Communications Guide

ParentSquare is the only third-party platform that district employees, including coaches and activity sponsors, are permitted to use to communicate with families and students. Use of ParentSquare ensures that district communication meets all state and federal laws and Keystone Oaks School District policies, including:

• Americans with Disabilities Act Title II Website Accessibility
• Freedom of Information Act and Right to Know Law
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
• Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
• Legal requirements for Short Messages Services (SMS) compliance
• ESSA Title I, Title II, Title III and Title IV funding criteria
• IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Act) Education Program
• State plan chronic absenteeism prevention goals
• Policy 847: Maintaining Professional Adult/Student Boundaries
• Policy 908: Relationships with Parents/Custodial Legal Guardians  

ParentSquare synchronizes daily with PowerSchool, the District’s student information system, ensuring that class rosters and contact information are up to date. In addition, communication sent through ParentSquare:

• Is automatically translated into the user’s preferred language.
• Meets accessibility requirements for users who use screen readers and assistive technology. 
• Is delivered by email, app, or text message, based on users’ preferences.
• Is easily searchable and can be narrowed down by specific groups or classes.
• Can be targeted to specific groups, ensuring that communication is sent only to those who need to receive it.

ParentSquare also includes functionality to request donations, ask for volunteers, collect permission slips, set up conference time slots, ask for RSVPs, collect information through forms, send pictures and videos, and more. These features must be used in order to ensure compliance with applicable laws and policies and to allow the district to accurately measure parent engagement.

ParentSquare groups bring people together around shared roles, interests, or activities so that the district can communicate with the right audiences. Each group has its own page for posts, events, and member communication. Depending on the group’s type and visibility, members may be able to:

• View group posts, calendars, and the member directory.
• Join or leave groups directly from the groups page.
• Post or comment within groups that allow member participation.

Groups must be used for the following:

• Clubs and activities
• Athletic teams
• Committees
• Specific populations (504 plans, language-based, students’ interests, etc.)

• Outside of classroom teachers, individuals seeking permission to post in ParentSquare must participate in ParentSquare training with the Coordinator of Communications & Public Relations.
• Each event or announcement gets one original post in ParentSquare.
• Use the calendar feature to set an automatic reminder either one, two or three days before the event.
• Use the update feature to send updates about the event.
• If the post includes a form, you can send reminders to those who did not fill out the form.
• If the post includes sign-ups for volunteers or donations, you can communicate with individuals who are donating items or volunteering.
• Additional reminders will be included in the weekly building newsletters.
• The following items are prohibited in ParentSquare posts,
  • Links to third-party websites when the functionality is available in ParentSquare. For example, the use of SignUp Genius is not permitted for organizing volunteers and donations.
  • Duplicate postings for the same event or fundraiser.
  • Posting information for community organizations that are not affiliated with the Keystone Oaks School District.
• Posts that violate these guidelines will be deleted and users risk having their posting permissions revoked for repeated violations.

• Understand the types of messages and use them correctly
  • Posts - Read this ParentSquare article for details on how to use Posts.
    • User sets notification preferences for each method - email, text, and app notification
    • Digest setting is recommended to help limit the number of messages that a user receives
    • Digest setting can be overridden so the post is delivered instantly; however, if a user has only opted into email messages, for example, they will only receive an email instantly
    • ParentSquare posts are best for:
      • General information that is not necessarily time-sensitive
      • Collecting data - forms, donations, volunteers, etc.
      • Information that a user can search for later
  • Smart Alerts - This ParentSquare help article explains how to use Smart Alerts.
    • Not all group owners can send Smart Alerts. Individuals who need this functionality should reach out to the Coordinator of Communications & Public Relations.
    • Delivers the message instantly via email, app/text, and/or phone call, overriding a user's notification settings for Posts.
    • Can be sent as “Urgent Alerts,” which also includes anyone who is an emergency contact for a student.
    • Can be shared as notifications to the district website.
    • Smart Alerts are best for:
      • Time-sensitive messages
      • Ensuring that the message is delivered via multiple communication channels
  • Direct Messages - This ParentSquare help article explains Direct Messages in detail.
    • One-to-one or small group conversations
    • Not ideal if your group changes frequently, as ParentSquare does not allow you to add or remove members from a Direct Message thread
    • Works best if users have the ParentSquare mobile app, but still offers text message and email functionality
    • Direct Message are best for:
      • Messages that are more conversational in nature
      • Time-sensitive messages, if you know that all group members have the mobile app
      • Short-term groups, like field trip chaperones
• Engage your ParentSquare audience
  • Timing of posts. Groups are responsible for planning a posting schedule that does not overwhelm recipients. Think about natural breaks in a typical recipient's day.
  • Use the calendar, reminder, and update features instead of creating multiple separate posts for the same event.
  • Refrain from posting only PDFs or images in your post as these do not translate and cannot be read by screen readers.
  • Give your subject line a lot of thought.
  • Organize and focus your message.
  • Use consistent branding and structure.
  • Set your target audience and a smart communications cadence. Establish a regular schedule so your audience knows what to expect.
  • Consolidate communications for fewer interruptions.
• ParentSquare Training Resources
  • Accessibility in ParentSquare
  • Best Practice Guide

All athletic coaches are required to use ParentSquare to communicate with student athletes and families. For the most seamless communication, coaches, athletes and families should download the ParentSquare mobile app.

All athletic coaches and group owners are required to complete a ParentSquare training with the Coordinator of Communications & Public Relations.

Athletic coaches are permitted to ask an assistant or volunteer coach or member of the Booster board to assist with communication.

Any individual who is responsible for posting to athletic groups should refer to the following ParentSquare guide:

• ParentSquare Best Practices Guide for Athletic Coaches

The U.S. Department of Justice recently updated the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, formally adopting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard for all public entities. The new 2.1 standards include critical updates for mobile accessibility, better contrast, and improved navigation for users who rely on assistive technologies like screen readers or keyboard-only inputs.

Just as we ensure our physical buildings have ramps and elevators, we must ensure our “digital house” is accessible to everyone, including those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive disabilities, and that those accessing our digital content are provided the same experience as users without disabilities.

To remain incompliance with federal law, the Keystone Oaks School District is required to have all web content, mobile apps, and digital documents meet these updated standards by April 26, 2027.

Adapted from the National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials and Instruction, this section outlines nine basic skills for creating more accessible digital documents, videos, and images. These are to be used as a starting point for creating accessible digital content. A more specific how-to guide will be developed and provided to all employees.

Nine Core Skills for Creating More Accessible Digital Documents, Videos and Images

• Alt Text for Images - Alternative text (or alt text) is a textual substitute for the meaning or purpose of non-text content, such as an image. Images are often used to show important information in web pages, documents and presentations. However, not everyone can perceive visual content from images. Adding alt text to describe the purpose of your image is essential to ensuring all students can access the same content. When alternative text is available for an image, assistive technology devices like screen readers can access that written content and read it in place of the image. Tips for Success:
  • Consider the purpose or meaning of the image in the context it is used to provide the user an equivalent experience.
  • Keep the alt text simple and precise.  
  • Mark the image as decorative if it isn’t used as a link or doesn’t have any meaning. 
  • Include important text from the image in the alt text. 
  • Leave out words like “image of” or “picture of” in your alt text.
• Captions - Captions display spoken dialogue and other important audio information, such as speaker names, sound effects, and music, in text synchronized with video. Captions are essential for those who are deaf or hard of hearing to comprehend audible content in videos. They also aid in language learning and content comprehension, especially in noisy environments or when audio can’t be accessed. To be effective, captions must be accurate, well-timed, and use correct grammar and punctuation. Tips for Success:
  • Choose and procure videos with high-quality captions that can be turned on or off. These are called “closed captions.” “Open captions” cannot be turned off. When creating or editing your own captions:
  • Include more than just spoken dialogue when creating captions. Capture other meaningful audio like sounds effects and identifying people speaking offscreen.
  • Break caption lines at natural pauses or punctuation to improve readability and comprehension.
  • Review and edit automatic captions to ensure they are complete, accurate, and well-timed.
• Clear Writing - Clear writing helps your audience understand your message. It embraces plain or straightforward language, formatting, structure, and avoids unnecessary jargon and acronyms. Writing clearly helps your audience understand information more easily. When language is simple and well-organized, the audience can focus on the meaning without getting stuck on complicated words or confusing sentences. Clear writing can be helpful for those with learning and cognitive disabilities and those who use assistive technology. Tips for Success:
  • Use short, simple sentences that focus on one main idea.
  • Choose words that users are familiar with over more complex words.
  • Use headings and lists to break up information into manageable chunks of information.
  • Define any new words that may be unfamiliar to your students.
  • Avoid long paragraphs that may be overwhelming to some learners.
  • Use a tool to check the reading level of your content to make sure it is appropriate for your users.
• Color Use - Using color in a document or webpage, such as color-coding data in a graph, is a common way to convey meaning and create visual interest. Relying solely on color to convey information can create barriers for anyone who cannot perceive color differences. By providing additional visual or textual cues, you make sure that everyone can access and understand the content. Tips for Success:
  • Use more than just color to convey meaning. Pair color with text, icons, patterns, etc.
  • Apply colors consistently across similar types of content to reduce confusion.
• Headings - Headings are titles or labels used to organize chunks of information into sections and subsections. They act like signposts, guiding users through a page or document. Heading levels should be used consistently.
  • Heading 1 is used for the main topic and is typically limited to one per webpage or document.
  • Heading 2 is used to describe sections within the main topic.
  • Heading 3 and beyond are used for subsections within each section.

• Headings are essential for helping users move through content efficiently. Sighted learners can scan through the document and look for headings and blind users can quickly navigate to different parts of a page using their screen reader. Some programs, like Word and Google Docs, have a sidebar that allows users to quickly scan and navigate the document using its headings. Tips for Success:

  • Use heading levels in a logical order (e.g., Heading 1, then Heading 2, and so on) without skipping heading levels.
  • Avoid formatting text, like increasing text size or selecting bold, to simulate headings. 
  • Only use headings when needed and not for creating empty space. Empty headings can make the document harder to navigate.
• Links - Links (also referred to as hyperlinks) are interactive elements in webpages or digital documents that connect users to other pages or resources. They increase interactivity and expand users’ access to related materials and information on a topic. Accessible links benefit everyone by making navigation clear and efficient. They are descriptive and explain where the link leads, and are visually formatted to make them easy to spot on the page. This helps users who scan the content visually, use voice control to activate links, rely on screen readers, or listen to text-to-speech, quickly identify links and understand their purpose. When links are poorly designed, users may become confused, frustrated, or even miss important instructions. Tips for Success:
  • Use clear, concise link text that accurately conveys the link’s purpose or destination.
  • Underline link text and use a different color from the surrounding text. This makes links easier to recognize.
  • Avoid use of vague or extra link text such as “click here,” “read more,” or “link to.”
  • Don’t insert long URLs as link text. If the URL must be displayed, consider using a link shortener.
• Lists - Lists are a way to organize information to make it easier to read and understand. They can be bulleted for items that don’t need to be in order, or numbered when the order matters. Creating accessible lists helps users quickly understand and remember key information. They break content into clear, manageable parts, which is especially helpful for those with attention or processing challenges. When lists are created correctly using the bulleted or numbered list tools, screen readers will announce how many items are in lists and make it easy for users to navigate by each item in the list. Tips for Success:
  • Use bullets for unordered items and numbers for steps or sequences.
  • Keep items short and clear—aim for one idea per line.
  • Start each item with the same part of speech.
  • Use proper list formatting tools—avoid creating lists manually with symbols and the space bar or tab key.
• Tables - Tables present information in a structured format by arranging data into rows and columns. The format of a table makes it easy to read, compare, and understand information. Accessible tables ensure that those with and without disabilities can access information in equivalent ways. Formatting the table to be accessible helps users visually track and comprehend row and column data. It also ensures that a screen reader will announce table headers as users navigate the table with a keyboard, making it easier to interpret the data and follow the table’s structure. Tips for Success:
  • Assign column and/or row headers to tables. A header can be thought of as a label or title in a cell that describes the data that follows.
  • Keep table structures simple by avoiding merged cells or mixing headers with data cells.
  • Insert actual tables with text instead of images of tables.
  • When needed, add a caption to describe the table’s content—place it outside the table cells.
  • Reserve tables for presenting organized data, not for visual layout.
• Text Contrast - Color contrast is the noticeable brightness difference between two colors. The contrast between text color and background color is measured as a ratio, which ranges from 1:1 (e.g., white on white) to 21:1 (e.g., black on white). To meet minimum contrast requirements, most text needs a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. If text is at least 18pt, or 14pt and bold, this requirement drops to 3:1. Good contrast makes text easier to see and read in any situation, but there are some situations where it can be especially helpful. This could be a temporary situation like reading a page outdoors on a sunny day or a permanent condition related to age, vision loss, or other disability. Tips for Success:
  • Choose colors that provide good contrast. Blue is usually easier to read on a light background, followed by greens or purples. Reds, oranges, and yellows usually have poor contrast on a light background.
  • Use simple backgrounds behind text—solid background colors are usually best.
  • When appropriate, use larger text.
  • When working with unfamiliar colors, use a contrast testing tool to make sure that colors meet WCAG requirements.