New this school year for Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) parents and staff are text message notifications. CCPS has a new notification system called School Messenger, which is used to send systemwide and school emails, phone calls and text message updates.
Text message recipients must opt-in to receive text alerts. The text alert feature will be available on Oct. 1. Parents and staff will receive an opt-in text message from CCPS on Oct. 1 through the new School Messenger notification tool. The message will come from the short code, or short set of numbers, 67587 to all parents and staff members who have provided CCPS with a cell phone number.
To opt-in, users must text YES or Y to 67587. Text STOP to 67587 at any time to stop receiving text message alerts from CCPS. Standard text message rates by cell phone carriers apply.
Parents and guardians who want to opt-in for text messages should list a cell phone number on their child’s emergency notification card, distributed to all students on the first day of school. Parents should provide a working phone number and valid email address on the emergency card in order to receive important updates.
Parents who change cell phone numbers during the school year should update their contact information with their child’s school. Once the number is updated with the school, parents should receive a new opt-in message from 67587. Staff members who change cell phone numbers during the school year should contact the CCPS Human Resources Department to update their employee information on file.
The School Messenger notification system uses data from the CCPS student information system YouVue, also called Synergy. Because School Messenger uses data imports managed by CCPS, the system cannot send messages to outside community members.
Attendance records and absentee notifications for parents are generated through the YouVue system. Call the CCPS Communications Department at 301-934-7220 or your child’s school with questions about School Messenger notifications.
