Planning parent-teacher conferences is easy with SignUp – teachers will love how much time we save getting organized and parents appreciate simple SignUps and automated reminders. This short video will show you how:
Note: Some screens in this video may differ in color and layout due to recent design updates; the functionality remains the same.
Special consideration for whole schools:
We offer a concierge service at a nominal fee and can import your entire teacher roster and conference appointments within 2 business days. See the details in this help article: Parent Teacher Conferences - Concierge Service Now Available to Set Up Schedules for the Whole School
Getting Started: Planning Your Conference Schedule
To begin, login at SignUp.com and lick on from your Dashboard on your desktop or mobile device.
Planning Screen 1: Provide Details
- Complete the first step choosing the SignUp Kind: Single or Multiple Days and Category: Parent-Teacher Conferences.
- NOTE: If you are holding remote conferences and the online (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.) meeting link is the same for everyone, put your meeting link in the Location field. This information will be sent on all Confirmation and Reminder emails automatically.
- Most teachers want to collect the Student Name specifically, instead of relying on the parent names to identify the student. The Student Name is best collected at a Custom Participant Question.
Planning Screen 2: Add Spots
Add New Conference Appointment Spots by clicking, the orange +Create New Spot button:
- Add a Spot
Complete this section as if you would be telling someone when you need parents to attend as if you are speaking to them. We think you'll find it easy to answer the questions and proceed with adding all your Spot details.
Step 1. What do you want people to sign up for?
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- Using the light blue entry fields, enter your first conference appointment - you will likely want 1 person to attend your Parent Conference at a given time.
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- Then, click the orange Add Shifts button to add multiple conference appointments at once. (these can then be copied to multiple days in Step 2, if needed.)
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- Using the pull-down menus, first choose the day's start time and end time, then the conference appointment length and if you want a break time in between appointments.
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- The lower part of the screen will automatically show the conference appointments that will be created. Edit your entries until you are satisfied with the results. The black X will delete any single appointment in the series, for example if you want a lunch break.
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- Click Apply and all conference appointments will be added to your SignUp in one step. In the example above we are adding 15 minute conference appointments from 2pm to 5pm with a 5 minute break in between each one.
Step 2: What day(s) does this Spot happen?
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Select the date of your conference (or multiple dates) by clicking on the calendar - a date will turn green when the Spots are added.
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Step 3: Add extra details (optional)
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- This information will show on all Spots when parents are signing up and will be included on their Confirmation and Reminder messages, automatically sent by SignUp.com. Some ideas include adding parking information, a link to a pre-conference check list, a virtual meeting link, your room number, or any additional information that will be helpful.
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- Click Save at the bottom of the screen to add this conference series to your SignUp and return to the Add a Spot menu.
Want to add more Conference Appointment Spots? Clicking the +Add a Spot button again and answer the prompts. Once you get started, it will be quick to proceed through the steps.
Happy with all your Conference Appointment Spots? Click Next to finalize your SignUp by completing:
Planning Screen 3: Choose a Theme -- where you can upload a logo and search backgrounds by category .
Planning Screen 4: Invite -- where you have several options for inviting parents to sign up. You may also make make manual assignments for parents with or without email at any time.
Click Done and your SignUp will be live and displayed on your Dashboard tab.
How to see your conference schedule - who signed up for when
Before the conference day, you may quickly see who's coming when in the Reports tab of the SignUp's Organizer view. Learn more here: How Can Teachers See Who Signed Up
If you are planning Parent Teacher Conferences for an entire Grade or School, please see:
Setting up Parent-Teacher Conferences for a Whole School or Grade
Parent Teacher Conferences - We do the work for you!
Adding Virtual Meeting Links to your SignUp: Zoom, Google Meets, Go To Meeting, etc.