Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Keep in Touch (KIT)?
What it the difference between KIT Basic and KIT Plus?
Why should I subscribe if I'm already receiving messages?
How do I update my KIT contact information?
I get KIT messages from my child's school and sometimes from FCPS, but how can I opt-out of getting these?
If I unsubscribe in KIT Plus (subscription), will I still receive messages and emergency announcements from FCPS or my child's school?
I’m the PTA president at my child’s school; may I use the KIT system to reach all the parents our school?
I don’t have children in FCPS schools and I’m not an employee, how can I sign up to receive FCPS Keep in Touch messages?
The attendance calling is new this year. Tell me about it.
How are emergency notifications different than the other messages?
Can I receive text (SMS) messages?
What is Keep in Touch (KIT)? Keep in Touch or KIT is Fairfax County Public Schools' mass notification system. It has two services: KIT Basic (automatic enrollment) and KIT Plus (subscription).
What it the difference between KIT Basic and KIT Plus?
Kit Basic is the automatic enrollment service of KIT for parents of FCPS students and employees of the system. It draws contact information from the student information system and the employee databases. FCPS central offices and schools use KIT Basic for three types of messages: emergency, attendance (new this year), and outreach. It is important that parents keep their child’s emergency contact information up to date with the school. Contact information may also be updated online through weCare@School, a feature of FCPS 24-7 Learning (Blackboard). Employees update through UConnect.
KIT Plus is a subscription service for students, community members, and citizens interested in news, events, and updates from FCPS.
Why should I subscribe if I'm already receiving messages? If you subscribe, you will be able to receive messages about specific topics that interest you in addition to the ones that FCPS and your school sends. These topics include School Board updates, news releases, current issues, and opportunities to volunteer. You may also want to subscribe to receive messages from the schools in your neighborhood or to be notified about sports events, visual and performing arts shows, or general announcements.
How do I update my KIT contact information?
To update contact information for KIT Basic (automatic enrollment): If you have a Parent View account in FCPS 24-7 Learning (Blackboard), click on weCare@School and update your contact information OR go to your child’s school and ask to fill out an emergency care information form.
If you don't have a Parent View account... get one by visiting How to Access FCPS 24-7 (PDF document)
For additional assistance with Parent View, call 1-866-434-8880. You may need to go to your child’s school to verify your identification (you must bring your child's student ID number with you).
To update contact information for KIT Plus (subscription): 1. From the Keep in Touch page (http://www.fcps.edu/kit/), click Keep in Touch Plus. 2. In the Sign in area, enter your e-mail address and password and click Log In. 3. In the My Devices area, select Edit. 4. To update your account information, edit the information and click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
I get KIT messages from my child's school and sometimes from FCPS, but how can I opt-out of getting these?
If I unsubscribe in KIT Plus (subscription), will I still receive messages and emergency announcements from FCPS or my child's school?
I’m the PTA president at my child’s school; may I use the KIT system to reach all the parents our school?
I don’t have children in FCPS schools and I’m not an employee, how can I sign up to receive FCPS Keep in Touch messages?
The attendance calling is new this year. Tell me about it.
How are emergency notifications different than the other messages?
Can I receive text (SMS) messages?
1. If you are a parent or an employee, do you need to update your contact information to receive KIT notifications?
Only if the information on file is not correct.
Here's how...
If you have a Parent View account in FCPS 24-7 Learning, click on weCare@School and update your contact information OR go to your child’s school and ask to fill out an emergency care information form.
If you don't have a Parent View account... get one by visiting How to Access FCPS 24-7 (PDF document)
For additional assistance with Parent View, call 1-866-434-8880. You may need to go to your child’s school to verify your identification (you must bring your child's student ID number with you).
2. If I update or unsubscribe in the subscription portal, will I still receive messages and emergency announcements from FCPS and my child's school?
Yes, you will still receive these messages. Unsubscribing through the subscription portal will not change the messages you currently receive.
3. Why should I subscribe if I'm already receiving messages?
If you subscribe, you will be able to receive messages about specific topics that interest you. These topics include School Board updates, news releases, current issues, and opportunities to volunteer.
You may also want to subscribe to receive messages from the schools in your neighborhood or to be notified about sports events, visual and performing arts shows, or general announcements.
You may update your information or unsubscribe at any time.
1. How do I update my KIT contact information?
Log in to UConnect at http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/uconnect.htm and follow the instructions. Once logged in, click on the Employee tab at the top of the page. On the next page, select My Address to update your home address and phone number. Select My Work Contact Info to update your work phone number.
2. Why should I subscribe if I'm already receiving KIT messages?
If you subscribe, you will be able to receive messages about specific topics that interest you. These topics include School Board updates, news releases, current issues, and opportunities to volunteer.
You may also want to subscribe to receive messages from the schools in your neighborhood or to be notified about sports events, visual and performing arts shows, or general announcements.
3. If I update or unsubscribe in the subscription portal, will I still receive KIT emergency announcements from FCPS or my school?
Yes, you will still receive these messages. Unsubscribing through the subscription portal will not change the messages you currently receive.
| Families | Community Members | Employees |
How do I update my contact information? Should I add KIT to my "friends" list and how do I do that? If I'm already receiving KIT announcments, why should I subscribe? If I think my school is sending too many messages or not enough, what should I do
How do I update my contact information? Families have 2 options: 1. Fill out or update your child's emergency care information form and return it to the school. 2. Update your child's emergency care contact information via weCare@School (you must have a Parent View account). For assistance with Parent View, please contact 1-866-434-8880. This new KIT system uses your child's student registration information. If you are new to Fairfax County Public Schools, all you have to do is complete the emergency care information form when you register your child. Should I add KIT to my "friends" list and how do I do that? To whitelist or add KIT messages to your email "friends list". If I'm already receiving KIT announcments, why should I subscribe? If you would like to receive announcments FCPS division-wide and specific types of messages from FCPS, then you will need to subscribe. Also, if you are interested in another school (maybe one your child will be attending in the future) you may want to subscribe to that specific school. If your family enjoys performing arts and sports events, then you may want to subscribe to receive announcements from specific schools about these events. If I think my school is sending too many messages or not enough, what should I do? Please contact the school administration to make them aware of your concerns about the KIT system. The only way to opt-out from the KIT system is to submit a signed, written statement to the school that you fully understand that by opting-out, you will not received any KIT messages, including any that are for emergencies. The schools have a sample letter you may use.
|
If I don't have a child in an FCPS school and am not an employee; can I still receive KIT messages? Many new and exciting features will now be available to all our schools to help them communicate with their families. The new emergency notification features are the best in the nation, and emergency notification is still the primary purpose of the Keep in Touch (KIT) system. Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) recognizes the importance of communicating with community members who may not have a direct link to a student or an employee but who would like to be kept informed about FCPS via its KIT system; therefore, the school system is asking the vendor to create a subscription portal. Until the subscription portal is complete and tested, FCPS will continue to update its web site with the same information that it had been sending from the division level. Fairfax County Government also now has an emergency notification system that is available to everyone: Community Emergency Alert Network (CEAN). |
How do I update my contact information?
Employees should log in to UConnect at: http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/employees/uconnect.htm and follow log in instructions there. Once logged in, click on the “Employee” tab at the top of the page. Then, on the next page, select “My Address” to update home address and phone number and then click “My Work Contact Info” to update work phone number. Follow the instructions on each page. Then log out of all browsers. Principals must attend training so that they understand their responsibilities for the system at their school and so they can experience the new features and business rules that come with this new product. Initially, principals may send 2 of their staff members to the training with their approval. Registration for training is available through MyPLT. Additional training will be available throughout the year. This also means that until someone from your school has attended training you will not be able to send messages specifically from your school. The Department of Communications and Community Outreach will send emergency message on behalf of the school division and your school. |