Welcome to Canvas! Since late July, Spring-Ford’s Technology Department has been working to successfully transition all students, faculty and staff, and courses into the Canvas platform. The purpose of this email is to introduce families to Canvas and to provide parents with the direction needed to support your child's learning at home. Please take time over the next week to review the information below with your child(ren) so that they are fully prepared for the first day of school on September 8th.

About Canvas: Canvas is a learning management system (LMS) used by all Spring-Ford students and teachers grades K-12 as online support and supplement for face-to-face classes. Canvas allows teachers to manage content, record and measure learning, and communicate with students and families during both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Students have the ability to connect with their teacher and peers, access activities and assignments, and receive feedback. Parents/guardians will have access to function as "observers" of the course, which allows them to view work pertaining to their individual student(s). 

Canvas access is now open! 

• Step 1 – Watch With Your Child(ren): Get ready for the first day of school! Click here to learn about what families can expect on the first day of school.
• Step 2 – Watch With Your Child(ren): Welcome Message from your School Principal
• Step 3 – Watch With Your Child(ren): Watch this short introduction to Canvas from Dr. Murray Class content will be posted to Canvas on September 8th, but families are encouraged to explore Canvas starting on September 2nd. 
• Step 4 – Action Step, Complete With Your Child(ren): Click here to log into Canvas under your student(s) account 
  • What username and password do students use to access Canvas? Students will use their district email as their username and district password. Click here for more information.
  • Pro Tip: while Canvas is a web-based program, the system does work best on the Chrome browser. Click here to download Chrome.
  • Parent Tip: the training courses do not have to be completed in one sitting. It is ok to take a step away and return later if you start to feel overwhelmed!
• Step 5 – Action Step, Complete With Your Child(ren): Complete the Passport to Canvas course with your child(ren) 
• Step 6 – Action Step for Parents: After completing the Passport to Canvas course, create a Parent (observer) account and link to your student(s). Click here to learn how to create an observer account and how to link to your student(s) account.
  • Click here to log into Canvas as a parent (observer). Note, the parent (observer) site is different from the student site. 

Please note: these six steps will take time; the training courses do not have to be completed in one sitting. It is ok to take a step away and return later if you start to feel overwhelmed!

Click here to visit our Canvas page with: 

• Login information
• FAQs
• User Guides
• Zoom Support
• And more

Canvas vs. Google Classroom vs. G Suite: while Canvas will replace Google Classroom, students will still use and have access to the G Suite with Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, etc.

The launch of a new LMS is a tedious undertaking and a continuous work in progress, we truly appreciate your excitement and willingness to embrace change!