First of all, you want the iPad to help your workflow – not add to it! Limit the number of apps containing information. Make use of the Calendar to help keep yourself in check.  Email yourself lists as needed.

This is my favorite app – dropbox.

Dropbox is like an invisible thumb drive – or a traveling shared drive! You can file any document into dropbox and pull it up on any computer or portable device.  Items can be filed in folders and you may share folders with selected individuals.

As an administrator, you can use this in a variety of ways:

• Set up folders to share with teachers. Exchange and share files.
• Set up a personal folder for home/family.
• Set up a folder to share with other schools. Insert files about the school, etc. that you might normally share via email.
• Set up a folder for forms.  Pull the forms up in PDF Expert or Docusign Ink to use for classroom observations.

Instapaper – Want to read an article but don’t have time? Save the article to Instapaper. You may read it any time, off line. I like to save articles and read them when traveling.

If you subscribe to Eduweek or a similar resource, save the articles to Instragram for when you have time to read them!

Evernote:  This is like a file cabinet. It will accept text (emailed, pasted, or typed in), photos, and attachments. You can tag items and they are all searchable. Evernote can read text (including handwriting) inside photographs!

Idea:  Create folders.  Set up the folders to match the school-wide learning results:

• Critical Thinker
• Organized
• Understanding of Biblical Truth
• Good Communicator
• Academically Prepared
• Ready to Defend His/Her Faith

As you see evidence that matches the ESLRs, take a photo with your iPad, attach the file, etc. You may be in a teacher classroom and see evidence…take a picture!

Penultimate is a fun tool put out by the makers of Evernote.

I enjoy using Penultimate for taking notes during meetings. You can keep notes in “books” and share pages or entire books.  For a quick observation tool, you can take notes and send the note quickly via email.  You can also insert pictures, then annotate the pictures.

Flipboard…

What does Flipboard have to do with administration?  Flipboard allows you to read all your social media content as a “magazine” format. My advice…sign up for Twitter. Begin following principals that are well known. You may find many excellent administrators who write blog posts at Connected Principals . Make sure Twitter is linked up with your Flipboard account and you will be able to read their blog posts in a magazine format.

Docusign is a tool that allows you to add your signature on any document. Not only can you add your signature, but you can also add text and date.  It is free. You can store observation forms in dropbox, pull them up in docusign, fill in the observation form, sign it, and email it to yourself to save onto the school computer or email a copy to the teacher.  Plus, have you ever been asked to sign something and fax it back quickly? Do it quickly with your docusign esignature.

Common Core Standards…

View the Common Core State Standards in one convenient FREE app! A great reference for students, parents, and teachers to easily read and understand the core standards. Quickly find standards by subject, grade, and subject category (domain/cluster). This app includes Math standards K-12 and Language Arts standards K-12.

GoDocs for Google Docs/Google Drive. Do you save items in Google Docs? Access your google drive easily with GoDocs!

Those are my favorite go-to apps for administrators. I am sure there are many more. If you have a favorite app for an administrator, please share it!  Pam