Having less time and fewer resources is a continual challenge that administrators face today. So when there is a chance for apps to integrate, eliminating the need to enter the same student information twice in two different places, savvy leaders must maximize the opportunity.
And one such opportunity was recently announced by Orbit Software. Its BusBossª software can now integrate with the ParentLink mobile app by student technology services provider Blackboard.
BusBoss allows district transportation personnel to provide accurate and timely student information regarding bus stops, routes and schedules. This technology is powered by routing and tracking data. Transportation administrators can efficiently optimize their routes, saving time and money while ensuring student safety.
Blackboard’s ParentLink app offers parents personalized solutions for managing district news, schedules and information. Through integration with school websites and notification systems, users enjoy a streamlined mobile experience in one place. From emergency messaging to custom messages, language translation and surveys, ParentLink gives district leaders a proven, easy-to-use tool that gets information to the people who need it, when it’s needed.
The BusBoss-ParentLink integration makes it easier for parents to get transportation information and reduces the inefficiencies and errors that are associated with manual systems.
“Parents like seeing the bus pickup times and locations in their ParentLink district app,” says Jeffrey Williams, technology coordinator for Gettysburg Area School District in Pennsylvania.
Previously in Gettysburg, parents had to wait to receive cards in the mail right before school started that would indicate their student’s bus schedule. Now, they can access that information even earlier in the ParentLink app, and begin planning for school during the summer. The system automatically updates every night. Because of the integration, when new students enter the district, there is no lag time between when their information has been entered into ParentLink and when their transportation information is accessible through BusBoss.
Administrators in Gettysburg are always looking for software that can integrate with systems already in the district.
“When we were looking for a new LMS, for example, we wanted something that would integrate with our SIS,” says Williams. “It just makes management easier.”
The BusBoss-ParentLink integration installation was a smooth process for Gettysburg.
“We just set it up and can forget about it,” says Williams. “The system does not require a lot of maintenance.”
For more information, visit www.busboss.com/blackboard-parentlink
