Instant messaging is one of the go-to communication methods between the school admin and parents. It’s an easy, convenient, and cheap method that bridges both parties.
But, when we begin to think about the size of the parents’ population that we need to send messages regularly to, it is a daunting task. It is indeed uncomplicated, but imagine doing it again and again? Your fingers might even fall off.
You might also miss out on sending the messages to some contacts. It’s also easy to get bored with the task because of the repetitive motion.
But, above everything else, sending correspondence to parents is an essential task. Sending school text messages is one of the vital communication tasks between both parties that build and strengthen the relationship.
So, if you are yet to start sending regular messages to parents, go over this list to know what the other expects.
6 Messages Parents Expect to Receive
1. School Reopening Dates
First of all, parents expect to receive messages stating important dates. One of the most important dates that they should be aware of is, obviously, the school reopening dates.
This message doesn’t only refer to the opening, per se. It usually also includes the preparation dates. Preparation dates refer to admission dates, the release of class sectioning, and the list of school requirements.
They don’t need a whole block of messages. A simple two-sentence message will suffice. It’s also a smart move to make use of the school’s website to make the message shorter and straight to the point.
Take a look at the example template below.
Hi Mr/s. *Family Name*,
*School Name* will resume classes on *Date of Reopening*. Details regarding the admissions process are available at *mention school website here*.
You can end the message abruptly, or you can include the school’s contact details.
Some might think that this message is unimportant. But, trust us. Some parents become far too busy with other responsibilities that they forget to update themselves with the latest school updates.
It’s better to be a proactive institution rather than a reactive one.
2. Fees Collection Reminders
Next, we focus on fees collection reminders.
Out of all the templates we have in line for you, this message has the most frequent usage. Depending on the school’s payment structure, these messages are sent almost monthly or quarterly.
The most common template goes like, “Good day! Reminding you of your child’s outstanding balance of *insert total amount*. Please settle the amount on or before *deadline of payment*. If payment is already settled, please disregard this message. Thank you.”
It may appear long and bulky, but all the information are presented immediately. For these types of messages, it is important to include the correct details. We’re talking about money here. Any miscalculations or wrong sent messages will raise an unprecedented alarm.
This message alert is a great help for parents who have children who consistently fail to remind them of upcoming payment deadlines. Instead of relying on their children to relay the news, the SMS alert is a more reliable notification system.
3. Performance Updates
Parents will always appreciate receiving timely updates regarding their children’s current academic performance, even before the end of the quarter of the semester.
These updates are not necessarily about failure to submit or possible failing grades. Performance updates also include messages of congratulations when their children top an exam or become qualified for specific awards.
But going back to sending updates about possible failing grades, parents find these timely alerts helpful to help their children get back on track. Sometimes, all their children need is a little push and extra guidance from their parents to save their grades.
Also, this places much emphasis on sending messages promptly.
You can use either of these templates to send the updates.
“CONGRATULATIONS! Your child, *mention name of student*, is part of the honour roll for this semester with an average grade of *mention grade average*.”
Even the shortest congratulatory message from the school feels more than enough for parents who saw how their children worked so hard for the recognition.
On the other hand, you can also use this type of message.
“We are sending this message to inform you that your child, “name of student”, failed to submit one of the major requirements for English Literature, “name of the project.”
Simple and succinct. There is no need to go over the details as the student knows them already. This message aims to give a head’s up, a reminder, that their child needs to submit the requirement.
4. Grades Posting Update
Like the progress updates, parents also expect a separate and distinct message to inform about the release of grades.
Like most school processes nowadays, releasing of grades also happens online. And because of this, most parents forget that it’s already the time of release.
What you can do is to send out text reminders a day before the official release. It’s efficient and they have ample time to prepare themselves, rather than sending the alerts on the release date.
You can use this short message template.
“Official release of final grades will be tomorrow, MM/DD/YYYY.”
As straightforward as that. But, you can choose to include the name of the school or the name of the student.
5. Cancellations
Next on the list is the message alerts for cancellations.
As much as parents expect to receive these types of announcements, it is also the school’s responsibility to disseminate this information appropriately.
Cancellation messages don’t only cover cancelled classes but also upcoming events, especially those that require the attendance of the parents.
An excellent cancellation alert should start with an honest apology. The message should, ideally, include a plan of action to remedy the lapses.
“We regret to inform you that the upcoming Parent’s Day on MM/DD/YYYY will be cancelled due to the ongoing typhoon. We will reschedule the event and let you know as soon as we can. As of now, let’s all stay safe.”
In this type of message, it’s also best to lose the air of indifference and show a little bit of personality. Despite the reason for the cancellation, it caused an inconvenience in some way.
6. Upcoming Events
If there are alerts for cancelled events, then, of course, there are message reminders for planned events.
Similar to the rationale behind sending messages for cancelled events, these events require a considerable portion of the parents’ time. They have their schedules to work around, so prompt reminders about upcoming events let them plan their weeks better.
A message as simple as this will suffice.
“This is to remind you that the Parent’s Day celebration will be on MM/DD/YYYY. We hope to see you there!”
Efficient Tool to Send School Text Messages to Parents
Despite using message templates, it’s still too much work to send them manually. Let me introduce you to a tool that will help you schedule and send automated messages.
School management software systems will take over this role, carrying all the hassle from you.
GoSchooler, in particular, is an all-in-one school management software that allows you to draft, schedule, and send messages to specific recipients.
You can quickly tick off the box on this screen to indicate which of the following shall receive the message. Moreover, you can choose to send the message through SMS or the mobile app. You can even select both for the best measure.
GoSchooler also abides with the latest restrictions from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The system will now only send messages that are approved by the committee after days of checking. A disclaimer is explicitly stated on the Send SMS page.
FAQs
How to foster a healthy school-parent relationship?
What is the best way to communicate with parents?
At the end of the day, you have the same goals.
Key Takeaways
Parents expect timely updates. Whether it’s from their children or the school, they wish to receive some kind of alert as they are also major institution stakeholders.
From the simple back-to-school reminders to fee collections alerts, it’s best to prepare an influx of school message templates to keep them in the loop. Sometimes, their kids aren’t the best source of information when it comes to these matters.
And to save you from the hassle of sending these alerts manually, make sure to invest in school management software with an embedded communication system. GoSchooler allows you to schedule and send bulk emails and text messages with a few clicks.
