Wayland Public Schools recently rolled out both a new district website, which features a new name and different colors, as well as a new communication platform called ParentSquare that will produce a more secure and compliant communication venue for all by fall.
ParentSquare has the ability to send out real-time alerts, school updates, and updated newsletters. It also will be more accessible for those with visual disabilities and be able to communicate in different languages.
“A big reason for these changes is to provide added security and accessibility,” Director of Technology Jenn Judkins said. “We have heard from families that school communication can sometimes feel overwhelming or difficult to navigate. Our goal is to create clearer channels, reduce duplication, and make it easier for families to find what they need. Together, these systems are helping us build a more unified, secure and accessible communications experience.”
The new website (waylandps.org) boasts a redesigned logo and a web address more closely aligned with the district’s email format. Users can access a specific school or view popular links, including the familiar menu bar with links for departments, careers, families and staff. The calendar and upcoming events can also be accessed via the home page.
The district’s new website will also comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and meets new WCAG 2.1 rule effective April 24 for making web content easily accessible for those with visual disabilities. While some photos or images may seem familiar, others have been changed to meet these specifications.
One major change is how caregivers contact their students’ teachers. In an attempt to reduce exposure to phishing and automated spam, staff email addresses are no longer publicized on the district website. Therefore, families must now access the staff directory solely via ParentSquare. Families received an invitation to ParentSquare over the summer and will be prompted to set up and account. The “how I contact teachers” link will walk users through the process step by step.
ParentSquare is a popular platform used by many surrounding districts such as Framingham, Acton, and Wellesley. As a “mobile-first” communication platform, it can send private messages to one recipient or disseminate information to larger groups, in addition to email delivery.
The system will automatically send out a daily email summary at 6 a.m., but the district’s goal is for all families to download the app. Downloading the app will allow them to better control how they receive their information.
“The app will allow them to enable push notifications, enable SMS text alerts, customize notification preferences, search and organize past messages by school, class or district, and keep all information in one place,” Judkins said.
Teachers have access to ParentSquare and will be trained on it throughout the school year. Those who are already using it are reporting positive results.
At the Happy Hollow Elementary School, educators found that the platform provides an easy way to post reminders, share updates and photographs with families, and help specialists connect with their students.
These two district wide changes in technologies strive to facilitate communication for everyone in the school community. One way that ParentSquare does this is by breaking down language barriers since it provides back and forth conversation in over 100 languages.
“ParentSquare allows us to communicate with all families in their preferred language,” said Nicole Haghdoust, a Spanish teacher at the high school. “The digital signature feature has made it much easier to organize field trips because the permission slip option is very easy and convenient to use.”
Judkins acknowledges that the implementation of new platforms is a work in progress and is cognizant of the timing of the new rollouts.
“The second half of this academic year will be dedicated to continued ParentSquare training for staff, refining communication cadence, updating newsletter templates and branding and streaming the “All School News” to remove duplication of information,” she said. “Families will see improvements roll out over time as we refine the system.”
