GREENMEADOWS SCHOOL APP FIRES 47 MUFTI DAY NOTIFICATIONS BEFORE BREAKFAST
By 8.14am one mum had turned her phone off and cried into a flat white.
A Greenmeadows primary school's parent app sent 47 push notifications about Friday's mufti day between 6.03am and 8.14am on Wednesday. One mother switched her phone to airplane mode and reconsidered her life choices.
The notifications all said much the same thing: "Don't forget! Gold coin for mufti!" They arrived every two minutes. Parent Anahera Whittaker, 39, counted them while making lunches. "Six by the time I'd boiled the jug. Twenty-two by the time I found a matching sock. I've had less contact from my own mother."
Another parent, Deano Marsh of Marewa, said he'd nearly driven off the Expressway. "Thought it was an emergency. Thought there'd been a bloody tsunami. Nope. Gold coin. Mufti. Please remember."
The school office manager confirmed the app had been "a wee bit enthusiastic" and blamed a scheduling error, a software update, and "Wellington". The app is run out of Thorndon by a company nobody at the school has ever met. A follow-up notification apologising for the notifications went out at 9.02am. It was the 48th.
By Wednesday afternoon several parents had muted the app entirely. The PTA chair warned that was "how you miss the sausage sizzle roster." Friday's mufti day is going ahead. The gold coin is for the pool.
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Reader Letters
couchgremlin
Lol munted app!
MumOf3_Napier
My kids were late to school once because of that app spamming. It's like they've forgotten parents need to focus on breakfast chaos, not their constant notifications!
Garry (Halswell)
Honestly, technology is more trouble than it's worth these days. Back in my day, a letter in the school bag did the job just fine, and nothing brought your morning cuppa to a screeching halt. These notifications take the mickey!
Trev_Hornby
Mate, the app probably thought it was doing a public service announcement. Honestly, how many times do you need to be reminded? People just love to complain.
ropeable_dave
@Trev_Hornby Not everyone has time to read the same message 47 times before breakfast, mate. It's a piss-take!
pedanteric
Deano, that's a classic overreaction! No tsunami but a reminder for gold coins—what's next, alerts for empty threats?
Sandra McKenzie
Seems like a bit of a kerfuffle over mufti day. Sounds like someone's trying too hard to keep busy. Maybe time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine instead.