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SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

  • 1.  SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

    Posted 05-18-2022 01:08 PM
    Greetings!

    This year, we've piloted Remind to allow teachers to send SMS messages to students and parents without exchanging mobile numbers. This has proven helpful on field trips, off-campus athletic events, or group travel (e.g. to communicate changes in meeting times or let the parents know a plane has landed).

    While the pilot has been mostly successful, I have some concerns about the lack of a mature, robust management interface and difficulty in getting support for data sync issues (unexplained issues that require them to 'reset' the sync when there's no apparent problem with the data sent to them).

    We're now deciding if we want to renew for another year or look more closely at other platforms that serve the same function.

    Two questions:

    1) Has anyone been using Remind successfully for a while? If so, do you use the SIS sync functionality? Are you experiencing any intermittent sync 'hiccups' on the Remind end?
    2) Is anyone using a platform happily that you might recommend as an alternative?

    Thank you!

    Kevin
    #ITSystemsandSupport

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    Kevin Eaton
    Data Systems Manager
    The Hun School of Princeton
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

    Posted 05-23-2022 11:05 AM
    Hey Kevin,

    We use Remind for exactly that purpose for many years now. It has some quirks but the folks who use it often really love it for the phone number privacy. Compared to the lack of many other "big players" out there that do something similar, we just decided to stick with it for another year next year. The data sync issues are the piece that I hate the most. If you have other platforms you are seriously considering, I'd love to chat more! To answer your questions:

    1. We've used it for a while. We sort of use the SIS Sync. It isn't a direct sync because they don't have a direct sync, but I've done some magic with pulling data out of our SIS with reports and then uploading it using CyberDuck. It is less than ideal and I'm hoping to try and make it better this summer, but I wish they actually did a OneRoster sync with Blackbaud.
    2. No....but listening.


    ------------------------------
    Nicholas Marchese
    Director of Academic Technology
    Emma Willard School
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

    Posted 05-24-2022 11:45 AM
    Hello, we are in the process of piloting Zoom phones as an option for this. We discovered that when you port your DIDs to Zoom their mobile and desktop app allows you to text from the DID. Also, Zoom allows administrators to search the history of those conversations. We are also looking into using this for our coaches too, always a big data hole.

    ------------------------------
    Brad Kuhns
    Director of IT
    Oregon Episcopal School
    kuhnsb@oes.edu
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

    Posted 06-08-2022 03:36 PM
    We are using a combination of School Messenger which I can sync with the SIS and transitioning users to Zoom phone for the DID texting and searchable features mentioned above. 

    I am curious how schools are supporting coach/team messaging.  Are you making generic team accounts and assigning them a Zoom license?  Are you assigning all coaches Zoom licenses even if they are not full-time employees?

    Is anyone using School Messenger?

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    Lesley Coe
    Cardinal Gibbons High School
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

    Posted 05-24-2022 12:36 PM

    We've run into the same issues with Remind as well. I am also interested in alternatives. It's been a pain point for a couple of years now, especially for athletics and field trips.

    Daisy



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    Daisy Steele
    Director of Technology
    Catlin Gabel School
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

    Posted 05-25-2022 08:56 AM
    We ran into many pain points with Remind and moved over to Parent Square. It has all the same SMS messaging. Other services do not have the legal hold on the backend of all the messages so they can be deleted etc from end devices, but with the legal hold, they can not change or delete them.

    We are in the process of moving to Veracross and they have an SMS module and now Finalsite has SMS options as well.
    We also looked Notifii as well, not sure if they implemented the legal hold or not.
    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

    Posted 06-03-2022 10:41 AM
    I am curious is the SMS teacher -> student thing a High School / Sports thing? We only go up to 8th grade and the topic of sending SMS to students is basically never discussed. Just wondering how young others have seen this as an issue?

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    Brian Hoyt
    French American School of Puget Sound
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

    Posted 06-07-2022 08:59 AM
    Brian,

    It sounds like you're looking for a broader discussion about teacher <-> student SMS management when it comes to K-8. Others may have a better handle on that, but I can offer a limited perspective when it comes to using Remind with younger students. Remind can be used for students 12 and under, but there are two issues here:
    1) Perhaps too obvious to mention...There are fewer students under 13 with their own mobile device so it's harder to rely upon mobile communication during off-campus activities.
    2) Remind requires that we populate the students date of birth in the SIS sync. Students under 13 can receive messages, but the caveat is that it must always copy the parents on messages sent. Normally, the teacher can choose whether or not to include parents. With students <=12, parents are automatically included.  We have not yet used Remind with students under 13, but this is what Remind support has clarified with me.
    Best,
    Kevin


    ------------------------------
    Kevin Eaton
    Data Systems Manager
    The Hun School of Princeton
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

    Posted 06-14-2022 10:54 AM
    Hi Brian,

    It sounds like you're looking for a broader discussion about teacher <-> student SMS management when it comes to K-8. Others may have a better handle on that, but I can offer a limited perspective when it comes to using Remind with younger students. Remind can be used for students 12 and under, but there are two issues here:

    1) Perhaps too obvious to mention...There are fewer students under 13 with their own mobile device so it's harder to rely upon mobile communication during off-campus activities.

    2) Remind requires that we populate the students date of birth in the SIS sync. Students under 13 can receive messages, but the caveat is that it must always copy the parents on messages sent. Normally, the teacher can choose whether or not to include parents. With students <=12, parents are automatically included.  We have not yet used Remind with students under 13, but this is what Remind support has clarified with me.

    Best,

    Kevin



    --



    Kevin Eaton

    Data Systems Manager

     

    The Hun School of Princeton

    176 Edgerstoune Road

    Princeton, New Jersey 08540







    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

    Posted 06-14-2022 10:54 AM
    Yes, we as a Pre-K thru 12 have had concerns about the texting for sports teams and other teacher and student communication.

    We are currently piloting moving our land lines to the Zoom system which allows teachers and coaches the ability to text and talk from their ported desk phone and give administration visibility into those communications if needed. It just is an added feature on the mobile Zoom app once the license is added to a user. 

    Also a whole host of other features that were rather difficult to configure on our PBX.

    Brad

    --

    All School Tech Support? Log in with incident IQ

    Brad Kuhns (he/him)
    Director of Information Technology
    Oregon Episcopal School
    6300 SW Nicol Road
    Portland, OR 97223
    503-768-3190 - Office
    503-490-0838 - Cell






    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: SMS Messaging Platform for Teachers - Alternative to Remind?

    Posted 06-14-2022 10:54 AM
    We have Veracross and they do have SMS, however it is for broadcast only. We need two-way text communication with students that masks phone numbers, can be monitored and archived, and has a decent way to sync with Veracross.

    Thanks,

    Daisy


    Daisy Steele
    Director of Technology
    Catlin Gabel School
    8825 SW Barnes Rd
    Portland, OR 97225

    Office: 503-297-1894 x5501
    SteeleD@catlin.edu
    catlin.edu




    Original Message


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