In the Parent Portal, the parents in Austin ISD can access their student’s educational information. One of the most frequently used applications by the parents is BLEND. By the way, how will parents access BLEND AISD? Let us find out that answer here!
Overview – BLEND for Parents
BLEND allows the parents to support student learning by giving a view of assignments, communication with instructors, due dates, and more. Need to know that BLEND AISD is built upon the Canvas LMS (Learning Management System). It offers a secure point of access for blended learning. To learn more about BLEND for parents, you are able to keep reading the following text.
Getting Started with BLEND for Parents and Guardians
BLEND is a Learning Management System (LMS) designed to support and amplify teaching, learning, and communication in Austin ISD.
1) Accessing BLEND
For parents, here are steps that you have to do if you want to access BLEND ISD:
- To get started with BLEND, first you have to set up a Parent Cloud Account at my.austinisd.org. If you need help setting up your Parent Cloud Account, you are able to call Parent Tech Support at 512-414-9187.
- After that, you are able to log in to portal.austinisd.org from your web browser with your AISD Parent Cloud credentials and then click the BLEND tile.
2) Organizing Your BLEND Dashboard
If you log in to BLEND through the portal, you are going to be directed to dashboard view. We suggest you customizing course names and color-coding, especially if you have several students. For note: If you are logging in for the first time, you have to set notification preferences. If you do not see that box, simply click on the account to get notifications.
3) Setting Your BLEND Notification Preferences
To set your BLEND notifications preferences:
- Firstly, you have to click on Account.
- After that, you are able to click on Settings.
- Then, click on Notifications. You will be able to choose how often you get notifications for each item type. Please use the icons on the next page.
By Clicking Account and Settings, you are also able to add an additional email address or mobile to receive notifications. You are going to need to manage the settings for each additional contact method that you add from within Notification Preferences. For note: Parent Self-Serve is the gradebook of the record. You are able to use this tile in the Parent Cloud for overall course grade updates.
4) Understanding the Parent Mobile App
The BLEND Parent app is designed to give a quick view of your child’s courses via your iOS or Android device. For more complete course view, simply you are able to access BLEND via portal.austinisd.org.
You will be able to download the Canvas (BLEND) Parent app on your device and then search for Austin Independent School District. Next, log in with your Parent Cloud credentials.
With the Canvas (BLEND) app the parents are able to do some things such as below:
- The parents are able to view the course syllabus (if published), course assignments, and calendar events.
- The parents are able to set alerts to receive reminders for specific assignments, calendar events (sent to mobile devices as push notifications).
- The parents are able to monitor their child’s performance on BLEND assignments (overall course grades are accessible by using the Self-Serve tile in the Parent Cloud).
With the Canvas (BLEND) app the parents cannot do some things such as below:
- The parents will not be able to access course content (course homepage, embedded Google docs, content pages, files, other students’ work, etc.).
- The parents will not be able to submit assignments, participate in discussions or take quizzes on their child’s behalf.
- The parents will not be able to participate in the course in any way.
5) Accessing All Courses View
Cannot see one of your child’s courses? the teachers are still learning to use BLEND, thus not all courses are published. If you want to see all of your child’s course enrollments, you are able to click on Courses in the blue navigation bar and then scroll down to click on All Courses. You are going to see a list of all published/unpublished courses.
Frequently used applications by parents in Austin ISD
As we know that in Austin ISD, the parents are able to access their student’s educational information in the Parent Portal. In the text above, we explain about BlEND for parents. Next, we are going to share all frequently used applications by the parents in Austin ISD. If you want to know all frequently used applications by the parents in Austin ISD, you have to keep reading this article until the end.
Here are the most frequently used applications by parents in Austin ISD:
- BLEND
BLEND allows the parents to support student learning by giving a view of assignments, communication with instructors, due dates, and more. BLEND AISD is built upon the Canvas LMS (Learning Management System). It offers a secure point of access for blended learning. To learn more about BLEND for parents, you are able to visit the BLEND Parent Tour.
- Parent Self Serve
The Parent Self Serve application offers the parents to access their student’s attendance and also check their student’s grade records. For further information, you have to go to Parent Self Serve information page.
- Student Registration
Since January 4, 2021, the parents are able to register their children as the new student for the 2021-2022 school year via the Parent Self-Serve, or simply go straight to the AISD Student Registration system when they are logged into the Portal. For further information, you have to go to Student Registration information page.
- My Messages
School Messenger is the district’s communication tool. The parents are able to set their modes of district communication in the Parent Portal. If you want to get more information related to School Messenger, simply you are able to go to the page of School Messenger.
