District 15 reports wider reach with ParentSquare, more families engaged

Palatine CCSD 15 communications staff told the board that a measured approach to updating district tools has increased family engagement and broadened participation in surveys and feedback.

Amai Gibson, chief communications officer, and colleagues presented survey results showing families rated how informed they feel about district-level updates an average of 4.16 out of 5 and that survey response volume rose roughly 145% this year. The presentation credited ParentSquare and related tools for expanded reach and better translation features that allow families to receive messages in their preferred language.

Staff reported more than 184,000 distinct users visited district and school websites between July 1 and Jan. 22, generating over 1 million pageviews; social media engagement increased roughly 37% year over year. Personnel described features such as district-level news (District 15 News) and use cases like text messages and auto-translated group posts that helped staff reach families more effectively.

The team said the district is continuing targeted work to help staff use advanced ParentSquare features (forms, calendars, appointment sign-ups) and to promote the ParentSquare app for a more organized messaging experience. They also highlighted community events and an upcoming 80th-anniversary gala tied to a district food-security initiative.

Board members thanked the communications team and encouraged families to download the app and sign up for newsletters.