Technology for Staff
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Using the Mitel Phone System
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As an employee of the Ephrata School District, you’ve been signed up to receive important school district and/or school communication in ParentSquare. ParentSquare automatically syncs with our Student Information System (Skyward) to generate an account for each staff member, student and parent using the communication method you’ve shared with the District (email or phone) in your Skyward Employee Access Account.
Please keep your contact information up-to-date as we will use ParentSquare to notify you of weather delays, school closures or other emergency situations.
We encourage staff to update their preferences for when and how they are notified.
ParentSquare is a safe, secure, and modern approach to communication and collaboration between school and home.
What is ParentSquare?
ParentSquare is a unified communication platform that offers a wide variety of tools which allow 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 app 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 pick-ups)
- Calendar and RSVP
- Volunteering and classroom supply sign-ups
- And so much more!
ParentSquare FAQ's
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On the app or web, select ‘Sign in with Google’ and sign in using your @ephrataschools.org email address and password.
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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 (around 6pm), reducing the number of notifications you receive daily. (We recommend the Digest setting.) Learn more about managing notifications.
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You now have two separate accounts for your staff and parent roles.
This is because staff and parent accounts are now completely separate. After you’ve added your other account, you’ll be able to switch between roles easily—no need to log in again. Here’s a help article to walk you through the steps: How to Switch Between User Accounts
To login to your ‘Parent’ account you will use your phone number or personal email address that is listed in your Skyward Family Access.
Important note:
1. Even if you have the same phone number as staff and parent, you will have two separate accounts.
2. You can use the same password to log in to your parent account.
3. If you aren’t sure what your password is because you use SSO or have multiple parent emails, you can click Forgot Password? after you click Add another account. -
Let's get you up and running so you can contact the parents of your team or group! Ephrata Schools also use StudentSquare, so you will be able to message students, too!
***IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT POST TIMING!
When you send a post in ParentSquare, families can choose when they receive it: instantly or in the Daily Digest (sent around 6pm daily).
- If you do not change the notification options for your post, some parents & students may not receive your message until it is too late.
For time-sensitive updates - like a bus trip home after an event, a last-minute practice change, or weather delays - always change the notification option to “Send Instantly.” This ensures everyone gets the message immediately, even those on the Digest. (On your phone, click the 3 dots at the bottom of the post screen when creating the post.)
For general updates - like weekly schedules or event reminders ahead of time - a regular post sent at the recipient’s preferred time works perfectly.
Pro Tip: Before hitting send, ask yourself: Do they need to know this right now?
If yes → Send Instantly
If no → Send at the recipient’s preferred time
Watch the video to get started and check out Getting Started for Coaches.
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