Introducing our new alert system: Remind!
August 23, 2024
Launch the media gallery 1 playerStarting with the 2024-25 school year, JCC will be moving to a different alert solution. There will be some differences between the two alert systems and it will take some time for all users to adapt.
There will also be some new features that will be available that we are excited to share more information about!
This article will attempt to cover most of the changes and top items to know about. Please read to learn more about the changes for this year!
CHANGES:
- The system JCC is moving to is Remind. You may have been a part (or have used) the free version of Remind as a part of a team or another organization.
- Remind messages are best received through the Remind app (available on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store). But if you don’t want the app, messages can also be received via SMS text and email.
- Remind is synced with PowerSchool. This will allow us to have some additional features, but most importantly, for parents, as long as you have submitted your information to the school, you will be connected immediately.
- If you are not a parent, but would like to receive district-wide/building-wide messages, you can opt-in by texting a special @code to 81010.
- We will post a code for district-wide alerts as well as a code for each separate building.
- All parents already in PowerSchool will be receiving an email from Remind. This email will help parents complete their Remind account setup. This is especially important to help link your phone number and your email address.
- An example: you may already have your cell phone listed with Remind on a free account, such as the Legion baseball team’s Remind. By following the instructions in your email, you can connect all of your information into one account.
- Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be able to customize the way you receive alerts (app, SMS, email).
- There will be no more voice phone calls.*
- * The only time a message will be a phone call is during an emergency. Remind calls this an “Urgent Message.” See more about Urgent Messages below.
- Since Remind is synced with PowerSchool, teachers now have the *option* to use Remind to message parents. Not every teacher will use Remind, but this is now available for them to use.
- Teachers can also turn on/off message replies.
- This system is considered a secure system, so all messages are archived & saved for record keeping.
- Teachers & coaches can also create groups that our students/parents can join. An example of this would be like for High School Boys Basketball. Students/parents can join by simply texting the group’s @code to 81010. Many of our activities have already been using the free version of this.
- If you receive a message that you would like not to get, Remind always has the opt-out option where you can just reply STOP and you will be opt-ed out of that thread.
- PLEASE NOTE: We will be using this system to send out information regarding snow days, late starts, and other important cancelation notices. So think twice to see if you really need to opt-out or not!
Please be patient with us as we learn the new system. You may occasionally get an alert that you feel doesn’t apply to you, but it may be sent out to a group, such as all high school parents. If you feel like you are missing out on alerts, please remember that we attempt to only send messages to the smallest group we believe the message is applicable to.
If you do have any questions, please stop by the office or call the school. Just remember, our building secretaries are also new to the system and do not have all of the administrative responsibilities with the alert system.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Urgent messages will be sent to all devices connected to your Remind account (text message, smartphone app notification, email, and landline), whether they've opted to receive messages or not. For landlines & for those unreachable by SMS, the message will be sent in a text-to-voice call.
Urgent messages will only be used in the case of emergency.