Some years back, a school had only two ways to tell parents something. It was either putting a note in the child’s diary or printing the official circular on paper and sending it in their school bag. And majority of the times that circular never reached the parent, it just stayed inside the bag for days. Now things have changed a lot because schools are moving towards digital systems and automation is playing a big role in this.
When its about communication between school and parents, automation simply means that the regular updates, reminders and reports goes to parents on their own without the staff doing it manually every single time. Today, parents want to get updates about their child quickly. And they want it to be clear. So, every school should think about this.
Let me tell you that many schools in Ranchi have already started using school management software for this purpose and the results are quite good.
So below I am sharing 6 ways in which automation can improve communication between schools and parents.
- Instant Notifications for Daily Updates
Suppose the school has to close early because of rain or some problem nearby. Calling each parent is just not possible for office staff. But things get easy with automation – they type one message and press send. All parents get it in a few seconds via SMS, WhatsApp or the app. The same works for holidays, exam dates, PTM schedules and change in school timings. Parents get the information on time and the school also does not have to deal with hundreds of calls asking the same question. This is a big plus point for both sides.
- Attendance Alerts Sent Automatically
Now if we talk about safety, attendance alerts is one of the most useful features. When a student is marked absent in the morning, the system automatically sends a message to the parent. So if the child left home for school but did not reach, the parent comes to know within an hour and not in the evening. Many parents say that this one feature alone gives them peace of mind. And for teachers also it saves time because they don’t have to make separate calls for every absent student.
- Fee Reminders Without Awkward Follow Ups
Fee reminders can get uncomfortable fast. Nobody wants to keep calling a parent about dues. Automation simply takes that load off the staff. The message is gentle and the parent never feels pushed – and that’s a good thing. The system sends reminders before the due date, on the due date and after it, with the exact amount and an online payment link. Parents can pay from mobile and receive the receipt instantly. Since everything is recorded, there is no confusion later about who paid and who not. A good School Management Software in Ranchi usually comes with this fee module already built in.
- Real Time Access to Academic Progress
Earlier parents used to see the marks only at the time of report card or PTM. By then if the child was weak in some subject, lot of time was already gone. With an automated parent portal, marks of class tests, assignments and exam results gets updated as soon as teachers enter them. Parents can log in anytime and check how their child is doing. Some systems also send a short monthly progress summary on its own. This helps parents to take action early, may be arrange extra classes or talk to the teacher, instead of waiting till the end of the term.
- Two Way Communication Through Parent Portal
Automation is not only about school sending messages to parents. A proper system also allows parents to reply, ask questions or apply for leave from the app itself. Suppose the child is sick, then parent can submit the leave request online and class teacher gets it directly. Parents can also book a slot for meeting the teacher without calling the school office. This makes communication more organised because everything stays in one place and nothing gets lost in personal phone chats or forgotten diary notes.
- School Website Connected With the System
Having said that, the software alone does not complete the picture. School website also plays an important role here. When the website is connected with the management system, notices, event photos, circulars, admission updates and academic calendar gets published automatically on the website as well. New parents who are searching for schools also get a good impression when the website is updated and easy to use on mobile also. This is where a reliable Website Designing Company in Ranchi comes into the picture, because they can build a website that works smoothly with the school’s software and parent login.
If you think deeply, a parent only wants to know what’s going on with their child. The school wants to tell them without piling work on the staff. Automation simply makes the entire process seamless – parents get all the news and updates on time and schools don’t have to put extra load on the staff. My suggestion is to start with basic features like attendance alerts, notifications and fee reminders, and then slowly add parent portal and website integration. Better to speak with a software provider who gives a demo first and also offers support in Hindi, because many parents are more comfortable with that. Once the system is set properly, the communication gap between school and home reduces a lot.
