Attendance and SMS Notifications
MSJ uses a system of notifying a student’s daily absence or late arrival to school with an SMS message sent directly to the parent / caregiver’s mobile phone.
Some organisational information...
In what circumstances will an SMS be forwarded to a parent?
You will receive an SMS if:
Your daughter is not in attendance at school and you have not phoned Student Services to notify the school of your daughter’s absence, or;
Your daughter arrives late to school and you have not phoned Student Services to notify the school or your daughter’s late arrival.
Who will receive the SMS?
The system will send a message to the mother’s mobile first. If there is no mobile number record for the mother, the system will send a message to the father’s mobile number. If you wish to change this arrangement you should contact Student Services (8724 6230).
At what time of day will the SMS be sent?
After morning administration and relevant data has been entered into the system – approximately 11.00am.
How will the notification work?
The SMS text message you will receive will be similar to this:
Dear MR & MRS JONES, JESSICA was absent today, 17/06/2005. Please contact Student Services for further information.
Please note the sending number for the SMS. You may wish to add this number to your mobile phone’s address book under the title MSJ Absence.
What if I don’t own a mobile?
You will be unable to be contacted via SMS.
What if I change my mobile phone number?
The success of the system requires accurate records of mobile phone numbers. If you change your number or you think that the school does not have your correct mobile number, you can call Student Services.
What happens if I get an SMS about my daughter’s absence but believe she is at school?
When this happens you should phone Student Services to determine if our record of absence is incorrect. Obviously, if your daughter is not at school when you believe she should be there is cause for concern and it is vital to ascertain her whereabouts for your daughter’s safety.
What if I receive this message and I am aware that my daughter is not at school?
As is the normal procedure, as outlined in the Procedures - Absence from School section of the Student Diary, parents are required to provide an explanation of any student absence. You may choose to do this by: phoning Student Services or providing your daughter with a written explanation when she returns to school.
Will the SMS system be used for any other purpose?
Possibly. In this era of technology a number of schools are using the system to communicate to parents reminders as: Parent Meetings, Parent / Teacher Interviews. At this stage it will be used only for the purpose of notifying parents regarding student absences. We will assess other possibilities based on parental feedback.
If you have any concerns or questions about this system please contact Student Services.