Audience & Availability: This guide is for school administrators using the Edlio CMS website with the free School News App who do not license the standalone Edlio Mobile App or Edlio Mass Communication. Push notifications sent through this tool broadcast directly to all users who have downloaded your school's app on their mobile devices.
Overview: Mobile Push Notifications in Edlio CMS
If your school does not license Edlio Mass Communication or the Edlio Mobile App dashboard, you can still send instant, real-time push notifications directly to your community's mobile devices right from your Edlio CMS admin panel. This capability is powered through your website's connected mobile presence via the free School News by Edlio app.
ℹ️ Functionality Notice: The School News App serves only to receive push notifications broadcast from Push & Social. It does not contain website newsfeeds, event calendars, teacher directories, or direct two-way messaging. For interactive in-app features and targeted audience messaging, schools utilize the full Edlio Mobile App or Edlio Mass Communication.
Push notifications in the CMS require no contact lists, no phone numbers, and consume zero credits or quotas. Any community member, parent, or student who has installed the School News App and selected your school will receive your broadcast alert instantly.
Key Rules & Character Limits
Subject (Required): Up to 65 characters. This displays as the bold alert headline on the recipient's mobile lock screen and notification tray.
Message (Required): Up to 160 characters. This is the body text of the alert.
Link (Optional): Enter a complete web URL (e.g.,
https://yourschool.org/alert-details). When a user taps the notification on their phone, their mobile browser will open directly to this link.Automatic Language Translation: Push messages are translated automatically by the client app on the recipient's phone into their preferred device language. Administrators do not need to compose separate translated versions.
Unlimited Quota: Unlike SMS text messages or automated voice phone calls, push notifications do not draw from any credit balance and have no per-message fees.
How to Send a Push Notification
Follow these steps to compose and dispatch a push notification from your CMS dashboard:
Step 1: Navigate to Push & Social
Log in to your Edlio CMS administrative dashboard.
In the main navigation menu, locate Communications and select Push & Social (formerly labeled Broadcasts).
Click New Broadcast (or New Message).
Step 2: Name Your Broadcast and Select "Push Notification"
Enter a Broadcast Name (for your internal administrative records; recipients will not see this name).
In the channel selection checklist, check Push Notification.
Note: You can uncheck Email, Text, and Voice if you only want to send a mobile push notification, or you can simultaneously check connected social media accounts (Facebook, X/Twitter) to cross-post.
Click Continue.
Step 3: Compose Your Push Message
On the Push Notification composition screen, fill in the required fields:
Subject * (Max 65 characters): Enter a concise headline (e.g., Weather Alert: Early Dismissal Today).
Message * (Max 160 characters): Enter the essential details (e.g., All campuses will dismiss at 1:00 PM today due to weather. Busses will run early.).
Link (Optional): Paste the direct URL to your school's emergency update page or news article.
Review your character counts to ensure neither field exceeds its limit.
Click Continue.
Step 4: Review and Send
On the confirmation screen, notice that the recipient destination is automatically set to "All mobile app users and social media users".
You do not need to upload or select a Contact List. Push notifications automatically deliver to all devices that have installed the School News App and connected to your school.
Choose your delivery timing:
Send Now: Dispatches the alert to mobile devices immediately.
Send Later: Choose a scheduled future date and time.
Click Send (or Schedule) to confirm.
💡 Sending from a News Story: You can also trigger this flow directly after publishing an urgent news story on your website. On the post-publish share screen, click Push & Social. The story's title and summary will pre-fill into the push notification composer automatically.
Configuring Default Settings
If your school frequently sends push notifications, a Website Administrator can set Push Notifications to be enabled by default:
Navigate to Settings > Broadcast (or Settings > Push & Social).
Under Defaults, check the Push Notification checkbox.
Configure your default primary language preference.
Save your settings. Moving forward, the Push Notification channel will automatically be pre-selected whenever an administrator starts a new broadcast.
How Families Receive Alerts
To ensure families receive your notifications, share download instructions for the free School News by Edlio app. Families simply download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, search for your school name, and tap "Allow Notifications". For a shareable guide, see How to Download and Set Up the Edlio School News App.
Need Targeted Lists or Interactive Apps?
If you need targeted push messaging (sending specific alerts only to selected grade levels, classrooms, bus routes, or parent groups), or if you want interactive mobile features like in-app newsfeeds, calendar syncing, and staff directories, your school can upgrade to Edlio Mass Communication or the full Edlio Mobile App. To explore options, contact [email protected].
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