Class management overview
This article covers ongoing class and roster management in Grouper: adding and removing students, syncing roster changes, bulk class actions, combining classes, and managing how students are displayed.
For initial account setup and class creation, see the Getting started support article.
The Classes dashboard
A full list of classes can be viewed and managed on the Classes dashboard. To navigate to your Classes dashboard:
Click the Grouper logo in the top-left corner to return to the Classes dashboard; or
Navigate directly to the Classes dashboard at https://grouper.school/classes
Add students
For manual classes:
1. Switch to the Student list view by clicking the button at the top of the page.
2. Scroll to the bottom row and enter the student's name.
For auto-rostered classes (Google Classroom or Clever):
Preferred:
1. Add students in the source system first (Google Classroom or Clever).
2. Click the Sync classes button at the top of the Classes dashboard, or click the three-dot menu at the top of any class page and select Sync class.
Fallback: If you can't add the student in the source system, you can also add them directly in Grouper:
1. Switch to Student list view by clicking the button at the top of the page.
2. Scroll to the bottom row and enter the student's name.
Remove students
1. Open the student details card.
2. Click Remove from class (in manual classes) or Archive student (in Clever or Google rostered classes).
Sync class
If roster changes from Google Classroom or Clever are not showing in Grouper:
1. Confirm the change exists in the source system (Google Classroom or Clever).
2. Sync the class in Grouper: click the Sync classes button at the top of the Classes dashboard, or click the three-dot menu at the top of any class page and select Sync class.
3. Refresh and re-open the class.
4. If still missing, verify you signed in with the correct Google/Clever account.
Classes dashboard bulk actions
On the Classes dashboard, you can select one or more classes and run bulk actions.
1. Go to the Classes dashboard.
2. Hover over the class icon for each class you want to select, then click the checkbox that appears.
3. Use the action buttons that appear above the selected rows.
Available actions:
1 class selected: Duplicate, Archive
2+ classes selected: Combine, Archive
Combine Classes (Merge classes into one class)
You can combine two or more classes into a new merged class:
1. Go to the Classes dashboard.
2. Select the classes to merge.
3. Click Combine.
Important notes:
Combine creates a new class with a merged roster.
Original source classes remain in place (they are not deleted).
Attributes and attribute values are carried over into the new class.
Combined class attributes and original source class attributes do not sync.
Groupings are not carried over into the new combined class.
The new class includes a Source class attribute so you can see where each student came from.
The student details card
The student's display name, avatar, attendance status, and attributes can be edited from the student details card. The student can also be removed or archived from the student details card.
From the Student list view, click on the name of the student to open the card.
From the Groups view, click on the student avatar, then select Edit student.
Change student display name
1. Open the student details card.
2. Edit the student's name.
Change student avatar
Use the student card to randomly select a new avatar.
Use the Avatar tool in Live mode to let your students customize their avatar (PRO users only).
Change how all students names and avatars are displayed
Use the Account page to change how all students' names and avatars are displayed.
Student names can be shown as full names, initials only, or anonymized.
Student avatars can be shown as full avatars (the cute characters) or initials only.
Quick troubleshooting FAQ
"I added/removed students but Grouper did not update"
If the class is auto-rostered (Google Classroom or Clever):
Update the roster in the source system first.
Then resync in Grouper.
If the class is manual:
Update students directly in Grouper (Student list view).
"How do I combine two sections into one class?"
Use the Classes dashboard bulk Combine action.
1. Go to the Classes dashboard.
2. Hover over each class icon, then click the checkbox that appears.
3. Click Combine.
Grouper will create a new merged class and keep the original classes intact.
"My imported class contains students from two different sections or classes. How do I separate them?"
The cleanest solution is to create two separate Grouper classes — one per section — rather than trying to manage sections within a single class.
1. Click + New Class on the Classes dashboard and name it for the first section (e.g., "Period 1 – Biology").
2. Add only that class's or section's students by copy/pasting your students or importing from an existing roster file, or by adding the student names manually (see the Getting started article for details).
3. Repeat for the second section.
4. Stop using (or archive) the original combined class.
Note that the new manually created classes will no longer be synced.
Why not use student attributes or constraints instead? You can, but it requires ongoing manual maintenance every time your roster changes. Separate classes are simpler and more reliable.
"I want to unenroll/remove a student to reduce the class size below 40, but the Upgrade to PRO message prevents me from editing the class"
This can happen when a Free-plan class has more than 40 students.
Removing/archiving students is not itself a PRO-only action.
The over-40 class limit can block normal student-list editing until the class is back under the limit.
Best workaround:
1. If the class is Google Classroom or Clever rostered, remove/archive the student in the source system first.
2. Then click Sync classes in Grouper and reopen the class.
If you're on a manual class and can't access student removal controls, contact [email protected] for help.