QCommunication/ParentSquare Tips for Staff

PARENTSQUARE PITFALL WHY IT DOESN'T WORK WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
Attaching a pdf PDFs are a pain, usually not ADA compliant and sometimes impossible to view on a phone.  Type what you want to say directly in the body of your post or message.
“Commenting” instead of “replying” on a post. Parents won't see what you wrote if you comment under their question on a post. Make sure to click the "reply" button under their comment and type in the "reply" box so they can see your answer.
Typing in ALL CAPS People with visual impairments will hear this as an acronym, which is super annoying. Use bold, underline, italics, different color fonts, or larger text to emphasize your points. (Just make sure to use darker colors that are easily read)
Including a .jpg with words in it (flier) Fliers are so 2010. They're meant to be printed on paper, not read on a tiny phone screen. Plus, they're not ADA compliant. Type (or copy & paste) the information directly in the body of your post. Insert a picture or graphic with no more than 5 words.
Not including alt text for images People with visual impairments won't know what you posted. When you add an image, click the "i" in the drop-down box to add a sentence briefly describing what's happening in the photo.
Failing to use all the available tools Post Add-ons like "RSVP," "Forms," "Ask for Items," and "Request Volunteers" are there to make your job easier. ParentSquare has lots of great tools, so use them!
Asking for student's name, grade and class in Forms ParentSquare already knows this information and includes in it your spreadsheet. No need to ask twice! Use ParentSquare forms instead of Google Forms to make it easier for parents. Fewer questions and more convenient. 
Not adding events to your calendar Adding events to the calendar makes it easy for parents to see what's coming up. You can also include RSVP and automatic reminders so they don't forget! For school-wide events, ask your school secretary to add it to the school's Google Calendar. For classroom or private events, use the "Calendar Entry" in Post Add-ons.
Over-communication When parents are bombarded with too many messages, they start to tune out and end up missing important information. Create a regular cadence for classroom communications - once a week or once a month, with all the important updates for your class. Use "Messages" to communicate with individual parents about their child's achievements.
Replying to Emails Parents will not see your message if you reply to any email coming from [email protected] Click the "View or Reply" button in your email or open the ParentSquare app to reply from within ParentSquare.

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