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NewsMarch 29, 2017

BENTON, Mo. — The latest news, information and announcements for Kelly schools now are available at the fingertips of those who download the district’s own app. On March 9, the Kelly School District launched the app, which is available for free on iPhones, iPads, Android, Blackberry or Windows devices...

By Leonna Heuring ~ Standard Democrat

BENTON, Mo. — The latest news, information and announcements for Kelly schools now are available at the fingertips of those who download the district’s own app.

On March 9, the Kelly School District launched the app, which is available for free on iPhones, iPads, Android, Blackberry or Windows devices.

Since announcing the app to the district, more than 820 people have downloaded it.

Superintendent Fara Jones said the app has many more uses than the school webpage or social-media pages.

“There are so many ways for the district to communicate with parents and students using the app,” Jones said. “We can send push notifications and alerts to specific buildings, groups, clubs or teams.”

Forms can be filled out and submitted using the app, and users even can electronically sign them using a stylus pen or their finger.

“Not sure the location of the away soccer game? Just check the app, and it will chart directions to the field on your phone for you,” Jones said.

In addition to keeping up with district news, users can customize the app for needs and wants, such as following a particular building or a combination of buildings, she said.

To Jones’ knowledge, Kelly is among the first, if not the first, in the area to have its own app.

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“The idea for a school app came to me one evening many months ago as I pondered the possibility of having a single, simple method that would serve as the one go-to place for our parents, students, patrons and staff to get information at the click of their fingertips at anytime of the day,” Jones said.

The district has had a website for many years, but feeling it wasn’t used often, officials had gotten complacent with it, the superintendent said.

“We began to not update the information on there regularly so it was not a very reliable source of current and accurate information,” Jones said. “That’s when I thought that an app would be a much better source of information, because everyone could access it from their phones. We know that everyone carries a phone everywhere they go, so Kelly school info would go wherever they would go.”

The district’s technology department, led by Tom Ratledge and Reatha Paul, dove in and began researching the possibility of using an app, the superintendent said.

Several months were spent working with developers from SchoolInfo App creating a customized app for the district and its three schools.

The app can be downloaded by going to the device’s app store and searching for “Scott County R-4.” Once the app is installed, the user can go to “Settings,” to “My Alerts” and enable push notifications.

Any school closings or delays also will be pushed through the app, Jones said.

The app also gives staff the ability to communicate in a timely, quick manner because parents can click on the staff member’s name and email them.

Pertinent address:

4035 State Highway 77, Benton, Mo.

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