Schools send dozens of notices each term. Replace printed circulars and WhatsApp groups with professional, trackable SMS that every parent actually reads.
Term 1 starts Mon 13 Jan...
Sports Day is this Friday...
Fee balance reminder...
Organise Parents by Class
Go to Contacts → Groups and create static groups for each class:
- "Form 1 Parents" — 120 contacts
- "Form 2 Parents" — 115 contacts
- "All Parents" — 450 contacts
- "Staff" — 35 contacts
Import parent contacts via CSV with fields like phone, first_name, student_name, form, fee_amount.
Set Up Global Variables
In Organisation Settings → Custom Settings, add your school's shared info:
school_name= Sunrise Academyschool_phone= 0242 456 789
Example Messages
Term Opening Reminder
Dear {first_name}, Term 1 at {school_name} begins on 13 January. School hours: 7:00am - 4:30pm. Please ensure all fees are paid before reporting. Thank you.
Fee Reminder
Dear Parent, this is a reminder that school fees of ${fee_amount} for {student_name} ({form}) are due by end of month. Pay via bank transfer or EcoCash. {school_name}
Sending Notices
For one-off notices (sports day, emergency closures), create a regular Campaign:
- Go to Campaigns → New Campaign
- Name it (e.g. "Sports Day Notice")
- Select Sender ID and target group (e.g. "All Parents")
- Write your message and click Send (or set a scheduled date)
For recurring notices (weekly updates, monthly fee reminders), use Recurring Campaigns with weekly or monthly frequency.
Why schools love SMS: Unlike WhatsApp groups (which get muted), SMS arrives directly on every parent's phone — no internet needed, 98% open rate.