Now that the weather is getting colder and with more snow predicted over the coming weeks it’s clear that winter is well under way and with it comes a range of different challenges, particularly for schools. Not only do the adverse weather conditions cause problems on the roads which create issues for teaching staff and parents travelling to school, but they also create the perfect conditions for illnesses to spread which increases absences. Problems that can can both impact on the school’s daily running.

If you have a school app that is designed to keep parents up to date, then you can save a lot of problems and time as the nights draw in.

Bad Weather Alerts

Of course, there’s no telling when bad weather is going to sweep in and spoil the day. According to some experts our winters are supposed to get colder and wetter and the chances of adverse conditions are set to increase over the next few years. The one thing you don’t want is parents and pupils struggling to and from school when there has been a big snowstorm or flooding due to rain. With a school app you can quickly communicate that school will be finishing early due to bad weather or that you’re not going to open for the rest of the week.

School Closures and Problems

There are other reasons why school might not be able to open and you need to tell everyone quickly. Staff shortages can sometimes be a problem and there can be sudden issues like power cuts or property damage. Push notifications basically send out immediate alerts that give parents time to make alternative arrangements. The good news is that it’s a lot less staff intensive than having to phone round to everyone.

Sickness Alerts

Winter is usually the time when we catch colds and other nasty infections that can wreak havoc across a school environment. With the right app parents don’t have to fuss around but can send a simple notification to the school that their child is not well and will not be attending that day. Rather than struggling in or trying to contact you by phone it makes sense to give them a simple online form they can access on their phone or tablet.

Christmas Plays and Events

You want to make sure that all your parents know when the Christmas play is going to be on. You can send them notifications but you can also get their attention by sending updates of the rehearsals including videos and pictures. There are plenty of other events in the winter that your school might be taking part in that you can advertise on your dedicated app.

There may be plenty of occasions when you can use your school app to update parents during the winter. With all of us leading much busier lives it’s great to have a solution that helps make the best of our time. It means you can keep pupils safer when the weather gets bad enough that you need to close and you can make sure the children aren’t waiting outside in the cold for someone to pick them up.

Image Courtesy of Flickr accessed via Creative Commons