Participating in a Group
Groups are where conversations and collaboration happen inside a school.
Your ability to participate in a group depends on:
- The group type (Public or Private)
- Your assigned role
- Group-level permissions
- School configuration
Understanding Group Access
Section titled “Understanding Group Access”Before participating, you must have access to the group.
Public Groups
Section titled “Public Groups”- Visible to all school members
- All school members are automatically included
- No joining action required
- Clicking opens the group immediately
All members can typically:
- Read messages
- Send messages (if messaging is enabled)
- React and reply
Messaging permissions may still depend on role settings.
Private Groups
Section titled “Private Groups”Private groups are restricted.
Only visible to:
- The group creator
- Explicitly added members
- Members with roles that grant access
If you are not a member, the group will not appear in your view.
Participation is limited to approved members.
Reading Messages
Section titled “Reading Messages”If you have access to a group, you can:
- View message history (subject to retention settings)
- Scroll through past discussions
- View attachments and shared files
In large groups, older messages may load progressively.
Some schools may restrict message history visibility for new members.
Sending Messages
Section titled “Sending Messages”If permitted by your role and group configuration, you can:
- Send text messages
- Attach files (if enabled)
- Mention other members
- React to messages
- Reply in threads (if supported)
If you cannot send messages, possible reasons include:
- Your role does not allow messaging
- The group is announcement-only
- The group is locked by an administrator
- Messaging is temporarily disabled
Mentions and Notifications
Section titled “Mentions and Notifications”When you participate:
- Mentioning a member notifies them (if notifications are enabled)
- You may receive notifications for:
- New messages
- Replies
- Mentions
- Group-level announcements
Notification behavior depends on:
- Personal notification settings
- School configuration
- Group settings
Group Roles and Permissions
Section titled “Group Roles and Permissions”Inside a group, permissions may allow certain members to:
- Edit group information
- Pin messages
- Delete messages
- Add or remove members (Private groups)
- Generate invite links or codes (Private groups)
These abilities depend on your role within the school.
See: → Role & Permission Issues
Visibility Rules
Section titled “Visibility Rules”Public Groups
Section titled “Public Groups”- Always visible to all school members
- Cannot be hidden individually
- Cannot be left individually
Private Groups
Section titled “Private Groups”- Visible only to authorized members
- Appear in the sidebar once you are added
- Disappear if access is removed
Private group participation is fully controlled.
Leaving a Group
Section titled “Leaving a Group”For Private groups:
- Open the group.
- Access group settings.
- Select Leave Group (if allowed).
After leaving:
- The group disappears from your sidebar.
- You lose access to conversations.
- Rejoining may require invitation.
Public groups cannot be left individually.
Behavior in Large Groups
Section titled “Behavior in Large Groups”In large or active groups:
- Messages may load dynamically.
- Scrolling may trigger incremental loading.
- Performance may depend on your device and network.
Categories (if enabled) help organize group navigation.
Common Issues
Section titled “Common Issues”I cannot send messages
Section titled “I cannot send messages”- Your role may restrict messaging.
- The group may be read-only.
- You may not be a member (Private group).
- Messaging permissions may be disabled.
I cannot see older messages
Section titled “I cannot see older messages”- Message retention policies may apply.
- History may be limited for new members.
- Content may have been removed.
The group disappeared
Section titled “The group disappeared”- You may have been removed.
- Your role may have changed.
- The group may have been deleted.
- The school may have been archived.
Best Practices
Section titled “Best Practices”- Follow school communication guidelines.
- Respect privacy and group boundaries.
- Use mentions responsibly.
- Avoid spamming.
- Keep discussions relevant to the group’s purpose.