It was a big year for School Stream in 2018. Not only did we release a game-changing update that stayed true to our belief in smart, intuitive design, we even evolved further to a fully integrated communication platform with even more ways for schools to engage their parent communities. Thanks to everyone who has joined us in our mission to empower schools to become communication leaders! If you want to hear more, here are five reasons to get excited about everyone’s favourite school communication app this year.
1. Targeted Communications and FREE Unlimited messaging
Did you know School Stream offers unlimited text messaging between schools and families? A private, reliable messaging service is the foundation you need to build trust and a more connected school community than ever before. You can target communication by sending messages directly to a parent’s smartphone – and you can see when your message has been read. Send messages directly to parents or a group of parents – families receive only the information relevant to them. Send videos, attachments and more, and have confidence in knowing your community will receive your alerts in real time. Did we mention it’s FREE for schools and families? It’s been one of the most popular features in our latest update. Follow the link below to see why or keep reading.
Click here to see this feature in action.
2. Budget Savings
Do you have a wish list for your school? Perhaps some drones or robotic equipment, or even a minibus to take your students out and about for applied learning opportunities? Let School Stream save you money. Feedback from Administrators tells us they have been able to cancel their SMS service and put a significant dent in their paper use. One local school has saved in excess of $130,000 since they started using School Stream. What could your school do with those kinds of savings? Follow the link below to read their story.
Click here to see how Byron Bay Public School has saved over $130,000.
3. Improve explained absences
Keeping on top of reporting requirements can be a full-time job in itself. Let School Stream help. We make it easy. When reporting absences, both parents and school administrators receive an email notification for their submissions. The student’s absence is also automatically recorded in the database which can be exported to a spreadsheet to demonstrate compliance. School Stream has simple forms parents can complete in-app on their phones. You can see it here. And as always with School Stream, your school (rightly) retains ownership of its own data.
4. Build a strong school community
Communicating in a consistent and reliable way demonstrates to parents the school is a trusted part of the community. Schools using School Stream report a stronger connection with their parent and broader community through more reliable communication via the app. This can look like anything from increased attendance at school events, to a better response to fundraising initiatives, to better classroom help. Some schools have even reported parents are calmer, overall, as they are confident they can be contacted in a heartbeat if needed.
Click for a snapshot of current school communication practices.
5. Reduce paper use
Not only is saving paper a win for your school’s bottom line, it’s a win for the environment too. Based on the current rates of communication via School Stream, schools will collectively save 55 million sheets of paper this year. That’s the equivalent of 6,600 trees! Saving paper, money and the environment? A real win!
