The benefits of using a school app

In an effort to improve relationships between families and schools and to cut down on paper waste, many education systems have implemented apps. Instead of receiving handouts from teachers, parents can simply log in to have access to a plethora of information about their kids and schools. Here are a few reasons you should check out your school's app or encourage the administration to create one:

Viewing grades
Students don't always tell the truth. If you ask your kids how they're doing in class, they may respond with an answer that isn't quite on par with reality. Instead of waiting for report cards at the end of the quarter or term, log on to the school app. There you can see overall grades for each class and potentially even dive deeper into each subject to see scores by individual assignment. Knowing your children's grades can help you be proactive in assisting them with homework or getting a tutor if necessary.

Keeping track of events
School apps have handy calendars featuring important dates like upcoming days off, Common Core Standardized State testing, parent-teacher conferences and open houses. Some of these apps can also be personalized per each student's classes or after-school activities. They host information on game days, meet times and deadlines for paying for uniforms or signing up for the start of a season. You may even be able to sync your usual calendar, like Google Calendar, with the app so you can keep all this data in one place.

Following along with in-class happenings
Teachers often use school apps to keep families aware of what is going on in the classroom. They may even treat this technology like social media, taking pictures during class time and posting information about projects and assignments. Schools take student security and safety very seriously so it's important to know that only those with the appropriate school log-in and permission can view these posts. Parents may have to sign a waiver stating that it's OK for the school to take photos of their kids for use on the app.

Communicating with teachers
Everyone uses a different method to get ahold of one another. Some people prefer a phone call or voicemail while others are more reachable via social media or email. Instead of trying multiple platforms to talk to your kids' teachers, sign on to the school app. Here you can easily send messages to educators, administration, the nurse and even coaches. The message recipient will notice that handy little red notification alert on his or her phone and be able to respond shortly. 

Not every school has an app. If yours doesn't currently use one, they may be developing this technology. Talk to your children's school administration about the potential for creating an app to keep everyone up on what's happening at school and to improve communication between families and educational staff. Schools can outsource app creation or even build their own with the help of a developer. Or, perhaps there is a computer teacher already on staff who can step in and create an app without outside help.