Building Careers, Boosting Classrooms: How Elmwood Park Maximized Time with ClassLink

Elmwood Park Public Schools serves nearly 2,700 students across five schools in Bergen County, New Jersey. With a diverse student body speaking multiple home languages, the district is committed to providing an equitable, technology-rich learning environment.

With 20 years of experience in educational technology, Director of Technology Yanal Saleh, has seen firsthand how inefficient systems can burden teachers and administrators. Before ClassLink, onboarding students and staff was a labor-intensive ordeal. With over 73 educational tools in use, every new student had to be manually added to Google Workspace, Active Directory, and each individual platform. This process could take up to two weeks, delaying access to critical learning tools. The sheer volume of logins also created security risks, as staff and students resorted to weak or repeated passwords. Meanwhile, as cybersecurity threats escalated, the district struggled to make sense of complex technical standards. Instead of focusing on instruction, too much time was spent troubleshooting technology.

ClassLink transformed the district’s approach to technology. Analytics and Analytics+ provided decision makers real-time insights into software usage, enabling data-driven budget decisions. LaunchPad eliminated password confusion, allowing students and teachers to log in once and instantly access their digital tools. Roster Server automated class rostering, reducing onboarding time from weeks to a single overnight sync. OneSync ensured that user accounts were created and managed automatically, improving security and efficiency.

By shifting away from manual processes, Elmwood Park Public Schools reinvested in what mattered most: supporting educators and students. The district launched a tech coach program, with teachers in each school mentoring colleagues on integrating digital tools into instruction. A monthly newsletter now highlights best practices and celebrates teachers using technology in innovative ways. The district’s instructional technology specialist spends more time in classrooms, helping design modern, engaging learning experiences. Technicians, once bogged down by account management, now focus on fixing Chromebooks and resolving tech issues faster.  Perhaps most exciting, Elmwood Park introduced a student internship program, allowing students to work alongside technicians and gain hands-on experience in IT.