Safe and Flexible Schoolwide Messaging

Because some Messages features are school-specific, Seesaw Basic (free) users do not have access to all features. Free users have access to:

• Teacher-initiated announcements to students and connected family members

• Teacher-initiated 1:1 and group conversations with connected family members

• Option to allow connected family members to start conversations with you, the teacher. Turning on this setting allows families to privately reply to Announcements. How to turn on the setting: In Class Settings under Families, click ‘Family messaging’ and turn ON ‘Families can start new conversations with teachers’.

The following features are only available for Seesaw for Schools users, as they require school-level approval by an administrator which is only available for schoolwide subscriptions. The Seesaw Basic version of Messages does NOT include:

• Teacher-student 1:1 and group messaging

• Teacher-initiated student-student messaging

• Messaging other classes or groups within the school

• Schoolwide settings

• Whole school announcements

• Admin visibility into messages sent within the school

Did you know you can edit settings for each message? This gives you flexibility to communicate with any group, on any topic, and for every occasion.

Open a message and look to the top right to find the three dots […]. You’ll be able to edit:

• Label: Give the message thread a name to help you find specific threads quickly – especially helpful for custom group messages!

• Type: Turn On/Off replies by switching the message type at any time. Choose Announcement to disable replies, or choose Conversation to enable replies.

• Recipients: Click ‘+Add Person or Group’ to add recipients. To remove recipients, click on a recipient’s name (on mobile tap and hold) > the three dots > Remove.

Yes! Keep your inbox organized by hiding messages you no longer need to see.

Here’s how:

• Hover over a thread, click the […] three dots that appear

• Click ‘Hide message thread’.

• Need to see threads you’ve hidden? Use the filter at the top of your inbox and select ‘Hidden’.

Yes!

Announcements are one-way messages, so recipients cannot reply to the group. Family members can reply to Announcements in a private message, if settings are enabled.

• Seesaw Basic (Free) users: In Class Settings, under Families, click ‘Family messaging’ and turn ON ‘Families can start new conversations with teachers’.

• Seesaw for Schools users: Your administrator needs to enable the setting that allows families to start conversations with the teacher.

Our Help Center has helpful articles for administrators, teachers, and families. Find all articles HERE.

Or, explore our Learning Hub with step-by-step pathways all about using Messages:

• Teacher Pathway HERE

• Administrator Pathway HERE