Frequently asked questions
I’m a parent and want my school to use this platform. Who should I reach out to?
The Pikmykid team can help your school with an online demo, training and quick implementation. The App only works when the schools or after-school facilities implement the system with their programs. You can connect our school safety consultants to your school administrators for a meeting, too. Click on the chat button in the bottom right corner of our website to talk to our sales team.
I don’t own a smartphone, how will I use the Pikmykid process?
We understand that there are individuals who can’t download the App (for various reasons) that’s why we have created a free car tag generator. Schools will download the car tag, print copies and give it to you. You then will put it on your car dashboard and you’ll be able to pick up the child with no problem. You can also give this car tag to a family member who you have previously authorized to pick up your child, but doesn’t own a smartphone.
Will the Pikmykid App track my child?
Absolutely not. We don’t use biometrics or any type of automated recognition. Our system is designed so that children don’t have to own a smartphone or use tracking devices.
How does Pikmykid ensure that my personal information is confidential/safe?
We take security very seriously. Schools don’t have access to emails and passwords. Your password is confidential only to you. If you need to reset it, you can use our email reset link OR you may contact us and we will provide you with a temporary password.
What happens if my phone is stolen/lost?
Please reach out to your school or Pikmykid immediately explaining the situation. You can reach out to Support by emailing [email protected]. We will make sure to temporarily block your account until you’re able to get a new phone or find yours. Please keep us posted on any important updates in regards to the situation.
My school is not affiliated with Pikmykid, can I still use the App?
We’re sad to inform you that you can’t use the App if your school is not associated with Pikmykid. If you’d like to inform your school about us, please share our website with them and ask them to schedule a live demo with us here.
My school is not yet affiliated with Pikmykid, how can I propose this system to them?
Please ask them to visit our website in order to read more about us. You can also tell them to try our free car line and ask them to schedule a live demo with us. We’d be more than happy to provide your school with the necessary information!
How much does the Pikmykid App cost?
The Pikmykid App is free for parents! It’s available on Windows Phone, iOS and Android.
We use carpooling; will Pikmykid still work and meet my needs?
Absolutely! Our system provides parents with the option to assign their children to various pickup modes including carpooling. You can do this whenever you want and for how long you want it. You can even add this change to recur daily, weekly, monthly, etc based on your carpool schedule.
Does it require children to carry a phone or any device?
Our policy is to ensure children are not burdened with dismissal planning, so your child doesn’t need to carry a cellphone or device of any sort. This makes Pikmykid perfect for parents of children at any age.
My child(ren) school uses Pikmykid and I have some questions about the parent app?
Congrats! Your school has made the smart decision to keep student safe and help parents manage via app . Parents can download the app from the Apple store, Google play store or Windows for respective phones. If you have any questions during registration, you can reach us through support section in the App or email to [email protected]
For Schools
I have seen the demo, and my school loves the idea! What are my next steps?
Congratulations! You made a good decision. You can reach out to [email protected] or call us at (813) 649-8028. Our team will be able to walk you through the implementation process and the next steps.
What does the Pikmykid system include?
Our system includes a School dashboard, a dispatcher App for schools, a free parent App for parents and Customer Support year round.
What’s a School Dashboard?
The school dashboard is an interactive and dynamic platform in which the Schools can manage the student and parent information, dismissal plan change requests from parents, Daily reports, access to the Pikmykid Messenger, among others. We provide each staff person and teacher with their own account and the school can customize the levels of permission according to their needs. Schedule a live demo to learn more.
About the Dispatcher App for Schools:
The dispatcher app is a tablet based app for School Staff for managing real-time dismissal actions during the normal dismissal time. This is where teachers see when parents have announced and where they dismiss the children, or they board children to the buses. Staff App is secured by a special code to key in first time. This is given to your school during the Implementation Process. The Dispatcher functions are also available in any web browser and formatted for mobile viewing.
About the Parent App:
The parent App is available for parents on their smartphones. This is completely free for them! This is where they make changes, receive real-time notifications and announce themselves in the car/walker line. Our parent App is supported by Windows Phone, iOS and Android.
How does Pikmykid help with accountability?
We provide schools with a free reporting system. Schools are able to download reports that show all the dismissal information about who picked up the child, time of dismissal, and the pickup mode. We offer many different types of reports and all school users have access. This is perfect for schools or clubs that require attendance time tracking.
My school has multiple car lines, can Pikmykid take care of this?
Of course! With the Pikmykid system you can have up to four car lines. You may also customize the number of cars you want to have loading at a time in each car line.
My school has a lot of after-school programs, can Pikmykid handle this?
With the Pikmykid system you can manage all your after-school programs and can also customize the names of these after-school programs. We understand that some of them are only available for specific grades, ages, classrooms, etc. that’s why our system allows you to enable/disable access for specific children.
Is there a limit on the number of bus routes we can have?
Absolutely not! You can add all the bus routes you want. These bus routes don’t necessarily have to be numbers (e.g. Bus 1, Bus 2, etc.). We know that some schools have names for their bus routes (e.g. Blue Bus, Green Bus, etc.), and this is available for you to customize according to your school’s needs and wants.
Our Parents park and pick up their kids instead of using the Car Line, will they still be able to announce if they download the Pikmykid App?
Yes they will. We have two types of walkers: announced and unannounced. Announced: parents announce when they arrive to the school. Unannounced: children are dismissed by staff to go home with no parent picking them up.
Some of our parents don’t have smartphones or can’t download the App, how does Pikmykid handle this?
We understand that there are people who can’t download the app (for various reasons) that’s why we have created a free car tag generator. Schools can download the car tag, print it and give it to the parent. The parent then puts it on their car dashboard and is able to pick up the child with no problem. We also have the manual announce feature using custom codes. Each child has their own Dismissal ID; if a parent doesn’t have the App, the teacher monitoring the car line can simply add that child’s ID number to the Dispatcher App and they will automatically be included in the queue.
Is there a way we can notify parents about updates, emergencies or weather changes?
Yes. With the Pikmykid School Messenger (included in your school dashboard) you can send out notifications to all parents. Schools can customize these groups by individual Student Name, Grade, Bus Route, Pickup Mode, After-School Program and Classroom. These are real-time push notifications with no cost! Our system also provides the school with a News Feed; here schools post longer updates about upcoming school changes, events, or Newsletters. Again, this is completely free and the parents have access to this within their App.
General
Where can I learn more about Pikmykid?
We offer online demos to help you understand our objective and platform. We are always happy to speak to new schools and explain how Pikmykid can benefit them.
Why should I download and use the Pikmykid system?
The Pikmykid process makes school dismissal more efficient and more secure. The Pikmykid App is available for free download in your smartphone’s app store. If your school is not currently using Pikmykid, we suggest you speak to the head of your school’s PTA or an administrator. We offer online demos of our programs and would be happy to help inform staff and parents of how our program can benefit them.
What is the cost for Pikmykid installation?
Pikmykid only charges a licensing fee and all services are bundled into it. Once our School Safety Consultant understands your school’s dismissal challenges and suggests the best solution, we will send you a cost estimate.
What software or hardware should schools buy for installing this solution?
Pikmykid is not a hardware-intensive solution. We will train the staff using technology the school already has for installation. The only requirement is a good internet connection. Once you buy our platform, our Implementation Coach will help you configure Pikmykid for your school or programs using devices the schools already have.
Who should buy Pikmykid?
This is a secure, smart dismissal solution for all school districts, charter, private, and public schools, after-school programs, carpools, and daycare facilities. It connects schools, teachers and parents through online tools to make dismissals smoother. Once the schools or facilities buy the platform, it’s free for all teachers and parents to use.