MCCSC highlights ParentSquare use, high newsletter open rates and new news site in communications review

Sarah Deweese, MCCSC director of strategic communications, gave the board an update on Communication Goal No. 1 on Feb. 25, reporting metrics for the district website, ParentSquare messaging and a new district news site.

Deweese said the district website had more than 29,000 visits over the past calendar year and that social media reach across four platforms was about 16,000. The district newsletter is sent twice monthly and has a reported monthly reach of about 26,000 with an open rate consistently over 60%, a figure Deweese contrasted with a cited industry standard of 20–30%.

ParentSquare, the district’s primary two‑way family communications tool, is the main channel for schools and staff: Deweese reported that roughly 80% of messages on the platform come from schools (principals and teachers), about 48% of parents and guardians interact with messages, and the platform is translating messages for roughly 30 of the district’s 90 represented languages. The district website has received more than 7,000 translation requests over the past year, she said.

Deweese also announced a newly launched news site at news.mccsc.edu with about 1,300 visits to date and said the communications office will continue to align its next communications plan with the MCCSC Strategic Plan 2030 and pursue measurable goals for timely, relevant messaging. She identified three themes from community feedback: continue ParentSquare education for staff and families, increase promotional efforts for MCCSC successes, and evaluate whether communications volume should be streamlined for recipients.

Next steps include targeted professional development for staff on communication tools, additional outreach to increase newsletter opt‑ins (community opt‑ins rose from 450 to 728 in the report period), and setting measurable benchmarks for the communications plan.