School Buddy

SMS Messaging Policy

Last updated

Effective: August 3, 2026 (previous version: May 25, 2026)

This page explains how School Buddy uses SMS text messages, how parents opt in to get them, and how to stop them. It's the official reference for our A2P 10DLC messaging program.

1. Brand and program

  • Brand: School Buddy
  • Operator: Julie McLelland, sole proprietor (Houston, Texas)
  • Contact: julie@theschoolbuddy.ai
  • Website: theschoolbuddy.ai
  • Program name: School Buddy Weekly Digest
  • Use case: A weekly transactional digest of school-related events, deadlines, and to-dos found in a parent's Gmail with the parent's consent, plus replies to questions the parent texts us about that digest.

2. What messages parents get

Subscribers get one (1) scheduled SMS per week, on the day and at the time they choose. It's a plain-text digest of the school events, deadlines, and forms found in the parent's email inbox during the past week. We don't send marketing messages, promotional offers, or third-party content.

Subscribers can also reply to any School Buddy message with a question about their digest — for example, "when is the band concert?" or "send me the sign-up link". Each question gets one automated reply, drawn from the digests already made for that parent. These replies are sent only in response to a message the parent sends first; School Buddy never starts a conversation outside the weekly digest. Questions are limited to ten (10) per hour per subscriber.

Sample message:

School Buddy — Week of May 25: • Tue: Field trip permission slip due (Jefferson Elementary) • Wed 6pm: PTA meeting • Fri: Pay $40 yearbook fee Reply with a question anytime. STOP to opt out, HELP for help.

Sample reply exchange:

Parent: When is the PTA meeting? School Buddy: PTA meeting is Wed 5/27 at 6pm in the Jefferson Elementary library.

3. How parents opt in

Parents opt in only on the School Buddy website at https://theschoolbuddy.ai, after they've signed in with their Google account and connected their Gmail. The opt-in happens on the Digest settings page (/settings).

On that page the parent:

  1. Types their mobile number into a labelled phone-number input.
  2. Picks the day and time they want their weekly digest.
  3. Reads the consent disclosure shown directly beneath the phone-number input (see Section 4).
  4. Clicks the Save settings button. Submitting the form is affirmative consent to receive weekly SMS messages at the number provided.

No third party can opt a phone number in on a parent's behalf. The number must be entered by the account holder while signed in to their own account.

This text is shown word for word on the opt-in form, directly under the phone-number input, before the Save button:

By saving your mobile number and clicking Save settings, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS text messages from School Buddy at the mobile number provided — a weekly digest of school events and deadlines extracted from your Gmail. You can also reply to any message with a question about your digest and get an automated answer back. Message frequency: approximately one (1) scheduled message per week, plus one reply for each question you send us. Message and data rates may apply. Consent is not a condition of using any other part of the Service. Reply STOP to unsubscribe at any time. Reply HELP for help. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

5. How to stop messages (opt-out)

Subscribers can stop messages at any time by replying STOP (or any standard opt-out keyword: STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT) to any School Buddy message. Opt-out is processed by our carrier (Twilio) and confirmed with one final SMS:

You have been unsubscribed from School Buddy. You will receive no further messages. Reply START to resubscribe.

Subscribers can also remove their number on the Digest settings page on the website at any time.

6. How to get help

Reply HELP to any School Buddy message and you'll get:

School Buddy weekly school-email digest. Support: julie@theschoolbuddy.ai. Reply STOP to unsubscribe. Msg & data rates may apply.

7. Message frequency

About one (1) scheduled message per week, sent on the day and at the hour each subscriber picks, plus one reply for each question the subscriber texts us (capped at ten per hour). We never start a conversation outside the weekly digest, and we don't send marketing or promotional messages.

8. Carriers and fees

Message and data rates may apply, depending on the subscriber's mobile carrier and plan. School Buddy doesn't charge a fee for SMS delivery. Supported in the United States; not all carriers may be supported.

9. Privacy

Phone numbers collected for SMS delivery are used only to send the weekly digest and to honour opt-out and help requests. They're never sold, rented, shared with third parties for their own marketing, or used to enrich any data broker. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We'll tell active subscribers in advance, by SMS or email, about material changes that affect message frequency, content, or how opt-in works.

Questions? Email julie@theschoolbuddy.ai.