The Messages function allows messages to be sent from teachers to the Parent and Student Portals. This feature includes threaded messages, group messaging, additional text formatting options (fonts, bulleted lists, numbered lists, hyperlinks), and the ability to reply directly to messages.
Where to Start
- The Messages icon is located in the top right corner of the Teacher Connect interface, next to the User Name. The red numeral to the right of the icon indicates the number of unread messages waiting in the Messages Inbox.
- Select the Messages icon to view a summary of recent messages, with the most recent messages listed first. The New Thread icon will display on each unread message. Select a message to open that message in the Messages Inbox, or select Launch Inbox to open the Messages Inbox.
Users can also click the Messages icons in the data entry rows to access the Messages Inbox.
Messages Inbox
- The Messages Inbox has 2 basic areas: the Classes and Students lists on the left, and the Messages Inbox on the right:
- The Classes list (collapsed by default) displays the teacher’s classes, with Course Name, Course Number, Section, and Period.
- The Students list (expanded by default) displays all the teacher’s students, grouped alphabetically by name (First M Last).
- Users can Expand or Collapse the Students alpha groupings and the Inbox date ranges. Select a Class or a Student to filter the Inbox.
- The Messages Inbox displays All Messages (default view) from the most recent to the oldest, grouped by date ranges. Select All Messages to remove any filters.
- Refresh to check for new Messages.
- By default, only the Sender, Subject and Date of each message are displayed.
- Any new messages are noted by a blue New Thread icon. Select a message in the messages list to view the entire message thread and/or reply to the message (removes the New Thread icon ).
- When a message is selected, the Inbox pane divides into two areas: the Messages list on the left and either the Recipient List (for group message threads) or Message Thread (for individual message thread) on the right. If the Recipient List displays (below), select a recipient to view their message thread.
- Once the Message Thread displays, click Reply to send a response to all participants in the message thread. The Message Thread pane will display a Reply field below the Message Thread, with the Editor toolbar at the top of the reply field. Type your response in the Reply field and select Reply to send the response to all participants in the conversation. Select Cancel to close the Reply field without sending the response.
New Messages
- From the Messages Inbox, select Compose to create a new message.
- Users can send a message to individual recipients or send a group message to an entire class. Group messages are contained within individual threads for each student (and their guardian, if
selected) to ensure that responses are only viewable by the appropriate parties.- For individual messages, type a student’s name in the To field to display a list of matching students (with their applicable parents/guardians who have Parent Portal accounts). Select a name to select the recipient. Repeat the process to select additional recipients.
- For a group message, type a course name or course number in the To field to display a list of
matching classes. Select Students or Parents below a class name to send the message to all
students (or all parents of students) in that class, or click the Class name to send the message to
both the students and parents of students in the class.
- Enter a Subject for the message.
- The Editor Toolbar allows users to customize the text, insert a link, or create bulleted/numbered lists.
- Enter the body of the message.
- Select Send when done.
If a Class is selected from the Classes list BEFORE Compose is select, the new Message is automatically addressed to all students and parents in the selected class.