling to manage their administrative tasks, having to wade through reams of paperwork to get anything done. Not only was this paperwork time-consuming, but it was also physically obstructing their office space with clutter.

“We had filing systems all over the office,” explained Paul. “There were filing cabinets that were in hallways and blocking doors that needed to be addressed.” The District knew digital transformation in schools had to happen; they just needed the right partner.

• Implemented a scan and capture technology to digitize the District’s files and records

• Deployed Laserfiche content services to securely store and retrieve digital records

• Automated digital workflows that allow administrative staff, teachers, and students to easily share and consume content

Realizing that digital transformation in education was mandatory, the district turned to Ricoh to implement a solution that would digitize their files and records, and bring them up to date with the latest in education-based technology.

After discussing the district’s needs and vision, the Ricoh team upgraded their office with a new print management solution and digitized their microfiche to enable staff to effortlessly search for, find, and share documents. Ricoh’s content services and print management solutions also helped the district get more out of their multifunction machines without unnecessary additional costs.

“While cost is important to us, it’s also important that we select a partner that is part of our team,” said Jon Rever, Assistant Superintendent, of School District 23. “Having a partner that understands and is invested in your strategic direction — and wants to see you be successful — was a critical component in choosing a team like Ricoh.”

Digitizing paper documents with new print management technology equipped teachers, administrators, and students with the ability to digitize their content and avoid the need to print physical documents. The solution also impacted existing systems in classrooms, like smartboards and laptops, and created an environment where digital content could be shared and consumed without relying on physical copies.