In the January 2009 NASIS Newsletter we covered how to set up the Email Messenger module in NASIS and how to send general school messages to Students and/or Parents/Guardians. Part two of using Messenger will cover sending messages through the Instruction module for failing grades, missing assignments and teacher messages.

Things to know about the Failing Grades and Missing Assignments Wizards:

• Works similar to the Student Eligibility Report. The teacher selects the grades that should be considered failing, and whether to pull calculated grades or posted grades, then selects the students and tasks on which to report.  Or the teacher selects the assignments and students on which to report, and if a student’s assignment is flagged Missing, a message will be created to the guardians of that student.
  
  
• Uses the same rules as the Teacher Messenger to determine whether to send it to a guardian’s phone or email.   Phone is an add-on feature, so make sure the email box is checked.
  
  
• The teacher can preview the recipients before sending the message.
  
  
• Once a failing score or missing assignment message has been sent, it will not be sent again for the same task/term.
  
  
• The message template cannot be changed by the teacher, but a district can edit the template.
  
  
• The message is always assumed to be English, and will be delivered to anyone the teacher selects regardless of that person’s language preference.

FAILING GRADES MESSENGER
Path: Instruction > Messenger > Failing Grades

The Failing Grades messenger wizard works similar to the Eligibility Report.Teachers can select the grades that are considered Failing, and determine whether to pull calculated grades (assignment grades) or posted grades (grading task grades). 

The message template used cannot be modified by the teacher, but district/school administrators can modify the template if they choose.

Steps to send a Failing Grades Message:

1. After selecting the Failing Grades option from the Instruction Messenger folder, review the message that will be sent in the Message Preview field. This message cannot be edited by teachers.
2. Teachers can enter their own comments in the Teacher Comment field. This comment will be placed on each message that is sent.
3. To review the messages that will be sent, click the Preview Notices button.
4. Determine the Delivery Devices. The email preference will be selected for all users.
   
   
   
   
5. Select which grades to use – Grade Book or Posted Scores. Grade Book scores come from assignment scores, and use the percentage that is calculated in the Grade Book. Posted Scores are based on grading tasks.
6. Select grades on which to filter the report. Place a check next to the numerical grade or percent or letter grade that is considered failing.
7. Select which students to list on the report. Only those students in the selected section in the toolbar will be listed. Only those students checked that have failing grades will be sent a notice.
8. Select the term and task to include in the notice.
9. Click the Preview Notice button.
   
   
   
   
10. The next page will provide a total number of recipients that will receive the message. To preview the recipients click the Review Recipients button.
11. To send the message, click the Send Message button. The message will be sent to the guardians of the students.
    
    
    

MISSING ASSIGNMENTS MESSENGER
Path: Instruction > Messenger > Missing Assignments

The Missing Assignments wizard walks through the process of creating missing assignment notifications to be delivered to student and guardians.

Only assignments that have been marked as missing will generate notices. Notices will not be duplicated by running this wizard multiple times, after sending notices, messenger records that it has communicated each missing assignment.

1. After selecting the Missing Assignments option from the Instruction Messenger folder, review the message that will be sent in the Message Preview field. This message cannot be edited by teachers. Users can also select the Template from the dropdown list.
2. Teachers can enter their own comments in the Teacher Comment field. This comment will be placed on each message that is sent. To review the messages that will be sent, click the Preview Notices button.
3. Determine the Delivery Devices. The email preference will be selected for all users.
4. Select which students to be listed on the report. Only those students in the selected section in the toolbar will be listed. Only those students with missing assignments will be listed on the report.
5. Select or unselect as desired, the assignments, terms and tasks to include in the notice.
   
   
   
   
6. Click the Preview Notice button above the list of students.
7. The next page will provide a total number of recipients that will receive the message. To preview the recipients click the Review Recipients button.
8. To send the message, click the Send Message button. The message will be sent to the guardians of the students.
   
   
   
   

TEACHER MESSAGES WIZARD
Path: Instruction > Messenger > Teacher Messages

The Teacher Messages Wizard allows teachers to send ad hoc messages to their students and/or parents of their students. Teachers can create message templates, and then re-use the message between sections. Unlike other parts of messenger, this tool does not allow formatting.

Things to know about the Teacher Messenger:

• All Teacher Messenger functions (Teacher Messenger, Missing Assignments, and Failing Grades) are email only by default. 
• When they select to create a message they specify a subject and body for the message (or load from a saved template). Next they are given the option of selecting students, student guardians, or test for delivery of the message.
• Like all messenger functions, delivered messages always appear in the Portal and Campus inboxes of recipients.
• Messages are always assumed to be English, and will be delivered to anyone the teacher selects regardless of that person’s language preference.

Teacher Messenger

1. Create or select a message template. Saved message templates can be selected (highlighted) and then loaded by clicking the load button. The subject and the body of the message will then be listed.
2. To save the message and continue with the wizard, click the Save & Continue button. To continue with the wizard, click the Continue button.
   
   

3. Select the recipients of the message - Guardians or students.  Teachers can also test the message delivery before sending. 
4. Select the persons to add to the message list.  If guardians are selected, their names will appear below the students' names. If students are selected, only their names will show. Click on their name to move them from the first column into the second column. To select all individuals listed, click the Select All button. 
5. Verify that the Delivery Device is set to Email.
6. Review the Message Details for verification purposes.
7. Click the Preview Notices button. This will display the total number of recipients.
   
   

8. To review the recipients of the message, click the Review Recipients button. To send the message, click the Send Message button. The message will be sent to the individuals listed.
   
   

Messenger is a quick and easy way to contact your students and parents/guardians, as well as a great way to communicate important school details. If you have any questions or concerns about setting up messenger at your school, please feel free to contact NASIS support!