Iron County Students Head Back August 12 With A New App In The Mix

With just a few weeks remaining before students return to class on Aug. 12, the Iron County School District is preparing for another school year while encouraging families to make sure they are ready as well.

During an appearance on the Big Picture Morning Show on KSUB radio, Iron County School District Communications Director Shauna Lund said district employees remain busy throughout the summer as they prepare for the first day of school.

Shauna Lund in Studio / Dr. T-Canva Design

"We've all been talking about how this week all of a sudden it's like, oh, it's happening. School's going to start here on August 12th. So we're gearing up for that," Lund said.

Enrollment Numbers Stable; New Boundaries For Elementary Schools

District enrollment is expected to remain relatively stable this year after several years of rapid growth. Lund said new elementary school boundary changes are now in effect, helping to better balance enrollment among schools, while changes affecting middle and high schools will begin next year. Those future adjustments are expected to more evenly distribute students between Cedar High School and Canyon View High School following recent expansion at Canyon View.

Perhaps the biggest change families will notice this year is the introduction of ParentSquare, a new communications platform replacing the district's previous Remind system.

Timur Shakerzianov via Unsplash

Lund said ParentSquare is connected directly to PowerSchool, allowing parents to customize how and when they receive notifications while improving security by ensuring only authorized parents and employees receive school communications.

"Today, instant communication is expected by parents, by everybody in the community," Lund said during the KSUB interview. "It's really important with schools. Parents are concerned about the safety of their students, and we want to be able to communicate with them instantly of what's going on at their school if something happens."

Read More: School District Proposes No Property Tax Increase This Year

Unlike traditional text messaging, ParentSquare allows two-way communication between teachers and parents through the app without requiring staff members to use personal cell phone numbers. Coaches, advisors and other school employees can also communicate with students through the secure platform, with all messages remaining visible to district administrators.

Sofatutor via Unsplash

The free app is available now through the Apple App Store and Google Play. Parents who choose not to install the app will still receive school communications by email.

Lund also reminded families to complete their annual PowerSchool re-enrollment and verify that email addresses and phone numbers are current. Updated contact information ensures parents receive emergency notifications, school closure announcements, attendance information and grade updates. She added that ParentSquare also provides automatic translation of messages into a family's preferred language, helping improve communication with households throughout the district.

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Listen to our discussion with Shauna Lund in the podcast below.