Midwest Central to Launch IPhone Android App

[July 14, 2015]  MANITO/GREEN VALLEY - In a continual search for the best way to communicate with parents and community members, Midwest Central CUSD 191 in Manito/Green Valley plans to launch their own iPhone and Android app in mid to late July.

The app which is in beta testing right now will be used to communicate key school information to parents. Recognizing that people are mobile these days was the biggest reason they’ve pursued a better way to stay in touch with their constituents.

The app which will be available in the Itunes store and Google play store will be a free download for anyone wishing to stay in touch with the district. Users will be able to subscribe to the entire district or only the schools their children attend. Parents will have access to calendars for the schools as well as athletic calendars. They will only receive the calendars for which they subscribe. Additionally, they will be able to take calendar information and directly add it to their mobile device.

The district superintendent, Todd Hellrigel, said he and Rodney Norris, the high school assistant principal and athletic director have been working together on this for several months. “Our parents and community members want information about our district at their fingertips and they aren’t using computers to get it. They are using their phones because they’re mobile and the information is instant,” said Hellrigel. The app sends news from the district’s facebook site and also has the ability to send push notifications from the district. It will be used in conjunction with the district’s mass call system for school notifications such as weather closings. Once testing is finished, district parents and community members will be provided information for app installation.

[Superintendent Todd Hellrigel, Midwest Central School District 191]