Technology for Parents

Canvas for Parents

Middle & Upper School

Canvas is the official learning management system for Middle and Upper School students. It’s where assignments are posted, submitted, and graded. Parents can access Canvas through the Parent app using an observer login, which provides a read-only view of their child’s account.

Parent access is completely optional. Some families choose to use an observer login, while others prefer to periodically sit down with their child and review Canvas together on the student’s iPad. These conversations often include looking at the calendar and to-do list to stay informed about upcoming assignments. Every family—and even each child within a family—may engage with Canvas differently. We encourage you to choose the approach that works best for you and your student.

Parent Observer (Middle School)

Connect an Observer Account to a Student (Student iPad View)

For further assistance, please contact TVS Helpdesk at helpdesk@tvs.org.

Part 1: Student Account

From the Canvas Student app, click the 3 lines in the top left corner.

2. Click Settings.

3. Click Pair with Observer.

4. Parents will need this code to connect.

Part 2: Canvas Parent Account

Note: If you already have an existing parent account for another child, skip to the next section, Add Additional Children to your Observer Account.

Go to tvs.instructure.com/login/canvas (Note that this link is different from student link) or download the Canvas Parent app.
When creating your account, scan the QR code or enter the pairing code provided to you by your child.

Add Additional Children to your Observer Account

Login to your existing account from a web browser and go to Account, Observing, and enter the pairing code for any additional children you would like to observe. On some accounts, you have to go to Settings before seeing the Observing option.

Parent Observer (Upper School)

Connect an Observer Account to a Student (Student Website View)

For further assistance, please contact Helpdesk - helpdesk@tvs.org

Part 1: Student Website View

From their Canvas account at tvs.instructure.com, navigate to Account, Settings, and then click Pair with Observer.

2. The student will receive a 6 digit code to give to the parent.

Part 2: Canvas Parent Account

Note: If you already have an existing parent account for another child, skip to the next section.

Go to tvs.instructure.com/login/canvas. -*Note that this link is different from student link
Click Parent of a Canvas User? Click Here for an Account.

3. Enter your information on the following screen, including the pairing code given to you by your child.

Add Additional Children to your Observer Account

Canvas Parent App

The Canvas Parent App (iOS and Android) allows you to see information about your child(ren)’s upcoming assignment schedules and grades. You cannot see course content from the Parent app, only grades and upcoming assignments. You can customize your app notifications by child by going to the Manage Children menu. You can view multiple children in the Parent app, but the act of adding them to your account must be done online at tvs.instructure.com/login/canvas using the Parent Observer instructions above.

Parent Notification Recommendations

If you would like to have email notifications on for Canvas, we recommend the following settings as a maximum frequency to avoid overload.

Anything listed as “Notify Immediately” is a rare situation and would not result in many notifications.

Click here to access the page where these settings can be adjusted.

Category	Definition	Recommendation
Due Date	A new due date is posted or a due date changes.	Never or weekly
Grading Policies	The grade weights in a class change	Weekly
Course Content	Any item in the course is changed	Never
Files	A file is added to a course	Never
Announcement	An announcement is sent to the class	Daily
Announcement created by you	n/a	Never
Grading	A grade is given or changes on an assignment	Weekly
Invitation	You are added to a new course manually - most new courses are automatic and you will not receive an invitation	Immediately
All Submissions	Work is submitted by your child	Never
Late Grading	Only applies to teacher role	Never
Submission Comments	A comment is added to a submission	Weekly
Blueprint Sync	Certain courses are updated	Never
Discussions, Discussion Post	A discussion is added to a course, a post is added to a discussion	Never
Added to Conversation, Conversation Message	A Canvas Inbox message is received. *We will always send messages to all parents through Renweb, but you can also initiate a conversation with a teacher through Canvas.	Immediately
Conversations Created by Me	You create a new Canvas message	Never
Student Appointment Scheduling - all submenu items	Students receive a signup alert, sign up for an appointment, cancel appointment	Weekly
Group Membership	Membership in a group project has been added or changed	Never
Alerts	Canvas maintenance items	Immediately

Additional Information

Student and Parent Access: tvs.instructure.com

Students login with their TVS email and password
The parent link to Canvas is also available in the Parent Portal
- You do not have to have a Canvas parent account! For some families, it works best to sit down together and have the student share grades and upcoming calendar items.

Email Notifications:

Canvas defaults to notifying you about everything. To adjust email notifications, login on the web, then click on the Account button, then Notifications. You can choose to get immediate alerts, daily digests, weekly digests, or no notifications at all for each topic.

Calendar View and Subscriptions:

Canvas calendars can be toggled on and off by clicking the colored block next to the calendar name. To change the color of the calendar, click the 3 dots next to the calendar’s name and choose a new color.

If you would like to view the calendar in your iCloud calendar or Google calendar, you can get the calendar feed link from the calendar page in web view. The calendar feed will show all calendars that are currently toggled on and will update as the calendar is changed.

Viewing Grades and Feedback:

From tvs.instructure.com, you can view students’ grades and any feedback the teachers have left on the assignment. On the right side of the Dashboard, click View Grades.

You can then click into each course for a list of submitted work and grades.

Click the assignment name to see submission and any comments. If visible, the speech bubble indicates comments and the clipboard indicates a rubric is available to view.

Canvas for Parents Video

Seesaw for Parents

Lower School

Seesaw is the primary learning platform used in the Lower School. It allows students to complete activities, showcase their work in digital portfolios, and engage in classroom learning. Teachers also use Seesaw to share important updates and post photos that highlight classroom experiences.

Parent Connection

New Seesaw Families:

Information will be sent home from your child's teacher explaining how to connect on Seesaw. Teachers will send out a QR code or link to allow parents to join. Once you have the QR code or link, you can complete the following steps:

1. Download the Seesaw app or visit app.seesaw.com on a computer.

2. Tap I'm a Family Member. From there you can scan the QR code or click on the link provided by the teacher.

3. Additional prompts will follow to finish your account setup.

Connect a New Child to an Existing Account:

1. Log in to the Seesaw app or app.seesaw.com on a computer.

2. If you have a QR Code, tap the profile icon (top left), then tap +Add Child's Journal, then scan the QR code.

3. If you have a link, tap the link and follow the prompts.

Navigating Seesaw

As a Seesaw family member, you can:

View your child’s approved work in real-time from any device.
Message your child’s teacher through the Seesaw platform (with translations in 100+ languages).
Engage with student work - add comments while your child is at school and stay connected throughout the day.
Deepen conversations at home

The Home view is the default view for family members once they are logged into Seesaw. From this view, family members have access to Messages, Journals, and Notifications.

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Please note: Family members will not see assigned Activities. If you need access to your student's homework or assigned Activities, please contact your student's teacher.

Privacy

Families only have access to their child’s journal. This means you will see student work tagged with your child’s name and posts the teacher tags with 'Everyone'.
Families will also be able to see any comment made by another user on their child's journal posts (including comments by other students).
Family members cannot access any other student’s content unless you have added another child in your family to your account.

Parent Engagement on Seesaw

The Learning Journal gives you a window into your child’s day-to-day learning. Family members can engage by liking posts and leaving positive feedback through text or voice comments—imagine how excited your child will be to hear your voice during the school day! While families can respond to student work, only teachers and students can add new posts to the Learning Journal.

Viewing Student Activities on the Web App:

In the Journal tab, families will see their student's journal. If you have more than one student in your family using Seesaw, you will see all of them here. This is also where you can add a student if you have their QR code or a link/url from their teacher.

Tap on your student's name.
If your student has more than one class, tap on the class you'd like to view the journal for.
You are now in your student's Journal! Pinned items will appear at the top, with all other student work appearing in chronological order.
You can also filter Activities in folders by tapping on the filter icon in the upper left. Simply select the folder from the filter that you want to view!

Viewing Student Activities on the Seesaw Mobile App:

From the Journal tab, tap on your student's name.
If your student has more than one class, tap on the class you'd like to view the journal for.
Tap on the filter icon.
Select the folder you want to view.
Activities from the selected folder will appear below!

Like your students post:

Tap the heart at the bottom of the post.

Leave a text comment for your students:

1. Tap Comment on the bottom of the post.

2. Type your comment and tap the blue Post button.

Add a voice comments for your students:

1. Tap comment.

2. Tap the microphone icon.

3. Tap record.

Digital Citizenship

Curriculum Overview

Strand	Lesson	Time Frame
Balance and Mindfulness	The purpose of this strand is to help students find balance in their lives, both on and off screen. Students will be tasked with determining what, when, and how often they are using digital media, reflecting on their media use, and setting goals to change unhealthy habits that affect their well-being. At the conclusion of this lesson, students will have the tools and skills to help them find an appropriate media balance.	September
Safety and Security	In this strand, students will learn about the pros and cons of sharing personal information and how to safely navigate their online environment. While it is important to note that we should all be cautious of the data we are sharing, we want to show students how to safely engage in online interactions as they get older, whether on social media, interacting with strangers, or when signing up for online services and accounts. Students will learn about what kind of information is appropriate to share and what could happen when private information falls into the wrong hands if information isn’t secure.	October
Digital Footprint	Building on Privacy and Security, this strand informs students how others’ impressions of them can be impacted by what they share online. Students will learn that the way they present themselves and interact with others online can affect their sense of self and relationships with others. Students will also discuss the permanence of digital footprints and to be cautious of what they share about themselves and others.	November and December
Building Community	The purpose of this strand is to help students navigate their relationships online with positive and appropriate forms of communication. Students will learn how to decide which conversations should take place online vs. in-person. In addition, students will learn how to set boundaries to protect themselves from unhealthy online relationships and how to reach out to trusted adults when necessary.	January and February
Responding to Conflict	This strand goes into great detail about how we need to treat each other online and lends itself to many SEL lessons that students have participated in about how we treat each other in general. Students will recognize the effects of unkind words and behavior online, how to respond to cyberbullying and digital drama, and how to be an upstander.	Throughout the year by counseling
Media Literacy	In this strand, students learn the practical skill of thinking critically about the news and media they encounter, how to determine credible sources of media, and how to properly cite sources in their research. Students will be exposed to topics such as plagiarism, clickbait, hoaxes, deep fakes, and other misinformation posted online. Students will understand how to identify trustworthy news sources and how to protect their own rights as creators.	Throughout the year by librarians

Balance and Mindfulness

With the school year underway, digital citizenship conversations have begun with all of our students - from our youngest learners to our newest seniors! As we all know, it is more critical than ever that students understand the importance of being knowledgeable and responsible digital citizens and that they have the skills to navigate life online. Throughout the year, students will take part in lessons centered around the core topics of balance and mindfulness, safety and security, digital footprint, building community, responding to conflict, and media literacy.

By creating a common language around digital citizenship across grade levels and providing regular opportunities for meaningful conversations about technology use, we aim to equip our students with the awareness and skills needed for a bright future. Each month, the entire school focuses on one key strand, allowing all students—regardless of grade level—to engage with the same topic at an age-appropriate level.

This shared focus fosters a consistent learning experience across classrooms and makes it easier for families to extend these conversations at home with all of their TVS children around each of the core digital citizenship topics listed above. As we discuss each topic, we’ll share resources in the Columns to help you continue the conversation at home so that we can work together to help our students grow in these important skills.

In September, we have been focusing on balance and mindfulness around our tech use. The purpose of this topic is to help students find balance in their lives, both on and off screen. At age-appropriate levels, students will determine what, when, and how often they are using digital media, reflect on their media use, and set goals to change unhealthy habits that affect their well-being. At the conclusion of this lesson, students will have the tools and skills to help them find an appropriate media balance.

We invite parents to continue the conversation at home by reflecting on your family’s tech use to find a happy balance and ensure that our children are using technology in purposeful and productive ways. Below are some questions surrounding balance and mindfulness for parents to use at home:

Lower School

What helps you stop using a device when it’s time to do something else, like play or eat with family?
How do you feel after you’ve been on a screen? What do you do if something you’re watching or playing doesn’t feel good?
What are some times when it’s good to put our devices away? What’s your favorite thing to do without screens?
How do you decide if a video or game is a good one to watch or play? What makes something a healthy choice?

Middle School

What does a good mix of screen time and other stuff look like for you? Do you ever feel like you’ve had too much?
What’s one thing that makes it hard to unplug sometimes? What helps you take a break from screens when you need to?
What’s something you do to keep your screen time in check? Is there anything you’d like to change about your media habits?
Have you noticed how some apps or games make it really hard to stop? What features do you notice that make it hard? What helps you stay in control and not get hooked?

Upper School

Do you feel like you have a good balance between screen time and real-life stuff—like friends, family, or hobbies? What’s working, and what’s tough?
How does social media usually make you feel? Are there things you do to make it a more positive space for yourself?
Do you think it’s easy to get hooked on certain apps or games? How do you notice that, and what do you do to stay in control or find balance?
Have you noticed how screen time affects your sleep, energy, or mood? Is there anything you’ve thought about changing?

If you would like additional conversation starters to use with your child, visit The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Center of Excellence (CoE) on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. To create your own Family Tech Planner, visit Common Sense Media. We also recommend an article from Common Sense Media, How Much Screen Time Is OK for My Kids?, as another great resource related to balance and mindfulness.

Safety and Security

October’s digital citizenship strand centers on Safety and Security. In this strand, students will learn about the pros and cons of sharing personal information and how to safely navigate their online environment. While it is important to note that we should all be cautious of the data we are sharing, we want to show students how to safely engage in online interactions as they get older, whether on social media, interacting with strangers, or when signing up for online services and accounts. Students will learn about what kind of information is appropriate to share and what could happen when private information falls into the wrong hands if information isn’t secure.

In addition to teaching our students the importance of protecting themselves online, TVS technology has also worked to ensure student devices are filtered appropriately. See the TVS Filtering Summary

Continue the conversation at home by reviewing the guidelines that Common Sense Media recommends for keeping kids (and their parents) safe online.

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/teaching-kids-to-protect-their-data-and-privacy-online

Digital Footprint

Last month, students explored the digital citizenship theme of Safety and Security. In that strand, students learned about the pros and cons of sharing personal information and how to safely navigate their online environment. While it is important to note that we should all be cautious of the data we are sharing, we wanted to show students how to safely engage in online interactions as they get older and realize that the people we interact with online might not be who they appear to be. In some grades, we also talked about thinking critically about inputting information into or signing up for online services and accounts. Students learned about what kind of information is appropriate to share and what could happen when private information falls into the wrong hands if information isn’t secure.

The final theme of the semester is Digital Footprint. Building on Privacy and Security, this strand informs students how others’ impressions of them can be impacted by what they share online. Students will learn that the way they present themselves and interact with others online can affect their sense of self and relationships with others. Students will also discuss the permanence of digital footprints and to be cautious of what they share about themselves and others.

As we continue to focus on digital citizenship, we're committed to supporting students in making safe and responsible tech choices. Along with classroom instruction, students will find helpful reminders and tips on our digital signage throughout the school, and our teachers stand ready to discuss these important topics with students. In addition, members of our technology department and middle school technology committee will periodically speak during assemblies and morning announcements, bringing relevant and insightful recommendations to our school community.

Here are some tips and resources to help your children manage their digital footprint:

Have open, curious conversations with your children about their online experiences, the websites they visit, and the apps they use. This builds connection and your understanding, and makes children more likely to come to you when they make a mistake or encounter something that makes them feel uncomfortable.
- http://commonsensemedia.org/articles
Help your older children adjust their privacy settings on social media and other online platforms. This can be a great activity to do together - settings change quickly and yours might not be what you think they are!
- https://staysafeonline.org/resources/manage-your-privacy-settings/
Be mindful of your own digital footprint and demonstrate positive online habits for your children. If you share photos of your child, consider asking them if it’s okay to post - this can help them understand the concept of consent to share photos from an early age.
- https://www.fielding.edu/how-to-protect-your-childs-digital-reputation/
Follow resources that help you to stay informed on the latest social media platforms, apps, and potential online dangers.
- https://www.bark.us/learn/resources/

Tips for Parents

Keep the conversation going at home. Discuss online experiences, challenges, and responsible digital citizenship with your child.
- Parenting, Media, and Everything in Between | Common Sense Media
Model responsible digital habits. Children learn by observing the adults in their lives.
- How to Protect Your Child's Digital Reputation
Establish clear guidelines for technology use. Create a family media plan that outlines screen time limits, app usage, and online behavior expectations.
- Family Tech Planners | Common Sense Media
Utilize parental controls and monitoring tools. These tools can help you manage your child's online activity and protect them from inappropriate content. If your child is in Middle School, TVS provides the ScreenGuide app to assist in setting up helpful supports for your child on their school iPad.
- Screen Guide Instructions
Stay informed about the latest digital trends and risks. The online landscape is constantly changing, so it's important to stay up-to-date.
- Resources | Bark

We believe that by working together, we can empower our students to thrive in the digital age. Thank you for your continued support!

Supporting Safe & Healthy Habits

TVS is committed to supporting our students and families in developing safe and healthy habits with technology. We are continuously reviewing our filtering and safety policies on devices and examining products that provide the best services to meet our needs.

We enforce YouTube’s Restricted Mode and Google’s SafeSearch whenever possible because they provide some protections, but these are not complete solutions and rely on YouTube and Google’s flagged content and definitions of age appropriate.

Web filtering can be impacted by the category of the site. Many legitimate sites have some content that is not appropriate for all ages such as Spotify (categorized as streaming music), Etsy (categorized as shopping), and Libby/Overdrive (categorized as reading/education).

While the technology tools are helpful guardrails, unfortunately no technology tool will ever be able to catch all inappropriate content. Devices should always be used in an open space with supervision. We encourage school devices to be put away when schoolwork is done. We also encourage parents to have your child’s passcode so that you are able to review the apps and browsing history.

Network Level Filtering (on-campus only)

All devices on our wifi networks (including personal wi-fi only devices) are filtered for the categories listed below and YouTube’s Restricted Mode and Google Safesearch are enforced.

Adult
Criminal Activities
Dating
Drugs
Gambling
Malicious Sites and Recently Created Sites
Torrent & Piracy
Violence, Self Harm & Hate
Weapons

Please note, there is NO filter on cell phones - users are accessing the internet via a cellular connection that does not run through our network and we do not have any way to manage or filter it. We can not provide any type of protection or filtering on cellular devices.

Device Level Filtering (Lower and Middle School devices, on and off-campus)

These protections apply on all Lower School and Middle School student iPads. Device level filtering can only be done when a device is managed by the school and our software is installed. TVS does not manage BYOD devices and can not provide device level protections in our Upper School BYOD program. Lower School devices remain at school.

YouTube blocked in Lower School
YouTube Restricted Mode enforced (hides comments and blocks videos flagged by YouTube as inappropriate for children)
Apple’s built-in Adult Content filter enforced
Students can not clear their browsing history, install alternative browsers, or use private browsing in Safari
Web filtering through our management system is enforced on and off-campus that blocks websites in the following categories for all students:
- Adult
- Criminal Activities
- Dating
- Drugs
- Gambling
- Malicious Sites and Recently Created Sites
- School Cheating
- Social Media
- Torrent & Piracy
- Violence, Self Harm & Hate
- Weapons

Our school management system includes a program called ScreenGuide that allows parents to leverage features of our management system to set restrictions outside of school hours. This might include sites that are available to students during the day for instructional purposes, such as YouTube.
Please see these links for more information about the functionality and the setup process.
This app is provided and serviced by the management system company and is provided as-is. We can not guarantee its performance, though it has worked well for our families so far.
Apple also provides a feature called ScreenTime that can be used to manage iPads.
TVS hosts workshops annually to cover ScreenGuide and ScreenTime controls as well as discussions around how to help children build healthy habits with technology.

Technology Team

Please reach out to our Help Desk for support - helpdesk@tvs.org, 817-321-0144

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