ResourcesAPS Improves Communication with Families and Staff with New Connect-ED® Service
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Connect-ED is an amazing resource available in APS. The Connect-ED ® service enables school administrators to record, schedule, send, and track personalized voice messages to tens of thousands of students, parents, and staff in minutes. The Connect-ED service offers a bundled set of emergency communication, survey, and community outreach notification tools designed to help schools at all levels improve awareness, increase involvement, and audit communication on a regular basis.
Connect-ED is the leader in time-sensitive notification services, with proven experience in delivering mass amounts of messages during unforeseen events or emergencies. During the recent wildfires in San Diego County, the Connect-ED service was used to successfully deliver over 2.7 million voice messages and 1.15 million text messages on behalf of 24 school districts in the San Diego area alone. During that same period, the service was used to send over 14 million voice messages and 1.85 million text messages throughout the United States. The company routinely sends over 25 million voice messages each month on behalf of schools and municipalities across the United States.
Since APS will be discontinuing notifications using Infinite Campus (IC Messenger took over an hour for one school), the cost to the district is almost neutral and the increase in rapid communication to employees and students is significant.
APS did pilot Connect-ED in January at Murphy Creek, which had a late dismissal due to the Presidential motorcade’s presence in the neighborhood. Parents and staff were pleased with its effectiveness. APS also used the Connect-ED system to inform parents of a delayed school start recently.
IT and Communication staff will soon share a district wide training schedule and communication plan. The goal is to have all sites trained and using Connect-ED by early March.
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