WeAllCode
Add Course Notification System with Email and SMS Capabilities
This PR implements a comprehensive course notification system for the We All Code admin interface, allowing administrators to send both email and SMS notifications to parents and volunteers attending/teaching classes.
Overview
The notification system adds a new admin interface accessible from the main dashboard that enables staff to send customized notifications with dynamic template variables. The system integrates seamlessly with existing email infrastructure while adding new SMS capabilities via Dialpad API.
Key Features
Admin Interface
-
Course Status Page: New admin view at
/admin/classes/{session_id}/notifications/ - Dashboard Integration: Added notification column with envelope icon for easy access
- Dual Notification Types: Separate controls for Email and SMS notifications
- Recipient Selection: Choose between Parents, Mentors, or Both
- Real-time Preview: Preview messages with actual data before sending
Email Integration
- Leverages existing SendGrid email functionality in
util.py - Sends to all parents of enrolled students and volunteer mentors
- Custom email template with dynamic content injection
- Uses existing authentication and delivery infrastructure
SMS Integration
- Complete Dialpad API integration with proper authentication
- Automatic phone number validation and formatting
- Separate SMS templates for parents vs mentors
- Real-time character counting (160 char limit)
- Comprehensive error handling and logging
Template System
Dynamic variable replacement supporting:
-
{parent_name},{student_names},{mentor_name}- Personal names -
<class date>,<class start time>,<class location>- Session details -
<15 minutes before class start time>- Calculated arrival time
Default Templates
Implements the exact templates specified in the issue:
- Email: Complete multi-point class information template
- SMS Parents: "👋 Hi {parent_name}. It's Ali from We All Code. We're excited to see {student_names}..."
- SMS Mentors: "👋 Hi {mentor_name}. It's Ali from We All Code. We're excited to see you tomorrow..."
Technical Implementation
- Backend: Django views with staff-only access and proper error handling
- Frontend: Responsive admin interface with JavaScript enhancements
- API Integration: Requests library for Dialpad SMS API
- Template Engine: Custom variable replacement using Arrow for date formatting
- Database: Integrates with existing Session, Guardian, Mentor, and Order models
Usage
- Navigate to admin dashboard
- Click envelope icon next to any session
- Customize email/SMS templates with dynamic variables
- Preview messages before sending
- Select recipients and send with confirmation
Configuration
Requires new environment variables for SMS functionality:
DIALPAD_API_KEY=your_api_key
DIALPAD_SMS_ENDPOINT=https://dialpad.com/api/v2/sms
The system gracefully handles missing SMS configuration and provides appropriate user feedback.
Testing
Includes comprehensive testing of template variable replacement, phone number formatting, and error handling scenarios. All core functionality has been validated with mock data.
Fixes #1517.
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