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How do I send communication via SchoolMessenger Communicate?
Navigate to PowerSchool
Click 'Message Sender'
Fill in 'Subject' line and select a message 'Type'
Selecting 'General' as the message 'Type' will email only parents. Selecting 'General + Students' emails both parents and students. 'General + Students' will not be applicable for PreK-5th grade.
Do not select any options under 'Emergency Types'. This will stop all communication Nationwide until the emergency message has been sent. All emergency communication will be sent by the Communications Team.
Click 'Add Message Recipients' dropdown and select 'Class Sections'
Select School
Select Class Section(s) and click 'Add Recipients'
You can select one or multiple class sections to email at the same time.
Click 'Add Me' and 'Continue'
Clicking 'Add Me' will send you a copy of the email to your NRCA email.
Click 'Email'
Add '(NRCA)' after your name, confirm your 'Subject', add your message, and click 'Save'
It is highly recommended to add (NRCA) after your 'From Name' so that your communication stands out to parents in their inboxes that are most likely filled with many other emails.
Click 'Continue'
Check the bottom two boxes only and click either 'Send Now' or 'Schedule to Send Later'
Email me the report of this job upon its completion - After the broadcast has finished running, you will receive an email titled “Job Complete: ........” with an attached PDF showing a detailed report and graph of the results.
Skip duplicate emails/phone/SMS recipients - This prevents recipients who have their phone numbers or email addresses associated to multiple records in your list (like a parent who has two kids in the same school) from receiving duplicate phone calls, texts and emails of the same message. In almost all cases, this should be left checked.
Save Message Content - Checking this option means that the entire contents of step 2, Message Content, will be saved in the “Message Builder” under the Broadcasts tab of Communicate. This is helpful for messages that you will be using on a frequent basis or form year to year, where the message content does not change. Most messages are unique and should not be saved for later use. You can still review the content of any broadcast, listen to voice, or read SMS and email messages from the Broadcasts screen of your account at any time.
Send Now - does just that – clicking it will set your broadcast up to immediately begin calling, texting and emailing the recipients on your list(s).
Schedule to Send Later - will provide you with the options to set a start date, start time and end time.
