As you may be aware, the PowerSchool App has not been operating as intended for the past several weeks.
The District has worked with PowerSchool support to determine the issue and the district plans to reactivate all of the PowerSchool Mobile App features on December 21. The information below will only impact you if you choose to use the PowerSchool Mobile App.
Once the app is reactivated parents and students will notice several changes to the app. The PowerSchool mobile user interface has been completely redesigned with a new look and overall user experience. The key changes include:
- Combined Parent/Student Application – The new PowerSchool Mobile app for parents and students has been combined into a single app. Parents and students will still have separate username and password information. Directions for accessing PowerSchool are available here.
- Push Notifications – Parents and students can now receive instant push notifications whenever there are grade or attendance changes. Push Notifications are only received if the parent/student downloaded the app, chose to receive notifications and is logged in.
- Public Portal Disable Message – PowerSchool Mobile app users will receive a notification when the portal is disabled at the district.
Push Notifications are the biggest change for parents and students. Push Notifications are intended to provide real time information to families, however, receiving Push Notifications is not automatic. Users must opt into Push Notifications once the app is downloaded or Push Notifications can be turned on in the app settings.
While some may appreciate this kind of notification others may find it overwhelming. The good news is parents and students can choose to turn off PowerSchool Push Notifications. Directions for changing PowerSchool app settings are available online here.
Please keep in mind that even though you may have already called the school to verify an absence, Push Notifications are being sent in real time. A Push Notification is sent any time there is a change in an attendance record. Once the attendance secretary receives your message and the changes are made in PowerSchool, you will receive another Push Notification with the updated code. Push notifications are not a replacement for attendance calls. If you haven’t called in to report your child’s absence when you have received a Push Notification, please do so.
These new features were designed by PowerSchool to improve efficiency and overall student information system productivity. More information about PowerSchool and the PowerSchool app is available on the District’s website, www.waukeeschools.org.