Many districts keep parents informed with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media, but more sophisticated tools have emerged as technology has evolved.
Platforms and apps that provide parentsdirect communication and unfiltered access to grades, schedules, school news and emergency announcements offer better access than ever before. Text messages and push notifications regarding delays or emergencies for mobile devices, tablets and smartphones are now the norm, granting educators instant access to parents.
Streaming video and photo galleries provide opportunities for schools and families to better share experiences such as sporting events.
Products originally developed specifically for administrators have become more parent-centric, says Nate Brogan, senior vice president at SchoolMessenger.
“Users are expecting to see products simplified, and they want to see integrations with their own devices,” he says. Customizable user options, from alerts to interfaces, continue to be popular. More refined apps will allow administrators to better target specific audiences. “Handling diversity is a major challenge,” says Brogan. “Being able to handle languages other than English, in a delicate and an intelligent manner, will be at the core going forward.”
A student-life community for schools, PlanetHS/K8 allows parents to receive important notifications of school closings, bus route changes and early dismissals. Users can also stay connected to extracurricular student activities. Features include live and archived video streaming, survey, polls, elections, contests, media sharing, service hours management, discussion groups, and fundraising tools.
Designed to improve connections between administrators and parents, Let’s Talk coordinates inbound and outbound communications from schools, including email and phone calls. It also continually scans social media and news sources for school mentions to help improve responses and address developing issues. Let's Talk integrates with district or school websites to allow users to directly share questions or comments.