Dear Carmel Parents,

 

Thank you for reserving a conference time with your child’s teacher(s). Please save this email,  meant to help you navigate your virtual conferences on Thursday, Oct. 15.

 

Before conferences begin, please view the collection of Back-to-School videos, found on the right side of your Parent Portal home page. These videos highlight each teacher’s course goals, teaching methods, and suggestions for success--topics that may serve as a springboard for discussion during conferences.

 

 

 

ACCESSING ZOOM CONFERENCE LINKS

 

Step One: Access your conference schedule

Login to your Parent Portal and from the home page, click the View My Scheduled Parent Teacher Conferences button. Download the schedule, which will give you the best view; the Download Schedule button is in the upper right corner. Each conference contains a Location: Zoom Link. (See snip below.) This blue hyperlink gives you access to your conference. 

 

Step Two: Enter the Zoom at the start time listed

At the time of your scheduled conference, click on Zoom Link from your child’s conference schedule. A new window will open in Zoom and you’ll enter a Waiting Room; there will be a slight wait. When ready, the teacher will allow you to enter the meeting and your conference will begin. 

 

Step Three: Leave the Zoom at or before the end time listed

Click the red “Leave Meeting” button in the lower right corner of your Zoom window. You may need to hover your cursor in that area for the button to appear. Zoom will not allow you to participate in multiple meetings at once, so this step is important if you have additional conferences to attend. The teacher may also remove you from the Zoom. 


Zoom Guidelines:

  • Adhere to posted conference times; your teacher needs to greet new families every ten minutes. 

  • Turn your device’s video on and unmute the microphone.

  • All teachers set their Zoom meeting times from roughly 8am to 4:30pm. Disregard these generic start and end times, focusing instead on only your conference time with that teacher. In other words, if you have a conference for 1:00, click only that teacher’s Zoom Link at 1:00. 

  • Each teacher’s Zoom link is unique; this means if you have more than one conference scheduled, you’ll enter/leave several Zoom meetings, one for each teacher.

  • If for any reason you cannot attend your planned conference, email the teacher. 

 

Troubleshooting tips:

  • If you have trouble accessing your Parent Portal, email Veracross@carmelhs.org. 

  • Use a PC or laptop for the Zoom meetings. Using a cell phone is fine, too, but some features will be limited. 

  • If you cannot enter a Zoom meeting, are in the Waiting Room for over 2 minutes, or get disconnected, email the teacher. She or he may be able to assist on the spot. 

  • If your internet connection is weak during your meeting, use Zoom’s chat function to tell the teacher, or email the teacher.

  • Don’t worry--if you don’t connect, you can always reschedule your conference for another day, through another means.