Ames CSD Moves to ParentSquare for School-Home Communication

We are excited to share that starting this school year, ParentSquare will replace Blackboard as the new District-wide communication platform. ParentSquare will allow the Ames CSD to unify communication from teachers, classrooms, schools, and the District for all PK-12 families under one umbrella. In fact, you should have already received an invitation to join. 

By consolidating multiple tools into one platform, ParentSquare offers an enhanced and seamless experience for both parents and staff. Parents will now have the convenience of accessing news, activities, and events from all their student’s schools in a single location. Plus, ParentSquare is how we will communicate any emergency and/or weather delay or cancellation information, and if you have the app, your notification is instant. ParentSquare is accessible on computers and mobile devices for staff, parents, and students (grades 6-12 only).

Ames CSD aims to foster improved communication through ParentSquare’s intuitive, two-way platform. Parents will have the opportunity to view and enjoy pictures shared by teachers and coaches, complete forms and permission slips, and so much more. Additionally, school staff and parents can engage in both individual and group messaging with real-time language translation.

Recognizing the need for a unified communication platform, the Ames CSD strives to provide all our staff members, including principals, teachers, and coaches, with accessible tools. We believe that this improvement in communication will establish a truly collaborative relationship to support confident and accomplished learners together.

Tips for Families

• Download App – It’s easy to stay in the loop with the ParentSquare app. Download it now for iOS or Android devices. Don’t worry! If you don’t download the app, you will still get messaging via email, text, or automated call.
• Activate Your Account – Follow the link in your activation email/text, or sign up on parentsquare.com or via the ParentSquare app.
• Set Preferences- Select your name in the top right to set your language preferences and how often you want to receive notifications.
• Appreciate Posts – Select ‘Appreciate’ in your email/app or website to thank a teacher or staff member for a post.
• Participate – Select ‘Sign Ups & RSVPs’ in the sidebar to see available opportunities. Click the bell on top to check your commitments.
• Get Photos & Files – ‘Photos & Files’ in the sidebar allows you to access pictures, forms and documents that have been shared with you.
• Comment or Reply – You can select ‘Comment’ in the app or on the website to privately ask a question about the post that your teacher or school sent.
• Get in Touch – ‘Messages’ in the sidebar lets you privately get in touch with staff.

In addition, ParentSquare offers translation in more than 100 languages, and app, email, text, voice, and web portal access for equitable communication District-wide. It also features extensive integrations with student information and other critical administrative systems, and single sign-on capabilities.

For additional information about ParentSquare, please visit our ParentSquare page or go to www.parentsquare.com.