We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions about Family Pulse.
Note: In order to create Family, Staff, and Student Pulses, it is essential to have the permission to Create a Pulse. If you do not possess this authorization, please contact the Kelvin System Administrator of your site.
1. Select Email, Text Message or Email & Text Message.
2. Select Daily, Every other day, Weekly, or Just once to set the frequency of notifications.
3. Select the time of day that notifications will be sent.
To utilize both email and text message options you will need to ensure you are sending Kelvin the primary or parent/guardian’s email address and mobile number.
Some schools prefer to have a device available in the school office, or within classrooms during back to school/engagement nights so that parents/guardians can participate in the Pulse. There are two options that can be utilized:
Option 1: Access the unique Pulse link
1. Select the Live Pulse from within the Launchpad.
2. Select the name of the student which will open a pop up and display any parents/guardians associated with the student.
3. Copy the parent/guardian survey link directly into a new tab or browser window.
FYI: Select the link directly next to the contact’s name, not the preview button. Responses submitted via the Preview button link will not be recorded.
Option 2: Generate QR codes
See QR Codes for Student and Family Pulses to print and provide to the family member to scan their unique link on a mobile device with camera/web access.
FYI: Results are limited to a maximum of 200 QR codes.
Yes, if a family member notifies you that they do not wish to be included in the Pulse your system administrator, or any staff member that is granted the permission to manage opt outs in your Kelvin Pulse site can opt them out. Since family contacts are connected to a student, or multiple students, you will need to opt out the student(s) connected with that family member.
Users with Pulse Creation permission must also have the role of School Staff, District Admin, or System Admin in the Pulse site to be able to create and send a family pulse. If granted pulse creation permission, users with the teacher role will be able to create pulses for students rostered to them only.
1. The warning message gives you a count of phone numbers and emails that are successfully being imported from your SIS to Kelvin.
2. The warning message also shows you the total number of family members included on the pulse.
The contacts must have a phone number and/or an email address and the contact type must be the primary or parent/guardian to be imported into Kelvin.
How family participation is documented in the participation report
1. The responses displayed for a Family Pulse includes the count by student, not by family members.
2. Click on a student name. A card will pop up which will display the participants, or primary contacts connected to the student.
3. It is possible for students to have more than one primary contact or parent/guardian that is included in a Pulse. This example shows two contacts for student, Jessica Abernathy.
FYI: If at least one primary contact responds to the pulse, it is counted as “responded” in the participation percentage and count.
How family participation is documented in the raw response download
NOTE: You need to be a system admin in order to access the raw response download
1. Click the summary report skittle.
2. Click on the three dots and select Download Raw Responses.
3. Click into the text box to provide rationale for breaking confidentiality.
4. Click Yes, I want to break confidentiality.
5. This message will appear once your report is ready. See the top of your browser for the file, or check your file folder for the .csv download.
6. The student name will be documented more than one time if a more than one parent or guardian responds to the Pulse survey. Each parent/guardian's response is recorded in a separate row.
7. Scroll to the bottom of the .csv file data to see the count of total parent/guardian responses. Row 486 less the header row would mean there were 485 unique parent/guardian responses in the raw download for the 393 students that were recorded in the Participation report.
Kelvin’s question configuration allows you to determine whether a question should be asked for each student in a family, or applied as a blanket question to be answered for all students in a family in one response.
1. Check the box for each question that you want the parent/guardian to answer for each of their children at the district and/or school administering the Pulse.
TIP: Consider the total number of questions on your Pulse, and which questions can be asked once for all students in a family vs. for each student within a family. Utilizing "ask this question for each student in a family" for all questions on a 10-question pulse would mean a family with three students will need to answer 30 questions.
2. In this example question, the family has three students. Each time the same question is asked, it will be preceded with "Thinking about..." followed by each student's name.
TIP: More generalized questions can be asked once per family, while questions specific to each student's experience in the classroom with a teacher, or for students at different schools should be asked for each student in the family:
Example question that you may not wish to ask for each student: Please select any barriers that prevent you from participating in school functions, activities, and events.
Example question that you may wish to ask for each student in the family: Do you feel like you have open communication with your child's teachers and school staff?
- Generally, Kelvin advocates for a “less is more” approach to our Pulses.
- An internal analysis of Kelvin Pulse response rates showed a significant decrease in responses after 10 questions.
- The total number of questions in a Family Pulse may increase if you choose to ask a question for each student in a family. If you select that option for a 10-question Pulse, a family with two students will have 20 questions, and a family with three students will have 30 questions, etc. However, the benefit to selecting the ask this question for each student in family option in a Pulse eliminates the need to send multiple Pulses to the family.
We recommend that you communicate before, during, and after a Pulse to facilitate a better experience for everyone.
Before a Pulse: Sending a communication prior to a family pulse is especially important if this will be the first time you have used Kelvin for family surveys.
What should the communication include?
- Information which answers the Who, What, When, How and Why questions families may have
- Sample family pulse information letter
Note: Be sure to include staff and teachers when you send out your notification.
During a live Pulse: Your team can track participation in real time!
- Send personalized updates as needed to encourage families to respond.
- Depending on the notification frequency you set (e.g. daily vs. weekly), Kelvin’s system will automatically deploy reminders to primary contacts that have not yet responded until the Pulse closes or they submit their response, whichever comes first.
After the Pulse: You can build trust in your community by taking the time to thank family members for participating in your Pulse, sharing general results, and any actions that will be taken. Kelvin has some sample communication templates you can use. For more information about reports and viewing results see our help articles.
Check out our Family Pulse tips one-pager compiled from feedback that other district leaders have shared after successfully administering Family Pulse!
Translations are available. Please contact your Kelvin Customer Success Manager (CSM) for support.