Complete these steps before setting up any program. This applies to every Homeroom account, regardless of program type. Estimated time: 20 minutes.
Before you start — have these ready
Your school name, address, and main contact email
List of team members who need admin access
Your bank account details (for Stripe payment setup — see Getting Paid: Stripe Setup)
Any waiver or release form documents (PDF)
Your school's holiday calendar
Step 1: Sign up for a Homeroom organizer account at homeroom.com
Head to homeroom.com and sign up for a Homeroom organizer account to get started.
💡 Tip: Bookmark your Homeroom dashboard URL — you'll use it every day.
Step 2: Invite your team
Anyone who helps manage your program should have their own login.
Go to Setup → Team
Click Add Team Member
Enter their email and choose a role: Administrator (full access) or Member (No access to financial information and cannot issue refunds)
Click Send Invite — they'll receive a setup email
✅ You're done when: Each team member appears in the Team tab with nothing in the invite sent section after accepting their invite.
Step 3: Add your school info and policies
Go to Settings → General Info
Fill in your school name, address, phone number, and website
Upload your school logo (used on receipts and emails)
Click Save Changes
Then set your instructor policies:
Go to Settings → Policies
Click the edit icon next to each section (Check-In Policy, Emergency Procedures, etc.) and fill in your rules
💡 Tip: Policies are automatically emailed to instructors before their first session. Cover what to do when they arrive, who to contact if a student is absent, and your emergency procedures.
Step 4: Upload waivers and release forms (optional)
If families need to sign a waiver before enrolling, add it here. Families must check a box confirming they've read it at checkout.
Go to Settings → Policies and scroll to Waivers
Click the edit icon and upload your waiver document (PDF recommended)
Click Save
Step 5: Add dismissal options
Dismissal options tell staff where each student goes at the end of an activity. Families select their child's option during registration.
Go to Settings → General Info and scroll to Dismissal Options
Click the edit icon and add each option (e.g., Parent Pickup, After-Care, Bus #1)
Click Save Changes
⚠️ Important: Dismissal options are required for Enrichment and Camp programs. Families cannot complete enrollment without selecting one.
Step 6: Add classroom teachers
For after-school enrichment, families select their child's classroom teacher during registration. This tells staff which class to collect each student from.
Go to Settings → General Info and scroll to Teachers
Click the edit icon and add each teacher's name and grade
Click Save Changes
Step 7: Connect Stripe (payment setup)
You must complete Stripe onboarding before any family can pay. See the full walkthrough in Getting Paid: Stripe Setup.
Step 8: Optional — add a school fee or donation option
To add a small administrative fee or enable voluntary PTO donations:
Go to Settings → Payment Tools
Scroll to School Fee or Donations and click the edit icon for each
Enter your amounts and save
🎉 Account setup complete! Now choose your program guide: Quick Start: Enrichment, Quick Start: Camp, or Quick Start: Extended Care. Then finish with Getting Paid: Stripe Setup and Going Live: Invite Families.