[Click here ](https://app.screencastify.com/v3/watch/icsdzwO0s96HhVUQfUQd)for step-by-step video instructions on getting started with SchoolMessenger.

**Account Management**

Access your account settings in the top-right corner of the dashboard. You cannot edit your name or username, but you can change your password. If PowerSchool is down, you will need this password to log into SchoolMessenger directly.

**Navigating the Dashboard**

The dashboard displays your account details, broadcast statuses (in progress/completed), and an activity summary that shows how you’ve connected with your community over time.

**Logging In to SchoolMessenger**

**Access SchoolMessenger by logging into PowerSchool.** On the left-hand side of the dashboard, click on the **Applications** link, and select **SchoolMessenger**

If you have trouble logging in or accessing SchoolMessenger, submit a help desk ticket at [help.passaicschools.org](http://help.passaicschools.org).

**Direct URL**: If PowerSchool is down, you can access SchoolMessenger directly via: [asp.schoolmessenger.com/passaic](http://asp.schoolmessenger.com/passaic).

Use the **Help** link in the bottom-right corner for access to PowerSchool’s community page, which includes videos, knowledge articles, and other resources.

**Creating a New Broadcast:** Click **New Broadcast** to begin. The process involves three steps:

- **Subject & Recipients**
- **Message Content**
- **Review & Send**

To test a broadcast before sending it to a large group, click the Add Me button, which will automatically add your phone number and email to the recipient list. This allows you to preview the message on your own devices and ensure everything looks correct.

**Subject**: Enter a subject that parents/guardians will recognize, e.g., "Passaic BOE" or your school's name. This will autofill in emails and make messages easier to identify.

**Type**: Only school administrators sending emergency messages will change the message type. For most messages, the message type should remain set at “General”.

**Recipient Lists**: You have several options for selecting or creating recipient lists. These allow you to control exactly who receives your message. Depending on your user role, you may only have access to certain groups. For example, a school-level user will only see students, staff, or guardians within their school, while district-level users can see and send messages to recipients across the entire district.

**Custom Rules:** Custom Rules allow you to create dynamic lists that automatically update based on data imported from PowerSchool. Since the system pulls this data nightly, any changes to student information—like new guardians or updated contact numbers—will automatically update your list.

To create a list using custom rules, you start by choosing fields such as Contact Type (e.g., Staff or Students). When you choose “Students,” SchoolMessenger will target the students' associated parents and guardians. You can refine the list further by adding filters like Grade Level, School, or even Class Section. For instance, you might create a list for all guardians of 1st graders at a specific elementary school.

These lists are continuously updated. If a new student joins the district or a parent’s contact info changes, the list will reflect those changes automatically.

Select a field
First Name
Last Name
Language
Contact Type
Grade
Home Room
Attedance Date
Tardy Date
-----------
School

In SchoolMessenger, you can change the target contacts who will receive a message. For instance, instead of messaging all the contacts tied to a student, you may want to limit messages to be sent only to students' guardians.

Select the categories of recipients that you would like to include in your message.

You can send messages via **Phone**, **Email**, and **SMS**.

**Phone**: Use **Call Me to Record** to record a voice message yourself, or **Text-to-Speech** to generate an automated message from typed text. Messages can be translated into other languages using Google Translate, but you can manually override translations if needed.

**Email**: Emails can be customized with subject lines and translated content. Note that recipients can unsubscribe from email broadcasts if they choose. Use the default email as the "From Email".

**SMS**: SMS messages are limited to 150 characters. Include a recognizable acronym or phrase like "Passaic BOE" so recipients know it's from the district.

The translation of phone calls and SMS messages in SchoolMessenger is determined by the home language saved in a parent’s PowerSchool account. When you check the translation box, the parent will receive the message in their preferred language, based on the home language data imported from PowerSchool.

Review your broadcast, ensuring the correct recipient count and content.

**Schedule**: You can send messages immediately or schedule them for a later date and time.

Recommended times are between 4:30 PM and 8:30 PM, when parents are most likely to be available. Do not adjust the end time; leave the end time at its default setting.

**Skip Duplicates**: Enabled by default, this prevents parents with multiple children from receiving duplicate messages.

**Broadcast Reports:** After sending a broadcast, view the results by clicking on the tools icon (wrench and screwdriver) next to the completed broadcast. Reports will show the delivery status of phone calls, emails, and SMS messages, indicating whether they were answered, sent to voicemail, delivered, blocked, or bounced.

Message a List of Students Using PowerSchool Message Sender

**Using PowerSchool’s Message Sender:** One of the most powerful features of SchoolMessenger is its integration with PowerSchool. You can paste a list of students directly into the "MultiSelect" box in PowerSchool and pull it into SchoolMessenger using Message Sender. This method allows you to send messages to specific groups, such as a list of parents who signed up for an event, without leaving the PowerSchool environment.

The system will automatically pull over the selected list into SchoolMessenger when you’re ready to broadcast. Keep in mind that lists created in PowerSchool through Message Sender cannot be saved for future use in SchoolMessenger, so this is best for one-time communications.

You can paste a list of student IDs into the "MultiSelect" box in PowerSchool and use the Message Sender feature to send messages directly to their parents or guardians. Additionally, you can filter recipients by relationship type (e.g., mother, father, guardian) to ensure the message only goes to the specific contacts you want to reach.

After inputting your list of student numbers, click "Message Sender". You will be directed to send your broadcast without having to leave PowerSchool. From there, continue sending your broadcast using the same steps above (starting with the section on "Target Contacts").

Troubleshooting Parent Message Delivery Issues

**Blocking/Unblocking Contacts:** Sometimes, parents will not receive messages. In order to troubleshoot this, you should check to see if they are blocking texts or messages.

To check if a contact is blocked from receiving messages, you can search for their phone number or email in the Reports section. The report will show whether the contact is active, blocked, or has opted out, helping you resolve communication issues.

From the **Reports** page, navigate to the **log** for the type of message the parent is not receiving. In this example, we will investigate a parent not receiving text messages.

In the Options section, choose the date the text was sent out. In the Filter By section, click the "Select a Field" dropdown, then find and select the desired filter (for instance, your school's name). Click "Add." Finally, click "View Report" at the bottom to generate the report.

From that report, you will be able to see if a parent has blocked text messages.

If someone requests to be unblocked, search for their phone number or email in the **Block List(s)** under the **System** tab and delete the phone number or email from the blocked list.

To block someone from receiving further messages (e.g., a parent requesting to be removed from the calling list), go to the **Block List** under the **System** tab. Add the phone number or email to the block list.

**Congratulations on completing your SchoolMessenger training!** We’ve covered logging in, navigating the dashboard, creating broadcasts, and reviewing reports. With these skills, you’ll be able to communicate effectively with parents and guardians using SchoolMessenger.

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How To Use SchoolMessenger

Logging In and Dashboard

Subject & Recipients

Target Contacts

Message Content

Review & Send

Message a List of Students Using PowerSchool Message Sender

Troubleshooting Parent Message Delivery Issues