Calvert County Notification System

All school and district-wide messages for CCPS are sent via our notification system called SchoolMessenger.

Community Members and Students

If you are not a CCPS guardian or employee:

  • To receive push notifications on your smartphone, download the Calvert County Public Schools App from the Apple App Store or Google play market.  Then proceed to the “Push Notifications” section below under “Smartphone App” to sign up for push notifications for schools.
  • To receive school-based emails, please contact the main office of the school in order to be added to its Community List. If you would like to receive email messages from multiple schools, you will need to contact each of those schools individually. Signing up for a school Community List will automatically sign you up to receive district-wide emails.
  • If you would only like to sign up to receive district-wide email messages but not any individual school messages, please contact Christy Mullins and provide her with your name and email address.

 

Guardians and Employees

If you are a parent or guardian of a student in CCPS, you will automatically receive SchoolMessenger (SM) notifications to the email address and phone numbers (home, cell, and cell2) that are on file for you in Home Access Center (HAC).  If you are a CCPS employee, you will automatically receive SchoolMessenger notifications to the email addresses (work and personal) and phone numbers (phone number, personal cell, and other) that are on file for you in Employee Access Center (EAC). The email address and phone numbers that reside in HAC and EAC are sent to SchoolMessenger’s InfoCenter each night.  EAC and HAC are the only systems where you may update your contact information.

InfoCenter is replacing Contact Manager. InfoCenter is the new area where guardians and employees can tell SchoolMessenger how they want the notifications sent (e.g., phone calls, email, text messages, push notifications).  InfoCenter will also allow you to view notifications sent to you within the past 30 days.

It is recommended that you:

  1. Make sure you have valid contact information, including an email address and phone numbers, in HAC (parents) and/or EAC (employees).  If you need help accessing your HAC account, please contact the main office of your child’s school.  If you need help accessing EAC, contact your immediate supervisor.
  2. Use this link to access InfoCenter: here (if you prefer to use a smartphone app, please skip to the Smartphone App section below). 
  3. If you previously created a Contact Manager account using your HAC or EAC email address as your username, skip Step 4 and proceed to Step 5. If you never used Contact Manager or used a different email address as your username in Contact Manager, select Sign Up Now and proceed to Step 4.
  4. On the Create Account page, enter the email address on file for you in HAC or EAC, and create a password (enter it twice). An email will be sent to that address with a secure link and directions. After following the directions, return to the Sign In option and proceed to Step 5. Note: If you receive an “already claimed by another user account” error message that means you’ve already created an SM account through Contact Manager. If this occurs, return to the Sign In option and proceed to Step 5. 
  5. On the Portal Login page, enter the email address on file for you in HAC or EAC and your password. Use the “Forgot your password” link if needed. 
  6. You should default to your Inbox. If you click on the pocket menu (three small lines in the upper right-hand corner), you will have the option to select Inbox, Associations, Preferences, or Sign Out.
    1. The “Inbox” is the default page where you will see all messages sent to you.
    2. “Associations” is where you will see the students for whom you are listed as the guardian. Contact your child’s school if you see discrepancies.
    3. “Preferences” is where you can toggle on and off where you want to receive messages. To toggle on or off, simply click the button on the right (blue = on; gray = off).  Keep in mind that you must have at least one phone listed for Emergency and Attendance notifications.  Employees will only ever receive Emergency and General notifications. If you need to add, edit, or delete the information on this page, please go to HAC and/or EAC and update your information.
    4. “Sign Out” will sign you out of the system.

 

Smartphone App:

If you prefer to use the CCPS app on your smartphone, download the Calvert County Public Schools App to your smartphone from the Apple App Store or Google play market. Search for the “Calvert County Public Schools” app and download it.  Once the app is downloaded on your smartphone, go to the pocket menu (three small lines in the upper left-hand corner), select Accounts, then select InfoCenter. If you previously created a Contact Manager account using your HAC or EAC email address as your username, select the Sign In option and proceed to Steps 5 and 6 above. If you never used Contact Manager or used a different email address as your username in Contact Manager, select Sign Up and proceed to Steps 4, 5, and 6 above.

**Push Notifications: App users may also sign up to receive push notifications from specific schools by clicking the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner of the main app page.  District messages are defaulted to on, but users may select which schools to receive push notifications for by clicking on the button to the right of the school name (blue = on, gray = off).  When choosing to receive push notifications, a badge or alert will appear on your smartphone when you receive new communications from CCPS.   
                           

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What if I am not receiving text messages or don’t want them? 

In order to receive text messages, you must have a Cell or Cell2 in HAC or a Personal Cell Number in EAC.  Additionally, you will need to opt-in to receive text messages from SchoolMessenger by texting Y to 67587 from your cell phone.  You should receive a confirmation text that you are registered to receive texts from SM.

To stop receiving text messages, you can toggle them off on your Preferences screen (step 6c above) or text STOP to 67587 at any time.

What if I am both a guardian and an employee?

If you are a guardian and an employee, you will need the email address that you use for your username to be on file in both HAC and in EAC (in either the work or personal email fields).  This will ensure that your accounts are linked and that changes you make on the Preferences screen apply to both accounts.  

How many days’ worth of messages can I view?

The last 30 days’ worth of messages will be visible in your InfoCenter Inbox.

What if I forget my InfoCenter password?

Navigate to the InfoCenter Sign In page and click “Forgot your password?  Click Here.”

How can I be ensured of the safety and security of my personal information?

Our provider, SchoolMessenger, makes the security and privacy of your data a top priority. As one of over 100 approved signatories to Student Privacy Pledge, you can feel ensured that your student’s information is safe and will never be sold, rented or shared.

Student Privacy Pledge
The Student Privacy Pledge was developed in concert with the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) and the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), and it spells out 12 commitments related to the protection and responsible use of student data. Signatories to this pledge can be held legally responsible for actions or practices which do not conform to it.

Among key elements of the pledge are promises to:

  • Not sell student information
  • Not behaviorally target advertising (targeting advertising based on browsing behavior)
  • Use data for authorized education purposes only
  • Not change privacy policies without notice and choice
  • Enforce strict limits on data retention
  • Support parental access to, and correction of errors in, their children's information
  • Provide comprehensive security standards
  • Be transparent about collection and use of data

SchoolMessenger was already 100% in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws on student data privacy, but chose to sign the Pledge to set an example for other education technology companies that facilitate school communications.

For more information on the Student Privacy Pledge please visit: http://studentprivacypledge.org/

For more information about Android app permissions please visit Google’s official website:
https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/6014972?hl=en

For more information on SchoolMessenger please visit:
http://www.schoolmessenger.com/

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