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Board approves switch from ParentSquare to Thrillshare for district communications
Summary
District staff proposed replacing ParentSquare with Thrillshare (AP/Thrillshare) to consolidate communications; the board approved the contract, with staff planning a soft launch for summer school and full rollout in August.
The board voted to approve the district’s purchase of the Thrillshare communications platform (AP/Thrillshare), following a presentation that described consolidation benefits, translation capabilities and expected costs.
John Matos explained that families currently use multiple apps (ParentSquare, Aries, Canvas, ClassDojo, Remind) and that Thrillshare aims to centralize communications. He said the first‑year cost would be about $70,000 (including a roughly $15,000 setup fee) and ongoing annual cost about $55,000; staff characterized the move as a potential long‑term cost‑saving and efficiency measure.
Matos said Thrillshare includes features similar to ClassDojo (points/behavior), translation support for multiple languages and in‑app access to district resources via web views. Staff reported demonstrations and limited pilot feedback from administrators and labor representatives; a soft launch for summer school was planned with an anticipated full launch in August for the 2025‑26 school year.
Trustees asked about teacher uptake, ClassDojo integration and translation fidelity. Staff said teachers would not be required to use Thrillshare but were encouraged; district unions and representative teachers were included in demonstrations.
Board action: Trustees moved and seconded approval of the Thrillshare vendor agreement; on roll call the motion carried. The purchase appeared on the action agenda (item 12.14) and was approved during the meeting’s action items.
What’s next: Staff will execute vendor onboarding, run a summer pilot and prepare district communications and training for the full launch in August.
