Get Connected
Our school uses two platforms:
Discord - This is used for parent-to-parent engagement such as joining parent committees, events planning, being a part of organizations (e.g. soccer teams, YMCA), room parent communications, and more!
FreshSchool - This is where you'll receive school-wide emails (e.g. newsletters), how you can email teachers, and access the school directory.
See the FAQ below if you have other questions.
If you have trouble joining either platform, please don't give up! Instead, click here to reach out to us to get help. We want you on these platforms so that you can be a part of our community.
To get started on Discord, follow these steps:
(the process is slightly easier on either a computer or Android device)
Download either the Apple app, the Android app, or open the desktop app
Create an account and verify your email
Log into the app (or website if on a computer) with your new account and then follow these steps:
On a computer for Android, just click this link and follow the instructions: https://discord.gg/aXwjrsuJN6.
On an iPhone, copy and paste this invite link in the app to join the server: https://discord.gg/aXwjrsuJN6. If you don't see a place to input the invite link, then try just clicking the link and then pasting the link after the app opens. If you get an error that says Invite Expired, then restart the app and input the invite code again.
Once you join, it will walk you through the onboarding steps, including choosing what grade(s) your kid(s) is in.
Lastly, it will ask you to send a message with your name, your kid's name, and grade to confirm your identity and keep our community safe. If you don't complete this step, you won't have access.
If you get an error that says Failed to send message. Hold for options. then restart the app and try sending the message again.
To get started on FreshSchools, follow these steps:
Follow these steps if you do not have a current student registered in FreshSchools:
Register for our school here
Send an email to tech@newtraditionssf.com with your name, your child's name, and your child's teacher
Wait a few days for an email with your personal invitation
Once you receive the invitation, use it to create a new FreshSchools login
Lastly, you can login and explore the app. Don't forget to sign up for Discord!
Follow these steps if you do have a current student registered in FreshSchools, but need to add a new child:
Login to FreshSchool
Search for yourself in the directory and open up your profile
Next to your name, you'll see a "+ Add Child" option
FAQ
Will teachers and staff be on it FreshSchools?
Yes, you can use it to reach out to Staff and Teachers.
Will teachers and staff be on it Discord?
No, it’s only for parents and managed by parents. This is not a school platform.
What happens to my account when my child graduates?
Your Discord account remains, but we don’t have an “alumni” channel set up yet. We’d love to have a parent step up and lead the Alumni chapter of New Traditions!
Your FreshSchools account is removed from the platform since our FreshSchools account doesn't support alumni features.
Why can’t we use just FreshSchools?
Freshschools lacks the basic technical capabilities needed to serve as a parent-to-parent platform. For example, when you send an email in FreshSchool, a reply only goes back to the original sender. As a result, if the Greening Committee wants to have a discussion amongst themselves, they can’t use FreshSchools. There’s a long list of technical limitations that prevent FreshSchools from being our one and only platform.
Why do we still need FreshSchools?
Because it has a School Directory feature. It can organize students into classrooms, assign parents to each student, assign teachers to those classrooms, etc. FreshSchools is an excellent school directory, along with a few other capabilities that a chat platform can’t support.
Why don't we just use WhatsApp?
WhatsApp biggest benefit was the familiarity with parents. However, Discord provides many more features that we think would be beneficial in the long-term. For example, parents can indicate what grade(s) their child is in during onboarding, join committees, and even set notifications per conversation. Furthermore, it allows for verification, which keeps our community safe. And lastly, anyone can join without having to know someone to provide an invite.
Are we migrating existing WhatsApp groups?
All existing WhatsApp groups are technically parent-owned and were adopted due to FreshSchools' lack of parent-to-parent engagement tools. We're encouraging parents to migrate so that every parent can be part of the community.