Email and Communication

Email and Outlook Tips
This guide covers common Outlook tasks and tips for managing your FVSD email.
Accessing Your Email
Outlook desktop app — pre-installed on your FVSD computer
Outlook on the web — go to https://outlook.office.com and sign in with your FVSD account
Outlook mobile app — available on iOS and Android, sign in with your FVSD email
Setting Up Your Email Signature
Open Outlook
Click File > Options > Mail > Signatures (or in Outlook on the web: Settings (gear icon) > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Compose and reply)
Click New to create a signature
Enter your signature — a professional signature typically includes:
Your name
Your title/role
Your school
Your phone number (if applicable)
FVSD logo or school branding (if provided)
Set it to apply to new messages and replies/forwards
Click Save
Setting Up an Out-of-Office Reply
Open Outlook
Click File > Automatic Replies (or in Outlook on the web: Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Automatic replies)
Select Send automatic replies
Set the start and end dates
Type your message — include when you'll be back and who to contact in your absence
Click OK or Save
Managing a Shared Mailbox
If you have access to a shared mailbox:
Viewing It
In Outlook desktop, the shared mailbox should appear in your folder list on the left side
If it doesn't appear, click File > Open & Export > Other User's Folder and enter the mailbox address
Sending From a Shared Mailbox
Open a new email
Click From and select the shared mailbox address
If the From field isn't visible, click Options > From in the toolbar
Compose and send — the email will appear to come from the shared mailbox, not your personal address
Creating Rules to Organize Email
If you get a lot of email, rules can help sort them automatically:
Right-click an email you want to create a rule for
Click Rules > Create Rule
Set the conditions (e.g., from a specific sender, with certain words in the subject)
Choose the action (e.g., move to a folder, mark as read)
Click OK
Common Questions
Q: I'm not receiving emails from a specific sender.
A: Check your Junk Email folder — the email may have been filtered. If you find it there, right-click it and select Not junk. If emails are consistently missing, contact IT.
Q: My mailbox is full.
A: Delete emails you no longer need, especially those with large attachments. Empty the Deleted Items folder. If you're still running low on space, contact IT.
Q: I need a distribution list created or updated.
A: Submit a ticket to IT with the list name, purpose, and who should be included.
Q: How do I recall a sent email?
A: In Outlook desktop, open the sent email, click Message > Actions > Recall This Message. This only works if the recipient is also on FVSD email and hasn't read it yet.
Contact IT
Submit a ticket through the IT helpdesk
Email: helpdesk@fvsd.ab.ca

Microsoft Teams Basics
Microsoft Teams is FVSD's primary tool for video meetings, chat, and collaboration. This guide covers the essentials.
Accessing Teams
Desktop app — pre-installed on your FVSD computer
Web app — go to https://teams.microsoft.com and sign in with your FVSD account
Mobile app — available on iOS and Android
Chat
Sending a Message
Click Chat on the left sidebar
Click New chat (pencil icon at the top)
Type the person's name or email address
Type your message and press Enter to send
Group Chat
Start a new chat
Add multiple people in the To field
You can name the group chat by clicking the pencil icon next to the participant names
Meetings
Joining a Meeting
Click the meeting link in your calendar invitation or email
Or go to Calendar in Teams and click Join on the meeting
Starting a Meeting
Go to Calendar in Teams
Click New meeting
Add a title, participants, date, and time
Click Save — participants will receive a calendar invitation with a join link
During a Meeting
Mute/unmute — click the microphone icon
Camera on/off — click the camera icon
Share your screen — click the Share button and select your screen or a specific window
Chat — click the chat icon to send messages during the meeting
Raise hand — click the hand icon to get the presenter's attention
Teams (Groups)
You may be a member of one or more Teams based on your school or role. These are shared spaces for files, conversations, and collaboration.
Posts — group conversations visible to all team members
Files — shared documents stored in SharePoint (accessible through Teams)
Channels — sub-sections within a Team for organizing topics
Common Questions
Q: I'm not receiving Teams notifications.
A: Check your notification settings: click the three dots (...) next to your profile picture > Settings > Notifications. Make sure notifications are turned on for messages and meetings.
Q: I can't hear anyone in a meeting (or they can't hear me).
A: Check that your microphone and speakers are set correctly: click the three dots (...) in a meeting > Device settings. Make sure the correct microphone and speaker are selected. Test them before the meeting starts.
Q: How do I share a file in Teams?
A: In a chat or channel, click the paperclip icon (Attach) and choose to upload from your computer or browse OneDrive/SharePoint.
Q: I accidentally left a Team — how do I rejoin?
A: Some Teams are assigned automatically based on your role. If you were removed or left accidentally, contact IT or the Team owner to be re-added.
Contact IT
Submit a ticket through the IT helpdesk
Email: helpdesk@fvsd.ab.ca