**What you'll set up once:** a publishing flow (who writes, who reviews, who publishes) and a shared class folder (so students can work on the same issue). After that, every issue follows Parts 3 to 5.
## How it works| Role | Who | What they do in RoarPress |
|---|---|---|
| **Writers and photographers** | Students in the flow | Write stories, add photos with descriptions, then submit the issue for review. They never see a Publish button. |
| **Student editors** | Students you pick for step 1 | Fix small mistakes directly in the issue, then approve it or send it back with a note. |
| **Teacher** | You, on the final step | Read it, send it back if needed, choose who can open it, publish it, and email it to families. |
Students sign in to RoarPress with their district Microsoft account. Have every student sign in once before you set up the class folder. A folder can only be shared with someone who has signed in.
## Part 1: Build the publishing flow (teacher, once) ### Step 1. Open Publishing flows 1. In the side menu, choose **Publishing flows**. 2. Choose **+ New publishing flow**. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/tpLqcNdQPPj7lpeo-01-flows-page.jpg) ### Step 2. Name it 1. Type a **Name** your students will recognise, such as *Room 12 Roar*. 2. Optionally, fill in **What is it for?**. Reviewers and admins see this. 3. Leave **On** ticked. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/JrJjzAXqMba22gjJ-02-name-it.jpg) ### Step 3. Choose who writes 1. Under **Your classes**, tick your class. RoarPress brings in every student on your eSchool roster and keeps the list up to date. 2. Or, under **Specific people**, type a student's district email and press **Enter**. Use this for students who aren't on your roster. 3. Choose **Show who** to check the list. Students who haven't signed in yet are marked **Hasn't signed in yet**; the flow applies to them from their first sign-in. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/fx1zs92sTOKc4N5y-03-who-writes.jpg) ### Step 4. Add a student editor step 1. Choose **+ Add a step before the final decision**. 2. Name the step *Student editors*. 3. Set **Who fills it** to **Specific people**, and add your student editors' emails under **People on this step**. 4. Leave **Approvals needed** at **Any one of them**. 5. Tick **Edit content while it's at this step**, so editors can fix mistakes themselves instead of sending the issue back. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/mCpCaT52CDzknwIu-04-step-student-editors.jpg) ### Step 5. Check the final step The last step is already set up: it's named *Teacher review*, marked **Final decision · Staff only · Publishes**, and filled by **The flow's owner** (you). 1. Tick **Send email to lists they can use**, so you can email the published issue to families. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/90sdQte3W2LVzcVq-05-step-teacher-review.jpg) ### Step 6. Choose what authors can do, then create the flow 1. Leave the defaults under **What authors can do**: links go up to **Unlisted**, students can't email the newsletter themselves, and they don't see your class or family mailing lists. 2. Optionally, add a co-teacher under **Who else can manage this flow**. 3. Choose **Create flow**. If anything is missing, RoarPress lists it under **Before you can save**. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/uZfIq0Fq8w3XTVdc-06-authors-create.jpg) The flow is live straight away. Its card shows who it supervises and the steps in order. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/rEe03jhN0o5OJbiK-07-flow-saved.jpg) ## Part 2: Make a shared class folder (teacher, once) The flow decides who reviews. A shared folder lets writers and photographers work on the *same* issue. ### Step 7. Create the folder 1. In the side menu, choose **Folders**. 2. Under **New folder**, type a name such as *Room 12 Roar*, then choose **Create folder**. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/dqewdTny4czWNCMu-08-new-folder.jpg) ### Step 8. Add your students as editors 1. Click the folder to open it. 2. Under **Members of \[folder\]**, type a student's district email in **Email**. 3. Set **Permission** to **Editor — can edit and add their own**. 4. Choose **Add member**. Repeat for each student. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/FiUaFST2p5cMlIJk-09-add-member.jpg) [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/M0nFlDcbpqV9Ho1x-10-members.jpg) ## Part 3: Students write the issue ### Step 9. Students sign in When a student is added to a flow by name, their dashboard shows a notice that they're now an author in your flow. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/URGlKgzyQOhe9c9K-11-student-notice.jpg) ### Step 10. Start the issue and move it into the folder Pick one student to start each issue (a rotating "issue lead" works well). They should **not** be a student editor, because nobody can approve their own newsletter. 1. Choose **Start a newsletter** and pick a template, such as *Room Notes*. 2. Click the title and rename it, for example *Room 12 Roar: November*. Notice the **Publish** panel on the right: students see **Submit for review** and "Reviewed through Room 12 Roar (2 steps)", never **Publish**. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/EKFI5T9XFREzfTIR-12-student-editor.jpg) 3. In the right-hand panel, open **Organize** and set **Folder** to the class folder. RoarPress confirms "Moved into the folder." Everyone in the folder can now work on the issue. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/KXTQ1yyawXzqGNgx-13-organize-folder.jpg) ### Step 11. Photographers add photos 1. In **Add a block**, choose **Photo gallery**, then choose **Place photo gallery here** where it should go. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/K24bB1mepGUT98n9-14-place-gallery.jpg) 2. Choose **Add photos…**. Pick up to 6 photos, or choose **Upload new**. Then choose **Add photos**. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/2JBDGXzQG4lBVZxx-15-choose-photos.jpg) 3. Fill in each **Photo description (alt text)**: describe the photo like you would over the phone. Add a **Gallery caption** if you like. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/4TyOOSdOPwbuFwht-16-alt-text.jpg)Use photos with no identifiable students unless families have agreed. iPhone HEIC photos aren't accepted; save them as JPG first.
### Step 12. Check before publishing 1. In the **Publish** panel, choose **Check before publishing**. 2. Fix everything under **Must fix before publishing**. Each item has a **Go to block** button. Template sample text (words in square brackets, sample events) must be replaced or deleted. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/uoinmi6X5yO9IGri-17-check-must-fix.jpg) When the panel says **Nothing stops publishing**, the issue is ready. Items under **Worth a look** never block submitting. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/ss0blYWFFtQmfqvP-18-check-clear.jpg) ### Step 13. Submit for review 1. Under **Publishing flow**, optionally write a **Note for your reviewers**. 2. Choose **Submit for review**. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/Q2vGsDKQ2LYYMc1R-19-submit.jpg) The issue is now locked for everyone in the folder. A progress strip shows where it is and who it's waiting on. To change something, the student chooses **Withdraw to edit**, and review starts again at step 1. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/8VoX0NTS4Q6yLhHn-20-in-review.jpg) ## Part 4: Student editors check it ### Step 14. Open the issue from Reviews Student editors get a "Review needed" email. They can also choose **Reviews** in the side menu and then **Open and review**. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/8ksI66bgdZJmj93F-21-editor-reviews.jpg) ### Step 15. Fix, then approve 1. Because their step can edit content, the issue opens in the full editor. Fixes become part of what gets approved and are recorded in the history. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/o7kUbl3sSffiBWa1-22-editor-open.jpg) 2. Optionally, add a **Note**, then choose **Approve**. To send it back instead, choose **Request changes**. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/s68rzWUNJalQzsWZ-23-editor-approve.jpg) The issue moves to step 2 and waits on you. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/85zsugGSyNWO8lNG-24-editor-approved.jpg) ## Part 5: You review, publish and email ### Step 16. Open it from Reviews You get a "Review needed" email. Or choose **Reviews** in the side menu, then **Open and review**. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/lIiR7Vr2pz5ir5ao-25-teacher-reviews.jpg) ### Step 17. Read it and decide The **Publishing flow** panel shows the steps, a **Note** box, **Who can open the link?**, and your buttons. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/xRGqqa8E6qxb4Dzd-26-teacher-panel.jpg)These screenshots were taken with an admin account, which opens the full editor. A teacher account opens a read-only preview of the issue with the same **Publishing flow** panel and buttons beside it.
**Not ready?** Choose **Request changes**, type what the students should change (be specific and kind), then **Send back with note**. Students see your note at the top of their editor, and the resubmitted issue goes through every step again. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/6hq6W9wbEi4utrXm-27-request-changes.jpg) Choose **History** to see who submitted, edited and approved the issue, with their notes. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/xVtlcM9ISrcNjANG-28-history.jpg) ### Step 18. Approve and publish 1. Choose **Who can open the link?** **Unlisted** means anyone with the link can open it, but it isn't listed in the district archive. 2. Choose **Approve and publish**. (**Approve only** approves without publishing.)If you choose **Public** and the issue names or shows students, RoarPress asks you to confirm that no family on the directory-information or photo opt-out list is named or pictured. You answer this as the staff approver; students are never asked.
[](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/UicsRh1wJfUx3fC0-29-published.jpg) ### Step 19. Email it to families (optional) 1. Choose **Send by email…**. 2. Use **Send test** to check it in your own inbox first, then **Send now** or **Schedule** to your class mailing list. [](https://info.wftigers.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-10/42RPnyPKLMRSwIu7-30-send-email.jpg) ## Good to know - **Students can't publish or email on their own.** Nothing reaches families until the final step publishes it. - **Nobody approves their own work.** The student who starts an issue can't approve it at step 1. - **Locked while in review.** Use **Withdraw to edit** to change a submitted issue; review then starts over. - **Turning a flow off.** On **Publishing flows**, choose **Turn off**. Anything waiting for review goes back to its author, and students can't publish until they're in another flow that's on. - **Taking an issue down.** By default students can take their own published issue offline, and you're emailed when they do. To require your approval instead, untick **Authors can unpublish their own newsletter** in the flow.More help: in RoarPress, open **Help** and read *Set up a publishing flow*, *Write in a publishing flow*, *Review newsletters* and *Folders*.