5 Ways to Get Families Engaged in the Classroom
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SchoolStatus Launches Literacy Solution to Help Districts Engage Families in Improving Reading Outcomes
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When we took away the clerical piece of attendance interventions, principals became more connected to students and families. They started to recognize the real-life barriers to attendance. Now, they’re connected to people and not paper.Dr. Margie Boulware
Executive Director of Special Programs, Corsicana ISDResearch demonstrates that family support for language and literacy activities at home is positively related to children’s outcomes, including reading acquisition, language, vocabulary learning, conceptual development, and literacy achievement.Partnering with Families for Early Language and Literacy: Research-based Strategies for Early Childhood Educators – 2nd Edition
B.J., Cunningham, P.D., Bachman, H.F. & Wellman, M.E.Having a student’s data and family communication on a single screen means that we’re seeing issues sooner, and then can address those issues immediately.Elizabeth Lalor
Assistant Superintendent, Galena Park ISDFor us, SchoolStatus is a data warehouse where we can see the whole child. If we’re doing an MTSS process on a student, I can see attendance, discipline, grades, test scores, and what kind of engagement educators have had with the parent — all in one place.Pamela Dillard
Director of Technology, Greenville Public SchoolsSchoolStatus is a powerhouse data and communication tool.Chad Shealy
Superintendent, Vicksburg Warren School DistrictWe’ve saved hundreds of hours of staff time, and I’m sure many more for our parent community. By digitizing and automating everything through [SchoolStatus Forms & Flows], there’s no more populating information from the DOE into forms by hand.Renny Fong
Principal at PS 130 Hernando De Soto (Manhattan)[SchoolStatus Boost: Inspire] has played a huge role in our continuous learning and coaching process, which has led to the observed professional growth of our teachers.Josh Snyder
Director of Learning, Wahoo Public Schools -
SchoolStatus has provided us a tool to make communication easier, more transparent, and quantifiable.Dr. Ron Brown
Former Superintendent, Lumpkin County SchoolsWe’ve seen an over 50% decrease in chronic absenteeism, which is the statewide goal. We’re already there, in just one year of work.Jessica Hull
Executive Director of Communication and Community Engagement, Roseville City School DistrictThe help [SchoolStatus] gave us was amazing; I’ve never before received help like that from any company. Honestly, we feel like we want to stay with [SchoolStatus] forever.Dina Testa
Assistant Principal, Intermediate School 7 at NYCDOEEveryone wins when you stay in the loop, and SchoolStatus Connect really helped me make that happen while also saving me time.Ellen Zissis
First Grade Teacher, Chartiers Valley Primary SchoolOur families now feel that they’re not alone. They know we want to talk with them. That’s why we’re using SchoolStatus Connect.Maureen Brown
Principal and Director of Outreach, Dove Schools -
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Working at SchoolStatus is an incredible experience—our supportive team culture creates an environment where I feel valued and inspired. The company prioritizes both personal happiness and professional growth.Dr. Stephanie Walters
Customer Lifecycle Marketing ManagerI like the ease with which I can contact families using my own personal phone without giving out my personal number. I also like that the student's contacts are readily available. This platform works well for families to contact us, too. We can truly partner in the student's education and work towards a goal that works for all.Abigail S.
TeacherWe’ve seen an over 50% decrease in chronic absenteeism, which is the statewide goal. We’re already there, in just one year of work.Jessica Hull
Executive Director of Communication and Community Engagement, Roseville City School District
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Send Smore Newsletters in SchoolStatus Connect
Effective communication with families is essential to building trust and fostering engagement in any school community. Amid the overwhelming digital noise, how can schools ensure that essential information reaches families without getting overlooked? Smore newsletters offer a solution: interactive, visually engaging, and concise updates that capture attention. Smore, already trusted by over 70% of U.S. schools, is now seamlessly integrated into SchoolStatus Connect, enabling educators to deliver customized, translatable newsletters alongside SMS, emails, and calls—all from a single platform.
Let’s explore how you can get started with Smore newsletters and enhance your school’s communication efforts!
Creating Your First Smore Newsletter
Getting started with Smore in SchoolStatus Connect is simple:
- Access Smore from SchoolStatus Connect: From the Connect homepage, open the menu in the upper right corner and select “Newsletter by Smore.”
- Start a Newsletter: Choose “Start a Newsletter” to create a new one or select an existing draft to edit or duplicate. Organize newsletters into folders to keep communications organized across classes or grade levels.
Customizing Your Newsletter
Smore offers a wide selection of templates designed for educational needs, such as Weekly Updates, Event Invitations, and Holiday Themes. Templates streamline the process, provide creative prompts, and highlight essential information, helping you connect with families quickly and effectively.
Editing Your Newsletter:
- Choose a Template: For example, the Weekly Update template works well for classroom updates or school-wide announcements.
- Personalize Content: Update text and images, add sections, or rearrange elements. For example, hovering over a section and clicking “Edit” allows you to modify any content, while the right-side menu offers widgets for polls, videos, forms, and more.
Pro Tips for Newsletter Design:
- Use Section Titles: This automatically generates a table of contents, making navigation easier for readers.
- Reorder Sections: Adjust the flow by dragging sections to different spots.
- Add a Personal Touch: A personalized sign-off in the footer can build rapport with families, distinguishing your updates from the flood of generic emails they may receive.
Finalizing and Sharing Your Newsletter
When your newsletter is ready, double-check each section and click “Done.” Then select “Preview and Share.” You’ll be able to make any last adjustments before finalizing. With SchoolStatus Connect, sharing is straightforward: choose your audience and click “Share Announcement” to send via email or publish directly in classroom feeds.
Why Smore + SchoolStatus Connect Enhances Communication
With Smore in SchoolStatus Connect, schools can engage families on a platform they already trust. This integration allows for consistent, multichannel communication—families receive information in their preferred format, whether that’s email, text, or in-app notifications. By keeping everyone informed through Smore, schools foster transparency, engagement, and a connected community.Ready to elevate your school’s communication? Reach out to us for a free demo and discover how SchoolStatus and Smore together can simplify your outreach, improve engagement, and support student success.
SchoolStatusSchoolStatus connects educators and families around the topics that matter most. The company partners with K–12 districts to improve attendance, engage families, and build trust so students can succeed. A recognized leader in data-driven attendance and family engagement solutions, SchoolStatus enables districts and educators to engage families with relevant, timely communications and proactive support on important topics including absenteeism, literacy progress, and overall student readiness. Today, SchoolStatus supports districts in all 50 states and serves more than 22 million students nationwide as a trusted partner in driving better student outcomes.
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