Canvas for Parents

Welcome to Canvas, a Learning Management System

In our continuing efforts to partner with families for the academic success of students, the district is providing families with the ability to access Canvas.  Canvas is the Learning Management System used across District 95.

Kindergarten through twelfth grade use Canvas to varying degrees within our district.  In the early grades, it provides a digital hub for students and families.  As students progress through the district, more content is found within Canvas.  In addition to our digital learning platform, in grades fourth through twelfth, Canvas serves as our working gradebook.   

The parent role in Canvas is called an observer role.  Canvas can be accessed using a mobile app or a web-browser.  

Click here to log in to D95 Canvas

 

Canvas Use

Starting in the 2021 School Year, registered parents and guardians with valid email addresses within our Student Information System (eSchool) will automatically be provided with a Canvas Observer account.  For those that have used the system in the past, you can continue to access it as you have before.   

To get started using your new Canvas Observer account - 

  1. Go our instance of Canvas at:  lz95.instructure.com

 

canvas login

 

2. Click on the Forgot Password? link. 

3. Enter the email address that is on file with the school. 

4. Check your email inbox for a reset password link and directions. It may take a few minutes to arrive, if it doesn't, be sure to check your spam folder.  

This resource will provide you with specific information about your student’s learning, so you have a better understanding of the work that teachers and students are doing.  Please use this information to communicate to students that the skills and content identified in these courses are important to master.  In addition, this information provides families with an opportunity to discuss ideas and share opinions about what is being learned.

 

Features in Canvas

When you access Canvas, you will be able to see for each of your students:

  • course home pages 
  • digital class resources 
  • assignments
  • feedback on assignments 
  • scores on assignments 
  • course averages for students in grades 4-12 (final grade will be reported in Home Access).

Report Cards and midterms will be published and accessible within Home Access. Home Access provides access to our Student Information System (SIS) and will continue to be the official record for final course grades.   

 

Notifications

Canvas allows users to customize the notifications they receive.  Notifications are sent to the contact methods listed in your Canvas User Settings. Canvas includes a set of default notification preferences that you can change by setting your own preferences. Your notification preferences only apply to you; your notification settings do not affect course notifications sent to the student you are observing.

 Visit here for more information about setting up your notifications as an Observer. 

 

Canvas Parent App

The makers of Canvas, Instructure, provide several different ways to access content.  Many families use the Canvas Parent app.

 

Parents might like to watch the ‘Canvas Mobile App Video Guide.’ to learn about the various features available in the app. Learn more about using the Canvas Parent app here.  

When using the app, search for Lake Zurich Community Unit SD 95 when asked to Find my school.  

A few tips: 

  • When Observers first log into the app, they will see a list of courses and course grades. If accessing additional children, click the down arrow (in the blue bar at the top) next to the student name to switch between children. 

  • Clicking on the name of a course will provide more detailed information about the course. You will see tabs at the top of the screen. At the bottom screen, you can switch between the course view, the week view, or the alerts view. 

  • Parents can manage alerts for their students within the user menu. Click the 3 lines in the upper left-hand corner of the screen to open this menu. Click manage children to either add additional students or manage alerts. Select the student to set a number of options related to this course.  Note that alerts are specific to a course.  

 

Additional Canvas Observer Accounts 

Families who wish to create additional Observer accounts can do so.  Our system only creates accounts for registered parents and guardians with valid email addresses as listed with our Student Information System (eSchool).   Perhaps grandma would like to stay connected to the learning.  To do so, the student will need to create a pairing code and then you can create a new account using that pairing code.  

  • Step 1: Student Generates a Pairing Code using a web browser

  • Click here for directions

  • Step 2: Parent Creates Their Observer Account Using That Pairing Code

  • Parents can then create an accounts using the pairing code from a computer web browser. Parents will use the same website (lz95.instructure.com).
  • Click here for directions

 Visit these helpful links for more information about Canvas: