USD 497 implemented a new online application called ParentSquare. This year’s new communication system allows for parents and students to stay connected by receiving emergency alerts, notices and school wide posts from teachers and other sponsors of extracurricular activities. ParentSquare offers various communication methods such as newsletters, school wide announcements and posts, and also includes the ability to contact teachers personally through the app.

Principal Amy McAnarney said the school district decided to introduce this so parents could be more in the loop about their students’ school loves.

“What it came from was parents, if they have children at multiple schools and they’re using multiple platforms for communication,” McAnarney said. “ParentSquare centralizes that. Parents can choose to have a ParentSquare app on their phone, and that way they only have to navigate one system for all their kids.”

ParentSquare enables coaches and extracurricular sponsors to make posts to all participants and students to join different groups for their clubs and teams. Students also have access to the photo library to see newsletters, club photos and other photos posted on the mainstream. This new app is able to better connect our students and faculty and help parents get the inside scoop of all things Free State.