by Kate Evans
Morgan County Schools is using a new app — the School Info app – to broaden their school communications. All county schools can use it to spread information, and kids and parents can download it onto their phone.
Berkeley Springs High School Principal Mitch Nida said his school has made it a mission to increase communications about the high school to parents, students and the community. Part of that effort is letting people know about the School Info app.
Nida said this year has been totally different with multiple models of instruction — virtual, remote and the regular in-school learning program.
He said the new app is very useful, but kids and parents have to download the app to get the communications, he said. The high school has linked the School Info to their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Other tools
Berkeley Springs High School also uses Schoology, Gradebook and messaging as communications tools. Paper messages haven’t been used much this year with so much remote learning occurring.
School officials also reach parent through a list serve, Facebook and robocalls. Not all parents are on their list serve, he noted. A lot of parents are on Facebook, but not all of them.
“There’s no one way I can send something and know I’ve gotten it to everyone,” Nida said.
The School Info app includes information about anything that’s happening at the high school, Nida said.
Events, sports, clubs, testing information, school closings, remote learning information, Student of the Month, the MC After 3 program, attendance, tutoring, meal deliveries and the “Making a Difference” recipient are some of the things that can be found on the app, Nida said.
Each school chooses its own information to post for families and students.
The app is available for Androids and Apple devices. The School Info app can be downloaded from the Morgan County Schools website.
As long as you can access the internet, you can get information through the app. The app is also a database and contains the high school student handbook, the bell schedule and various forms and documents that parents need, Nida said.
Anyone can pull up the app at any time and check the Berkeley Springs High School news by scrolling downward. If the news is urgent, such as in a school closing, Nida said he pins it at the top so it doesn’t go away. People can check on the news link date or time or can even scroll back through the entire year’s news if they want.
The app has a news icon, school calendar, quick links, a link to the high school website, athletics page, staff directory and more.
Recent posts include the Berkeley Springs High School academic Hall of Fame, the Tribe tribute, the creative writing class link, National Honor Society inductees, remote learning information, the DHHR COVID-19 county alert system map, school calendar updates, Students of the Month and James Rumsey Technical Institute information.
The School Info app gives all county schools the opportunity to reach more students, parents and community members.
“We know we’re not reaching everyone still. Some don’t know about it. We’re trying every avenue,” Nida said.