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Parent Square Quick Guide for Office Staff

Creation date: 4/16/2026 4:58 PM    Updated: 4/16/2026 5:11 PM   parentsquare
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📱 ParentSquare Quick Guide for Office Staff

Super-detailed, step-by-step instructions — made for non-technical users

1. 🔑 How to Log In (Sign In with Microsoft)

  1. Open your web browser (Chrome, Edge, or Firefox recommended)
  2. Go to: https://www.parentsquare.com/signin
  3. On the sign-in screen, click the button that says “Sign In with Microsoft”
  4. You will be taken to the district Microsoft login page
  5. Type your full district email address and your regular password (the same ones you use for Outlook, Teams, or Office 365)
  6. Click Sign in
  7. You should now be logged into ParentSquare automatically — no extra passwords needed!

đź’ˇ Tip: Bookmark this page or add it to your browser favorites so you can get in with one click next time.

2. 🚨 Urgent Alerts vs Smart Alerts vs Posts – Quick Comparison

Our district prefers voice calls for anything important. Use this table to pick the right tool every time.

Tool Best For Delivery Methods Voice Call? When to Use
🚨 Urgent Alert
(Megaphone icon)		 Critical emergencies only (lockdown, natural disaster, major threat) Text + Voice Call + Email + App (instant to everyone) âś… Always included True emergencies ONLY
📢 Smart Alert Important short notices (closures, delays, reminders, cancellations) You choose: Voice Call, Text (with voice backup), Email, or any mix ✅ Yes – select “Voice Call” Most office messages that need a voice call
📝 Post General announcements, newsletters, events, forms, RSVPs Parent’s preferred method (app, email, or daily digest) ❌ No voice call Everyday non-urgent information
💡 District Recommendation: For voice calls, always use a Smart Alert and choose “Voice Call” delivery. Save Urgent Alerts for real emergencies only.

3. 🚨 How to Send an Urgent Alert (Emergency Use ONLY)

  1. After logging in, click Alerts and Notices in the left-hand menu
  2. Click Manage Alerts at the top
  3. Click the big Megaphone icon (🚨 Urgent Alert)
  4. Type a short, clear message in the box OR click “Message Library” and pick a saved one
  5. Recipients are automatically set to your whole school/department (you can uncheck groups if needed)
  6. ✅ Check the box “Automatically translate to the recipient’s language” (highly recommended)
  7. Double-check everything, then click the big red Send Urgent Alert button

⚠️ This sends instantly via text, automated voice call, email, AND app notification. Use ONLY for true emergencies.

4. 📢 How to Send a Smart Alert (Best for Voice Calls)

  1. Click Alerts and Notices in the left menu
  2. Click Manage Alerts
  3. Click New Smart Alert (the regular alert button — NOT the megaphone)
  4. Type your short message OR select one from the Message Library
  5. Click “Recipients” and choose who should get it (whole school, specific classes, groups, etc.)
  6. Scroll down to Delivery Methods and select exactly what you want:
    • âś… Voice Call — our district’s preferred option (phone call only)
    • 📱 SMS/TXT — if selected, it will try text first, then automatically fall back to a voice call if the text cannot be delivered
    • ✉️ Email
    Important Tip: To send a phone-only alert (no text, no email), check only the Voice Call box and deselect SMS/TXT and Email.
  7. ✅ Check “Automatically translate” if needed
  8. Review the preview at the bottom, then click the big Send Smart Alert button

đź“ž Smart Alerts are the easiest and safest way to send a voice call without using the emergency channel.

5. đź“… How to Post to the Calendar

  1. From the home screen, click the big + Post a Message button (or the plus icon at the top)
  2. Type your announcement text in the main box
  3. On the right side of the screen, look for “Post Add-ons” and click Calendar Entry / RSVP
  4. Fill in the event details:
    • Event title
    • Date
    • Start time and end time
    • Location (optional)
    • Reminder time (optional)
    • Allow parents to RSVP? (Yes/No)
  5. Choose who can see the post (school-wide, specific groups, etc.)
  6. Click the big Post button (or “Schedule” if you want it to go out later)

✅ The calendar event will automatically show up in every parent’s ParentSquare calendar and can be added to their phone calendar with one tap.

6. đź“‹ How to View Attendance Notices

  1. Click Alerts and Notices in the left menu
  2. At the top of the page, click the Notices tab (or use the filter dropdown)
  3. You will now see all attendance notices, lunch balance alerts, and other system-generated notices
  4. Click any notice to open it and see:
    • Full details
    • Which parents received it
    • Delivery status (text, email, app, etc.)
  5. Use the search bar at the top if you’re looking for a specific student or date

📋 Attendance notices are created automatically by the system and sent directly to parents — you can review everything here.

âś… Quick Tips for Success

  • 🔹 Keep every alert message short and clear — parents read them quickly
  • 🔹 Always turn on the translation feature when possible
  • 🔹 Not sure? Test with a small group first before sending school-wide
  • 🔹 Need extra help? Click the ? help icon in the top-right corner of ParentSquare
  • 🔹 Still stuck? Call or email the district Technology Department

Last updated: April 2026

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