On Thursday, Oct. 6, the North Colonie Central School District will launch ParentSquare – a simple and unified school-to-home communication platform – to reach and engage every parent. All important notifications, such as school closings and delays, news and upcoming events, will be sent to parents through this platform.
All parents/guardians will be invited to join ParentSquare via email on Monday, Oct. 3. The invitation will be emailed to parents based on current data in Infinite Campus/Parent Portal. Parents who do not sign up will still receive Alerts via email, text and phone call, but they won’t be able to fully interact with the platform.
For more information about ParentSquare, including tips sheets, FAQs, and videos click here.
How to Activate your Account:
Once you receive the invitation to join ParentSquare, click the link to activate your account. It takes less than a minute. You can also activate your ParentSquare account by visiting www.parentsquare.com/signin and using your current contact information on file with the district. You can also visit www.parentsquare.com/signin.
Download the Free App:
You can download the free mobile app in your app store. It is available for both iOS and Android.
FAQ:
Q: What is ParentSquare?
A: ParentSquare is one central tool for all school to home communication. It provides two-way communication that fosters awareness and keeps parents informed of all the happenings in their child’s education. Notifications are sent via email, text, phone call and push notification.
Q: Is ParentSquare replacing SchoolMessenger?
A: Yes. ParentSquare will now be used to send important notifications such as emergency closings as well as to share news from your child’s school.
Q: Do I need to sign up for ParentSquare?
A: All parents will receive an invitation via email to join ParentSquare and activate their account. You can also visit www.parentsquare.com/signin. Parents who do not sign up will still receive Alerts via email, text and phone call, but they won’t be able to fully interact with the platform.
Q: How do I download the ParentSquare App?
A: Visit your phone’s app store and search “ParentSquare.” Then you can install the free mobile app for iOS or Android.
Q: How do I change or stop notifications?
A: ParentSquare allows users to customize their notifications based on notification type and select their preferred delivery method for each school. You can choose between “instant” and “digest” notifications or choose to turn off notifications altogether (excluding emergency alerts and notices). The “instant” setting will send all posts notifications in real-time. The “digest” setting sends direct messages, alerts, and time-sensitive posts instantly, but sends all non-time sensitive posts at the end of the day, reducing the number of notifications you receive daily.
- If you are using the web browser: On your home page, click your name and select “My Account.” Then, select “Customize your settings” under Notification Settings.
- If you are using the mobile app: From your home screen, click the triple bar in the top left corner. Click on “Account,” then “Preferences,” then “Notification Settings.”
Q: How do I unsubscribe?
A: To unsubscribe from text, text STOP to the number sending you the texts. However, if you only click “unsubscribe” on an email or text, ParentSquare will still notify you of an emergency.
Q: Who is the North Colonie contact person?
For questions or to stop receiving all notifications, please contact North Colonie’s Director of Technology Julie Scriven at 518-785-5511 x3333.