COMMUNICATION WITH
PARENTS

Communication is always a top priority for Williamson County Schools.  From phone notification systems to cable access channels, the district has a variety of tools to keep parents and the general public informed.

Phone Notification System

Whether it’s an early dismissal from school due to bad weather or a notice about an upcoming meeting, Williamson County Schools will continue to use its phone notification system this school year.  In addition, schools may also use the system to notify parents daily if their child is absent from school.
    
If school is closed or will dismiss early, the notification will come from the Central Office. Other calls will be made by school principals and assistant principals. If the school has an email address for parents on file, an email with the message will also be sent along with the phone call.

Parents can expect to hear from principals who call with reminders of upcoming events, and the system will also be used to communicate with parents in case of an emergency. After the first several weeks of school, the transportation department will use the system to notify parents if buses will be running more than 15-20 minutes late in the afternoon.
    
The phone system uses the student information that is put into the school’s student information database. Parents are encouraged to keep their phone numbers and email addresses current with the school. 

WC-TV

The county's government and education access channel is another way the district is able to communicate with parents.  WC-TV was created in an effort to provide quality local programming which showcases the people, places and events within the Williamson County government and school system.  WC-TV can be found on Comcast 3 and Charter 96.  By mid-August, WC-TV will also be available through AT&T on channel 99, and in the Tollgate and Bridgemore Village subdivisions on Channel 1.

In addition to school-related events such as musical performances, high school plays and football games, WC-TV runs a slide-show each day which contains information about upcoming events in Williamson County.  In addition, it broadcasts information about all 37 schools in the district, which is provided by each school's media contact.

If school is closed due to inclement weather, that message will be broadcast on WC-TV before it is sent to the other traditional media outlets.  

IN FOCUS

Since you're reading this story, chances are you already know about the district's primary source for communicating with the public.  IN FOCUS, Williamson County Schools e-mail newsletter, was developed in 2006 as a way of informing parents and community members about important district and school-related information.  Complete with videos and articles, IN FOCUS has grown substantially in size and is now the only true source for district information.

In 2008, IN FOCUS switched to an opt-out system which has allowed us to reach every parent whose email address is on file with their child's school.  To make sure you receive each issue of IN FOCUS, simply provide your child's school with a correct email address, or go to http://www.wcs.edu/districtemail.asp and fill out the necessary information.

ParentConnection

·        ParentConnection is Williamson County School’s parent portal.  Parents can create an account and log in to see their student's grades, attendance and other valuable information in grades 3-12.  Parents will be able to see the new standards-based report cards for grade K-2 in the portal as well.  Schools will provide parents with opt-in paperwork and directions for creating an account.  All parents that participated last year will have to submit opt-in paperwork again but they should not have to re-create their accounts.  Parents must complete the paperwork and create an account before the school can provide them with access to student information.

SharePoint

·        Students in 6-12 honors, middle school technology and other classes will be able to stay in touch with their assignments and even submit their work online using SharePoint Learning Kit.  Ask your student if they are using this technology tool for their class work.