Walking through our hallways and classrooms during this past week, I have seen and experienced an environment suffused with joy! It certainly appears to me that we have begun well on this year’s journey of awakening minds and nurturing hearts!
As we journey together, we do so most effectively when we have good lines of information sharing. The key to our partnership is communication! In that spirit, I want to say a word about some upgrades to two of our regular communication vehicles.
THURSDAY MAIL: Thursday Mail is an ‘all school’ weekly publication created by Joan Runge, our Director of Communication and a member of the Advancement Office. In it you will find news about upcoming school events, important dates, and information essential for parents. Today you are experiencing Thursday Mail in its newest form. It has a clean look and can be read more easily from all web browsers and most mobile devices.
PARENT PORTAL: Our parent portal is a private web space which provides parents with a myriad of information, from static content to ongoing classroom updates. Our new portal frees parents from the issue of multiple log-in verification requests. It too will be easier to use on mobile devices. Most importantly, our new Parent Portal will allow you to access curricular information, which had been in class newsletters, in a more timely manner, while allowing simpler access to handbooks, lunch information, health forms, athletic news and school forms. Each parent will have his/her own username and password to access the site. Parents can change their usernames and passwords to one that is more easily remembered. And, if anyone forgets their login, there will be a quick ‘forgot your password’ link with immediate e-mail feedback, thus allowing instant password reset.
An e-mail with YOUR initial password to the Parent Portal will be sent to you Friday morning.
A demonstration of the Parent Portal will occur at both the Lower School and Middle School parent meetings (Sept. 5 and 12 at 7 p.m.).
The Academy strives to be diligent with parent communication while, simultaneously, hoping not to overwhelm you with too much information. (Too much can be as unhelpful as not enough!) Your feedback regarding your experience of how we manage that delicate balance is always helpful.
I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming September parent meetings!
Maureen Glavin, rscj
