Recently, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Moira Wiedenman, Director of Marketing and Communications at DSST Public Schools. They are a charter school network that operates 16 middle and high schools across Denver and Aurora, Colorado. Founded in 2008, DSST has established an impressive track record, achieving a 100% college admission rate for its graduates. The school's commitment to student success is evident in its STEM-focused curriculum and a supportive approach that values community involvement.

Before embracing the Bloomz app, DSST used a different family communication platform called Reachwell. Over four years of partnership, Reachwell served the network well, but it ultimately proved to be somewhat limiting. The DSST team was searching for a more user-friendly solution that would provide powerful analytics, enabling staff to understand family engagement better. Their research led them to Bloomz, where they saw a promising opportunity to enhance their family communication efforts.

As we delved deeper into their experience, it became apparent that a few specific features of the Bloomz app were creating a buzz among educators and staff. The calendar options and volunteer sign ups were a big draw, making it easier to coordinate school events. Bloomz’ analytics capabilities also stood out, as having actionable data behind their communications represented a step forward in how they interacted with families.

Moira raved about the onboarding and support experience were unequivocally described as excellent. The representative shared that Mallory, their onboarding specialist, provided extensive training, helping to ensure all stakeholders felt confident using the new platform. 

When asked if they would recommend Bloomz to other schools, the response was an enthusiastic “absolutely!” As they look to the future, the DSST team is also excited about the prospects of additional features that would further enhance their communication with families, including an anticipated update that will allow families to respond to messages via email without needing to access the Bloomz app.