Technical Steps for Seesaw for Schools Administrators
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Yearly set up steps
After Seesaw builds your dashboard, complete set up in 3 steps. Repeat these steps every year you set up Seesaw!
Step 1: Add teachers with existing accounts by email
Transfer teachers already using free Seesaw to your subscription. First, send teachers this email to confirm they are using their school email for their existing account. This ensures teachers will not lose any data or student work during the transfer. Then, in the Teachers tab, click ‘Add Existing Teachers’.
Step 2: Roster all classes, teachers, and students
Click on your rostering method below for a step-by-step guide. Note: CSV is required for mid-year rostering.
Step 3: Clean up data
Ensure accurate billing and analytics. In the Overview tab under Admin Tools, complete these 3 steps:
Learn more about Assigning Student IDs →
Settings and tools
Account Settings: Click your profile icon top left > Gear icon ⚙️ > Account Settings
Display Name: Change your display name to match the name that students call you. Your display name appears on any messages, comments, or posts you create in Seesaw.
Notification Preferences: Toggle on or off email notifications, mobile push notifications, and Seesaw update emails.
School Settings: On the top right, click the gear icon ⚙️
Manage School Administrators: Add up to 25 admins to each school dashboard. Note: Anyone added as an admin will have full access to all data and tools.
Schoolwide Settings: Manage class settings on a school level, including enabling or disabling likes, comments, family access, and more.
Messages Settings: Personalize the Messages experience for your school. Determine who administrators, teachers, students, and family members can message.
Admin Tools: On the Overview tab on the right side
Get Family Data and Invite Families: Invite families in bulk. Connecting families on the Family app creates a powerful Learning Loop between teachers, students, and families that supports student achievement.
Get Student Activity Reports: View school-level activity over the past 7 days. (District admin can click this button on their District Dashboard to see district-level activity.)
End of year steps
Simplify your back to school set up and ensure accurate analytics and billing next year. Follow the steps below for your rostering method. (Note: CSV applies to those who use Google Classroom to roster.)
If your rostering method is not changing next year…
If your rostering method is changing next year…
FAQs
What’s the difference between a district and a school admin?
District admins manage the Seesaw for Schools subscription for all schools in their district. They can see all data, manage rostering, and have access to both a District Dashboard and the Admin Dashboards for each school. School admin only manage their school and only access the Admin Dashboard for the school they are connected to. Learn more about the Admin Dashboard here.
How do I resend an activation link to a school admin?
In School Settings (gear icon top right) click Manage School Administrators.
Why am I seeing teachers under ‘View and Approve’ on my Admin Dashboard?
When teachers create a free Seesaw account, they are prompted to select their school. Teachers do not realize this sends a notification to be added to a school dashboard. Since you are adding teachers with existing accounts via email address, you can ignore these requests.
When I add teachers with existing accounts, will they lose activities or student work?
Before you import teachers with existing accounts, have them check to confirm they are using their school/district email address on their free account. When you import teachers by their school/district email address, you also import current classes, rostered students, and any activities they have saved or created. Doing this step ensures nothing gets lost in the transfer.
Why are there duplicate student accounts?
Transferring teachers with existing accounts also imports their classes and rostered students. If students have been in multiple classes using Free Seesaw, you’ll see duplicate student accounts when you set up.
Where can I find more answers to my questions?
Full FAQ document coming soon! Or visit our Help Center at help.seesaw.me.