Text Message Opt-In

Mars Area School District has added text messaging capabilities to SchoolMessenger, the District’s mass notification system, which is used to communicate with parents/guardians regarding general information concerning the District and its schools as well as school closings/delays, Remote Learning / Flexible Instruction Days, and in the event of an emergency.

Parents/guardians can opt in an any time. To receive text messages from the District, simply:

Text “Yes” or “Y” to 67587

*Terms and Conditions — Message frequency varies. Standard message and data rates may apply. Reply “HELP” for help. Text “STOP” to cancel. Mobile carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. See schoolmessenger.com/txt for more information.

In addition to the text notifications, the District will continue to distribute phone and e-mail messages. All parents/guardians are advised to continue to check the District’s other communication resources (website, social media, etc.) for up-to-date information, especially regarding school closings/delays, Remote Learning / Flexible Instruction Days, and emergency notices. Television and radio news stations may also serve as a secondary source of information.

Parental Involvement is an important factor for successful education. The SchoolMessenger notification system is intended to enhance the District’s ability to connect and communicate with our parents/guardians in a timely manner.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do recipients “Opt-In” to receive text messages?

Confirm the text device number(s) are in imported to SchoolMessenger.

Text “Y” or “Yes” to 67587 from each wireless device they wish to receive texts on.

Note: Depending on the data synchronization configuration it may take 24 hours or more for numbers to be updated from the district SIS database.

How do recipients opt-out of receiving text messages?

Recipients not wishing to receive text messages to a particular number can simply do one of the following:

- Do not opt-in and do not reply to the opt-in invitation message.
- Text “STOP” to 67587 at any time.
- Opt-out online at http://schoolmessenger.com/txtmsg
- Contact your school building to request that the number be added to the blocked phone number list.

Can the text messages come from a District phone number, instead of the SchoolMessenger short code?

No. Short codes are the industry standard, and the only fast and reliable way to deliver mass text notifications.

I received a text message that says it’s from SchoolMessenger? What does it mean?

If it was from 67587, that was most likely the Opt-In Invitation message sent by SchoolMessenger.

To continue receiving informational text messages from the school(s) reply with Y. If you do not reply, you won’t receive any future texts from our schools.

I “Opted-In”, but I’m not receiving texts?

Ensure that the District has your correct device number listed in the “Text Message Numbers” field, under the “Skylert” tab in Skyward. It may take 24 hours for a number to become active after being changed or added in Skyward.

Send a text with “Y” or “Yes” from the specific device to 67587. You should receive an opt-in confirmation message from the service.

If you want to receive texts on multiple devices, each device number must complete the Opt-In process.

Confirm that the District has attempted to send you a SMS text message to your mobile phone number.

How do I know if it worked?

After you text one of the key words to the short code, the system will ALWAYS respond back with one of three messages:

Opt-in Response: “You're registered 4 SchoolMessenger notifications. Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help. Msg&data rates may apply. msg freq varies. schoolmessenger.com/txt “

Opt-out Response: “You’re unsubscribed from SchoolMessenger. No more messages will be sent. Reply Y to resubscribe or Help for help. Msg & data rates may apply schoolmessenger.com/tm”

Help or Unknown Key Word Response: “SchoolMessenger notification service: Reply Y to subscribe or STOP to cancel. Msg&data rates may apply. Msg freq varies. Visit schoolmessenger.com/txt for info”

Any other response or no response indicates the recipient should contact their wireless device provider to have SMS messaging/premium content enabled (see below for more details).

What does it mean if I texted “Y” or “Yes” and I received some sort of error message back?

If you receive what appears to be an error message, similar to one of the following, it most likely means that short code text messaging is not enabled on your wireless subscription plan:

- Service access denied
- Message failed
- Short code may have expired or short code texting may be blocked on your account
- Does not participate

These replies DO NOT indicate that the wireless provider cannot receive messages from SchoolMessenger. Rather, they are an indication that the specific mobile device does not have short code SMS texting enabled for that number (this is sometimes disabled by default on company provided cell phones). To address this, contact your wireless provider.

Note: Providers sometimes use various names for this type of texting service (e.g. short code, SMS, premium, etc.). If you simply ask about text messaging, your carrier may assume you are referring to person-to-person. Therefore, be very clear to refer to “short code” text messages. Most TV programs that have a voting component use short code SMS messaging (e.g. American Idol, Dancing with the Stars). In addition, many department or grocery stores use SMS to distribute coupons and deals. Using an example such as this can be helpful in clarifying the type of texting service you want to enable.

Will I be charged for the text messages I receive from SchoolMessenger?

SchoolMessenger does not charge recipients for the text messages that they receive or send to the short code; however, wireless providers may charge for individual text messages, depending on the plan associated with the wireless device. Please consult your carrier if you are uncertain.