Texting and Notification Preferences
You are in control of how messages are delivered. That includes receiving communication through email, text, app notifications and being able to combine messages into daily digest.
For email, text and app notifications you can choose:
- Instant: You receive an instant notification when a message is sent.
- Digest: You receive one combined notification in the evening with the day’s messages.
- Off: You will not receive notifications about posts by that mode. Emergency alerts will still be sent. School alerts may still be sent if they are turned on.
Want text messages? Check your settings.
If you want to receive text messages, log in to ParentSquare and make sure Text is turned on and set to Instant in your notification settings.
A message from a teacher, coach, or school may look like a regular text on your phone, but it is still being sent through ParentSquare. Your settings determine how that message reaches you, and you can reply directly from your phone without being in the app.
To update your ParentSquare notifications:
On the App:
Open the ParentSquare app, tap the three-line menu, then go to Account and Notifications.
On a Computer:
Sign in, click your name, then go to My Account and Notification Settings.
What ParentSquare Text Messages Look Like
When received as texts, many ParentSquare messages come from a regular 10-digit phone number. That means a message from a teacher, coach, or school will feel like a normal text message. You can save that number in your contacts and reply just like you would to any text.
If text notifications are turned on, direct messages and alerts will come to your phone as text messages. Posts and announcements may be delivered to the app first, with text used as a backup when needed. Notification frequency settings apply to posts only.
Depending on the type of message, you may receive texts from different 10-digit phone numbers:
- Direct Messages: One number for each conversation with a teacher or staff member
- Classroom and Group Posts: One number for all classes and groups at a school
- School-wide Posts: One number per school
- Alerts, Digests, Districtwide Posts, and District Group Messages: Either a 5-digit or 10-digit number
First Text From a School - Example
The first time your school sends you a text, you will receive a short introduction message like this one time only:
“School-wide ParentSquare posts from Washington Elementary will come from this number. Save it so you know who’s texting. For a better experience, try the app: https://psqr.io/app”
Then the actual message will follow:
[WE] Yearbook orders are due today
https://psqr.io/HeY5YnGXkA/
You can save that number as Washington Elementary so you always recognize official school messages.
Each school has its own number. If you have children at different schools, you may receive messages from more than one number.
First Text From a Teacher - Example
Let’s say Mr. Washington texts a parent for the first time. Before the actual message, the parent will receive a short introduction text like this one time only:
“ParentSquare messages from R. Washington will come from this number. Save it so you know who’s texting. Try the app: https://psqr.io/app”
Then the actual message will follow:
[WE] Good afternoon, Mrs. Patel. We missed Myra in class today. Please let me know if she is okay and whether you need help with make-up work.
https://psqr.io/KlmNoPqRsT
The parent can save that number in their contacts as Mr. Washington, and future texts from him will come from that same number.
Important: This number is specific to that conversation. Another parent receiving messages from Mr. Washington may see a different phone number. However, for you, messages from him will continue to come from the same number.