Schoolway, USD 257’s newest venture into the digital age, should provide a smoother connection with students, parents and the community at large, a school official said.
The free mobile application went online over the summer, said Brett Linn, USD 257’s technology director.
He hopes to see the app earn the public’s favor quickly so it can be utilized effectively.
“It provides a quick and easy way to get information out to the public,” Linn said.
Smart phone users can download the app for free and sign up to receive instant push notifications about myriad topics, from school closings, bus route delays, upcoming activities, meetings, or even if a class has a looming deadline on an important assignment.
“If a parent has one student at the middle school and another at Jefferson, they can sign up to receive notifications from those schools only, or from the district as a whole,” Linn said.
SchoolWay also links to Powerschool, “if a student or parent wants to check grades,” Linn said.
School lunch account balances, the district calendar and an online directory with phone numbers and email addresses of every USD 257 teacher and administrator also are prominently featured.
Best of all, “it’s very simple to navigate,” he added.
The app also features links to outside groups, such as the ANW Special Education Cooperative, Kansas State Department of Education, City of Iola Recreation Department, Bowlus Fine Arts Center and Allen Community College.
More than 100 subscribers have downloaded the app, nearly 50 alone during enrollment Aug. 6 and 7.
Linn hopes to see more.
The app was made available free of charge through USD 257’s affiliation with Josten’s, an organization that publishes yearbooks, class rings and provides other resources for schools across the country.
Twelve districts in Kansas, including USD 257 and Marmaton Valley USD 256, have purchased SchoolWay.
Free mobile app updates district
