Sep 9, 2008 3:21 pm US/Pacific
Program Helps Parents Stay In The Loop On Homework
(CBS 5)
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Parents can even get a call to notify them of test dates.
AP
Nadia Oskolkoff has been a high school teacher for years and she remembers the days when connecting with parents was a tough task.
"Then it was coming down to the office to use the phone, trying to reach the parent at home, a lot of times you miss them," said Oskolkoff.
But those days are over. Nadia uses Schoolloop, a system that allows her to connect with parents and students by creating one daily update and sending it out to all of the parents at once.
"It's extremely important, we're a partnership," explained Oskolkoff.
"Every night parents and students get a homework email that gives them all the news, all their grades, all their assignments," explained Mark Gross, founder of Schoolloop.
And beginning this year, for parents that don't subscribe, have a computer or don't speak English they can get a call to notify them of test dates.
"We make a phone call in your native language so everybody's in the loop," said Gross.
School Loop is the result of former software executive Mark Gross's frustration as a teacher and a parent.
"Every night she came home and I'd say What did you do in school today and she'd say 'Nothing.' Twelve years of nothing. So we ended that problem," said Gross.
"I think it's really helpful. I come home and look at it every night," said parent Jackie Legomarsino.
She contacts teachers, checks on PTA meetings and upcoming workshops in addition to staying on top of her daughter's homework.
"I do check with her and say did you get this done, did you get that done..and shel'll usually say 'yes.' She knows I'm following up," said Legomarsino.
Schoolloop cost $4.25 a year per student and most schools or districts pay the fee. The program is currently running in several Bay Area schools.
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