đ Secured Access requirement: Starting and participating in Conversations requires an authenticated login (Staff, Teacher, Student, or Parent). Open apps without login only display public information.
Multi-site & dual-role messaging: Users logged into multiple schools or sites receive unified conversation notifications and see all conversations across all sites in one inbox. On the mobile app, dual-role users (staff who are also parents) display an on-screen role badge to easily see whether they are operating as staff or as a parent.
In the Dashboard (Teachers and Administrators)
Only individuals with Dashboard access (generally administrators, teachers and staff) can create conversations in the Dashboard.
Navigation:
From Home screen: Click Conversations tile, then My Conversations
Or click My Conversations directly in the left-hand menu
Steps to Create:
In My Conversations, click New
This brings up the new conversation window
Give your conversation a title (optional)
Select your participants:
Participants can be selected by group or individually
You can select multiple groups of participants, or multiple individuals
To send out bulk 1/1 messages please see section below.
Decide if you want your conversation to be Public or not
A Public conversation can be joined by others
Public conversations can be open or set to require approval by the conversation owner
Click Create Conversation
The conversation window opens for your new conversation
Type your messages in the text bar at the bottom right of the screen
Click the arrow button to send your message
In the App
Steps to Create:
Navigate to the Conversations icon in your App
If you have unopened conversations, a bubble will appear stating how many conversations are unopened
Click the Plus (+) button to create a new conversation
What kind of message you can create (1:1, group, bulk 1:1) and who you can message is determined by admin-controlled settings. See: Conversation Settings: Administrator Guide
You can optionally give conversations a title (required for public conversation) and select participants, similar to the Dashboard
Click the Plus (+) sign to continue
The message screen will open - type your message
Click the arrow button to send
In the App (Students)
Students can only create or participate in Conversations in the mobile app, and their permissions are strictly governed by administrator settings.
Student Permission Rules:
Staff-Only Messaging: Settings are controlled by app admin, but students are generally restricted to communicating directly with their teachers, administrators, and staff, if relevant (e.g. coaches).
"Message Family Member" Only (Phone-Ban Policies): In schools with strict student-to-student messaging restrictions or phone-ban policies, administrators frequently configure student settings so they can only message their parent or guardian (and their teachers), preventing unrestricted student-to-student chat during the school day.
No Public or Bulk Creation: Students are generally not given permissions to create public conversations, join unapproved groups, or message multiple users at once.
In the App (Parents & Guardians)
Parent and family communication permissions are customized by school administrators to support family engagement while protecting student privacy and staff boundaries.
Typical School Permissions for Parents:
In most school configurations, parents are permitted to message only their child's teachers and school staff. Most schools do not turn on any of the following settings for parents:
Creating public conversations (others can join)
Creating group conversations
Sending messages to multiple people at once
Seeing when others read their messages (read receipts)
Viewing hidden users
Key Parent Settings Configured by Administrators:
View Student's Conversations: Administrators have the option to allow parents to view conversations involving their student, providing transparency into teacher-student communication.
"Message Family Member" (Child Only): Administrators can configure parent permissions so parents can directly message their own child but no other students in the school directory. This is especially vital for schools with phone-ban policies, giving families an authorized, transparent channel to coordinate with their children without opening peer-to-peer student chat.
Steps to Start a Conversation (Parents):
Tap the Conversations icon in the Edlio Mobile App menu.
Tap the Plus (+) button to start a new conversation.
Select your recipient (e.g., your child's teacher or staff member).
Type your message in the text bar and tap the send arrow.
Related articles