You asked for an app — we listened

Principal News

You asked for an app — we listened
The new app is a bespoke app developed exclusively for Wairakei Primary School. It is a web app, which is slightly different from a mobile app. The web app is directly linked to the school website to reduce the double handling that occurs with our current communication pathway. Recently we tested the app with a group of parents and staff and received favourable responses. We only had to tidy up a couple of niggles.

Unlike a mobile app, the web app requires a little more effort to install on your device. However, you will only need to do this once.

WPS Web App Onboarding
Starting on Monday, November 4, at the Junior School Tabloids, the team from MRD Napier will be on site to assist with onboarding the app. Staff will receive it first and some training on how to use it. Then extra training for Angel Chauval, Fiona Griffin and the office staff as they will be assisting with the roll out.

The junior school parents will then be able to get one-on-one assistance to add the app to their phones with the developers and staff. This is for Rooms 12, 13, 14 15, 16, and 17 parents only.

The senior school parents will then have a similar set up system at the Senior School Athletics the following day, November 5, 2024 for  Room 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 11.

The staggered approach to the onboarding process allows us to manage the site without all parents trying to log on at one time, which could overload the server. If you miss either of those days there will be support for you via the office, Angel and Fiona.

There are a few things to note about the app
Once in place there will be no more texts sent to the community. All notifications will go through the app. This includes the newsletter and any special notices that come out from time to time. I expect this to happen by December 1, 2024, once everyone is on the app and it is working as expected.

The app is for our school community only
We will be saying goodbye to many of the long standing newsletter readers who open it regularly and follow along with the school events. Thank you for your support over this time. You can of course keep up with the school by following the school website and seeing all our learning adventures. Adding comments to the blogs makes you a living part of the extended school community.

There is no longer any need to do a printed newsletter
You can read a copy of the newsletter on the school phone in the office. It will be in the app every fortnight the same as before. It will no longer be in your email. The last newsletter to be sent will be November 12, 2024. From then on all newsletters will be via the app.

Parents will need to adjust their own notifications each year
It is important that all parents manage their own settings on the app. It is not for the office to do this and in fact they are not able to.

Communication goes both ways. Having up-to-date cell phone numbers, addresses and emails is important. We can only communicate with you if we have the correct details to work with.

There has been a flurry of comments regarding communication made to the school. I have to say that we can only put out so much information about dates and times. If parents don't read or look at the calendar that is not on us. School calendars are a living entity. You have to check regularly because events may change. All events are weather dependent. There have been a number of calendar changes made this week by staff as they finalise bookings for events.

With any major change there may be some technical issues. Change does that. Please bear with us while we work out any difficulties. The developers have worked very hard on this app and want it to work as much as the school does.

Full details will be given to the remainder of the community after the two triage days, via the website. To be able to use the app you must have a working email account and be connected to the school via your enrolled child. You will only need one account for multiple children. This is a safety element of the new app.

I am excited about this step for the school. This has been in the pipeline for some time. 

Change is good.