PowerSchool does not have a native communications platform. After researching our options, New Trier decided to contract with a third-party developer to incorporate BrightArrow for communications with students, parents and the district as a whole. Teachers can use Bright Arrow to reach out to all of the students and/or their parents, in one class, or across all classes. The district administration can also use BrightArrow to communicate important things, such as safety alerts or school closings, to everyone in the district, including employees.
However, there are currently some limitations on what BrightArrow can accomplish, and it might not meet the needs of every teacher. For instance, if you need to reach out to a specific student's parent or guardian, rather than send an email to all parents, you can run a separate report to get that information.