Chat for families: Connect and collaborate with school staff

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Misty Flowers

Once you get logged in to your app and know your way around, you can start chatting in chat rooms and via direct messaging! 

This is a Chat for Families article providing help with chatting with your students' teachers and school staff. Parents, guardians, and students are at the Chat Participant Level. 

Not a parent, guardian, or student? Check out Chat for Teachers or Chat for School Leaders for more personalized help!  

In this Article

Chat in a chat room 

The top half of your chat screen includes a list of all of the chatrooms in which you are a Chat Participant. Chat managers will set the scene and serve as moderators of the chatroom, ensuring that all conversations meet safety and privacy standards. 

chat home screen.png    chat room screen.png

  • Click on chat rooms with a notification bubble next to them. This means you have Unread Messages.
  • Start a chat message.
  • Reply to a chat message by starting a thread.
  • Send files such as images, documents, and more. 
  • Engage in conversations using emojis.
  • React to a chat message so that everyone feels heard and seen. 

Quick Tutorial: Chat in a chat room 

25 STEPS

1. Let's learn all that you can do in a chat room. Once you are on the Chat Dashboard, click on a Chat Room to open it up and start chatting!

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2. To add a new Chat message, tap into the text box at the bottom and start typing your message.

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3. Let's practice replying to a thread. Click to open a chat room.

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4. After you hold down briefly on any message, this menu will appear. Here you can React with an emoji, Reply to a message, and even Report inappropriate or offensive conduct.

Tap Reply in Thread to start a reply to this message.

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5. Once you click send, your message will appear in the thread below the original message.

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6. Now you have added a message in a Thread! Great job!

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7. Let's practice using emojis to react to a message! Tap to open another chat room.

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8. When you hold down briefly on a message, the emojis menu will pop up! Select an emoji.

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9. Your emoji will appear below the message.

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10. Emojis also brighten up the chat room and help everyone to feel seen and heard. Have fun with them!

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11. Let's practice sending a File in a chat room message. Tap to open up a chat room.

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12. To attach a file, tap on the paper clip in the text box at the bottom of the chat window.

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13. You can even type your message first before clicking on the paper clip to include a message with your file attachment. (ADD ARROW TO PAPER CLIP)

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14. The paper clip will open a menu giving you the option to select something from your Photo Library, to Take Photo or Video, or to Choose Files. Let's select Choose Files to post a PDF file into this chat room.

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15. Wherever you store your files on your phone, navigate to this area and select the folder.

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16. Next you can select your file. We'll select our newsletter so it can be posted in the chat room.

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17. Check your message one more time or edit to add more. Click to send!

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18. Now you've posted a file! Remember you can also post photos and gifs and so much more!

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19. Tap open another chat room for some more practice!

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20. Speaking of posting other media, let's share a photo! Add your message and then Tap the paper clip to go select your media.

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21. We'll return to our folder where we have a QR code image waiting to be posted. Tap on Choose Files.

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22. Select your image you'd like to post.

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23. Confirm your message before clicking send!

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24. Your message will post with the image you selected.

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25. Now you can go chat and connect with others using Finalsite Chat! Great job!

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** Best experienced in Full Screen (click the icon in the top right corner before you begin) **

https://www.iorad.com/player/2426823/Chat-in-a-chat-room

Send and receive direct messages

  • Create a new direct message.  
  • Reply to direct messages.
  • Message multiple parents at once.
  • Send files, photos, and fliers.
  • React to messages in a modern way with emojis.

Important Note

Some of these options may not be available, depending on the way your district or school has configured their access settings for Chat participants. 

Quick Tutorial: Communicate with Direct Messages 

24 STEPS

1. Let's learn how the Direct Messages section works! Locate Direct Messages in the bottom half of your dashboard.

Tap the + sign to start a new Direct Message.

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2. Tap into the window to Search by name for a recipient.

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3. Select a recipient and their name will appear at the top next to the To field. Click the Create Message button to start your message!

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4. Type your message to the recipient.

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5. Your message will appear in the window once you've sent it. Now you can track your communication in the same panel with this recipient.

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6. Tap on a recipient's name to read and/or reply to an existing message.

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7. Want to add another message or reply? Tap again in the message box. Consider attaching media to your message by clicking on the paper clip.

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8. Click iPhone 13: Starlight

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9. Type your message and click send.

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10. Your new message appears with a timestamp of the date and time it was sent.

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11. Did you know you can create a Direct Message with multiple recipients? This is great for including multiple parents or mutual teachers. Click the + sign to try this out.

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12. Start searching by name or scroll to select your recipients.

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13. Check the box next to each recipient you'd like to add to this single message.

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14. Add another recipient once you see the first appear next to the To field.

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15. Add as many recipients as you need, but remember to keep in mind FERPA and COPPA requirements to protect the privacy of student records and data in all of your communication.

Click Create Message when you are ready to start your message.

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16. Click the paper clip icon if you want to send any files or other media. Then click send to start communicating in a direct message with multiple recipients.

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17. Hold down in the window if you want to Paste a link that you have copied from somewhere else.

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18. Your link will appear in the message and will be clickable once you tap send!

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19. Now you know how to send a link in a Direct Message!

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20. Want to react with emojis? Simply hold down on a message until the quick actions menu appears.

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21. Select an emoji. Here you can also Reply in a Thread or Report inappropriate communication.

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22. Your emoji will appear beneath the message.

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23. Click iPhone 13: Starlight

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24. Now you know how to communicate with Direct Messages in Finalsite Chat! Great job!

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** Best experienced in Full Screen (click the icon in the top right corner before you begin) **

https://www.iorad.com/player/2427050/Communicate-with-Direct-Messages

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