Communication with Parents
Published August 4, 2011
Communication is a top priority for Williamson County Schools. From phone notification systems to cable access channels, the district has a variety of tools to keep parents and the general public informed.
Phone Notification System
Whether it’s an early dismissal from school due to bad weather or a notice about an upcoming meeting, Williamson County Schools will continue to use its phone notification system this school year. In addition, schools will use the system to notify parents daily if their child is absent from school.
If school is closed or will dismiss early, the notification will come from the Central Office. Other calls will be made by school principals and assistant principals. If the school has an email address for parents on file, an email with the message will also be sent along with the phone call.
After the first several weeks of school, the transportation department will use the system to notify parents if buses will be running more than 20 minutes late in the afternoon.
The phone system uses the student information that is put into the school’s student information database. Parents are encouraged to keep their phone numbers and email addresses current with the school.
WC-TV
The county's government and education access channel is another way the district is able to communicate with parents. WC-TV was created in an effort to provide quality local programming which showcases the people, places and events within the Williamson County government and school system. WC-TV can be found on Comcast 3 and Charter 96. WC-TV is also available through AT&T on channel 99, and in the Tollgate and Bridgemore Village subdivisions on Channel 1.
In addition to school-related events such as musical performances, high school plays and football games, WC-TV runs a slide-show each day which contains information about upcoming events in Williamson County. It also broadcasts information about all 41 schools in the district, which is provided by each school's media contact.
If school is closed due to inclement weather, that message will be broadcast on WC-TV before it is sent to the other traditional media outlets.
IN FOCUS
Since you're reading this story, chances are you already know about the district's primary source for communicating with the public. IN FOCUS, Williamson County Schools e-mail newsletter, was developed in 2006 as a way of informing parents and community members about important district and school-related information. Complete with videos and articles, IN FOCUS has grown substantially in size and is now the only true source for district information.
In 2008, IN FOCUS switched to an opt-out system which has allowed us to reach every parent whose email address is on file with their child's school. To make sure you receive each issue of IN FOCUS, simply provide your child's school with a correct email address or SEND US an email stating you'd like to be added to the distribution list. We hope you'll encourage your relatives and neighbors to sign up as well. They can do so by sending an email to corym@wcs.edu that states they'd like to begin receiving IN FOCUS.
Parents can also keep track of the latest WCS news by following us on TWITTER. The district began its Twitter account last year and now has over 1,100 followers. From school closings to academic achievements, the WCS Twitter feed is a great way for parents, students, staff and community members to stay informed of all the latest happenings in the district.
ParentConnection
ParentConnection is Williamson County School's parent portal. Parents can create an account and log in to see their student's grades, attendance and other valuable information in grades 3-12. Schools will provide parents with opt-in paperwork and directions for creating an account. All parents who participated last year will have to submit opt-in paperwork again but they should not have to re-create their accounts. Parents must complete the paperwork and create an account before the school can provide them with access to student information.
SharePoint
Teachers are using SharePoint to create classroom websites to keep families informed. On the teacher website you will find course syllabi, assignment information and links to classroom resources. Students in sixth through twelfth honors courses, middle school technology and other classes will be able to stay in touch with their assignments and even submit their work online using SharePoint Learning Kit. Ask your student if they are using this technology tool for their class work.
GoogleApps
Students in grades 3-12 receive educational GoogleApps accounts. These accounts are used for instructional purposes. They provide access from school and home to electronic storage space for work; word processing, spreadsheet and presentation capabilities; and communication options including email, chat and discussion boards. Students can only communicate with other students within our educational accounts. Return the Acceptable Use, Media Release and Internet Safety form to include your student.
Internet Resources
WCS provides access to a number of Internet resources from home and school. These resources include Grolier Encyclopedia, netTrekker Student Search Engine, Discovery Education instructional video library and Tennessee Electronic Library of research content. Additionally, elementary students have home access to Big Universe, a collection of ebooks. Most of our textbooks have online resource capability. Your student’s school will send you specific login information to help you access these resources.