Messaging with parents

Classroom messaging

FutureNerds has a built-in messaging system for communicating with parents. Messages are organized by classroom -- each classroom has one shared message board where teachers and all parents in that classroom can communicate.

Getting there

Click the messages icon (speech bubble) in the top navigation bar. If you have one classroom, you go directly to the chat. If you have multiple classrooms, you see a grid of classroom boards. Click a board to open it.

Sending a message

1. Open your classroom's message board.
2. Type your message in the compose box at the bottom.
3. Press Enter to send (or Shift+Enter for a new line).
4. Messages support basic formatting: bold, italics, links, and lists using Markdown.

Using message templates

If your administrator has created message templates, you can insert them by typing / as the first character in the compose box. A popup appears listing all available templates. Click a template to insert its content. Templates help you send consistent messages for common situations like health alerts, weather closures, and reminders.

Message boards

Each classroom has one shared board. All parents in the classroom and all assigned teachers can see every message. There are no private parent-teacher threads -- the board is a shared space for the classroom community.

What parents see

Parents receive:

• An in-app notification with an unread count on the messages icon.
• An email notification (unless they have turned off email notifications).

When to use messages vs. posts

• Messages -- day-to-day communication with your classroom: pickup changes, questions, quick updates.
• Posts -- announcements for the whole school or your classroom that should appear on the dashboard.

Tips

• Respond to parent messages within 24 hours when possible.
• Keep messages professional and friendly.
• For urgent matters (a child is sick, immediate pickup needed), ask parents to call the school directly rather than relying on messaging.