School leaders tout app that engages parents
DAVID CRUZ
Staff Writer
In Nash County, the days of hiding a bad report card are long gone. And for parents in search of an easy way to check on those progress reports, you probably guessed it: There's an app for that.
For Heather Finch, Nash County Public Schools' executive director of communication, planning and engagement, informing parents of their child's daily performance is a big step forward in leading to higher levels of parental engagement as well as better overall grades. The Nash County Public Schools App, when coupled with the optional Rooms, enables parents to take a detailed look at what their children are doing in school. The Rooms option and all the private information contained in it must be activated by office personnel at the student's school.
Rooms facilitate seamless school communication, Finch said.
"It operates on data from Power-School, enabling parents to join their child's specific room," Finch noted. "Parents can access an array of information within Rooms, including the stream, behavior data, and teacher messages. You can choose which student's room to view." Finch said that messages and interactions within Rooms are documented, which creates a record of communication that can be referenced when needed, enhancing accountability.
The school system unveiled the new app in July, and Finch said it has been a big hit with parents.
"The Nash County Public Schools App has seen substantial success, with over 7,000 downloads and the highest engagement rate among the past technology platforms. This figure is expected to rise steadily by the end of the year," Finch said. "We surpassed our goal of 5,000 App downloads within the first 4 weeks of the app launch. My team has set a new goal of 10,000. Over 50 percent of our parents have now opted into Rooms, which is higher than anticipated."
Finch said that even though the app seems to be a big hit among parents, it will still be necessary to offer training and assistance to users so that everyone feels comfortable with the product.
To help parents navigate the app, especially its Rooms and Parent Portal feature, Finch said her team will be offering in-person assistance at each school at designated times.
"Even if we have only one parent that shows up, that excites us because we know we are helping a child," Finch said.
The NCPS app, which also features the latest district and school news, sends notifications about breaking news, closures, inclement weather, lunch menus, calendars, fees and bus information. The app is available at no cost at the Apple Store and Google Play Store.
For web users, Finch said EduRooms.com presents a web version of Rooms, adding an extra layer of accessibility.
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Parents can access the Nash County Public Schools app via a web version of Rooms from a desktop or laptop. The app allows parents to engage with teachers and staff and view their children's grades in real-time. EUGENE L. TINKLEPAUGH /ROCKY MOUNT TELEGRAM
Copyright (c) 2023 Rocky Mount Telegram, Edition 9/28/2023