Challenges
MSD Wayne Township wanted to improve their ability to reach families in their community, in a way that was easier for parents, teachers and schools.
70+ Languages, 60+ Countries
Serving approximately 5,000 families with English as a second language, MSD Wayne Township needed a way to enable 2-way communication with parents in their preferred language, so there were no barriers to their involvement in their students’ school life.
Resource Intensive
Having diverse messaging systems took up time and energy for staff and teachers, learning how and when to use them and keeping parent information up to date. The district used SchoolMessenger for mass notifications (i.e. early dismissal, site threats) as well as a custom mobile app, social media channels, email, print mailings and websites. Teachers and Schools used additional tools for classroom communications such as Remind and Dojo which required senders to keep contact information up to date.
Complexity for Parents
The district’s strong commitment to involving their parent community had resulted in many apps, tools, and platforms. It was challenging for parents to set everything up and then remember where to go find what kind of information. There was a constant learning curve.
Difficulty Measuring Engagement
With multiple messaging systems managed at different levels, there was no way for the District or schools to gauge overall parent engagement, or understand which families were out of the loop.