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Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

  • 1.  Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-01-2020 12:17 AM
    I am helping a colleague with a grant that requires the incorporating teacher/parent engagement apps to help support building supportive relationships in this time of virtual connections because of COVID-19.   Would sincerely appreciate any suggestions and/or information regarding engagement apps where the teacher sends personal notes, daily reports, pictures, videos, newsletters, etc. to the family. The family can also reciprocate by sending notes back to the teacher. Ideally the app needs to have some way of tracking participation, a way to add surveys, and push notification messaging  to all families. A bonus would be if it collected and tracked developmental milestones, and gave families learning activities to do at home based on the child's age. 

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    Elizabeth Powers
    Executive Director
    Citi Family Center
    Jacksonville FL
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  • 2.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-02-2020 01:19 AM
    Cor-advantage has an app with all those functions

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    Tiffany Grant
    Excell Academy
    Maple Grove MN
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  • 3.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-02-2020 01:50 PM
    HI Tiffany,
    Thank you SO much for this suggestion! 
    Had no idea that they had an app with these functions.  Very helpful!

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    Elizabeth Powers
    Executive Director
    Citi Family Center
    Jacksonville FL
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  • 4.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-02-2020 07:31 AM
    Based on her own experiences as a child care provider, Shimira Williams (ccbusy.com), has been developing an app that uses voice control and phones. She might be able to help.

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    Dr. Faith Rogow
    InsightersEducation
    Ithaca NY
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  • 5.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-02-2020 01:54 PM
    Hi Faith,
    Thank you for this suggestion.  I have passed it on to my colleague.  Sincerely appreciate your willingness to help.
    Elziabeth

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    Elizabeth Powers
    Executive Director
    Citi Family Center
    Jacksonville FL
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  • 6.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-02-2020 09:43 AM
    I highly recommend SeeSaw.

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    Michelle Benoit
    Administrator
    Blackstone Valley Children's Place
    Whitinsville MA
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  • 7.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-02-2020 01:55 PM
    Hi Michelle,
    Thank you for this recommendation.  Forwarded your suggestion and my colleague is grateful too.

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    Elizabeth Powers
    Executive Director
    Citi Family Center
    Jacksonville FL
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  • 8.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-02-2020 11:18 AM
    We use the Brightwheel App and our parents and teachers love it!  It has everything you listed!  Check it out!  MyBrightwheel.com

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    Christina Moreno
    Director/Owner
    Home Sweet Home Preschool
    Los Angeles CA
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  • 9.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-02-2020 01:57 PM
    Hi Christina, 
    Thank you very much for your recommendation.
    Really happy to hear how much your parents and teachers enjoy it.
    Sincerely appreciate your help.
    Elizabeth

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    Elizabeth Powers
    Executive Director
    Citi Family Center
    Jacksonville FL
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  • 10.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-02-2020 12:45 PM
    Classroom Dojo is a great app with many features our teachers and parents love it.  
    Roberta Cenci, SWS Director
    Susanna Wesley School 338 Walnut Tree Hill Rd, Shelton, CT 06484





  • 11.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-02-2020 01:52 PM
    Thank you for your suggestion!  Really appreciate your and everyone's help and input!

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    Elizabeth Powers
    Executive Director
    Citi Family Center
    Jacksonville FL
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  • 12.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-02-2020 04:48 PM
    Hello Elizabeth Powers,
    I have been using SeeSaw it is absolutely awesome. Check that out as well as himama app.

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    Milagros Neu
    Pre-K -K Teacher
    Virtual Preschool
    Maplewood NJ
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  • 13.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-06-2020 08:35 AM
    Would agree with the others who suggest taking a very close look at Seesaw and the variety of features and resources (online  it offers. If you also would like to have stories from classrooms where Seesaw/apps for family engagement have been used to support building supportive relationships with families, you may want to take a look at this TYC article written before the pandemic Developing Family Partnerships Using New Communication Tools  (Sign in as NAEYC member to access) and/or this recent blog post Using Technology to Enhance Children's Learning at Home and at School; Building Relationships is Key . 

    Good luck to your colleague with finding good suggestions to support the grant.


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    Bonnie Blagojevic
    Morningtown Consulting
    Orono ME
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  • 14.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-07-2020 09:31 AM
    Good morning:

    Cannot say enough great things about Brightwheel!  Very user friendly for staff and parents!  Both have indicated a genuine appreciation for the program.  From a Director standpoint Brightwheel offers a tremendous platform that makes record keeping, communication and billing a dream!  Costs nothing to contact Brightwheel and speak with a representative...

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    Luellen Matthews, MPA
    Director
    Arlington, VA
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  • 15.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-08-2020 12:58 AM
    I've tried Brightwheel.  They did an amazing job selling me on the application and once I paid for it, I was left on my own to figure things out.  I switched to Himama and love it!  The customer service is amazing. They even work one on one with my staff to help them use the app to the fullest potential.  Check it out, they have a free trial.

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    Karolynn Christiansen
    Director/owner
    It's A Good Day Preschool
    Stansbury Pk UT
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  • 16.  RE: Teacher/Parent Engagement App Ideas?

    Posted 10-08-2020 09:51 AM
    Karolynn:

    Our experience apparently was much different than yours.  I will reiterate it is very user friendly and I have always received a prompt response to any inquiry.  I have tried other platforms and was not impressed...Again, personal experience...would recommend that anyone take a look and speak directly with Brightwheel...and again it may not work for you...

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    Luellen Matthews, MPA
    Director
    Arlington, VA
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