Google Meet / TEAMS Online Conferences
There is now the ability to hold Google Meet conferences online. An essential part of today's uncertain world, which still allows staff to meet and chat with caregivers and students in a safe virtual environment.
Before setting up your Google Meet conference, you will need to give these technical instructions to you school's IT person. These are also found under SchoolPoint- Settings > Provider Settings.
Students and caregivers will need a Google email account to be able to access the link
Once the technical integration has been set up, follow these steps:
Conferences > New Conference
Fill out all the details accordingly. Choose you TYPE of conference. This could be:
Timetabled Teachers (Tutor or Subject) - Subject teachers sync from KAMAR with subjects and the students attached.
Mentor Conference- a Customisable conference where you add the staff you want and the students you want to those staff members (does NOT sync from KAMAR)
External Conference - good for students not yet in KAMAR, such as enrolment interviews. Caregiver access is via a code to book so no log in to SchoolPoint needed.
Please note you can also add Mentor/ additional teachers to any conference if the staff creating the conference have permission to add mentor staff to the conference (the staff must be in KAMAR).
Choose under Online or Physical Conference from the drop down either Microsoft Teams or Google Meet.
With the Email reminders- you will need to check this box for the caregivers to be emailed a with appointment times, and to be able to log in to access the Google Meet link for each appointment.
You can uncheck this box for testing, that way the caregiver won't get a testing email, then enable the checkbox at go-live.
When using TEAMS, your staff will need to "authorise a connection to their account" initially when they log in - before any bookings can be made. They will be prompted via a "Connect" button when they log into the conference.
For GOOGLE MEET the Google Domain needs to be registered first- send this help guide to your technician to set up.
If you allow caregiver comments, you can access and read these in the DETAILED VIEW under bookings once they have been made. Your staff can also access student results on this detailed screen to be able to discuss at the interview:
We now have a Conference Type- where you can set up Online Conferences but also allow caregivers to choose Physical/ phone conferences within the same conference (new March 2023)
The summary instructions are where you can include basic notes as to how to make the booking.
Description is full details like why the conferences are being held, and welcoming the students/ caregivers into the interview and what you aim to get out of the conference.
Once SAVED, you will see the times set up. Click the start time, then "SHOW TIMES" to be able to click start time and hold down Shift and click end time to cover all the times you want.
If you want your conferences to be 8 minutes iong, and the breaks in between to be 2 minutes for example, ask your school IT department to instal a Google Meet Countdown Timer Plugin- which will help keep your staff on track for the meetings. Currently the plugin only works on Chrome or Edge.
Go into EDIT TIMES to block out the breaks for staff. (If you have allowed them to block their own, they can go and block additional breaks).
Once your staff assigned to the conference log in, they will see only their times/ students etc, unless they are ADMINISTRATORS in which case they can see all staff and bookings, or they have the permission "MANAGE BOOKINGS AND SETTINGS". There are a few other permissions which will allow conference or other staff make bookings for staff or export bookings also.
Once the students are assigned to the staff member in their list, the staff/ admin can go in to manually book a student at any time, they do not need to log in as a student first. In this menu they can also mark as attended or didn't attend after the conference, and also add comments private to the staff only. Staff can also delete and booking and make a new one for their students here, with or without a message being sent to the caregivers.
Click the "EMAIL LOG" button to confirm the emails have been sent. This is always good to check if a caregiver advises they didn't receive the email- you can check and see the status of that email.
When the booking has been made, refresh the screen and you will see the online/ video icon. This will be visible on the student and the staff's Google/ Teams calendar. The Meet link is accessible via calendar or the list of bookings for the Staff.
It is recommended staff use the SchoolPoint conferences page to keep track of students attending and also access the online links that way
If the 'SEND EMAIL TO CAREGIVER/STUDENT" box is checked in the set up, they will get an email to log in to access their Online link.
If for whatever reason, the staff member can not make the interviews, then click the "SET UNAVAILABLE" button and you can send a custom message either saying another staff member will fill in, or that the bookings made have been cancelled and that you will be in touch to rebook etc.
Make sure to set the Status of the conference once you are happy with it, to "PUBLISHED- BOOKINGS OPEN" in order for your audience to see and book an interview. Staff can preview what the student/ caregiver will see however- if the conference is placed into PROOFING mode, and use the "log in as" button via the Student Details screen (use the caregiver log in or student- depending on the rules of the conference).
Caregivers can log in at any time that you have the conference published, and change their times, or if they want Online/ Physical bookings- if you allow this option. Likewise, if staff want to change the method of communication on behalf of the caregiver, they can do so via the admin side on their bookings page:
All about conference statistics
Read more general information about conferences here
When Students / caregivers initially log in via the SchoolBridge Dashboard, they will see the first screenshot. The conferences Icon/ Tile will take them to the SchoolPoint area where they can book. Your school may also decide to go straight into the KAMAR parent portal to a access the conference from there. You will need to add the Dashboard icon in SchoolBridge linking into the conferences in SchoolPoint.
Caregivers will select a time to book with each teacher they see. A pop up modal will allow them to choose the booking type, and add a note to advise phone number if needed or other notes for the staff to see.
There is the ability to "switch" between siblings on this booking page too- if both siblings have bookings live at the same time
If you Email notifications turned on for your caregivers, they will get booking confirmation emails once they book, or change their booking. Please note: they will all show an Online link if they have been set up as online conferences, even if the caregiver chooses to have a physical or phone meeting, so please advise them to be aware of this.
If your caregivers have trouble accessing the Google Meet link- in the case where they may not have a Google Email account, they can access this link via their Child's School Google Account.
You can also use the Exports to see which caregivers/ students have opted in for which type of conference - Physical or Online.
Before setting up your Google Meet conference, you will need to give these technical instructions to you school's IT person. These are also found under SchoolPoint- Settings > Provider Settings.
Students and caregivers will need a Google email account to be able to access the link
Once the technical integration has been set up, follow these steps:
Conferences > New Conference
Fill out all the details accordingly. Choose you TYPE of conference. This could be:
Timetabled Teachers (Tutor or Subject) - Subject teachers sync from KAMAR with subjects and the students attached.
Mentor Conference- a Customisable conference where you add the staff you want and the students you want to those staff members (does NOT sync from KAMAR)
External Conference - good for students not yet in KAMAR, such as enrolment interviews. Caregiver access is via a code to book so no log in to SchoolPoint needed.
Please note you can also add Mentor/ additional teachers to any conference if the staff creating the conference have permission to add mentor staff to the conference (the staff must be in KAMAR).
Choose under Online or Physical Conference from the drop down either Microsoft Teams or Google Meet.
With the Email reminders- you will need to check this box for the caregivers to be emailed a with appointment times, and to be able to log in to access the Google Meet link for each appointment.
You can uncheck this box for testing, that way the caregiver won't get a testing email, then enable the checkbox at go-live.
When using TEAMS, your staff will need to "authorise a connection to their account" initially when they log in - before any bookings can be made. They will be prompted via a "Connect" button when they log into the conference.
For GOOGLE MEET the Google Domain needs to be registered first- send this help guide to your technician to set up.
If you allow caregiver comments, you can access and read these in the DETAILED VIEW under bookings once they have been made. Your staff can also access student results on this detailed screen to be able to discuss at the interview:
We now have a Conference Type- where you can set up Online Conferences but also allow caregivers to choose Physical/ phone conferences within the same conference (new March 2023)
The summary instructions are where you can include basic notes as to how to make the booking.
Description is full details like why the conferences are being held, and welcoming the students/ caregivers into the interview and what you aim to get out of the conference.
Once SAVED, you will see the times set up. Click the start time, then "SHOW TIMES" to be able to click start time and hold down Shift and click end time to cover all the times you want.
If you want your conferences to be 8 minutes iong, and the breaks in between to be 2 minutes for example, ask your school IT department to instal a Google Meet Countdown Timer Plugin- which will help keep your staff on track for the meetings. Currently the plugin only works on Chrome or Edge.
Go into EDIT TIMES to block out the breaks for staff. (If you have allowed them to block their own, they can go and block additional breaks).
Once your staff assigned to the conference log in, they will see only their times/ students etc, unless they are ADMINISTRATORS in which case they can see all staff and bookings, or they have the permission "MANAGE BOOKINGS AND SETTINGS". There are a few other permissions which will allow conference or other staff make bookings for staff or export bookings also.
Once the students are assigned to the staff member in their list, the staff/ admin can go in to manually book a student at any time, they do not need to log in as a student first. In this menu they can also mark as attended or didn't attend after the conference, and also add comments private to the staff only. Staff can also delete and booking and make a new one for their students here, with or without a message being sent to the caregivers.
Click the "EMAIL LOG" button to confirm the emails have been sent. This is always good to check if a caregiver advises they didn't receive the email- you can check and see the status of that email.
When the booking has been made, refresh the screen and you will see the online/ video icon. This will be visible on the student and the staff's Google/ Teams calendar. The Meet link is accessible via calendar or the list of bookings for the Staff.
It is recommended staff use the SchoolPoint conferences page to keep track of students attending and also access the online links that way
If the 'SEND EMAIL TO CAREGIVER/STUDENT" box is checked in the set up, they will get an email to log in to access their Online link.
If for whatever reason, the staff member can not make the interviews, then click the "SET UNAVAILABLE" button and you can send a custom message either saying another staff member will fill in, or that the bookings made have been cancelled and that you will be in touch to rebook etc.
Make sure to set the Status of the conference once you are happy with it, to "PUBLISHED- BOOKINGS OPEN" in order for your audience to see and book an interview. Staff can preview what the student/ caregiver will see however- if the conference is placed into PROOFING mode, and use the "log in as" button via the Student Details screen (use the caregiver log in or student- depending on the rules of the conference).
Caregivers can log in at any time that you have the conference published, and change their times, or if they want Online/ Physical bookings- if you allow this option. Likewise, if staff want to change the method of communication on behalf of the caregiver, they can do so via the admin side on their bookings page:
All about conference statistics
Read more general information about conferences here
What do caregivers/ Students See when they log in to book?
When Students / caregivers initially log in via the SchoolBridge Dashboard, they will see the first screenshot. The conferences Icon/ Tile will take them to the SchoolPoint area where they can book. Your school may also decide to go straight into the KAMAR parent portal to a access the conference from there. You will need to add the Dashboard icon in SchoolBridge linking into the conferences in SchoolPoint.
Caregivers will select a time to book with each teacher they see. A pop up modal will allow them to choose the booking type, and add a note to advise phone number if needed or other notes for the staff to see.
There is the ability to "switch" between siblings on this booking page too- if both siblings have bookings live at the same time
If you Email notifications turned on for your caregivers, they will get booking confirmation emails once they book, or change their booking. Please note: they will all show an Online link if they have been set up as online conferences, even if the caregiver chooses to have a physical or phone meeting, so please advise them to be aware of this.
If your caregivers have trouble accessing the Google Meet link- in the case where they may not have a Google Email account, they can access this link via their Child's School Google Account.
You can also use the Exports to see which caregivers/ students have opted in for which type of conference - Physical or Online.
Updated on: 11/09/2023
Thank you!