Grounded Systems · Hudson Valley, NY

Simple, practical
systems that
actually work.

I help schools and small organizations untangle messy processes and build simple, sustainable systems — using the right mix of operations, tools, and AI. No overwhelm. No jargon. Just things that work.

Former educator Schools & districts Operations & systems Workflow automation Mission-driven
Climbing plants growing through a garden trellis — grounded and growing
20+
years building systems
in education & ed-tech
2,100+
students scheduled annually
zero margin for error
250%
enrollment growth driven
in 12 months
1,000+
staff trained on new
tools and systems

Most organizations don't have a people problem.
They have a systems problem.

The work keeps piling up — not because your team isn't trying, but because the processes underneath don't support them.

  • Too many tools, not enough clarity about which to use when
  • Manual processes everywhere — copy-pasting, chasing updates, rebuilding the same thing repeatedly
  • Important work slipping through the cracks because nothing is documented or repeatable
  • Everyone's too busy running operations to improve them
"Why does everything feel harder than it should?"
That's usually a systems question. And it's fixable.
"We're drowning in manual work."
You don't need more people. You need better workflows.
"We don't have time to implement anything new."
That's exactly where I come in.

Three ways to work together

Whether you need a quick clarity session or full hands-on implementation, I meet you where you are.

01

System Cleanup

A focused audit of how your organization actually operates — tools, workflows, data, and where things break down. You'll leave with a clear picture and a concrete plan.

  • Audit existing tools and workflows
  • Identify redundancies, gaps, and unnecessary manual work
  • Deliver a simplified system map and prioritized recommendations
→ Quick win: clarity on what's actually slowing you down.
02

Workflow Design & Automation

Once we know what's broken, I build the fix. Streamlined processes, the right tools set up correctly, and automation for the work your team shouldn't be doing by hand.

  • Streamlined processes for enrollment, comms, data, and more
  • Tool setup — Google Workspace, Airtable, Notion, lightweight AI workflows
  • Automated pipelines that replace manual, repetitive tasks
→ Outcome: manual work dramatically reduced.
03

Implementation & Coaching

Having a plan and actually rolling it out are two different things. I provide hands-on support through the whole process — including training your team, which is my teacher superpower.

  • Hands-on setup and phased rollout support
  • Team training and adoption coaching
  • Ongoing fractional ops partner as needed
→ Outcome: your team uses it — and keeps using it.
Plants rooted and growing
"I understand how real humans — especially educators — actually work. I design systems that fit them."

The Grounded Systems difference

Real systems, deployed and running

Not mockups — production systems solving real problems for real people.

More systems in progress

I'm actively building. Get in touch if you'd like to talk about what Grounded Systems could build for your organization.

Roots and structure

From the classroom
to systems design

I spent 14 years teaching World History at Newton North High School — one of Massachusetts's most demanding public high schools. But teaching was only part of the job. Simultaneously, I was managing the master schedule for 2,100+ students, evaluating and implementing SIS software across a 21-school district, and training over 1,000 colleagues on tools they'd never used before.

I was doing program management, product management, data analysis, and user research before those were my job titles.

When I stepped out of the classroom in 2023, I brought all of it with me. At The Possible Zone — a Boston nonprofit serving 1,000+ students annually — I drove 250% enrollment growth in 12 months by treating an under-resourced organization like a product company: building the systems, defining software requirements, and making the data visible to leadership.

At TalkingPoints, I partnered with schools and districts across the country to implement a community engagement platform. I built the implementation playbook, the KPI framework, and the internal tooling that turned an ad hoc process into something structured and repeatable.

What I've learned across all of it: most organizations aren't struggling because of their people. They're struggling because of their systems. I now work with schools, districts, and small organizations to fix that — combining deep operations experience with a teacher's understanding of how real people actually adopt and use tools.

Work with Grounded Systems →
2025 – 2026
Program Manager, Implementations
TalkingPoints
Partner-facing program manager for a national ed-tech platform. Built the Implementation Playbook, KPI framework, and partner knowledge base — giving the team a consistent, repeatable foundation for the first time.
2023 – 2024
Senior Manager, Program Operations
The Possible Zone
Drove 250% enrollment growth in 12 months. De facto product manager for a custom SIS build. Designed an Asana ticketing system that cut reporting errors by 80% in 6 months. Managed $500K+ in student stipend payments.
2018 – 2021
Leader, Collaborative Teaching Community
Newton North High School
Led cross-functional discussions for 12+ educators. Improved team satisfaction by 15% through structured facilitation and data-driven decision-making.
2011 – 2018
Master Scheduler & Data Manager
Newton North High School
Built the first online course registration system for 10,000+ users, scheduling 2,100 students across 200+ courses. Evaluated and implemented SIS software for a 21-school district. Developed 25+ training resources, upskilled 1,000+ staff.
2009 – 2023
World History Educator
Newton North High School
Designed 400+ self-paced learning experiences. Built curriculum using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Delivered professional development on technology integration, SEL, and DEI.
Education
M.Ed., Boston University · B.A. History & Education, Smith College
Graduate coursework in strategic planning, educational technology, equity, and curriculum design.

Simple process, real results

No six-month roadmaps before anything ships. I move fast, show you progress early, and make sure it sticks.

01

Understand the real problem

I start by listening. What's actually slowing you down? What are you doing manually that shouldn't be manual? We find the right problem before talking solutions.

02

Design the right solution

Not every problem needs a custom build. Sometimes it's a better-configured tool or a simpler process. I'll tell you which — and recommend the simplest thing that actually works.

03

Build and ship it

I build iteratively and show you working systems early. You give feedback, and the final result reflects how you actually work — not how I assumed you would.

04

Hand it off cleanly

I document everything and train your team to run it confidently without me. The goal is systems that make your life easier long after our engagement ends.

Ready to make things simpler?

I'm always happy to talk through what you're working on — even if you're not sure yet whether it's a good fit. No commitment, just a conversation.

emilyhartzlewis@gmail.com

I typically respond within one business day.