Emergency News

The News Element can be used to post special alert messages district-wide that only appear when a special alert or emergency news has been posted. When there is no special news post, the news element is hidden. Here are a couple of examples.

1. Create a district-wide, private group.

District-wide groups require School Loop's Unification feature. Learn more about setting up groups. See the special instructions below if your district does not use Unification.

2. Add members

Only include those who are authorized to make emergency news posts.

1. Add a news element where you wish to display emergency news.

A district admin should perform this step.

2. Configure the news element by clicking the pencil icon. 

• Display news from alternate source: Choose the group created in the previous step.
• Hide news module if no news is posted: Check this option.
• Optional Styles: Choose one of the "Alert Container" options (recommended).
• Hide "View All News" button: Check this option (recommended).
• Only Author Can Move, Edit or Delete: Check this option if you wish to lock down the news element. You will be the only one that can move, edit, or delete this news element.

Only members of the district-wide, private group created in the previous step may post emergency news.

1. Log into your district admin account.

2. Click the "Add News" button as pictured to the right.

3. For the Audience, choose the district-wide, private group created for posting emergency news.

4. Compose your news and click the "Publish" button.

Private groups are not available for districts and schools not using Unification, which makes it more difficult to restrict rights to post emergency news but not impossible. The setup process is the same as above with the modifications listed here:

1. Instead of a private group, create an empty-mini site.

Give the mini-site a name that designates its purpose and be sure to never place any pages inside. Empty mini sites do not appear on the site navigation menu.

2. Assign editors to the mini-site.

Only those who will have rights to post emergency news should be added as editors of this mini-site.

3. Configure the news element.

For the alternate source, choose the mini-site created in step 1 above.