Woree parents get the message
In its first year of use, messageyou™Schools has made measurable improvements to both unexplained absence and parent-school communication for Woree State High School in Queensland.
In the tropical setting of Cairns, the modern multicultural secondary school offers quality learning outcomes and equal opportunity for around 700 students.
Deputy Principal Mr Barry Courtney said that since implementing messageyou™Schools a little over a year ago, big improvements in attendance and absence reporting by parents had been recorded, particularly in the younger year groups.
“In year 8 we have experienced around 60 percent reduction in unexplained absence and 35 percent in grade 9,” Mr Courtney said. “We will now look at longitudinal results to see if the improvements are sustained through to year 12.”
Mr Courtney said the system required minimal training but had this advice to schools setting out on a new messageyou™ implementation:
“You need to make sure your data collection is as accurate as it can be and also ensure that at least of a couple of people in your school understand the program. You need all staff who communicate with parents to understand the basics and benefits of using simple text messaging for two-way communication. They need to remind parents to update their records with new mobile numbers.”
Before messageyou™, Woree used a combination of mail and phone, but this could take days, by which time the details of the day in question would be just a memory.
Now the roll is entered before 11.15am, when the first text messages are sent out automatically to parents’ phones. If there is no response, a message is sent out again at 12.15pm. Follow up is then conducted after six days, by text, phone and home visits, depending on the individual case.
The reaction from both newly enrolled on existing parents has been overwhelmingly positive, with only a few complaints.
“One parent received a message in error because her daughter turned up late but the mother was pleased to know she was being looked after,” Mr Courtney said.
“Parents in general are getting the message. They are phoning in more, in fact the number of text and phone responses has increased quite a lot.”
