How to Migrate Your School Newsletter from ClassDojo to a Dedicated Platform

ClassDojo works well as a behavior tracking and parent messaging app. It does not work as well for the weekly classroom newsletter. Families who are not active ClassDojo users miss updates, there is no analytics to tell you who has not seen critical information, and the app-based format is less accessible than email for families who use phones primarily for calling rather than apps.

Moving classroom newsletter communication to a dedicated email platform is a straightforward process with the right preparation.

Step 1: Build your email contact list

Before switching platforms, you need parent email addresses. Start with your school's student information system. Most schools store parent emails in their records. Your school data coordinator can usually export a class contact list.

For gaps, send a ClassDojo message asking families to provide their preferred email address for newsletter communication. A simple message works: "I am moving my weekly classroom newsletter to email starting next month. Please reply with your preferred email address by [date] so I can add you to the list."

Step 2: Announce the change clearly

Give families at least two weeks notice before the first email newsletter goes out. Use ClassDojo, a paper note home, and any regular school communication to spread the word. Include:

• When the first email newsletter will arrive
• What email address it will come from
• What to do if they do not receive it (check spam, or contact you)
• Whether you will continue using ClassDojo for anything (behavior notes, direct messages)

Step 3: Run both channels for two to four weeks

During the transition period, send the same content through both ClassDojo and your new email newsletter. This gives families time to find the email channel and add your address to their contacts. After the transition period, wind down the newsletter content on ClassDojo while keeping it available for behavior-specific communication if the school uses it for that purpose.

Step 4: Set up your newsletter template

Use the transition period to finalize your email newsletter structure. If ClassDojo updates were brief and informal, your email newsletter can maintain that tone while adding the structure (upcoming dates, action items, what we're learning) that makes email newsletters more complete than app messages.

Step 5: Confirm families are receiving it

After your first email send, check your analytics for open rates and undelivered messages. Low open rates on the first send may indicate spam filtering. Ask a few families directly whether they received the first newsletter and where it landed (inbox or spam). This gives you early feedback to adjust before families start missing important updates.