Iroko Bridge Academy is a private vocational school based in Washington State, USA, offering healthcare-focused training programs.
In this story, Megan Cook, Program Manager, shares how the Academy partnered with DreamClass from day one to build systems that support growth, compliance, and customization.
The Academy delivers programs such as Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), bridge programs for licensed professionals, First Aid and CPR, and advanced clinical certifications including Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
As the school expands, new programs in home care assistance, mental health, and traumatic brain injury support are also in development.
Starting Fresh: Choosing the Right System from Day One
Unlike many established schools, Iroko Bridge Academy did not transition from a legacy system. As a new institution, the team had the opportunity—and responsibility—to choose the right school management platform from the start.
Before Megan joined, the Academy conducted extensive research across several solutions. The goal was to find a system that could support vocational education, which differs significantly from primary or traditional K–12 environments.
As Megan explains, DreamClass stood out because of its flexibility: “We’re able to build the classes and the fees and the grading structure that we need—that’s very different from what primary schools are doing.”
Why DreamClass: Customization, Support, and Collaboration
For Iroko Bridge Academy, three factors played a decisive role: customization, pricing, and support.
DreamClass allowed the team to design workflows that matched their reality—custom grading structures, flexible fee setups, and programs aligned with state requirements. For Megan, who describes herself as tech-savvy, the platform offered the right balance between power and control.
“Someone who’s a little more tech savvy like me—I’m able to wade through and understand how to adjust it,” she says.
Equally important was the level of collaboration. Despite operating in different time zones and across continents, Megan highlights the responsiveness of the DreamClass team and the ability to shape the platform together.
“It feels very customizable… and that one-to-one support is something we wouldn’t get from a larger, out-of-the-box solution.”
Day-to-Day Use: One Platform for the Full Student Lifecycle
As Program Manager, Megan oversees the full student journey—from inquiry and enrollment to graduation. Her role spans admissions, compliance with the State of Washington, scheduling, documentation, and student communication.
DreamClass supports these responsibilities in one environment. Payments, registration, grading, transcripts, communication, and student tracking are all handled within the same system.
Megan particularly values the integrated nature of the platform: “Being able to integrate payment, student tracking, registration, transcripts, grading—it’s all in one.”
Communication tools also play a key role. The ability to email students directly from the platform—whether or not they have activated their portal—adds flexibility, especially during early-stage growth when processes are still evolving.
Supporting Instructors and Preparing Students
As classes begin to scale, instructors are gradually engaging more deeply with the platform. Megan notes that once instructors are set up, they can navigate the system easily—entering grades, managing assessments, and working with customized grading rules such as pass/fail, percentages, or weighted quizzes.
Student portal usage is also beginning to take shape. While early cohorts were short-term and required minimal interaction, newer programs are now using quizzes, grades, and weekly progress tracking—giving students more visibility into their learning.
Designed to Grow with the School
Although Iroko Bridge Academy is currently managing a small number of students, growth is built into the plan. New programs are launching, reporting requirements will increase, and compliance documentation will become more frequent.
Megan sees DreamClass as a system that can scale alongside the school: “There’s a slight learning curve at the beginning… but once you understand how classes and courses flow together, it’s not difficult to use.”
For a vocational school operating in a regulated environment, having a customizable, responsive platform has allowed Iroko Bridge Academy to focus on quality education—without being constrained by rigid software.
A Strong Foundation for Expansion
As Iroko Bridge Academy continues to expand its offerings and student base, DreamClass provides the infrastructure needed to manage complexity without adding friction. From admissions to graduation, the platform supports both operational efficiency and long-term planning.
For Megan and her team, DreamClass is not just a tool—it’s a partner in building a modern vocational school from the ground up.
