ParentSquare Frequently Asked Questions

Skyward Family Access and ParentSquare are both valuable tools for parents, educators, and school administrators, but they serve different primary functions within the educational ecosystem. Here's a breakdown of the two:

Skyward Family Access:

• Primary Function: Skyward Family Access is primarily a student information system (SIS). It is a web-based application that allows parents and guardians to view student-specific details such as grades, attendance records, schedules, and other academic information.
• Access to Records: With Skyward, parents can monitor their child's academic progress in real-time. They can check report cards, test scores, and track attendance.
• Registration and Enrollment: TSD uses Skyward for enrollment and registration processes, allowing parents to update student information or enroll them in specific courses or extracurricular activities. Contact information entered in Skyward is what feeds to ParentSquare. Any changes to contact information need to be made in Skyward. 

ParentSquare:

• Primary Function: ParentSquare is primarily a communication and engagement platform. It focuses on improving and streamlining communication between schools and families.
• Unified Communication: ParentSquare consolidates all school-to-home communications, whether they are district-wide announcements, classroom-specific updates, or group messages.
• Event Calendars and RSVP: It includes features for event scheduling, allowing parents to see school and classroom events and RSVP.
• Direct Messaging: Parents can directly message their student's teachers, school staff, and other parents through ParentSquare.
• Multilingual Support: ParentSquare offers communication in multiple languages to cater to diverse communities.
• Digital Forms and Permissions: It provides functionalities like signing digital forms and permission slips, making the process easier and paper-free.

Key Difference: While there might be some overlap, the primary distinction is that Skyward Family Access is more focused on academic and administrative information specific to students, whereas ParentSquare emphasizes communication and engagement between the school and its families.

Both tools, when used together, provide a comprehensive view of a student's academic journey, ensuring parents are informed and engaged every step of the way.

You can call your child's school office and ask for your contact information to be updated in Skyward Family Access. After the school updates the information, the new contact details will be included in ParentSquare within 24-48 hours.

There are 3 main reasons you are not receiving any ParentSquare emails: 

• Your email address is listed incorrectly in Skyward Family Access
• Your email service is blocking ParentSquare emails or marking them as "Junk" or "Spam"
• You may have turned emails off in your Notification Settings

Please note: By default, all accounts are set to "digest mode," meaning that all school communications arrive in one email notification at 6 p.m. every day.

1. Open your ParentSquare invitation email or text. Click Activate your account or tap the link to activate your account. If you don't have an invitation email, that's okay! Visit www.parentsquare.com/signin and type your email into the Register field. If your email isn't found, please update your email in Skyward by contacting your school.
2. Create a password for your ParentSquare account and click Register.
3. Click Confirm for your phone number and/or email. A verification code will be sent to the email or phone number.
4. Enter the verification code to confirm.
5. Confirm your child(ren) by clicking Confirm. Use Not My Child if a child listed is not associated with your account.
6. Select Yes, This is Me when you have confirmed your contact information and child(ren) associated with your account.

Name misspelled?
Wrong email or phone number?
Missing a child on your account?
Contact your child’s school to get this information updated.

Yes, you can control how you receive notifications from ParentSquare. The platform offers flexibility in how parents and guardians choose to be notified, ensuring that communications fit seamlessly into individual preferences and lifestyles. Here's how you can manage your notification settings:

1. Notification Preferences: Within ParentSquare, you can access your notification settings to specify how you'd like to receive different types of messages. You can choose between email, text, or app notifications, depending on your preference.
2. Daily Digest Option: If you prefer not to receive notifications immediately as they come, you can opt for the "daily digest" feature. This will consolidate all the day's notifications into a single summary that you'll receive at a specified time, like 6:00 p.m.
   • If using the digest setting, ensure you read through your digest email which may contain multiple messages with important information. 
   • There is one digest per school. If you have students at multiple schools, you will receive one digest email per school.
3. Urgent vs. Regular Communications: You can set different preferences for regular updates and urgent messages. For example, while you might choose to get regular updates via email, you might prefer urgent messages to come as text messages to ensure you see them promptly.
4. Direct Messaging Preferences: For one-on-one or group conversations (like direct messages with teachers, staff, or other parents), you can set specific notification preferences as well.
5. App-Specific Notifications: If you're using the ParentSquare app on a mobile device, you can also manage notifications from within your device's settings. This allows you to control app badge counts, sound alerts, and more.
6. Opt-Out Option: If there are specific types of notifications you'd rather not receive, you can often opt out of certain categories. However, it's essential to ensure you still receive critical school and classroom updates.

Additional Notes: 

• Post senders can override the digest option to send instantly to all recipients despite user preferences, but in general should only do so when appropriate. 
• Notification settings apply to Posts only. The Messages tool, intended for one-to-one direct messaging or small group messaging only, is instant delivery no matter the user settings. 

It's a good practice to familiarize yourself with the notification settings early on, so you receive communications in a manner that's most convenient for you. This personalization ensures you stay connected and informed without feeling overwhelmed. If you need assistance adjusting these settings, you can refer to ParentSquare's Help Center or contact your school's designated ParentSquare administrator for guidance.

Desktop Instructions

1. Once you are signed into ParentSquare, click your name in the top right and click My Account.
2. Navigate to Notification Settings, about halfway down the menu.
3. Adjust your notification preferences, and they will be saved automatically.

Mobile Instructions

1. Click the Menu button in the top left corner of the app (three stacked horizontal lines).
2. Click Account, then click Notifications.
3. Toggle on or off each notification type and frequency.

We strongly encourage you to leave "School Alerts" turned on.
These are how you will be notified in the event of a school closure or emergency.

Yes, parents can select different settings for each school and district. Parents/guardians can do this by going to their preferences. 

Yes, you can use ParentSquare in a language other than English. ParentSquare offers multilingual support to ensure that all families, regardless of their primary language, can engage effectively with their child's school. Here's how it works:

1. Automatic Translations: Messages sent by the school or teachers can be automatically translated into your preferred language. This ensures that you receive important updates and communications in a language you understand.
2. Set Your Preferred Language: Within ParentSquare, users can set their preferred language for communications. Once set, you'll receive messages translated into that language.
3. Communicate in Your Preferred Language: You can also communicate with the school or teachers in your preferred language. When you send a message in another language, it can be translated for the recipient, ensuring clear communication.
4. Multiple Languages Supported: ParentSquare supports a wide range of languages, making it versatile and accessible for diverse communities.

It's essential for schools to provide inclusive communication tools, and ParentSquare's multilingual features help bridge language barriers, ensuring that all parents and guardians can stay informed and engaged in their child's education. If you're unsure how to set your language preferences or need further assistance, consider reaching out to your school or ParentSquare support for guidance.

Yes, you can access ParentSquare from any device with internet connectivity. Here's how:

1. Desktop or Laptop: You can access ParentSquare via its website (www.parentsquare.com) using any web browser on your desktop or laptop.
2. Mobile Devices (Tablet or Smartphone): ParentSquare offers a mobile app available for both iOS and Android devices. You can download the ParentSquare app from the App Store (for iOS devices) or the Google Play Store (for Android devices). Once downloaded, you can log in using your ParentSquare credentials to access all features directly from your mobile device.

This cross-platform accessibility ensures that parents and guardians can stay connected and informed about school communications and updates, no matter where they are or which device they prefer to use.

No. ParentSquare is designed for each parent or guardian to have their own account.  

ParentSquare will prompt you to merge your account if there is a shared phone number or email address between you and your spouse. If you need to update a phone number or email address, contact your student's school so the information can be updated in your Skyward profile. 

If you have accidentally merged your accounts, you can contact ParentSquare directly (via email or by calling 866-496-3168) or the Tahoma School District Public Relations Department via email to unmerge them.

ParentSquare is designed with the security and privacy of its users in mind, especially since it handles sensitive information related to students and school communications. Here are some aspects highlighting its security:

1. Compliance with Regulations: ParentSquare complies with both the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). These regulations ensure that the platform meets specific standards for the protection of students' and families' data.
2. Private and Secure Communications: All communications on ParentSquare are private and can only be accessed by authorized users, such as school staff, parents, and guardians associated with a particular school or district.
3. No Third-Party Selling: ParentSquare does not sell or share your contact information or any other personal data with third parties. Their primary aim is to facilitate communication between schools and families, not to commercialize user data.
4. Data Encryption: Data transmitted to and from ParentSquare is typically encrypted, ensuring that sensitive information remains confidential and safe from potential breaches.
5. Regular Updates and Patches: Like other responsible software platforms, ParentSquare routinely updates its systems to address potential security vulnerabilities and to enhance overall system security.
6. User Verification: The process of user invitation and account activation ensures that only legitimate users, associated with the school or district, can access the system.

While ParentSquare employs various measures to ensure the platform's security, it's also essential for users (parents, guardians, and school staff) to practice safe online habits, like using strong passwords and not sharing login credentials.

If you have specific concerns or need more detailed information about ParentSquare's security protocols, you can contact the ParentSquare Support team directly or reach out to the TSD Public Relations team at tsdmessages@tahomasd.us.

Activating your ParentSquare account is a straightforward process. Here's a step-by-step guide based on the information shared earlier:

1. Invitation from School: Wait for the invitation to join ParentSquare. North Kitsap School District will send an invitation via email or text.
2. Open the Invitation: Once you receive the invitation, open the email or text.
3. Click the Activation Link: Within the invitation, there will be a link or button that says "Activate your account" or similar. Click on it.
4. Create a Password: You'll be prompted to set up a password for your ParentSquare account. Choose a secure password, and click "Register" or the equivalent button.
5. Confirm Contact Details: You might be asked to confirm your phone number and/or email address. Click "Confirm" for each.
6. Verification Code: After confirming your contact details, you will receive a verification code sent to the email or phone number you provided.
7. Enter Verification Code: Input the verification code where prompted in the activation process to verify your identity.
8. Completion: Once verified, your account should be active, and you can start using ParentSquare right away.

Remember, ParentSquare will use the contact details you've provided in Skyward. Ensure your contact information, like emails and phone numbers, is up-to-date in Skyward, as this information is used to generate your ParentSquare account. If your contact details need to be changed, please reach out to your student's school.

If you face any issues during the activation process or don't receive an invitation as expected, consider reaching out to Tahoma School District's Public Relations Team at tsdmessages@tahomasd.us for assistance.

On the web, select Messages in the sidebar, then start a direct conversation by clicking New Message.

On the ParentSquare App, you can tap on the “+” sign to start a new message.

You will see your child's teacher(s) and group owners in the quick-select recipient's box at the top of the page. Or, you can type the first three letters of a name in the recipient box to auto-populate other users. 

1. From Home, locate post in the main feed. Click Print at the bottom of the post, next to Appreciate and Comment.
2. Or, go to the post detail page and click Print in right sidebar.
3. Send to printer or save as PDF.
   To save as PDF: choose File > Print. Click the option marked PDF in the lower left corner of the menu box that appears. In the drop-down menu, select Save as PDF. Save the file under a new name.

Yes, you can print an entire direct message conversation. What messages you can view and print depends on your role.

• Go to Home > Messages (in left sidebar), click on a message, then click print icon in upper right.
• Print the message thread on a printer or save as PDF.

From the sign on page, you can click on "Forgot Password?" and you will be emailed a link to reset your password.

Once you are logged into ParentSquare, you can access help articles by clicking the question mark icon ( ? ) beside your name in the top right corner (on desktop), or by clicking the Help icon at the end of the mobile app menu.

Desktop:

Mobile: