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ParentSquare

How We Communicate

ParentSquare logo

University Place School District uses ParentSquare for school communication, primarily with email, text and app notifications. ParentSquare automatically syncs with Skyward Family Access to generate an account for each parent, using their preferred email address and phone number. We encourage parents to access their accounts so they can download the mobile app and update their preferences on when and how they are notified.

You will still be able to receive emails, text messages, and phone calls from the district and your school(s) without registering your account. However, you will need to register your account to access the ParentSquare parent portal and mobile app, to update your message preferences, or to see your school or district’s feed of past messages and alerts, and to receive notifications via the ParentSquare app.  Additional features (sign ups, form acknowledgements, electronic signatures) will also require a registered account to utilize.

ParentSquare is a safe, secure, and modern approach to communication and collaboration between school and home.

What is ParentSquare?

A person is holding a phone and looking at an app.ParentSquare is a unified communication platform that offers a whole host of tools which allows district, school administrators and teachers to more effectively communicate and engage with families and students.

Some features include:

  • Mass notifications and urgent alerts with two-way communication
  • Mobile application for administrators and parents (iOS and Android)
  • Attendance notifications
  • Teacher and classroom communication
  • Direct Messaging with two-way translation
  • Appointment Sign Ups (parent-teacher conferences, technology agreements, etc)
  • Calendar and RSVP
  • Volunteering and conference sign-ups
  • And so much more!

As a registered parent, you can:

  • Receive messages from the school and district via phone, email, text, or app notification – your preference!
  • Choose to receive information as it comes or all at once with a daily digest at 6pm
  • Communicate in your preferred language
  • Comment on school postings to engage with your school community
  • Direct message teachers
  • Sign up for parent-teacher conferences
  • Sign up to volunteer, sign up for conferences, and more all from your desktop or mobile device

TIP! When signing up, use your email or the phone number that is in Skyward Family Access to set up your account. Your email/phone number must match the contact details in Skyward in order to sync your information with ParentSquare.

  • If your contact details aren’t recognized, contact your school to have them updated. Once updated, you will be able to activate your account within 24 hours.

Video Tutorials

English

Spanish

Frequently Asked Questions

  • 1. Activate Your Account
    Click the link in your activation email/text, or sign up on the ParentSquare website or via the ParentSquare app.

    2. Download App
    It’s easy to stay in the loop with the ParentSquare app. Download it now. iOS | Android

    3. Set Preferences
    Click your name in the top right to set your notification and language preferences.

    4. Get Photos & Files
    Click ‘Photos & Files’ in sidebar to access pictures, forms, and documents that have been shared with you.

    5. Appreciate Posts
    Click ‘Appreciate’ in your email/app or website to thank a teacher or staff member for a post.

    6. Comment or Reply
    Click ‘Comment’ in app or website to privately ask a question about the post that your teacher or school sent.

    7. Participate
    Click ‘Sign Ups & RSVPs’ in the sidebar to see available opportunities. Click bell on top to check your commitments.

    8. Join a Group
    Click ‘Groups’ in the sidebar to join a group or committee at your school to participate or to stay up to-date.

    9. Find People
    Click ‘Directory’ in the sidebar to find contact information for school staff.

    10. Get in Touch
    Click ‘Messages’ in the sidebar to privately get in touch with staff and teachers.

  • Use the link you received in your welcome email from the school district. 

    On the app, enter your email or cell phone number. The email and/or cell phone number should match what is in Skyward Family Access. Learn more about registering in the app.

    On the web, click ‘Sign In’, then under ‘Sign Up’ section, put your email or phone number and click 'Go'.

  • ParentSquare allows users to customize their notifications based on notification type and select their preferred delivery method for each school. The Instant setting will send all post notifications in real-time. The Digest setting sends direct messages, alerts, and time-sensitive posts instantly, but sends all non-time sensitive posts at the end of the day, reducing the number of notifications you receive daily. (We recommend the Digest setting.) Learn more about managing notifications.

  • Parents can update their language preference for their account. Once they have done this, ParentSquare will automatically translate any communication to them in their selected language. This translation will also occur when the parent sends a message to a staff member. Learn more about ParentSquare translations and how to set the language preference.

  • Yes. All parents have a ParentSquare account. ParentSquare is the primary tool for district and school communication. Individuals who do not activate their account in ParentSquare will still receive an email digest at the end of each day that communication is sent out to them. In the event of emergencies, phone calls will be sent as well.

  • Please contact the school office and ask them to update the contact information.

     

  • ParentSquare allows the district and schools to send messages in a variety of ways.

    • One method is a post that would only go to your school’s “feed” in the ParentSquare app or web portal. Your school and district could also choose to send that post to parents/guardians in the form of a text or email.
    • A second method is a direct message that an administrator or teacher may send to you regarding your student.
    • The third method is a “smart alert” sent at the district and school level — things like messages from the superintendent or information about school events and activities. These can be sent via text, email or phone call.
    • The final category is an “urgent smart alert.” These messages will be sent via text, email and phone call and include inclement weather notifications and health and safety issues.

  • Yes. The first time that you log into the app or web portal, all of your students should automatically be listed in the upper lefthand corner. If you don’t see them, please contact your school office(s) to ensure your phone number and email are correct in our system. 

     

    If you have students at multiple schools, you will be able to switch back and forth between schools from the drop down in the upper left hand corner.