#B.O.Y. Parent Communications – Email

After trying so many different methods: list at Open House, sign-up online, notes home; I finally hit upon the best way. Kristie, a colleague of mine showed this to me. Your district probably has something similar.

1)  Go to this screen in your Teacher Access of Skyward

Note: Click on any image for a larger, clearer view.

2) Then you open My Gradebook

3) Next click on Other Access. There is another way to access this but at the time of this posting I did not have an active class so I was unable to use the other method.

Then click on Message Center

4) On this screen you have many options: Add Message for Multiple Classes, Add Message for Current Class, Edit, Clone,  or Recall. Most often you will Add Message for Current Class.

5) After you click on Add Message for Current Class you will see this screen.

Message Summary is where you type in the subject of your email.

Message Detail is where you type in your actual message that you want emailed.

I usually leave the default Posting Options as is.

I usually check Send email on, Send Email to Guardians. You have the option to leave it at that and it will be sent to all guardians or you have some choices like Report Card Recipients only. You can also Email to Additional Recipients and choose your teammates or your principal. This is helpful if you think your teammates may be sending a similar email which they can then edit to their own purposes also advises your principal of certain matters.

I usually uncheck Display Additional details in the Email Body.

And then you can click on Post to All Students or uncheck certain students,  if for example it is only going to Band members.

Lastly,  go all the way to the top and click Save. That sends it.

You can also add attachments right below the save before you hit Save.

The chief advantage of this method is that your emails only go to the email addresses the parents have officially chosen to share with the district. This keeps you in compliance with privacy laws. If parents are not getting your emails, they need to contact the office, the ball is in their court. It also saves you that hassle at the beginning of the year trying to create a distribution list. Once the aunt of a student complained that she was not getting my emails. I told her that I was only allowed to share student communication with legal guardians and that she’d have to take that up with her sister. Get’s you out of the middle of those family squabbles.

If you need any help, or need a live demo let me know.