Sheryl Blosel, PowerSchool Administrator for the Prescott Unified School District, Lives and Breathes Her Job Maintaining Data Integrity
By Tara Fort
Sheryl Blosel has found her perfect fit. With a vast background in Information Technology (IT) and Database Management, her position as the Prescott Unified School District’s (PUSD) PowerSchool Administrator is just right.
PowerSchool, the student information system, is a database connected to the Arizona Department of Education via AzEDS, an Ed-fi model for Arizona that automates student data reporting—the vehicle by which the state calculates PUSD’s student funding. Most schools use some type of student information system, and Sheryl said she makes it “a personal mission to do quality internal audits for each school within the district to make sure schools are compliant with state/federal rules and regulations.”
After graduating from college with a degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering, Sheryl was an “Intellite” (an Intel employee) when she lived in the Philippines before migrating to the United States. Once moving to Prescott, she was hired in 2013 as the Computer Tech at the now-closed Washington Traditional School. In 2014, she was hired to manage PUSD’s database in the IT department. While there, she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology. Her current position with PUSD helps realize its mission of ‘Every Child Every Day’ by “ensuring the integrity of data needed to fund all the great programs and tools for our kids to succeed and pay for the excellent teachers and staff at PUSD.”
PowerSchool, as a database, contains sensitive student information, and Sheryl said, “I have to make sure that we, as a district, are in compliance with FERPA; it’s not just an ‘ask and receive’ process. I make sure that users have the right access to information, and that they understand that certain information must remain confidential. I also must maintain the integrity of the data in PowerSchool. Any failure in integrity per student may result in no or less funding.”
Sheryl enjoys troubleshooting PowerSchool and finds that part the most rewarding—and the most challenging. “This is where my curiosity as an engineer kicks in! I revel in the challenge of finding out the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ and then coming up with a solution.”
PUSD Superintendent Joe Howard said, “We love Sheryl! Her work has been a game-changer for PUSD. She is a true problem solver, and there is nothing she can’t do.”
Although Sheryl said she “lives and breathes PowerSchool,” she spends extra time with her family and volunteer friendships at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and uses expanded networking events to broaden her education goals and personal horizons.
She added, “In March of 2023 I had the honor of teaching Microsoft Excel classes at the National PowerSchool Users Group Conference in Las Vegas, NV. I had a great time and was proud to represent PUSD in that event.”
For more information about Sheryl Blosel and the Prescott Unified School District, visit www.prescottschools.com.