Olentangy reports strong ParentSquare uptake, will focus year‑two training and message organization

Olentangy Local officials presented a year‑one review of ParentSquare on July 9, saying the district exceeded its adoption targets and will now pivot to training and message organization.

Ms. Davis, who introduced the presentation and co‑presenter Christian Ross, described a year‑long pilot and rollout that consolidated many communication tools into a single platform. She said the district worked with a representative pilot group of administrators, teachers, coaches and advisors before expanding districtwide and that staff and families were trained and supported through the transition. “He was key. He was the glue that held this whole implementation together,” Ms. Davis said of Mr. Ross’s role in the rollout.

The district reported more than 37,000 active ParentSquare accounts across parent contacts (some parents have accounts tied to multiple students), roughly 74% of parent contacts active at one or more school sites and about a 60% mobile app download rate in the first year. Officials also reported roughly 6,400 active student accounts for grades 6–12 and a district contactability rate of about 99.9%, higher than the vendor’s national benchmark. Christian Ross said the district exceeded its internal goals: “We not only met, we exceeded our expectations for the year.”

Survey results the presenters shared showed broad satisfaction: 88% of responding parents reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the transition, and about three‑quarters found the platform easy to navigate. Staff responses were similarly positive: roughly 85% reported satisfaction and about 80% said the platform was easy to use. Staff and family open‑ended comments praised centralizing communications while asking for more consistency across athletics and extracurricular groups and clearer message organization so important notices are not buried.

Board members asked about cost and community reach. Presenters said the ParentSquare contract is priced on a per‑pupil basis (approximately $6.11 per student) and that the district had created an opt‑in community distribution list for non‑parent residents (about 300 community subscribers) and continues to use website translation and periodic mailers to reach residents who are not ParentSquare users.

The presenters recommended, and the board acknowledged, a year‑two emphasis on professional learning for staff, more consistent use across buildings and activities, and refining message structure so the right information reaches the right audiences at the right times. The board took no formal vote on the presentation; the information will inform staff work for the coming school year.