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Radnor Township SD to pilot ParentSquare to centralize extracurricular communications
Summary
The Radnor Township SD Curriculum Committee on Feb. 10 heard a presentation and approved a limited high-school pilot of ParentSquare (a paid evolution of Remind) to centralize after-school and extracurricular messaging; the district made a $750 initial investment and plans to import rosters from its student information system.
The Radnor Township School District Curriculum Committee discussed and supported a limited pilot of ParentSquare on Feb. 10 to standardize small-group communications for extracurriculars, athletics and clubs.
Director of Communications Ms. Tedje Brennan told the committee the district lacks “a standard small group communication platform,” pointing to an ad hoc mix of texting, apps and email that limits district oversight and complicates translation and access for families. The presentation named ParentSquare (the company that acquired Remind) as the primary candidate after district staff reviewed tools other nearby districts use.
Assistant Director of Instructional Technology Ms. Virginia Glatzer said the district’s research identified two commonly used products: “The two that we kept hearing about were TalkingPoints and Remind,” and noted that Remind’s functionality is now part of ParentSquare. Glatzer described technical features the district plans to use in the pilot: single-sign-on via Microsoft, automatic roster import from the student information system (SIS), role-based group ownership and manager settings, calendar posting, and an option for translation inside the app. She said the district began importing data the day of the meeting and has committed a “nominal investment” of $750 to begin implementation.
Presenters emphasized limits on student-to-student messaging in the planned setup. Glatzer said only district employees will be allowed to create group communications and that students will not be able to initiate or create groups; owners and managers can choose whether replies are visible to the whole group or visible only to the manager.
Board members raised operational and equity questions. Ms. Dunn warned the policy may add workload for teachers and sponsors and said she disliked existing tools, adding, “I hate Remind,” as part of her critique of platform proliferation. Several members questioned whether the tool will deliver timely notifications on district devices during school hours, whether translations will work for text-message recipients, and whether requiring coaches and booster organizations to switch will be practical. One member pointed to per-student pricing and noted, “I’m not gonna argue that $3 a student is really expensive,” urging careful evaluation for younger grades.
Presenters replied the district intends the pilot to surface those operational issues: only a few teachers and groups at the high school will participate initially (freshman baseball, JV baseball, Best Buddies and similar groups were cited), and parents will be included in the pilot. If the limited rollout resolves concerns, the presenters said they would consider a wider rollout in the following school year.
The committee did not record a formal vote during the meeting; presenters described the pilot as underway. The meeting adjourned after committee members concluded their questions.
