February 16, 2024 Update:
Dear BCMS Families,
I hope you are having a great week. I am writing today to update you on the rollout of the pilot program that we are participating in for school emails, text messages, and phone calls.
As I shared with you earlier this month, our school has been selected to participate in a pilot by Hanover County Public Schools for the use of ParentSquare, a unified communications platform that is designed to keep families informed in a simple, accessible, and engaging way.
We will use ParentSquare starting on Monday, March 11 for our school-wide emails, text messages, and phone calls as HCPS prepares for the division-wide rollout of this new system next school year, moving away from the current eConnect system.
I am excited to share that
you will receive an email today to activate your ParentSquare account. Here are the easy steps once you have received the email:
1. Open the invitation email. Click Activate your account or tap the link to activate your account.
2. Create a Password for your ParentSquare account and click Register.
3. Click Confirm for your phone number and/or email. A verification code will be sent to the email or phone number.
4. Enter the verification code to confirm.
5. Confirm your child(ren) by clicking Confirm. Use Not My Child if a child listed is not associated with your account.
6. Select Yes, This is Me when you have confirmed your contact information and child(ren) associated with your account.
Once you have activated your account, you may consider reviewing the following by clicking “My Account” under your name in the top right corner:
- Your language settings: ParentSquare communications automatically translate to your preferred language
- Your notification settings: Select how you would like to receive messages from our school (via email, text, and/or app notifications). The digest setting allows all non-urgent school communications to be sent to you at the end of the day beginning at 6 p.m. rather than instantly throughout the day.
We also recommend that you download the ParentSquare app prior to March 11.
What happens if I don’t receive an email or there is incorrect information?
If you do not receive an email by Monday morning, please first check your spam folder. If there is not an invitation email in your spam folder, please email
[email protected] with your student’s first and last name as well as the email(s) that should be associated with your student’s account.
If your child’s name is misspelled, there is a wrong email address or phone number, or you are missing a child on your account, please email
[email protected] with the relevant information and it will be shared with our school registrar.
As always, if you have any questions about our school, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. If you have any questions about this pilot or ParentSquare, please email
[email protected].
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Tim Sanders
Principal
Bell Creek Middle School
Original February 1, 2024 Message:
Dear BCMS Families, Faculty, and Staff,
I am writing to share with you exciting news that we believe will significantly improve school-to-home communication for our school.
Bell Creek Middle School has been selected to participate in a pilot by Hanover County Public Schools for the use of ParentSquare, a unified communications platform that is designed to keep families informed in a simple, accessible, and engaging way. We will use ParentSquare
starting on Monday, March 11 for our school-wide emails, text messages, and phone calls as HCPS prepares for the division-wide rollout of this new system next school year, moving away from the current eConnect system.
The goal of this new system, which has been successfully implemented in hundreds of school divisions across the country, is to provide for one centralized place for families to communicate with our school. ParentSquare offers a robust mobile app, automatic translation, the option to receive a daily digest to minimize notifications/emails throughout the day, and more. Here is
a helpful video for you to watch for an overview of this new system. Please note that while ParentSquare has many offerings, including classroom communication, calendar, and more, HCPS is piloting only school-wide communications at this time.
What comes next? Prior to the launch of the pilot at our school, you will receive an activation email for your ParentSquare account. Simply activate your account and you will begin receiving important notifications for our school, be able to manage your account and settings, and take part in this exciting pilot, which will continue through the end of the school year.
Please note this will become the primary method of communication starting March 11, and we will discontinue service of our current eConnect system for our school.
If you have any questions about our school, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. If you have any questions about this pilot or ParentSquare, please email
[email protected].
I hope you will join me in your excitement for being selected to pilot this modern, convenient, and more user-friendly program. Thank you for your continued support of our school.
Sincerely,
Tim Sanders
Principal
Bell Creek Middle School