Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
What is Mudpies & Butterflies?
How much does Mudpies & Butterflies cost?
How long does it take to get my Mudpies account working?
How do I know if anyone will use our school’s Mudpies network?
What happens if parents post negative notes, photos or videos that someone doesn't like?
Do we need to monitor our site 24/7?
What if there’s a problem with our Mudpies network?
Does Mudpies offer technical support? How much does it cost?
What is Mudpies & Butterflies?
Mudpies & Butterflies is a web-based tool that lets school administrators, teachers and parents build a thriving online school community without sacrificing privacy. In just a few clicks, Mudpies lets you streamline communication across multiple channels, share important updates, and foster authentic engagement with your school in real-time.
How much does Mudpies & Butterflies cost?
Mudpies & Butterflies is free!
How long does it take to get my Mudpies account working?
Once you sign up, you'll receive a URL just for your school. In just three business days, your Mudpies network will be live via your unique URL.
Can any school have a Mudpies account? What about childcare centers, youth sports teams or non-profits that supports children?
Yes! Mudpies & Butterflies is designed for schools and organizations that support and nurture children, including childcare centers, youth sports teams, and non-profits; a Mudpies profile will benefit these organizations by streamlining communication, building community and keeping your information completely secure.
How do I know if anyone will use our school’s Mudpies network?
Fortunately, many administrators, teachers and parents today already use social networks to stay in touch with others, so it’s usually quite easy to generate interest and participation in your Mudpies network. Although these other social networks are fun, none can provide the type of school strengthening, community building, and safety that Mudpies can, which makes it the ideal web-based tool for your school community!
A thriving Mudpies community starts from the inside out with school administrators who implement the tool in their respective school. As administrators give teachers and parents access to their Mudpies community online, it’s important to make communicating and connecting via Mudpies a habit. Important information need not get lost in children’s backpacks, clog parents’ email inboxes, or remain inaccessible during certain portions of the day; instead, administrators and teachers can access and share updates with parents 24/7 and at their convenience through the Mudpies network.
Many Mudpies users find it convenient to check their school’s profile a few times a day to share news regarding upcoming events (e.g., field trips, holidays), classroom milestones, or make plans with other parents. When you implement Mudpies in your school community, you’ll be building school spirit even when classes aren’t in session. So, whether you’re a school administrator, teacher, or parent, there’s always something happening within your Mudpies community. Jump into the conversation!
What happens if parents post negative notes, photos or videos that someone doesn't like?
Mudpies takes your security seriously. Our Terms of Use include specific rules regarding permissible content for distribution via school networks. When you sign up for Mudpies, you’ll receive our "Playground Guidelines" and a Leader's Toolkit, which discusses how to manage and quickly remove material that some may find inappropriate. The flexibility of the Mudpies platform means all users can report comments and/or posts if the material is questionable. Furthermore, anyone designated as violating the Terms of Use or Playground Guidelines on a regular basis will be deleted. In addition to the measures we take to ensure your security, your own school or web administrator also has the ability to delete posts that may be offensive or inappropriate. Fortunately, it's been our experience that most parents understand the collaborative, fun, positive culture of Mudpies & Butterflies, and problematic posts are very uncommon.
Do we need to monitor our site 24/7?
No. However, we suggest that several individuals from your school community rotate responsibility for checking the site on a regular basis to make sure things are functioning smoothly. Many social networking sites find that if an administrator occasionally reinforces a certain "culture," the participants soon do an effective job of monitoring themselves.
What if there’s a problem with our Mudpies network?
Mudpies & Butterflies networks are hosted on a secure server completely backed up through a national resource, capable of processing numerous transactions per second. Although downtime is extremely rare, we’re available 24/7 to address service issues and maintain a team dedicated to ensuring the closest to 100% uptime as possible.
Does Mudpies offer technical support? How much does it cost?
We offer free technical support to all Mudpies users, and help you ensure your site is functioning properly at all times. We help your team understand the service and how to use it effectively. Our support desk can be reached at 877-569-6650 or through email at support@mudpiesandbutterflies.com.
