Canvas Guide for Parents

Roanoke County Public Schools has recently announced that Canvas, a modern and innovative learning management system (LMS), will replace Blackboard beginning with the 2024-25 school year. The attached document “Canvas Parent Observer Account Setup” will walk you through the steps of activating your new Canvas parent account.

If you used Canvas last school year as a part of one of our pilots, your account is still active and you do NOT need to go through the setup process again.

This short video is a great overview of how to use Canvas as a parent/observer.

• Canvas Overview for Observers

How do I access my Canvas Parent Observer Account?
Please see the “Canvas Parent Observer Account Setup” document attached to this email. You can also contact your school’s ITRT with questions.          

What is the Observer/Parent Role in Canvas?
Observers have limited permissions that allow them to see what is going on in a course and a calendar of assignments.  Like students, Observers cannot view a course until it is published and the course has started.  For assistance with Assignments, Test Dates, Quizzes, or other Canvas course content, please contact your student’s teacher. Directions for setting up your Parent/Observer account can be found on this page.

What can Parent Observers view in Canvas?
Below are the features available to Parents. Please note that not all courses use all features. 

• Set your Notifications
• View the Dashboard
• View the course Syllabus
• View prompts but not participate in Discussions
• View but not submit assignments
• Preview and download some Files
• View the Modules Page
• View Canvas Grades*
• View the Calendar
• Communicate with the teacher. 

 

*Synergy (ParenteVUE) remains the official gradebook for RCPS. Items graded in Canvas will be displayed in the Canvas gradebook but may not accurately reflect your students official grade.