Learning Management Systems | News

Alma Updates SIS/LMS Platform with Notification System

• By Leila Meyer
• 05/22/14

Alma, a school management system for K-12, has added new messaging and emergency notification features.

The new messaging features are designed to improve communications between administrators, teachers, parents and students by enabling school-wide announcements and direct communication between teachers and parents or students. According to the company, the messaging features are accessible throughout Alma's system and work "seamlessly with users' existing email addresses, so staff, parents and students aren't burdened with maintaining a separate inbox."

"With the addition of integrated messaging to Alma, schools can provide this level of information sharing and communication much more cost-effectively without adding extra work for teachers and administrators," said Andrew Herman, CEO and founder of Alma, in a prepared statement.

Key features of Alma's new messaging system include:

• 1-to-1 messaging between staff and parents or students;
• "Message class" feature for teachers to send a message to all students in one or more classes;
• Mass messaging by administrators for school-wide non-emergency announcements;
• Group messaging from administrators to all parents, all students, or select students by grade level; and
• "Bulletin board" feature in parent and student portals for viewing past announcements from administrators.

Alma's new messaging system will be rolled out this year to the first 500 schools that sign up for the service.

The company has also introduced emergency messaging capabilities, so administrators can send emergency text or voice messages to staff, parents and students. The service is free for the remainder of the 2013-2014 school year and will cost $2 per student, per year thereafter.

Further information about Alma's new features can be found on the company's site.