With so many ways to get information to parents, it can sometimes be tricky knowing what the best option is for each situation.  Instead of breaking down each option, we’ll break down scenarios to decide which option is best.

Grades

For official grades, parents should be going to Skyward.  Grades should be entered into Skyward regularly.  If you are using Canvas, you may inform parents that most up-to-date grades can be found there but Skyward is still the official gradebook.  Grades can be synced from Canvas to Skyward with a few clicks.

• Syncing assignment groups from Canvas to Skyward – https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Skyward-and-Canvas/How-do-I-sync-my-Canvas-assignment-groups-to-my-Skyward-grading/ta-p/484049
• Syncing grades from Canvas to Skyward – https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Skyward-and-Canvas/How-do-I-sync-grades-from-Canvas-to-the-Skyward-gradebook/ta-p/426130

Class News/Announcements

To post information to parents, the most effective option is Parentsquare.  All parents are signed up for Parentsquare automatically and this is the official communication app for staff to parents.  Parents can view a feed of posts and can filter posts by school, class, or groups.  Posts are listed chronologically, allowing parents to review past posts.

Teachers can schedule posts to send at later dates/times allowing you to stay ahead of the game.

One-on-one Parent Communication

Any communication with parents should be done through a school-owned software but much of this may be up to how parents try to communicate with you.  Parentsquare provides a messaging option which is secure and populates the parents of your assigned classes.  Your school email is also a good option to communicate with parents directly.  Skyward and Canvas both have messaging features but are typically less robust than Parentsquare.  Personal text messages, social media, and third-party messaging apps should NOT be used to communicate directly with parents.

Class Celebrations

While Parentsquare can be used to create celebratory posts, it is limited largely to parents.  Posting fun updates with photos is a great way to utilize social media is a great way to reach a bigger community of family and friends.  Just make sure that social media pages and groups are set to be private and that information posted follows FERPA and parental consent.

What each product does best

• Skyward
  • Grades, that’s pretty much it.  You can use it to send messages and list assignments but it’s primary role is for grades.
• Canvas
  • Assignments.  Whether you use Canvas for all of your assignments or it’s just a list of what you’re doing in class this week, Canvas is made for classwork.  You can remind students of missing assignments or retakes.  It could also be beneficial if students miss class or we have an eLearning day.
• Parentsquare
  • Messaging.  It’s the best way to communicate to parents about class updates, conferences, etc.  It has options for polls, calendars, RSVP’s, and a number of other options that would typically be done with papers sent home.
  • One-on-one.  Definitely the most secure option for messages directly to parents.  Archivable and visible to administrators if needed.  Can be used for student communication at the high school level.
• Email
  • One-on-one.  Good for parent communication and student communication.
• Social Media
  • Celebrations and fun.  Social media should not be used for official communications unless done alongside other forms of communication.