Manage portal news
Create and manage news posts that appear in the parent portal, including file links, YouTube videos, dates, and visibility controls.
Portal News lets you post updates that families see in the parent portal. Use it for reminders, documents, videos, and time-sensitive alerts.
Where to find portal news
- Go to Communications → News For Portal.
- Review the list, or click New News to create a post.
Understand the News list
The list matches what the portal actually shows, not a separate “live” flag.
Filters and search
- Status buttons: All, Showing now, Scheduled, Not showing, Hidden.
- Active / Archived dropdown to switch between current posts and archived history.
- Search title or content... to find posts by text.
Columns
- Title - Opens the editor. Shows Pin and attachment hints when those apply, plus when the item was created.
- Type - How the item is delivered (for example portal news, files, video, or push).
- Status - Showing now, Scheduled, Not showing, or Hidden.
- Shown - The start and end window, or Not set when dates are missing.
Row actions
Open the menu to the left of a row for Copy, Delete, Archive, or Unarchive.
Archived news is available from the Archived dropdown. Parents do not see archived items.
Create and publish a news item
Start a new item
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From Communications → News For Portal, click New News.
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The editor opens on the Settings tab with a live Portal preview on the right.
Set the title and type
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Enter a short Title parents will recognize.
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Choose Type:
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Post news to Portal - Standard text announcement.
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Post files to Portal - Share a downloadable document as the main purpose.
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Video Embed URL - Show an embedded video (use the share or embed link).
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Push Notification - Send a push when your camp uses the mobile app.
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Write the content
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Under Content, write the body in the editor.
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Merge variables such as
{first_name},{last_name}, and{email}fill in per family. -
For video type, paste the Embed URL.
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Optionally add Attachments (PDF or image, up to 10MB each).
The Portal preview updates as you type so you can check layout before you save.
Set the publishing window
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Set Start date and End date (both required for the portal to show the item).
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The portal only shows the item while today is inside that window.
Choose visibility options
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Pin to top - Keeps this item above the rest of the news feed while it is showing.
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Show full content - Shows the whole item instead of collapsing behind a Read More link.
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Hide from the portal - Keeps the item off the portal even inside its dates. Use this to pull something down without losing the schedule.
A visibility note above the preview explains why an item is not showing (hidden, missing dates, empty body, scheduled, expired, or a type that skips the news feed).
Set recipients and save
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Open the Recipients tab and choose who should see the item.
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Click Save news. The Save button stays inactive until you change something from the last saved version.
After you save, confirm the item in the parent portal for a family that matches your Recipients filters. If it does not appear, check Hide from the portal, the date window, and whether the body is empty.
Field reference
Title
Parents see Title first in the portal news list. Keep it short and specific.
Type
Type controls how the item behaves:
Post news to Portal
Standard text announcements. Parents read the content in the portal news feed.
Post files to Portal
Best when the main purpose is a downloadable file (packets, schedules, packing lists).
Video Embed URL
Paste the share or embed URL (for example https://www.youtube.com/embed/UWlzMIl7E48), not the watch page URL.
Push Notification
Sends a push notification when your camp uses the mobile app. Use this for urgent, time-sensitive updates.
Content and attachments
Write the body under Content. Attach supporting PDFs or images under Attachments when parents need a download.
Start date and End date
Both dates define the visibility window. Without them, the item cannot show on the portal.
Pin to top
Keeps the item above unpinned posts while it is showing.
Show full content
Shows the full body in the portal feed instead of collapsing behind Read More.
Hide from the portal
Turns the item off without clearing its dates. Uncheck it when you want the schedule to take over again.
Manage existing items
From Communications → News For Portal:
- Click a Title to edit.
- Use the row menu for Copy, Delete, Archive, or Unarchive.
- Switch to Archived to find older posts and bring them back.
Prefer Hide from the portal or Archive when you may need the wording or dates later. Delete removes the item from your list and from the portal.
Tips for clear communication
- Use short, specific titles so families can scan the feed.
- Group related information and files in one item instead of many separate posts.
- Put deadlines in the body as well as in the date window.
- Link to forms parents need, and attach files when everything should live in one place.