BOSSIER CITY, LA (KSLA) -
There's a relatively new technology that's helping bridge the gap between a student's classroom and their parents. It's something called "School Loop."
A school bell was once the height of technology in Ark-La-Tex schools. But then, a generation ago came computers into classrooms. And now, today's computers are reaching out to some parents every single day, with School Loop.
"We have over 17-thousand households that's with one, at least one parent signed-up to get that afternoon email," explained Bill Allred, Technology Director of Bossier Parish Schools in Northwest Louisiana.
Allred gave us a working tour of School Loop. It's a for-profit, San Francisco based on-line application. It posts news, grades, upcoming assignments and even lunch balances. "And last year (we) sent out almost 3-million emails," added Allred. School Loop serves 14-hundred schools in 100-districts across the country.
And for the third year that includes Bossier Schools. It can give parents a heads-up on what to talk about when they first see their kids later in the day, "and have a little bit of a plan so that you're not surprised and shocked by good and bad news," continued Allred.
But don't just take his word for it. One mother told me that School Loop proved invaluable last school year, when her son was a senior, in connecting with his school: "To all the teachers, to my son, let him know that I am watching to make sure he's keeping up with everything and that he doesn't miss anything and I know when something is due," recalled a smiling Denise Raley.
Allred warns parents to fight a natural inclination to focus only on problems and instead find certain areas to celebrate, so your child doesn't learn to dread that daily School Loop message.
The cost of School Loop is 20-thousand dollars a year. Allred said that's after you take into account the discounts and government funds helping pay for that valuable service.
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