How Dove Schools of OKC Simplified Communication to Improve Engagement

Dove Schools of OKC is a public charter school system located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that had been using numerous modes of communication to relay messages to families. The school system faced several challenges trying to manage multiple platforms as a way to facilitate family engagement, such as having fragmented touchpoints for families, and determined that it needed a single, comprehensive communication system. Dove Schools found that solution in SchoolStatus Connect, which provided an all-in-one communications platform that enabled the district to streamline communications and effectively manage family engagement.

Effectively Measuring Family Engagement

Dove Schools of OKC knew that communication with families was of utmost importance and that it needed a comprehensive communication platform to efficiently serve its stakeholders, who included teachers, administrators, students, and their families. This need was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, and with each school site using a variety of communication channels, families found it challenging to navigate them and stay updated on important information. Dove Schools also needed to effectively measure family engagement to resolve issues when connections were failing. They were never sure if emails, text messages, or robocalls were received when recipients didn’t respond.

Solution: to Simplify

Dove Schools simplified its complex network of messaging and informational streams by adopting SchoolStatus Connect as its all-in-one communication platform. Implementation was straightforward; educators and families appreciated SchoolStatus Connect’s app and how simple it was to download and use. A big benefit was its ability to centralize messaging so that all families could easily and efficiently access the portal. The district appreciated the fact that administrators could accurately measure family engagement trends.

Let Families Know They Are Not Alone

Dove Schools Principal and Director of Outreach Maureen Brown says that SchoolStatus Connect is a “comprehensive way to effectively communicate with families.” She reported that all stakeholders working together on one platform has saved everyone time when making group announcements and sending 1:1 text messages. In addition, Brown says, Dove Schools is now able to easily share school newsletters, give families quick access to resource links, and efficiently schedule conferences and meetings. 

Unlike other platforms, SchoolStatus Connect provides reporting tools that measure engagement that teachers, principals, and district administration can easily access. The reports are “very useful in improving family connection, because you’re able to see how engaged they are,” says Brown. Administrators see if families have received and read messages, announcements, and notices, and if there’s no response, they can then reach out to try to reconnect.

These real-time insights and analytics help administrators and educators determine the cause of communication issues. For example, if contact information needs to be updated, they can quickly resolve the problem. Brown adds that it makes a big difference that SchoolStatus Connect is user-friendly. Family members can easily customize how they receive notifications and quickly contact various individuals at their child’s school or at the district level. Says Brown, “Our families now feel that they’re not alone. They know we want to talk with them. That’s why we’re using SchoolStatus Connect.”

Dove Schools of OKC plans to continue to rely on SchoolStatus Connect to assist with all its communication needs. It’s a “comprehensive way to effectively communicate with families,” says Brown. With its superior all-in-one platform, engagement analytics tool, and ease of use, SchoolStatus Connect has proven to be an effective and consistent solution to empower the district to communicate with all its families.

Learn how SchoolStatus Connect can enable your district to engage more families. Contact our team today.