When Peter Emmel transitioned from a career in New York City’s financial sector to become Director of Technology for Randolph Township Schools in New Jersey, he brought a deep understanding of cybersecurity and systems thinking. Over the past 12 years, Peter has worked to bring clarity, consistency, and security to a district that serves 4,300 students and employs over 700 staff. But before ClassLink, Randolph’s technology ecosystem was, as Peter puts it, “the wild west.”
Challenge
Staff and students alike struggled with a decentralized digital environment—too many logins, scattered resources, and little visibility into what tools were available. This made training difficult, stifled engagement, and left gaps in data governance. The district needed a better way to streamline access, strengthen security, and make smart decisions about its expanding tech portfolio.
Solution
ClassLink became Randolph’s centralized hub. With LaunchPad, staff and students now had one dashboard for everything—from instructional tools to timesheets. The district enforced the use of Roster Server and DataGuard to ensure compliance and to control what student data vendors received. OneSync automated student account provisioning, a lifesaver given the constant flux in enrollment. ClassLink Analytics+ empowered school leaders to assess tool usage, guide training, and make informed budgeting decisions, revealing, for instance, that one underused app cost the district $20,000 annually.
Results
ClassLink transformed how Randolph manages and uses technology. Staff onboarding improved with immediate access to district-approved tools. Security and governance tightened, with DataGuard allowing the district to restrict unnecessary data sharing. Analytics+ led to smarter software spending and increased visibility into what tools were being used—and by whom. “Roster Server restored my sanity,” Peter joked, noting how it automated updates across more than 20 applications. And with OneSync in place, student accounts are now provisioned with virtually no manual effort. Even training got a boost: with ClassLink Academy, Peter was able to get a colleague up to speed without additional burden on his time. Today, Randolph’s tech environment is no longer chaotic—it’s connected, efficient, and secure.
“I couldn’t imagine going back to where I was after ClassLink because of the amount of work that would be necessary without ClassLink in place!”