ParentSquare (Teacher)
Staff Resources · Communication Tools
ParentSquare for Teachers
ParentSquare is our go-to platform for all academic communication — posts, messages, forms, and events that reach every family. Sign in with your district Google account and you’re ready to go.
Get Started
Staff members access ParentSquare through their district Google accounts — no separate password to remember. Three settings are worth adjusting on day one.
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Sign In with Google
Go to ParentSquare and select “Sign in with Google” using your @nobleps.com account.
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Adjust Your Notification Settings
Choose Instant, a daily Digest, or Off for each notification type — how to manage notification settings. Emergency notifications always come through instantly.
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Set Office Hours
Let families know when you’re available so late-night messages can wait until morning — how to set office hours.
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Add Co-Teachers or Assistants
Share your class with a co-teacher, room parent, or assistant — team teaching best practices.
- ParentSquare Help Center — searchable help articles for every feature; also available from the question mark icon (desktop) or Help tab (app).
- Parent–Teacher Communication Ideas — the ParentSquare blog, with ideas for classroom communication.
- Get the mobile app — iOS (App Store) or Android (Google Play).
Posting Basics
- Click “New Post” — to message your class or grade: plain messages, events, volunteer requests, pictures, and files.
- Check who’s reached — select “Notified” beside the eye icon to reach every family; parents without email automatically receive texts.
- Use the add-ons — RSVP, Forms, Ask for Items, Request Volunteers, and Appointment Sign-Ups are built in — no Google Forms needed.
Messaging Students
Board Policy DHAC: school personnel engaging in electronic or digital communication with an individual student shall include the student’s parent or guardian, unless the communication is on a school-approved platform and related to school and academic communications. ParentSquare is that school-approved platform — every message is automatically saved and searchable.
Student Accounts: CIMS & NHS Only
Only Curtis Inge Middle School and Noble High School students have ParentSquare accounts. At Daily, Hubbard, and Pioneer, direct student contact is by school email only, with the parent or guardian included. Wherever you teach: keep it academic, and include the parent whenever possible.
Things to Watch Out For
Common ParentSquare pitfalls, why they don’t work, and what to do instead. Most of these come down to two things: accessibility and actually being seen.
Attaching a PDF filePDFs are usually not ADA-compliant and hard to read on a phone
PDFs are usually not ADA-compliant and sometimes hard to view on a phone. Automatic language translation will not work on files.
Instead: type what you want to say directly in the body of your post or message.
“Commenting” instead of “replying” on a postParents won’t see your answer
Parents won’t see what you wrote if you comment under their question on a post.
Instead: click the “reply” button under their comment and type in the “reply” box so they can see your answer.
Typing in ALL CAPSScreen readers hear an acronym — and it reads as yelling
People with visual impairments will hear this as an acronym. It is also considered yelling at people.
Instead: use bold, underlining, italics, different color fonts, or larger text to emphasize your points (stick to darker colors that are easily read).
Including a .jpg with words in itFlyers are for paper, not phone screens
They’re meant to be printed on paper, not read on a tiny phone screen. Plus, they’re not ADA-compliant.
Instead: type (or copy & paste) the information directly in the body of your post. Insert a picture or graphic with no more than five words.
Adding a QR code to your postQR codes belong on paper
QR codes bridge the gap between the real world and the internet. They’re meant to be printed on paper, not read on a tiny phone screen.
Instead: use a good old-fashioned link. Name the link to indicate its destination rather than making the entire URL visible to the reader.
Not including alt text for imagesADA requires it
People with visual impairments won’t know what you posted. ADA requires alt text for images.
Instead: when you add an image, click the “i” in the drop-down box and add a sentence briefly describing what’s happening in the photo.
Not using all the available toolsThe add-ons exist to make your job easier
Post add-ons like RSVP, Forms, Ask for Items, and Request Volunteers are there to make your job easier. ParentSquare has lots of great tools — use them!
Asking for a student or parent’s name, grade, and class in FormsParentSquare already knows
ParentSquare already knows this information and includes it in your spreadsheet. No need to ask twice!
Instead: use ParentSquare Forms instead of Google Forms — fewer questions and more convenient for parents.
Not adding events to your calendarCalendar entries come with RSVP and automatic reminders
Adding events to the calendar makes it easy for parents to see what’s coming up. You can also include RSVP and automatic reminders so they don’t forget!
Instead: ask your school secretary to add school-wide events to the school’s calendar. Use the “Calendar Entry” post add-on for classroom or private events.
Over-communicationBombarded parents tune out
When parents are bombarded with too many messages, they tune out and miss important information.
Instead: create a regular cadence for classroom communications — once a week or once a month, with all the important updates for your class. Use Messages to communicate with individual parents about their child’s achievements.
Teachers’ Frequently Asked Questions
Account & Settings
How do I change my notification settings?
If you do not want to be notified of all messages instantly, change your notification settings to Instant, Digest (daily, around 6 PM), or Off for each type. Emergency notifications always arrive instantly regardless of your settings.
How do I set Office Hours for messages?
Enable office hours so anyone messaging you sees your availability. Go to your account settings on the website or mobile app, then enter your available times and days.
How do I change my password?
You should be using the “Sign in with Google” option — there’s no separate ParentSquare password to manage.
How do I update my contact information?
You cannot update this information directly in ParentSquare. Please have the front desk update your contact information in PowerSchool; changes appear within 24 hours.
I’m both a staff member and a parent — can I combine accounts?
Yes. If the same phone number is registered on both, use the “Combine Accounts” option in your account settings on the web or in the app.
Classes & Groups
How do I add another staff member to my class?
From Admin > Classes under Data Assistant, click the action menu next to the class and choose “Manage Class Staff” to add teachers, room parents, or assistants.
How do I add or remove students in my class?
Students are automatically added to your class through PowerSchool. Any changes made to your class list should be reflected in ParentSquare the following day.
How do I rename a class?
See How to Rename a Class in the ParentSquare help center.
I’m in charge of a club or sport — can I communicate with just those parents?
Yes. Teachers can create groups with students who are not in their class. Visit Groups > New Group to create a static or auto-update group with custom membership.
How do I create a group for non-class activities?
Visit Groups > New Group > New Static Group or New Auto-Update Group, name it, set the privacy settings, and add members by searching and checking boxes.
Posts & Tools
How do I create a newsletter?
ParentSquare has a lot of options to make your posts more visually appealing — start with a New Post and use the formatting tools and add-ons.
How do I create a conference sign-up?
From Home > New Post drop-down > Appointment Sign-Ups, enter your information and select the target classes or groups.
How do I Ask for Items or Request Volunteers?
Click New Post, use the left sidebar to select “Ask for Items” or “Request Volunteers,” enter the details, then post.
What is the default parent notification setting?
The default is a daily digest. At around 7 PM, parents receive a digest of all daily posts via text, email, and push notifications.
Messaging & Policy
How do I direct message parents or students?
Select Messages from the left sidebar, type the recipient names, and choose private or group messaging.
Can I direct message students?
Yes — at Curtis Inge Middle School and Noble High School, so long as it is academic-related. All messages are automatically saved and searchable. Canvas messages (Inbox) and grade feedback comments are also approved channels at CIMS and NHS. Elementary students (Daily, Hubbard, Pioneer) do not have ParentSquare accounts — use school email with the parent or guardian included. See the Student Communication Guidelines.
Is ParentSquare compliant with the new law?
Yes. Board Policy DHAC and Oklahoma law (HB 3958; SB 1733 and HB 1937, 2026) require staff–student communication to include a parent or guardian unless it happens on a school-approved platform and is related to school and academics. ParentSquare is that school-approved platform: communication on it is archived, searchable, and visible to district administration. All communications must be academic-related.
Is ParentSquare the preferred method for parent communication?
Yes. ParentSquare is the preferred way to share class information, replacing tools like Remind or GroupMe.
Is emailing parents via PowerSchool still OK?
PowerSchool email will still work, but ParentSquare is our go-to platform for all academic communications.
Stuck on something ParentSquare can’t answer?
Check the NPS Help Center or submit an IT workorder and we’ll get you sorted. For student communication rules, start with the Student Communication Guidelines.