Send messages to full school

Amanda Polson

What is the best method for sending a message to the full school and have it go to text message for those who have that enabled as well as email? For instance, this morning we had a two-hour delay due to weather.

Chris Felinski

@Amanda Polson:

What is the best method for sending a message to the full school and have it go to text message for those who have that enabled as well as email? For instance, this morning we had a two-hour delay due to weather.

Hi Amanda - we integrate with Bright Arrow, so all our messages for situations like you have with a late start due to weather go through that system.

However, we have a Smart Group setup that is all our students and another smart group that are all parents, and if necessary we have sent messages through those groups. We had done the internal message (which then will go as a text message for those who have it enabled) and export the emails to Outlook's BCC field for a mass email if necessary.

Amanda Polson

@Chris Felinski thank you for such a quick reply! Much appreciated.

Latonia Anthony

@Chris Felinski
Can you further explain your Smart Group? We are looking for a way to give access to non-teaching staff who might not have a relationship with students but sometimes need to communicate with them primarily for marketing or advancement purposes.

Chris Felinski

@Latonia Anthony Yes, we have a Smart Group called “Student Center” where every current student and every faculty/staff member is a part of. We have the Smart Group filter (under Constituent Detail) as Grad Year equals 2023 or 2024 or 2025 or 2026, or the Role as Teacher or Non-Teaching Staff. We originally had it as a role of student or teacher or non-teaching staff, but I can't remember why the role of student didn't work like we wanted.

Latonia Anthony

@Chris Felinski
Thanks for the information. I am relatively new to BB (2nd year). Is this a community group or activity? We need something that should not be connected to the student's grades, but more as a communication tool.

Chris Felinski

@Latonia Anthony Yes, we have it as a community group. The group is specifically used for communication with the entire student body. It isn't tied to grades or transcripts or anything. The students are a part of the community group as long as they are enrolled.