An app for homeschool planning
uv is required.
Node.js is required.
brew install nodejsInstall JS packages to get Tailwind CSS.
npm --prefix frontend iBootstrap the local database.
$ uv run manage.py migrateCreate a superuser account.
$ uv run manage.py createsuperuserStart the local web server.
$ makeAnalyzing image contents:
alias dive="docker run -ti --rm -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock wagoodman/dive"
dive klakegg/hugo:0.101.0
If for some reason I need to work with uv inside the container, there are some settings needed to get around the fact that image doesn't install packages in a place writeable by the app user.
Here's an example:
UV_PROJECT_ENVIRONMENT=/tmp/uv-venv uv add -n --dev 'types-toml==0.10.8.20240310'
- Add ssh keys.
- Turn off passworth auth
/etc/ssh/sshd_config
PasswordAuthentication no
systemctl restart ssh
- Firewall stuff.
ufw allow OpenSSH
ufw default deny incoming
ufw enable
This is my analysis of the market to assess the features and positioning of what is available.
Research plan: Sign up for a service trial to test out the account. Share findings on forums to solicit feedback.
Measurement criteria:
- Price
- Features
- Quality
Well Trained Mind reference analysis
| Product | Business Model | Price | Reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| CM Organizer | Freemium | $7.95 / month | 2/1/21 |
| Google Classroom | Free | $0 | 3/12/21 |
| Homeschool Manager | Subscription | $5.99 / month | 3/13/21 |
| Homeschool Minder | Subscription | $4.99 / month | 5/3/21 |
| Homeschool Planet | Subscription | $7.95 / month | 5/20/21 |
"Synchronize your home, school, and work into a single place"
- Landing page
- Email list capture
- Pricing
- 30 day trial
- $69.95 / year
- $7.95 / month
- Social Media
- Heavy activity on Facebook (at least daily)
- YouTube to host help docs
- Blog (infrequent posts - handful per year, guest posts)
- Marketplace
- Other vendors provide lesson plans
- Features
- Daily digest email
- Text messaging
- Widgets with the calendar
- Assignment == School Desk Task
- Grades have different types and calculations
- Tracks attendance
- Tracks resources
- Profiles (pictures, emails for sending digests, phone number for text messages)
- Lookup widget (embedded search of other services)
- Testimonials
- User reviews (but they are old! 2017!)
- Featured reviews (appear "fresh" from 2019, but are recycled old reviews), seems shady
- Lots of undated testimonials (current user reviews?)
Forum topics:
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/701712-best-family-calendarorganizer-app/ compat with Google Calendar
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/683608-6th-grade-2019-2020/ winner in comparison
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/574023-need-to-simplify-school/ student access
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/670110-reviews-on-open-tent-academy-writing-classes/ mentioned putting in schedule
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/658388-were-starting-to-hate-math-mammoth/ lesson plan
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/539500-onenote-vs-homeschool-planet/ gushing for planet
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/558061-homeschool-planet-users-help-a-newbie-out/ support question
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/540597-homeschool-tracker-online-vs-homeschool-planet/ beating homeschool tracker
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/481657-homeschool-planet-anyone-trying-it/ beta review 2013
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/684121-homeschool-planet-coupon-code/ looking for coupon code
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/618353-homeschool-planner-and-how-do-you-plan/ product plug
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/666654-mid-year-shakeup/ trialing
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/521718-digital-planner-for-looping-schedule/ looping schedule question w/ no response
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/540799-which-online-planner-will-let-me-bump-two-ways/ bump work to another day
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/681351-educents-shutting-down-changing-direction/ comparison
https://homeschoolreporting.com/
Forum topics:
Nothing found.
http://www.homeschoolskedtrack.com/HomeSchool/displayLogin.do
Forum topics:
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/109604-anyone-use-homeschool-skedtrack/ discussion of site
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/521718-digital-planner-for-looping-schedule/ looping questions
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/540598-lets-share-how-we-set-up-onenote/ onenote replacing skedtrack
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/265754-gradingrecord-keepingtranscripts/ looking for tools 2011
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/109114-free-curriculum-list/ curriculum list 2009
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/337281-if-you-have-a-long-loop-schedule-for-your-homeschool-can-you-share/ looping schedule topic
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/397457-scholaric-or-homeschool-tracker-plus/ tool comparison
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/401214-which-homeschool-planners-allow-you-to-print-like-this/ printing schedules
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/338659-if-youve-done-both-mfw-and-hod/ preparing schedules
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/586966-how-do-you-schedule-your-180-days/ planning many days in advance
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/449025-is-there-has-planner-app/?tab=comments looking for ipad app
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/665813-opinions-on-memoria-press-core-curriculum/ product plug
https://www.homeschooltracker.com/
Forum topics:
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/383203-edu-track-vs-homeschool-tracker/ vs EduTrack 2012
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/23954-homeschool-tracker-questions/ HST vs HST+ 2008
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/540597-homeschool-tracker-online-vs-homeschool-planet/ vs planet 2015
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/254395-record-keeping-homeschool-tracker-and-ipad/ ipad
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/54161-homeschool-tracker-question/ questions about product 2008
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/397457-scholaric-or-homeschool-tracker-plus/ vs Scholaric 2012
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/186110-whats-a-good-homeschool-planner/ product plug 2010
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/5826-do-you-find-lesson-planning-software-useful-any-for-mac-users-other-suggestions/ product plug
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/265754-gradingrecord-keepingtranscripts/ product plug
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/401214-which-homeschool-planners-allow-you-to-print-like-this/ print question
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/649011-do-you-lesson-plan/ product plug
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/249069-transcript-for-7th-and-8th-grade/ passing reference
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/109114-free-curriculum-list/ product plug 2009
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/683608-6th-grade-2019-2020/ tried but planet won 2019
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/637551-is-classical-conversations-a-cultor-productor/ for transcripts 2017
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/8909-how-much-is-too-much-or-not-enough/ product plug 2008
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/129844-homeschool-tracker-question/?tab=comments#comment-1222284 question about product
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/203459-terribly-embarrassed-herewhyhow-do-you-create-lesson-plans/ product plug
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/222511-ambleside-online/ for printing
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/341507-wondering-about-tearing-up-workbooks-vs-leaving-them-whole/ product plug
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/111220-baffled-by-michael-clay-thompson-la/ lesson plans
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/100480-ambleside-online-users/ product plug
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/84644-need-ideas-for-tracking/?tab=comments#comment-828678 product plug
https://homeschoolingrecords.com/default.aspx
Forum topics:
Nothing found.
Forum topics:
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/618353-homeschool-planner-and-how-do-you-plan/ former user 2016
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/688779-how-do-i-make-a-custom-planner/?tab=comments#comment-8402441 asked about usage
Forum topics:
Nothing found.
https://www.scholaric.com/marketing
Forum topics:
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/397457-scholaric-or-homeschool-tracker-plus/ vs HST+ 2012
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/423847-scholaric-review-and-giveaway/ product plug 2012
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/675595-grading-software/ product plug grading software 2018
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/540799-which-online-planner-will-let-me-bump-two-ways/ product plug 2015
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/401214-which-homeschool-planners-allow-you-to-print-like-this/ for printing 2012
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/297229-scholaric-vs-skedtrack-for-planning/?tab=comments#comment-2986890 vs skedtrack 2011
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/481657-homeschool-planet-anyone-trying-it/ vs planet 2013
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/521718-digital-planner-for-looping-schedule/ looping question
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/640723-do-you-use-a-planner-of-some-sort/ planner question 2017
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/618353-homeschool-planner-and-how-do-you-plan/ product comparison 2016
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/624024-record-keeping-for-relaxed-homeschooling-with-larger-families/ large family 2016
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/611151-truthquest-vs-veritas-press-self-paced-history/ product plug 2016
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/477446-little-known-secret-curric-to-try/ product plug 2013
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/358659-ipads-for-homeschooling/ product plug 2012
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/343523-well-my-paces-curriculum-came-today/ product plug 2012
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/449025-is-there-has-planner-app/?tab=comments ipad 2012
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/376514-curious-about-winter-promise/ product plug 2012
https://shop.wellplannedgal.com/index.php/shop/well-planned-day-online.html
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/393417-ultimate-homeschool-planner-vs-well-planned-day/ product comparison 2012
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/195695-anyone-try-the-well-planned-day-planners/ paper? 2010
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/186110-whats-a-good-homeschool-planner/ product comparison 2010
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/618353-homeschool-planner-and-how-do-you-plan/ product comparison 2016
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/481657-homeschool-planet-anyone-trying-it/ vs planet 2013
- https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/415058-ipad-users-homeschool-helper-app/ ipad 2012
Things to try:
- Google Adwords keyword planner
- followerwonk.com
- Topsy Analytics to check social mentions?
- Ahrefs Site Explorer to see referral traffic for other sites
- BuzzSumo for Twitter analysis
- Homeschool magazines? Is that a thing?
- Amazon reviews of homeschool stuff
- Reddit has a homeschool subreddit
- Popular homeschool blogs to contact?
- Homeschool podcasts?
- Monthly webinars?
- Dunning - Don't make customer sign in to update card info
- Dunning - Don't email until the card has actually failed (wait until 3rd reattempt or 5 days)
- Dunning - Email multiple times. It's ok. People miss stuff.
- Churn Buster if crazy popular by some remote chance
- Make Annual <-> Monthly up/downgrade not hard
This is an exercise to build a reasonable persona of the ideal customer for School Desk as suggested in SaaS Marketing Essentials.
Hannah Homeschooler:
- Hannah is a 30 - 45 year old woman.
- She is educated and a self-starter (fiercely independent).
- Hannah has two children.
- Hannah lives in a suburban area or small to mid-size city.
- Her time is constrained while balancing home obligations with child education.
- Hannah has a fondness for paper for keeping records. Before finding School Desk, she was starting to hit the limits of her process and was looking for a way to save time.
- Hannah wants full control of what she teaches her children, but would like some tools that can take out the drudgery of building weekly schedules for school.
- After using School Desk, Hannah benefits from the automatically generated schedules that show her material in a timeframe that fits the constraints that she specified to School Desk.
- School Desk makes it painless to stay on top of homeschool so that she focus her attention on other parts of her life.
What's the point? Why would Hannah want to use School Desk? Is it control? Is it time saving?
What is the benefit?
- "Take Control of Your Homeschool Plan"
- "Save Time Building Your Homeschool Plan"
- "Focus on Your School, Let Us Handle the Schedule"
- Stop swimming in spreadsheets
- Not an airplane cockpit
Customer answer: The key benefit is simplicity.