For districts that are currently struggling with outdated methods of school-home communications, one solution is to implement new technologies that support a diverse student population. Updating school-home communications to a unified digital platform that offers a safe and secure way to manage all school-home communications can be a transformational resource for schools and families—especially for those whose first language is not English.
In a recent Language Magazine article, ParentSquare customers Melissa Deavers-Lowrie and David Lesich from Portage Township Schools in Indiana discussed the three benefits their district has experienced after implementing a new school-home communication platform:
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No more language barriers
Multilingual students and their families may encounter challenges in trying to interpret school messages. Students with involved, informed parents tend to achieve higher levels of success in school, so disseminating clear information to families in their preferred language is critical. Selecting a communication platform that will accurately translate school messages and ensure that messages actually make it to students’ families is an important part of successful school-home communications.
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Secure document delivery
Safety in the digital age is a big topic right now, and delivering documents electronically can present a security risk; however, using a secure, districtwide communication platform can greatly minimize these challenges. Allowing variable-length documents in the master file, ParentSquare’s Secure Document Delivery lets districts define their own templates, and includes text, app, and email notifications that reach families in their preferred communications mode and language. The platform also generates a file of documents for parents and guardians who did not receive them, allowing schools to print and mail important documents to ensure 100% deliverability and equity.
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Unified and simplified school-home communications
Having one tool that accommodates all of a district’s parent communication needs is vital. Parent surveys, permission slips, and secure documents are all available in one place for convenient and direct parent access. Parents can also sign up for appointments and engage in two-way communications with schools, keeping parents engaged and informed. Plus, having a districtwide platform is especially helpful to parents who have multiple children attending school in the district since all information and communications are available in one place.
Implementing a unified communication platform offers many benefits to students, families, schools, and districts. ParentSquare provides a practical and effective solution for districts to get messages and documents to families—no matter their language— in a safe and secure way.
Read more about the benefits of a districtwide communication platform in the Language Magazine article, Breaking Through Language Barriers.
