Adlai E. Stevenson High School Modernizes Orientation with DocuSign eSignature

With a student body of over 4,000 people, Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois is no ordinary school—it’s so massive that it represents its own district. But the school’s leaders take pride in making the large institution feel tight-knit and well-connected, arming every student with an iPad to ensure they’re able to communicate and complete coursework. 

Despite its modern approach to learning, however, the size of its student population complicated even the most basic administrative processes, such as new student orientation. Since its founding in 1965, Stevenson has hosted orientation days where new students learn more about what they can expect at Stevenson. As part of the process, students received a guidebook, and were asked to sign a document acknowledging that they have read and agreed to the policies outlined in it. 

But with roughly 1,000 students attending orientation, this process was inefficient, resulting in long lines, wait times and delays of other orientation activities. Staff members would have to generate a document for every student and then organize information into alphabetical folders, which proved to be tedious and time-consuming. 

To improve and accelerate the experience for students and staff, the school implemented DocuSign eSignature. Now, students are able to sign the guidebook digitally and ahead of orientation, freeing up their in-person time at the event to get familiar with the school.

With DocuSign eSignature, there’s more time to cultivate student relationships

Rather than having students waste time at orientation, the school now takes a digital approach to its handbook distribution and signature process, thanks to DocuSign eSignature. Since orientation takes place in mid-August, Doug Kahler, director of Information Services at Adlai E. Stevenson, sends an email to students at the beginning of the month sharing the guidebook and asking them to acknowledge that they’ve read it. Because the process is digitized, students no longer have to manually sign and return this document—they can do so from anywhere, at any time. And, DocuSign eSignature holds students accountable by sending them reminders until they complete their signature.

“Students used to spend 15 minutes on signing the document,” Kahler said. “Now, that is reduced to a minute or two.”

Eliminating this paper process at orientation facilitates a stress-free environment and enables staff to give students the attention they need, Kahler said. It’s part of Stevenson’s larger goal to connect with every student on a personal level.

As a result, the impact of DocuSign eSignature reaches far beyond the technology. Instead of collecting signatures, staff can focus on engaging students and making them feel welcome. These types of connections and personal interactions between students and faculty are especially valuable at a school as large as Stevenson.

Expanding eSignature use to transform document submission

Building on the successful implementation of eSignature for the student guidebook, the school also now uses the technology to complete parent consent forms for special education. Before DocuSign eSignature, parents had to sign and mail in a paper form before attending school meetings. Now, the entire process is completed digitally.

Kahler said he and his staff are also looking to implement DocuSign eSignature to modernize the acceptable use guidelines that all staff members must read and sign. 

“We're really trying to find any way to leverage DocuSign eSignature to assist with document submission and signatures,” he said. 

In a school as big as Stevenson, there’s always a need to increase efficiency, and DocuSign eSignature is enabling just that.