Complete & Earn Otus Swag!

This month's challenge is all about connecting with your fellow educators! Follow and engage with Otus on social media to discover tips, ideas, and stories from teachers just like you and connect with a growing community of educators using Otus in their classrooms. Complete the tasks below to earn some swag along the way. 💜

How it works:

1️⃣ Complete each task below

2️⃣ Take a screenshot showing it's done

3️⃣ Submit your screenshots HERE by 10/31/2026.

4️⃣ We'll verify and ship your swag! 📦

✅ The Challenge:

1️⃣ Follow Otus on Facebook

• Task: Follow the Otus Facebook page
• Proof: Screenshot showing you're following

2️⃣ Share or Comment on an Otus Post

• Task: Like, comment on, or share a recent Otus Facebook post
• Proof: Screenshot of your comment or share

3️⃣ Tag a Colleague

• Task: Tag a fellow teacher who uses Otus (or should try it!) in a post or comment, and share one thing you love about the platform or one way it's helped you this year. Include @Otus and #OtusInAction.
• Proof: Screenshot of your tag/post

🎉 Submit all 3 via Google Form by 10/31/2026 to claim your Otus swag!

📅 More Challenges Ahead!

This is just the beginning; we'll be running a new challenge every month, so keep an eye out for fresh ways to earn Otus swag throughout the year. Have questions about this challenge or anything else? Reach out anytime using the Otus chat feature. We're happy to help! 💬

🪄 From Vision to Practice

Every district that builds a Portrait of a Learner starts in the same place: a room full of educators agreeing that skills like Communication, Collaboration, and Critical Thinking matter. Putting that vision on paper is the easy part. The hard part is building it into the everyday tools and routines teachers already use, so students develop these skills in real classrooms, not just in strategic plans. Here's what separates the districts where it sticks from the ones where it fades.

Specificity Is Your Best Friend

A district-wide competency only becomes useful once it's defined at the classroom level; otherwise, it stays a nice idea nobody can act on. What does "critical thinking" really look like in a 3rd grade classroom versus an AP Physics one? Districts that make progress here nail down grade-specific, subject-specific definitions before they try to build anything on top. Vague competencies stay aspirational. Specific ones become something you can clearly teach toward and assess.

Speak the Same Language

Once your competencies are defined, the real test is whether they hold up in practice. Build a shared rubric using those grade-specific standards, then put it to work: have two or three teachers score the same piece of student work against it, and talk through where their scores diverge. That conversation is what keeps a whole district speaking the same language across the board.

Don't Reinvent the Wheel: Add to It

The districts that make Portrait of a Learner work for them share a pattern: they connect it to systems teachers already touch every day, like grading, MTSS, and PLC time, instead of running it as a separate initiative. They build real evidence through reflections, work samples, and rubric-based feedback that students and families can see. In Otus, that means Portrait of a Learner competencies tracked right in the Standards Gradebook, a Skills-Based Portfolio that keeps evidence in one place, and a recurring Plan that follows students year to year so nobody starts from scratch every fall.

Built to Last, Not Just to Launch

A Portrait of a Learner is long-term work, and without a practical system behind it, even the strongest vision can lose steam once the launch-year energy wears off. Evidence gets scattered, momentum fades, and the Portrait quietly slides back into being an aspirational goal. Establish shared routines for student reflection, clear processes for collecting and storing evidence, and regular time for teams to revisit the competencies together. That's how a Portrait of a Learner stops being a one-time thought and becomes something every admin, teacher, family member, and student can recognize and count on!

🏆 Inc. 5000 Recognition

We're thrilled to share that Otus has once again been named one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, earning a spot on Inc. Magazine's 2026 Inc. 5000 list. This marks the fourth time Otus has received this recognition, a milestone that reflects the trust educators and districts continue to place in Otus as their assessment and grading partner. Growth like this is a direct result of the incredible community of teachers, admins, and schools who use Otus to make learning more meaningful. Thank you for being part of this journey with us!

📰 Otus Featured in The 74

Otus made an appearance in The 74, a national outlet covering education news and policy. In a piece written by Dr. Terra Greenwell, the article explores how schools are using "Portrait of a Graduate" frameworks to move beyond isolated test scores and toward a fuller picture of student growth, with consistent tracking of progress over time resulting in learning that truly matters.

🛠️ Upcoming Regional Workshop

Otus is hitting the road again! We're heading to Westfield, NJ for a hands-on regional workshop where educators can see the platform in action, ask questions, and connect with the Otus team in person. Whether you're brand new to Otus or looking to get more out of features you're already using, these regional workshops offer a smaller, more personal setting to pick up tips and tricks straight from our team. Spots tend to fill up fast, so grab the details and save your seat for Monday, October 12th!

⭐️ NEW Family Experience

Families now have access to a redesigned, mobile-first experience that makes it easier than ever to stay connected to their student’s learning and progress.

What’s new for families:

📱 Easy access from any device: Families can view grades, assignments, and academic progress from their mobile browser no app download required. Just visit my.otus.com.

📊 A clear view of what’s happening: The Student Dashboard gives families an at-a-glance look at upcoming and missing work.

🎯 Deeper insight into learning: Families can explore Assessments and Standards to view scores, completion status, and progress toward academic standards across classes.

👨‍👩‍👧 Simple student switching: Families with multiple students in Otus can easily switch between student profiles.

🔄 Flexible transition: Families can opt into the new experience when they’re ready and switch back anytime if they still need access to a feature.

👏 Enhancements

Advanced Assessment Builder: Question Type Reordering

When building an Advanced assessment, the 7 Desmos math item types have been moved to the bottom of the question type list in the Author tool, so the most commonly used question types now appear first without needing to scroll past math options.

Rubric: Grading Improvements

When grading a point-based Rubric assignment on the Class Grading page, drop-downs have been replaced with point-input fields, allowing educators to enter any value between the minimum and maximum points configured for the assessment.

📚 Answers Right at Your Fingertips

The Otus Help Center is your go-to resource for any step-by-step guides, tips, and answers to common questions, all handcrafted by the Otus team. Each article is thoughtfully created to help you make the most of your Otus experience!

💬 In-App Chat Tool

The Otus in-app chat feature offers real-time support right within Otus. Whether you have a quick question or need more detailed assistance, we’re here to help. Just click the chat icon in the bottom corner and answer a few quick prompts to get started!

Whether you're color-coding your lesson plans, decorating your classroom for the tenth time, or just trying to remember where you left your good stapler, we see you! Back-to-school is equal parts chaos and magic, and we're so excited to have you kicking it off with Otus. Grab a coffee ☕ and check these out!

📋 Your Back-to-School Prep Checklist

✅ 📖 Master Your First 30 Days!

Everything you need to know to get your Otus account classroom-ready from day one!

✅📝 Free Assessment Library

Skip the from-scratch grind! Browse pre-built, teacher-created assessments and templates ready to drop into your classes.

✅🤝 Connect With Your Students

Strong teacher-student relationships are built through consistent, intentional communication. Use these Otus tools to stay connected, celebrate growth, and spark meaningful conversations.

🗺️ Your Otus Resource Map

Use this map to quickly find the right resource for whatever you need, whether you’re looking to learn something new, troubleshoot, or connect with others!

💜 You've got this, and we've got you!

We're here for you all year long, not just at the start. If you ever get stuck or have a quick question, just click the chat bubble in the bottom corner of your Otus screen to reach our support team in real time. Here's to growing minds and the difference you're about to make this school year!

Complete the Challenge, Earn Swag! 🚀

Complete all 5 tasks below, share your proof, and we'll send you some Otus swag as a thank-you for setting yourself up for success. 🏆

How it works:

1️⃣ Complete each task below

2️⃣ Take a screenshot showing it's done

3️⃣ Submit screenshots via Google Form by 9/30/26

4️⃣ We'll verify and ship your swag! 📦

✅ The Challenge:

1️⃣ Confirm Your Classes

• Task: Verify all your classes for the new year are showing correctly.
• Proof: Screenshot of your class list.

2️⃣ Check Grade Levels

• Task: Check that your classes have a grade level assigned to them.
• Proof: Screenshot of one class with the correct grade level selected.

📖 Need help? Check out this article.

3️⃣ Organize Assessments

• Task: Create a folder (or folders) to organize your assessments for the new year.
• Proof: Screenshot of your assessments organized into folders.

📖Need Help? Check out this article.

4️⃣ Personalize User Profile

• Task: Click the profile icon in the bottom left corner of your screen and select Edit Profile. Add or change your profile picture, and edit your name and phone number.
• Proof: Screenshot of your updated profile.

📖Need Help? Check out this article.

5️⃣ Explore What's New

• Task: Bookmark the Otus Help Center for quick reference this year.
• Proof: Screenshot showing the Help Center page open.

🎉 Submit all 5 via the Google Form by 9/30/26 to claim your Otus swag!

📅 More Challenges Ahead!

This is just the beginning; we'll be running a new challenge every month, so keep an eye out for fresh ways to earn Otus swag throughout the year. Have questions about this challenge or anything else? Reach out anytime using the Otus chat feature. We're happy to help! 💬

New Feature Highlights!

New Family Experience

We're rolling out the NEW Family Experience, a redesigned, mobile-friendly hub for parents and guardians to stay connected to their child's learning. Families can log in at my.otus.com to view a Student Dashboard with an instant snapshot of academic progress, then explore Classes, Assessments, and Standards for more detailed grades, scores, and completion status. No app download is required, and the experience works on any device. As teachers and admins may field questions from families adjusting to the new layout, it's helpful to be familiar with what they'll see, including multi-student profile switching for families with more than one child at your school.

Advanced Assessment: Builder Redesign

We've redesigned the Advanced Assessments Builder for a smoother, more streamlined experience. The updated look gives you a clearer, more comfortable space to build your items. In the Manage Standards modal, you'll now see the complete breadcrumb path for each standard, making it easier to confirm you've selected the right one. The Mastery Item Bank filter also has a revamped layout for a more streamlined search experience. Plus, you can now link and unlink standards directly from the bottom half of the page while adding or editing items, keeping everything you need in one place.

Catch Up on Our Top Otus Lives!

• Overview of Historical Analytics
• Create Recognitions to Track Student Behavior
• Create & Schedule a Blog Post
• Using Respondus Lockdown Browser
• The Notification Feed and To-Do List (Teachers)

What's New in the Otus Community?

Register for Regional Workshops:

• Fountain Fort Carson, CO - August 6th
• Alamosa, CO - August 11th
• Westfield, NJ - October 12th

ISTE

ISTE was a huge success this year! Thank you to everyone who worked the booth and supported us off-site. We met almost 1,000 people.

Big Wins and Headlines!

We were named winners in both Primary & Secondary Education categories of the Tech & Learning Best of Show! The evaluation criteria included ease of use, overall value, market uniqueness, and clear evidence that the product streamlines teachers' workflows and supports student achievement.

New Feature Highlights!

Insights AI - 3rd Party Analytics Integration

• Otus Insights now supports 3rd Party data, allowing educators to instantly analyze external data sources without having to build reports in advance. Users can ask the Insights AI Assistant questions about any uploaded 3rd-Party data, and the AI evaluates data across the entire platform to identify trends and fuel more impactful decision-making.

Archiving Individual Custom Standards

• Main Admins can now archive individual custom standards within the Control Center, removing them from the active standards browser while preserving all historical student data and visualizations. This keeps your standards list clean and current without losing any data tied to those standards.

Display Student Attributes in Plans Header

• Admins can now select student attributes that appear in the Plans header, giving educators instant access to the information that matters most. Choose from Site(s), Grade Level, SIS ID, State ID, Student Number, Email, Ethnicity/Race, and Gender. Surfacing the right details upfront means less clicking around and more time focused on supporting students.

Catch Up on Our Top 5 Otus Lives!

• Rubrics: Performance-Based Grading
• AI Insights: Assessment Analytics
• Standards Analytics: Student Mastery in Otus
• Plans: Track Student Goals
• Reports: Build a Query

What's New in the Otus Community?

Register for Regional Workshops:

• Fountain Fort Carson, CO - August 6th
• Alamosa, CO - August 11th (coming soon)
• Westfield, NJ - October 12th (coming soon)

The 2026 Otus Excellence Awards recipients have been announced!

Big Wins and Headlines!

We are excited to share that Otus is a CODiE finalist in the following categories. Winners are announced next month, so stay tuned!

• Best Evidence Management Solution (AI Insights)
• Best Productivity & Workflow Tool for Teachers
• Best Suite of Connected/Integrated Solutions (AI Insights)
• Best Student Learning Capacity-Building Solution (for Otus + MindPrint)

🏆 We are thrilled to announce the 2026 Otus Excellence Awards Winners!

These awards recognize and celebrate educators and districts in the Otus community, spotlighting their impact on student learning and growth through innovation, engagement, and data-driven practices.

🤩 Notable Highlights

• Kaitlin Fields: State ILEARN proficiency increased from 20% to 36.8% in two years
• Qadir Abdus-Salam: Learned the platform himself before bringing knowledge to his teachers; SAT math outcomes improved
• Olivia Foster: Fluency rates increased from 46% to 78% in six weeks
• Kayla Elam: Led workshops and built the entire ELA team's CFA data process
• Pamela Crawford: Nominated independently by three different people

Congratulations to our 2026 Otus Excellence Award recipients! Thank you for the incredible impact you make each day in support of your staff, students, and families. We are honored to partner with educators who are deeply committed to student success and innovation. Your dedication inspires us, and we look forward to celebrating all that you will continue to accomplish and the meaningful impact you will make in the years ahead! 🚀

🎙️ Otus Shines on the Pod!

Otus President and Co-Founder Chris Hull sat down with the Learning Can't Wait Podcast to talk about what it really takes to put students at the center of every decision. Highlights from the conversation:

• Why student support should start with the story already in view
• How the right data helps schools answer the question behind the question
• The role AI can play and where educators will always be irreplaceable

"When a student has an aha moment, there is no better fuel in any profession. It is honestly breathtaking."
​Chris Hull, President & Co-Founder of Otus

✨ Real Results: Otus + Discovery Ed

Otus and Discovery Education have teamed up in West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District (NJ)! Through this partnership, WWP educators now have:

• All student data, including DreamBox Math insights, in one place
• Stronger PLC collaboration with targeted grouping and intervention tools
• A complete student plan with goals visible to families and staff

"The addition of Otus improves our educators' ability to easily pull and analyze achievement data and then adjust instruction to improve student outcomes."
​Allan Johnson, Supervisor of Technology, Training, & Media Sources, WWP

We love seeing districts put their data to work in such a meaningful way. This is exactly why we do what we do at Otus - helping educators spend less time searching for answers and more time changing outcomes for kids. We can't wait to see what's next! 🙌