Today’s Schools Require Parents to Learn, too

Story by Jen Calhoun

As schools swing into session, students are gearing up to learn.

But parents might need a few lessons, too, especially when it comes to mastering the various apps and portals used by schools to track everything from coursework to registration information.

School emails, notification apps, and other tech features are nothing new in the education world, but they might feel overwhelming to parents with children just entering a school system. It shouldn’t be too complicated to navigate, however, especially if you follow instructions and take your time familiarizing yourself with the applications your schools use.

Getting Up to Speed

At the Livingston Independent School District, it all starts with an email, says Jennifer Birdwell, the district’s director of communications and manager of ParentSquare, its new mass notification system.

“LISD requires students to be registered at the beginning of each school year, and an email address is a required part of that process,” Birdwell says. “Messages are sent to the email used in the registration process, but parents can also opt to receive a text instead. Or, they can download the app.”

Everyone, Everywhere, All at Once

Long gone are the days when parents and children sat glued to the television for news of weather delays or driving from office to office to find out about registration and other important information, Birdwell says.

When important information needs to be relayed, the district, school, or teacher can make sure parents are in the know through the ParentSquare app and website. “Our communications office is able to send one message to the entire district, a single campus, or a single grade level, and teachers will have access to classroom parents,” Birdwell says.

The district also uses CrisisGo, which was implemented during the 2022-23 school year, says Suzonna McFarlain, a technology integration specialist. CrisisGo is a digital safety technology that allows for constant communication and helps people coordinate during an emergency.

Digital Education

When it comes to classwork, LISD teachers use Google Classroom as its Learning Management System or LMS, McFarlain says. “With that, they’re able to make announcements, post, and grade assignments and organize class resources and materials,” she says.

But it’s not the only tool teachers use. In addition, the district uses Clever, a digital learning platform that allows teachers, students, and parents to log into curriculum programs with a simple click. With the Clever app, parents can see all of their children enrolled in the district and help them log into programs. “We are able to send links and notifications to parents and students through this program, as well,” McFarlain says.

What About my District

All school districts in Texas are different and may not use the same tools. Each district is allowed to pick the digital programs and platforms offering the tools it most needs, McFarlain says.

Nervous parents needn’t worry, however, since each district sends out help videos. To make the most of all the tools available in a school system, parents should follow instructions and take the time to learn how they operate.

Parents can also contact the school district in a pinch, but that might not be necessary these days as children raised in a fully digital age expand their knowledge. “A lot of times, the students teach their parents how to navigate,” McFarlain says.

Tech Tools for Academic Success

When it comes to educating kids and parents, there’s not a one-size-fits-all tool that works for everyone, especially when life gets hectic. Still, a few tried-and-true apps can help your child learn and stay organized. Here are a few suggestions:

Notability
Need help taking notes? Have a smart stylus? Then Notability might just be for you. In addition to its calendar and daily planner functions, this app lets you take notes, add an audio recording of the speaker, draw charts, annotate PDFs, and collaborate with other classmates. For those with a creative bent, Notability’s digital art options are a fun way to recalibrate your brain. Best for note-taking older students.

Habitica
The best way to do well in school is to form good habits. Habitica is a mobile app that makes daily activities fun. Parents, or their children, can set to-dos, like washing their face, packing their lunch, doing their homework, or making their bed. When a task is complete, Habitica lets children earn gear for their avatars or defeat monsters. Billed as a “gamified task manager,” Habitica knows external motivation is important for kids.

ABCmouse.com
This popular app/computer website uses story-based videos, quizzes, and other activities to keep children engaged while they learn about everything from letters to colors, shapes, and numbers. Parents can also track their child’s progress with a virtual map. For children ages 2 to 8. Visit ABCmouse.com's website.

Khan Academy
One of the top tools in any student’s toolkit is Khan Academy, an app and online program that offers thousands of free resources on just about any topic you can name, whether it’s basic math, advanced placement studies, science, or art history. Good for ages over 4. Children under 4 can use the little-kid-friendly counterpart, Khan Academy Kids, on Apple or Android. Visit Khan Academy's website for more information and to sign up.