Making the Most of Your ParentSquare Experience

Dear Pelham Families,

We hope that the first few days of school have been successful and that you share our excitement for the year ahead. The Pelham Public Schools is committed to providing timely, transparent and accurate information throughout the school year. Last year, the District began using ParentSquare as our mass communication tool. ParentSquare is a unified communications platform designed specifically for K-12 schools, encompassing email, text and app notifications. Below, please find some information and tips to ensure that you are making the most of your ParentSquare experience.

What Information is sent via ParentSquare?

The District and schools will use ParentSquare to send regular posts/emails with pertinent school information. This includes regular newsletters and updates. 

Starting this year, all Pelham teachers now have access to use ParentSquare to communicate with parents/guardians. Teachers were provided training in ParentSquare at the start of the school year, but we ask for families to be patient as we continue this rollout in the fall! Please also note that teachers’ use of this system is likely to vary between elementary, middle and high school.

ParentSquare is also the system that the District uses to communicate with families during emergency situations, weather-related schedule changes, etc. 

How do I receive information via ParentSquare?

By default, all parents/guardians will receive email notifications from ParentSquare. 

Some tips to keep in mind:

• ParentSquare curates posts in a personalized feed so that you receive the information that is most useful to you. This means that you should receive information from the District, your children’s school(s) and your children’s teachers. 

• To make information easier to find, ParentSquare automatically sends all email notifications from each day at 6pm as part of a “digest.” If we need to reach you sooner, please know that the District has the option to override the digest and communicate with you instantly. 

• Parents/guardians can choose to receive email notifications immediately when they are sent by registering their ParentSquare account and changing their notification settings once logged in. Please note that registration is strongly recommended, but not necessary to receive communication from the District.

What if I have a question or need to reach the school or my child’s teacher?

Parents/guardians can always email their teacher, school or District administration directly with questions or concerns. Please refer to each school’s “Whom Should I Ask?” page to see the appropriate channels for addressing issues that arise.

Additionally, parents/guardians with a registered ParentSquare account have the ability to “comment” on a post if you have a question about the information that was provided. These comments will only be seen by the creator of the original post and will not be visible to other parents/guardians in the class. 

Please note that you can not reply to an email/post sent via ParentSquare from your email client. 

Why should I register my ParentSquare account? How can I do that?

We strongly recommend registering your account to make the most of your ParentSquare experience. Doing so allows you to:
 

• Receive push notifications via the free ParentSquare app

• Change your personal notification settings (i.e. determine whether to receive notifications via the 6pm digest or instantly)

• See all posts as part of a customized feed. (This feature is convenient to review information that was sent earlier in the year and search for older information).

• Select a preferred home language for two-way automated translation.

To register your account: 

1. Visit the ParentSquare sign-in page

2. Enter your email address or cell phone number into the “Register” box. Please note that the email address/phone number must match what is on file with the District in Infinite Campus (emergency contact information)

3. Follow the prompts to verify your contact information and complete account registration.

4. The free ParentSquare app is available via the Apple app store and Google Play.

Additionally, this week all unregistered parents/guardians will receive an invitation to register your account from ParentSquare. The subject line on that email is “Pelham Union Free School District invites you to join ParentSquare.” You can follow the steps in that email to register and confirm your account. 

We hope that this information is helpful. Parents/guardians are also encouraged to view this Getting Started Video from ParentSquare for more information. 

Sincerely,

The Pelham Public Schools