How Can I Send Documents or Notifications to Selected Families in Playground?
Managing communication with parents efficiently is a central feature of Playground. This guide explores how to send documents, notifications, and forms to specific families rather than all users. By using features such as Enrollment Listings, Fillable PDFs, and document sharing options, you can target your communication with ease.
Key Features for Selective Sharing
Playground offers several tools to enable selective sharing of documents and notifications:
Enrollment Listings: Customize enrollment forms and share with specific families.
Document Sharing Settings: Manage visibility and notifications for documents on the platform.
Fillable PDFs: Electronic signature forms assignable to selected students and their parents.
Step-by-Step Guides for Targeted Communication
1. Sending Enrollment Paperwork to Specific Families
If you need to send enrollment forms only to selected families, you can follow one of these methods:
Create a Duplicate Enrollment Listing: Duplicate an existing listing and attach the specific paperwork. Share this listing exclusively with the intended families.
Manually Send Paperwork: Avoid attaching documents directly to a general enrollment listing. Instead, manually send the required paperwork to individual families upon their enrollment.
Key Insight: Paperwork attached to an enrollment listing is shared automatically with everyone who uses that listing unless otherwise configured.
2. Sharing Transcripts with Specific Families
When sharing transcripts (such as when a student unenrolls), follow these steps to limit access to selected individuals:
Unhide the transcript within the student’s profile.
Click the Share button and adjust the sharing settings. Remove broad permissions such as "Everyone in [SCHOOL/PROGRAM]" and add only the families or parents you wish to share the document with.
By managing the share settings, you can ensure that only specified families view the transcript.
3. Sending File Requests Without Notifying All Parents
Notifications related to documents shared via file requests are optional. To selectively notify parents:
Open the target document in the Paperwork tab.
Use the Share button and choose the specific families or parents to whom the notification should be sent.
This ensures that only selected recipients are informed, preventing unnecessary notifications to all parents by default.
4. Assigning Fillable PDFs to Specific Families for Signatures
If, for example, you need to notify specific families about a significant change or require their signature, Fillable PDFs are the ideal tool:
From the Admin Dashboard, navigate to the Paperwork section.
Go to the Fillable PDFs tab.
Create a new fillable PDF or edit an existing one.
Assign the document to specific students by selecting their profiles.
Parents of assigned students will receive the document electronically for review and signing.
This feature enables efficient communication and avoids notifying unintended recipients.
Common Pitfalls and Best Practices
To ensure effective parent communication, consider the following best practices:
Double-check sharing settings before sending out any documents to avoid accidental over-sharing.
Use descriptive labels for enrollment listings and forms to avoid confusion.
Communicate clearly with parents about why they are receiving specific documents.
By utilizing these practices, you can streamline interactions and maintain privacy.
FAQ
Q: Can I disable notifications entirely when sharing a file? Yes, notifications are optional. Simply uncheck the notification box in the sharing settings. Q: What happens if I attach paperwork to a general listing? All families who enroll through that listing will automatically receive the attached documents. Use a duplicate listing to target specific families instead. Q: Is there a way to see who has viewed shared documents? Yes, Playground’s document tracking feature allows you to monitor who has accessed the shared files.
By leveraging these features, Playground empowers administrators to communicate selectively with parents, ensuring smooth and effective interactions tailored to specific needs.