District pilots ParentSquare for unified two‑way school‑family communication; 14 schools signed on as early adopters
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Summary
Las Cruces Public Schools is piloting ParentSquare as a single, districtwide communication platform. Fourteen early‑adopter schools are live and the district plans a phased rollout, translator support (seven languages enabled) and training for parent champions at each site.
Las Cruces Public Schools told the board May 6 that it is piloting ParentSquare to consolidate school‑to‑family communication into a single platform and create a uniform districtwide approach.
Doctor Salazar Montoya introduced the district’s technology team and described ParentSquare as a secure way to consolidate messages, forms, appointment sign‑ups, language translations and two‑way messaging unlike the patchwork of multiple apps previously used at different campuses. The district has 14 early adopter schools currently using the system; staff said each school identifies a “ParentSquare champion” who will support staff and families at the site.
IT staff explained key features: direct messaging, mass notifications, forms and permission slips, event RSVPs, and an optional phone‑call feature the district is evaluating that would let staff call families without revealing personal numbers. ParentSquare will also accept non‑app notification methods (SMS or email) for parents who do not install an app. The district said seven languages were configured in the platform to support multilingual families.
The district plans continued rollout and training: site champions are trained and will cascade training to teachers, and IT will offer parent help sessions (for example at registration or open‑house events) so grandparents and guardians who need assistance can set up accounts. Staff said ParentSquare subsumes Remind functionality (Remind was acquired by ParentSquare) and will replace many smaller messaging apps over time, though ClassDojo will remain in primary use at some kindergarten classrooms because of its positive behavior features.
Board members asked about data accuracy (enrollment figures used for rollout planning), calendar/RSVP integration and parent supports for account setup. IT said single sign‑on for staff and desktop/app access for parents are available and the district will stage adoption so schools can get in‑person support before full activation.
No formal action was required. Staff said they expect to continue adding schools and aim for broad adoption before the 2025–26 school year.