Help Center for Online Learners

Logging in to Schoology

In order to begin online learning, the student must know how to log in to Schoology using their school email address and password. Below are step-by-step instructions for accessing Schoology.

1. Open a new browser window.
2. Visit Google Mail and sign out of any non-school email accounts.
3. Sign in to Google Mail using the student’s school email address and password.

• School Email: studentID@melissaisd.org (Example: 123123@melissaisd.org)
• Elementary & Middle School Student Password: Cardinals#1 (unless the student has set their own unique password)
• High School Student Password: Student’s first initial of first name and first initial of last name (in all uppercase), followed by their 8-digit birthdate [Example: Jack Smith, with a birthday of January 15, 2004, would be JS01152004]

4. Navigate to the Schoology Student Login page using the following URL: http://melissa.schoology.com.
5. The student’s Schoology dashboard should automatically open. If the student is prompted to log in again, they can do so using the school email address and password described above.

Daily Login/Logout

Online learning engagement is measured through the Schoology platform and impacts how the student’s daily attendance is reported. Any student who is learning online must log in and log out of the Schoology platform each day by 11:59 p.m. for their daily engagement to be measured.

• If your student is learning online, please make sure that they understand how to log out of Schoology every day once they are finished with their schoolwork.
• If your student only minimizes the internet browser where they are working in Schoology, they will remain continuously logged in to the platform, which will impact the accuracy of their daily attendance.

Google Suite & Microsoft Office

All Melissa ISD students have free access to Google Suite and Microsoft Office.

Google Suite and Microsoft Office work similarly and, generally, are compatible with one another. This means that if you have a Microsoft Office file, you can typically open it in the associated Google Suite app, and vice versa. We have put together a comparison table below to show which Google Suite app is associated with which Microsoft Office file type.

Open the Google Suite

Students can access the Google Suite apps by following the steps below.

1. Visit the following URL: https://drive.google.com/.
2. Log in using your school email address and password.
3. Click on the grid icon in the top right-hand corner and select the desired app.

Download Microsoft Office

Students who are working on a personal laptop or desktop computer can download the Microsoft Office programs by following the steps below.

1. Visit the following URL: http://portal.office.com.
2. Log in using your school email address and password.
3. To download Microsoft Office, click on the “Install Office” button (located on the right side of the screen) and select the “Office 365 apps” option. Follow the instructions to install Microsoft Office.
4. You can now use Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel to create and edit files.

Creating a Successful Learning Environment

Families with students who are learning online are encouraged to take the steps below to help create a successful learning environment.

1. Set up a specific study area that is supplied for success.
2. Create a structured routine (i.e. wake up time, no electronics, healthy meals, etc.)
3. Build in times for breaks and movement; social and emotional health is important as well.
4. Reach out for help if you need assistance, through the means set up by your school.
5. Parents/guardians and students monitor the student’s progress together on a regular, defined basis.