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Getting families set up should feel simple. But in a small school, even small setup tasks can turn into extra reminders, repeated questions, and manual follow-up for your team.

That’s why we’re introducing a few updates designed to make a.school easier for both families and staff: parent onboarding, simpler tools for managing families, and message reactions.

Help Parents Get Set Up Step by Step

Parent onboarding provides guardians with a clear setup checklist when they log in to their dashboard. Instead of wondering what still needs to be done, parents can see each next step in one place, from updating their details to adding a profile photo and completing their directory profile.

Each item links directly to the right screen, and a progress indicator shows how close they are to finishing. Once everything is complete, the checklist confirms they’re done and is automatically tucked away.

That means fewer manual reminders from your team and a smoother first experience for families.

Manage Families With Fewer Clicks

Adding parents and learners now happens in a single window, so your team can choose an existing unassigned person or create a new one without leaving the family screen.

You can also add several people at once, helping everyone land in the right household without creating orphan or duplicate families.

Find the Right Family Faster

The family picker is now smarter, too. Instead of scrolling through a long dropdown, you can choose between a new and an existing family, then search by family, parent, or learner name.

Each result provides helpful household details, making it easier to choose the right family the first time.

Keep Messages Quick and Friendly

Message reactions give families and staff a quicker way to respond in chat. Tap the smiley, choose a reaction, and it appears right on the message.

It keeps conversations warmer and cleaner, without filling the chat with one-word replies.

If you have any questions about these updates, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at hello@a.school.