Remind is excited to celebrate our school partners and the impact they’ve had after implementing a Remind School Plan. In this series, we’ll share more about their experiences and their early results.
Before getting his start in education, P.A. White was a psychology major. His background shines when he talks about his passion for parent engagement. “It’s critical for parents to have a sense of belonging--it goes back to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs,” he says.
As the principal of Leal Elementary School, P.A. set up an individual Remind account last fall to engage parents. Remind gave teachers and staff the ability to instantly send messages and pictures throughout the day, which helped parents feel a sense of belonging at Leal. “We’re responsible for parents' most treasured possessions,” P.A. says. “It gives them peace to know that things are going smoothly.”Additionally, Remind helped increase parent participation. In the past, PTA meetings and other school events had low turnout. “Just by using Remind, we went from having a handful of parents show up to a roomful,” P.A. says.Despite this success, there was a big obstacle: it took eight months and numerous newsletters, emails, and meetings to get 80% of parents signed up for Remind. When P.A. heard about a Remind School Plan, he knew he’d found a solution. A School Plan allows P.A. to reach everyone in his school community by syncing Remind with his roster system. He's able to upload his school roster and classes before the school year starts, saving valuable instructional time and allowing him to engage hard-to-reach families that need more support.
“The challenge for teachers using individual Remind accounts is making sure everyone signs up. Now that we're on a Remind School Plan, my teachers are able to connect with parents on a regular basis.”
