Brian Hagberg
RUSSELL, Pa. – With the 2023-24 school year less than two weeks away, the Warren County School District is introducing a new way for teachers to communicate with their students and parents.
On Friday, Aug. 18, a new addition will be available on the district’s mobile app. When users open the app, they’ll see a new link in the lower right corner for Rooms.
“We heard loud and clear from parents last year, their frustration, they don’t know where to go to see what,” WCSD Coordinator of Technology Jen Dilks told Your Daily Local in an interview. “So we made it really simple this year, and all K to 12 educators, including our athletic coaches are going to be using Rooms.”
This addition to the district’s app is meant to serve as a one-stop shop for parents. They can share informational items with teachers, check schedules, and receive classroom information.
“One stop for your kids for them to be able to give information,” Dilks said. “Examples being you know, you got WAEC third grade teachers are going to the Woodmobile so they’re going to post on there you know, just an informational don’t forget to pack your lunches tomorrow, wear the appropriate clothes.”
Communication isn’t one-way. Parents can send messages directly to teachers as well.
“There’s also a way to send messages directly to parents and students, or just the parent to be able to say, ‘Okay, here’s what’s going on just an informational thing,’” Dilks said. “So you know, or on the opposite end the parents can chat with a teacher like ‘(My child) had a rough morning just a heads up there.’ (They can) have quick back and forth.”
Parents with children in multiple classrooms won’t have to toggle between different communication apps.
“When you open the app, it’ll be in the bottom right-hand corner, you’ll click rooms, and then you’ll be able to toggle between your kids to be able to see all their classes and any communication that those teachers want to have,” Dilks said.
District teachers will be receiving instruction on how to use Rooms during their professional development day on Aug. 25.
“We’ll do a lot of our technology training in the afternoon on Aug. 25, and Rooms is going to be one of them,” WCSD Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Eric Mineweaser said in an interview with Your Daily Local. “So all of our staff need to be trained on it. So every single teacher needs to be aware, this is what we’re using, you know, Facebook is just informational, we’re not putting assignments on there or ClassDojo or emails. And so one-stop shop, that’s our goal. And everybody will be on the same page.”
Parents should expect to receive an email Friday with an invitation to Rooms.
