Owasso board approves FinalSite contract to replace SchoolMessenger for district mass messaging

The Owasso Public Schools Board of Education voted to approve a three-year addendum with FinalSite to provide district mass messaging services beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2028, at a yearly cost of $18,500.

A district staff member presenting the item told the board FinalSite would replace SchoolMessenger as the district’s primary mass messaging tool and that the platform offers a more mobile-friendly interface, more text-message character capacity and social-media integration. “We just believe it's a better product... having the ability to be able to do that work on their phone is big,” the presenter said.

The presenter said FinalSite included additional text-message characters at a lower per‑character price than the district’s prior arrangement with SchoolMessenger, and that FinalSite waived startup costs. The presenter also described a workflow that allows a user to begin a message on a phone or laptop and resume it on another device, and noted the ability to craft a message once and post it to email, text and social media simultaneously.

Board members discussed cost and functionality in subcommittee prior to the meeting. The motion to approve the addendum passed on a roll-call vote with the five-member board voting yes (Frosty Turpin, Stephanie Ruttman, Rhonda Mills, Neil Kessler, Brent England).

The board authorized the superintendent or designee to execute the service agreement. The district indicated it will discontinue payment for SchoolMessenger and migrate messaging to FinalSite; no additional board action was required at the meeting.