newsFetch school news items published to all parents, newest first, with unread count. Use for school-wide updates, not personal messages or platform notices.
News items the school publishes to all parents (nieuwsberichten), newest first, as text, plus the unread count. Use messages for personal conversations and announcements for Somtoday-wide notices from the platform itself.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| limit | No | Default 25. |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v0.3.0Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Annotations already declare the tool is read-only, idempotent, open-world, and non-destructive. The description adds useful behavioral context beyond annotations: ordering (newest first), return format (text), and inclusion of an unread count. It does not cover pagination behavior, but the limit parameter and annotations make this a minor gap.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Two sentences, front-loaded with scope and return behavior, followed immediately by sibling differentiation. Every phrase earns its place.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a simple read-only list tool with one optional parameter, no output schema, and strong annotation coverage, the description provides everything needed: what is returned, ordering, audience, and which sibling tools to use instead.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The sole parameter, limit, is fully described in the schema with its default and constraints. The description adds no additional meaning about the parameter, but with 100% schema coverage the baseline score of 3 is appropriate.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description specifies the exact resource: news items published by the school to all parents, ordered newest first, returned as text with an unread count. It also distinguishes this tool from sibling tools like messages and announcements by scope and audience.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
It explicitly routes the agent away from this tool for personal conversations (use messages) and platform-wide notices (use announcements). This gives clear when-to-use-this versus when-to-use-alternatives guidance.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.