Just how involved do parents want to be in daily school communication? A recent survey found the answer to be quite telling. Over 55% of parents and guardians expect to be informed of school-wide and district-wide decisions, in real-time, as they are made. This is not a new phenomenon. In fact, studies have shown that schools with strong parent communication protocols and systems are able to boost student engagement and build cohesive school communities.
But, what type of communication expectations do parents really have in terms of getting information from school administrators and being included in the larger school community? Here are the top 4 things parents really want from school communicators.
- Access to school communicators in an instant. This can take the form of social media posts via a school facebook page, or a district’s twitter feed. With the growing use of smartphones among adults, many parents are requesting that school announcements and decisions be sent straight to their phones via SMS messages. With innovative school communication apps like the Embr School Mobile app, teachers and school administrators can get key information out fast to parents and other stakeholders in the school community. The embrNEWS feature in all Embr communication apps makes connecting parents with news easier than ever!
- A direct connection to one reliable communication portal. Gone are the days where parents have to login to multiple school systems to get information about their child’s progress, school event news, and important school calendar reminders. Now, parents expect these features to be built in to ONE easy to use system. At Crescerance, we listened to parent expectations and work with schools and school districts to design innovative and efficient mobile app platforms for all communication needs. Our embrCONNECT and embrCAL features make finding key information fast and easy for all parents, straight through their smartphone.
- To be heard and included in the school community. Parent engagement is a key indicator of not just school success but student performance. The more active parents are in the school community, the more motivated students and teachers are in the classroom. However, reaching out to and engaging busy parents can be a challenge. With custom additions like embrPULSE, now parents can share their feedback, give suggestions, and voice their concerns in one place, when it is convenient for them.
- Consistent communication throughout the school year. Parents polled have noticed that school communicators tend to share more information in the beginning of the school year. However, over time, the consistency and reliability of communications tend to wane as school administrators and teachers become busy with the day to day operations of the school. The leading schools in the Nation have addressed this issue head on and are leveraging mobile app technology to ensure that communication lines remain open to parents throughout the school year. Using a robust and comprehensive mobile app like the Embr School App is a cost-efficient and time effective way for schools, of all sizes to keep parents informed at the push of a button.
Is your school meeting the changing communication needs of the parents in your school community? Find out just how the suite of Embr communication apps can help take your school communication to the next level. Click here, to register today for a free Embr School Mobile App demo!