Chat has entered the chat. Great, now what?

Two-way messaging platforms can do so much for your school's communication strategy, but as we all know, online conversations can sometimes have a funny way of losing their civility, especially in the last few years.

The rise of mobile apps and chat applications in schools has schools rethinking how they communicate with their families — more than 700 million people used an education app in 2023 alone, a total of 939 million downloads. And while these tools offer real-time updates and streamlined communication between teachers and parents, they also introduce questions about privacy and transparency.

For your school to maintain a respectful, secure, and productive environment, you’ll need to set some ground rules and guidelines for the appropriate use of chat applications.

Setting Guidelines for School Chat

Chat, as a communications tool for schools, provides a lot of support for boosting parent involvement and keeping students engaged: Translation features, sending photos and video, automated group placement...There's a lot to consider.

However, it's important that interactions within the chat are positive and effective. Clear guidelines for using the app help everyone communicate better, and your school’s code of conduct is a good starting point for behavior in chats to ensure respectful and appropriate conversations.

The Purpose of the Chat

First, it’s important to define why the app is being used. Your school or district should explain to families that the app is intended to improve communication between parents, teachers, and students, and it should be used for sharing important information about school activities, assignments, events, and other educational matters — not the latest TikTok dances or rumors on social media.

• Schools can use real-time chat to connect with parents, teachers, and coaches, and messages can even be translated into their preferred language.
   
• Schools can choose between group chats, one-way announcements, or two-way conversations to update parents on important topics like student progress, follow up after parent-teacher conferences, or remind parents about upcoming events during the school year.
   
• Teachers can easily reach parents of a certain class, and because classrooms are auto-populated, getting in contact is even easier.

Clearly state its purpose, and everyone will know the app is meant to support the learning environment and keep parents engaged, not for casual or non-school-related conversations.

Keep Reading: Supporting Parent-Teacher Communications with Chat

Appropriate Language and Behavior

Parents, teachers, and school admins — all users, for that matter, should be encouraged to communicate respectfully and professionally, which means avoiding slang, inappropriate language or emojis, and disparaging comments.

While some chat apps allow teachers to "go rogue," choose an app that's designed with your school or district in mind. Setting expectations for language and behavior in the chat app is crucial, so make sure your chat provider has profanity blockers, reporting ability, and other moderation tools, like the ability to automatically block spam or stop links being sent in an attempt to move the conversation to another unauthorized platform.

Expected Response Times

This is a big one … Clear guidelines about response times will also help manage expectations for teachers and parents. For instance, parents should also be mindful of administrators’ and teachers' schedules and understand that responses may only come during or after school hours.

Teachers might be unable to reply immediately during the day, they may not respond outside of school hours, or they could have an entire channel on mute.

Guidelines for Direct, Group, and Chat Room Messaging

Explaining when to use different types of messaging can keep chats focused and relevant while keeping sensitive conversations private. Chat rooms are created by admins and include clubs and classrooms — those are great for sharing information relevant to many people, like class announcements or event details. 

Direct messages, on the other hand, are 1:1 and should be used for personal or sensitive topics that don’t concern the whole group, like grading or concerns about classroom behavior. Anyone can initiate both group and direct chats, similar to Slack channels. 

Respecting Privacy

Users should avoid sharing personal information about students, parents, or teachers in group chats. Sensitive topics should be discussed in direct messages or in person when appropriate. That includes everything from contact information like emails, phone numbers, and addresses to photos or individualized education plans.

Addressing Issues or Concerns

Based on your school or district’s student conduct codes or policy handbooks, provide guidelines on addressing issues or concerns within the chat. So, if a parent is concerned about homework, they should address it calmly and respectfully in a direct message to the teacher.

User Profiles and Access Controls

The security and privacy of your school’s chat application can be a complicated issue, but a simple and convenient solution is letting your student information system (SIS) drive user authentication and control access levels.

Role-Based Access Controls

A strong authentication system starts with secure login credentials. Classrooms and groups are automatically set up through your SIS, so it's easy to get started. Every user, whether a teacher, student, parent, coach, or administrator, should have their own role, username, and password.

Because role-based access controls are essential for managing who can see and do what within the chat app, only administrators and specific staff members should have access to private student data. For instance, teachers can access information about their students, and parents should only have access to information about their children.

Different users have different needs and permissions:

• Administrators: They have the highest level of access. They can create and see all chat rooms and conversations, manage user permissions, send messages and announcements, and oversee the entire communication system.
• Teachers and Coaches: They can create and manage chat rooms for their classes and teams, communicate with parents, and share important updates.
• Parents: They can participate in chat rooms related to their child’s classes and communicate with teachers and other parents within chat rooms.

Message Archiving: How Long Does a Chat History Last?

Our online behavior almost always leaves a digital footprint, and chat is no different. Proper documentation ensures that important information is preserved and can be reviewed in the future if needed.

Supporting Message Archiving

Message archiving allows all chat messages to be saved automatically. This means that every conversation, whether it's between a teacher and a parent or within a group chat, is recorded and stored securely. If there’s ever a need to review past conversations — Viola! The information is readily available.

Saving Important Discussions

Not all messages need to be saved permanently, but some discussions are particularly important and should be kept. For example, any chat related to student performance, behavior issues, or official school policies should be documented thoroughly, and teachers and administrators can flag these messages for long-term storage.

Real-time Comms vs Documentation 

Although the real-time nature of chat is fast and efficient, balancing it with the need for documentation can be tricky. Schools should encourage staff to use real-time chats for quick updates and immediate concerns but to follow up with more detailed messages when necessary.

A teacher might use a quick chat to inform a parent about an upcoming test but follow up with a detailed email or a summary message in the chat app that outlines study tips and resources. 

Addressing Inappropriate Content

Profanity, cyberbullying, inappropriate content  … there’s a lot to be on the lookout for, but luckily, profanity filters, admin oversight, and reporting can create a safer chat environment.

Profanity Filters for Chat

These filters automatically detect and block offensive words and phrases from being sent. For example, if a student tries to send a profanity-filled message, the system blocks it and notifies the sender that the content has violated guidelines and that it’s being moderated.

Administrative Oversight and Monitoring

With Finalsite’s mobile app chat, administrators can monitor all chat rooms and conversations to intervene if necessary. If an administrator notices a conversation that’s becoming aggressive or inappropriate, they can resolve the issue or confirm that all communications remain appropriate.

Parents and teachers can also flag communications they find offensive or concerning so an administrator can review a reported message.

Key Takeaway

Juggling privacy and transparency in school chat apps requires careful planning and proactive measures. By setting clear guidelines and partnering with a trusted provider, your school can enjoy all the benefits of secure, real-time communications.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Connor has spent the last decade within the field of marketing and communications, working with independent schools and colleges throughout New England. As Finalsite’s Senior Content Marketing Manager, Connor plans and executes marketing strategies and digital content across the web. A former photojournalist, he has a passion for digital media, storytelling, coffee, and creating content that connects.