Canvas

Creating Your Parent Observer Account 

• Use a computer! Provided instructions are for a computer, not a mobile device. HSE does not recommend the use of the Canvas Parent App at this time due to its limitations.
• Please use both your first and last name when you enter your name during set up. 
• If you already have an account from last year, or from an older student and are adding another or younger student, you will NOT create another account. Instead, you will add the new student to your existing account (directions below). 
• It is recommended that parents create one Canvas Observer Account, then connect multiple students to that one account (directions below). 

 

STEP 1 Gather the following information:

• Your student's school Username & Password (their Login credentials) - this can be found in Skyward Family Access by logging in with your Skyward Family Access credentials and clicking on Student Info. Click here for a video animation of this step (no sound). 

• Username: This is the student's school email, which can be found in Skyward Family Access. It is created by the first 5 letters of their last name, the first three letters of their first name, and 000. Sometimes the 000 is 001, 002, or 003, followed by @hsestudents.org Please verify in Skyward. (sample: moorenic000@hsestudents.org) 

• Password: K-4 will use a lowercase hse followed by their Other ID number (sample: hse999888) 

• Password: 5-12 will use uppercase Hse followed by their Other ID number (sample: Hse999888) 

• Your preferred email address to be used as your Canvas login username (HSE staff must use personal email, not school email) 

• A password of your choice for your parent observer account 

 

STEP 2 Get a Pairing Code: Log into the STUDENT Canvas portal for HSE at hse.instructure.com with your STUDENT's credentials Click here for a video animation of this step (no sound). 

 

STEP 3 Create Parent Observer Account: Go to the PARENT Canvas portal at hse.instructure.com/login/canvas & click "Click Here For An Account" to begin. Complete all information. Click here for a video animation of this step (no sound). 

 

STEP 4 From now on, be sure to always use this Parent Canvas Link hse.instructure.com/login/canvas to login with your parent observer account. 

Canvas Instructions

• Create your account following the steps above with one student as a starting point. Then follow these instructions to add more students to your original account. 

• Parents should add all of their children using Canvas to their parent observer account. 

• It is not recommended to create separate accounts for different children. 

• HSE does not utilize the Canvas app on Android or iOS due to its limited features. 

Reset Password

• Parents may reset their Observer account password on their own. 

• Students may not reset their own account passwords in Canvas. 

 

Notifications Settings

• Canvas includes a set of default notification preferences. 

• You can change the default settings by setting your own notification preferences. 

• These preferences only apply to you; they are not used to control how course updates are sent to the student you are observing. 

• Notifications are sent as one of four delivery types: notify me right away, daily summary, weekly summary, or don't send. If you change a setting, the change is made immediately to your account. 

• Notification settings apply to all courses you are observing; you cannot change settings for individual courses. 

• You can reply directly to email notifications outside of Canvas and have the reply appear in Conversations. However, please be aware that attachments added as part of an external reply are not included with the message shown in the Canvas Inbox. 

 

Contact Methods for Notifications

• Add phone(s) or other email accounts to your notification capabilities. 

Grades 5-12: Regular use of Canvas will vary. At the minimum, teachers will: 

• Maintain a homepage with a photo, course description, teacher contact information/ bio, etc. 

• Post classroom expectations/handbook/syllabus for the year (linked on home page is acceptable) 

• Post activities/assignments in the system calendar and keep the system calendar current 

• Create Modules to organize information & resources necessary for student success (ie: files, textbook links, online resources) 

• Use the Announcements section as the starting point for Virtual Instruction 

 

Grades PK-4: Regular use of Canvas will vary. At the minimum, teachers will: 

• Maintain a homepage with a photo, welcome graphic or text, teacher contact information/bio, etc. 

• Post classroom expectations if appropriate (linked on homepage is acceptable). 

• Post activities in the system calendar and keep the system calendar current. 

• Virtual Instruction, when needed, is posted in Canvas. 

• Utilize features of Canvas as the main portal for Communication & Celebration in support of the above goals, keeping in mind these grade level appropriate targets. 

 

Parents are encouraged to ask their children to showcase an overview of Canvas for each of their classes. 

Parents are encouraged have conversations with staff members regarding the use of Canvas as a teaching and learning tool. 

Please visit these Canvas Observer Guides for additional resources. 

Please visit these Canvas Video Guides for additional resources. 

Canvas Parent Login

*HSE does not utilize the Canvas app on Android or iOS due to its limited features.