In an effort to bring public schools more into the digital world, Wide Open Tech has released a mobile app designed for parents that syncs with the New Hanover County Schools calendar, according to a press release.

The County School Calendar app launched in February and was the idea and creation of Simone Powell, a Wide Open Tech part-owner and mom who wanted to modernize the county school calendar.

According to the app's website, Powell got the idea one day when she pulled up to school on an already hectic morning to find that there was no school that day. She saw other parents who were also confused and now had to figure out how to find child care for the day.

“As a parent, you’re probably used to life on the go,” said Powell. “Stagnant, outdated public school calendars just don’t cut it for busy, modern-day families. Our County School Calendar app syncs with your county’s official school calendar, allowing you to more easily access the events right from your mobile device.”

The goal of the app is to make it easier for parents to keep track of important school events, closures, early release days and more.

The application includes features such as custom notifications on specific events, the ability to add multiple county calendars and push reminders for important dates. According to the release, it is designed to be modern and sleek with a focus on simplicity.

Wide Open Tech, a software development firm in Wilmington, plans to make the app fully available nationwide in all counties. Currently, app downloads are available in New Hanover and Union counties.

The application is currently free to download and use on the Apple App Store and the Google Play store.