FAQ: How do I send a message to people in my class?

Teachers can use the Classes>Messages tab to communicate with students through the student portal. 

This article covers:

• how to send a new message to a student;
• what the message looks like in the student portal;
• replying to a student message; and
• how to delete a student reply to your message.

NOTE: When a message is sent to the student, it is NOT sent to the student's email. Students must log into the student portal to see the message.

• Staff with SiD teacher login accounts can create messages on the Classes>Messages screen when they are assigned as a teacher for the class. Once messages have been created, staff with a teacher login account cannot edit, delete, or unsend them.
• Staff with admin login accounts can:
  - create messages on any Classes>Messages screen
  - send a message from the Students>Log screen or Staff/Volunteer>Log screens.
  - send site-wide messages using the Admin>Site-Wide Messages link.

How to create a message for one or more people in a class

Select the desired class from the Dashboard or Classes tab, then click on the Messages subtab.

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1. From the Log Type menu, choose Message.
2. In the Create Message field, type the message to the people in the class.
3. The Log Date tells when the message will appear in the recipient's student portal. It defaults to today's date; highlight to type a different date.
4. If desired, type a Hide Date - a date after which the message will no longer be visible to the user (or to you).
5. Select the people in the class for whom the log entry will be created.
   - To choose one or more individuals, click the box in front of their name.
   - To choose everyone in the class, including the teacher and volunteers, click the Select All option.
6. Click the Create Log(s) button.

The message will be visible on the Student>Logs screen and on the student portal.

Student portal view

This is how the message will look to the student when s/he logs into the Student Portal. Messages from the teacher appear at the top right of the every screen. They also appear in a grid on the Messages tab.
From the Message tab, students may complete a reply form to communicate with a teacher - highlighted in yellow below.

Replying to a student message

1. From the Home tab / Dashboard, select the message sent by the student through the student portal.
   
2. On the next screen, select the desired message.
   
3. On the Reply/Delete screen, type your response in the Reply box. Then click the Reply to Message button.
   

DELETE a student reply to your message

The student reply will automatically disappear on the Visible Until date. You can manually remove it sooner if you prefer.

1. From the Home tab / Dashboard, select the reply sent by the student.
2. On the next screen, select the message to be deleted.
3. On the Reply/Delete screen, click the "Delete this Message?" button.