School Buddy

SMS Messaging Policy

Effective: May 25, 2026

This page describes how School Buddy uses SMS text messages, how parents opt in to receive them, and how to stop them. It is the canonical 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
  • Program name: School Buddy Weekly Digest
  • Use case: Weekly transactional digest of school-related events, deadlines, and action items extracted from a parent's Gmail with the parent's consent.

2. What messages parents receive

Subscribers receive one (1) SMS per week on the day and time they choose. The message is a plain-text digest summarizing school events, deadlines, and forms found in the parent's email inbox during the past week. The Service does not send marketing messages, promotional offers, or third-party content.

Sample message:

School Buddy ā€” Week of May 25: ā€¢ Tue: Field trip permission slip due (Jefferson Elementary) ā€¢ Wed 6pm: PTA meeting ā€¢ Fri: Pay $40 yearbook fee Reply STOP to unsubscribe, HELP for help.

3. How parents opt in

Parents opt in only through the School Buddy web app at https://theschoolbuddy.ai, after they have signed in with their Google account and connected their Gmail. The opt-in occurs 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 displayed directly beneath the phone-number input (see Section 4).
  4. Clicks the Save settings button. Submitting the form constitutes affirmative consent to receive weekly SMS messages at the number provided.

No third party may 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.

4. Consent disclosure shown at opt-in

The following text is displayed verbatim 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 ā€” a weekly digest of school events and deadlines extracted from your Gmail. Message frequency: approximately one (1) message per week. 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 a final SMS:

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

Subscribers may also remove their number from the Digest settings page in the web app at any time.

6. How to get help

Reply HELP to any School Buddy message and you will receive:

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

7. Message frequency

Approximately one (1) message per week, sent on the day and at the hour each subscriber selects. We do not send additional 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 does not 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 / help requests. They are 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. Material changes that affect message frequency, content, or the opt-in mechanism will be communicated in advance by SMS or email to active subscribers.

Questions? Email julie@theschoolbuddy.ai.