How to Add a School Calendar to Sense

Updated April 2026 - 3 min read

Adding your school's calendar to Sense is a fast way to keep up with half days, field trips, parent-teacher conferences, and everything else the school throws at you. Once connected, events sync automatically - no manual entry.

Most schools publish their calendar as an internet calendar feed (sometimes called an ICS or iCal feed). This guide shows you how to import a school calendar ICS feed into Sense in about two minutes.

Step 1: Find Your School's Internet Calendar

Go to your school's website and look for the calendar or events page. Many schools offer a way to subscribe to their calendar - look for a link or button labeled:

  • Subscribe
  • Add to Calendar
  • iCal or iCalendar
  • Export
  • Sync

The link usually ends in .ics - that's the standard calendar format that Sense can read.

If you can't find it on the school's website, check if the school shares their calendar through Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook. Many PTA and school district calendars are published through one of these.

Step 2: Copy the Calendar URL

Once you've found the subscribe or iCal link, you need to copy the URL - not download the file.

  • On a computer: Right-click the link and select "Copy Link Address" (Chrome) or "Copy Link" (Safari/Firefox)
  • On a phone: Long-press the link and select "Copy Link"

The URL should start with https:// or webcal://. Both work with Sense. If clicking the link downloads a .ics file to your computer instead, try right-clicking and copying the link address.

Where to find the link for specific calendar providers

Google Calendar

  1. Open calendar.google.com
  2. Click the three dots next to the school calendar
  3. Select "Settings and sharing"
  4. Scroll to "Integrate calendar"
  5. Copy the "Secret address in iCal format"

Apple iCloud Calendar

  1. Open icloud.com/calendar
  2. Click the share icon next to the calendar
  3. Check "Public Calendar"
  4. Copy the link that appears

Outlook / Office 365

  1. Open outlook.com or the Outlook app
  2. Right-click the calendar and select "Sharing and permissions"
  3. Click "Publish a calendar"
  4. Copy the ICS link

Step 3: Import the Calendar into Sense

  1. Open the Sense app
  2. Go to Settings
  3. Tap Connected Calendars
  4. Tap the + button in the "Import to Sense" section
  5. Enter a name for the calendar (e.g., "Lincoln Elementary")
  6. Paste the calendar URL you copied
  7. Pick a color - this helps you spot school events at a glance
  8. Tap Add

Events will appear in your Sense calendar within a few minutes.

Step 4: See school events in your calendar

Once connected, school events show up alongside everything else in your Sense calendar - color-coded so you can tell them apart. They sync every hour, so when the school adds or changes an event, it updates in Sense automatically.

You can connect up to 5 external calendars. If you have kids at different schools, add a calendar for each one with a different color.

Imported events are read-only since they come from the school's calendar. If the school changes a date, the update will come through on the next sync.

What if my school doesn't have a calendar feed?

Not every school publishes an ICS feed. Some schools only communicate through newsletters, emails, or PDFs. Sense handles that too.

Forward school newsletters and emails to your Sense email address (you'll find it in the app). Sense AI reads the email and automatically pulls out every event, deadline, early dismissal, and field trip date - adding them to your family calendar without any manual entry.

You can even set up auto-forwarding from your email so school communications go to Sense automatically. Learn more about forwarding school emails to Sense.

Frequently asked questions

Does my school need to use a specific calendar system?

No. Sense works with any calendar that publishes an ICS feed. This includes Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, and most school platforms like Finalsite, Blackbaud, and SchoolPointe. If you see a "Subscribe" or "Add to Calendar" link on the school's website, it will almost certainly work with Sense.

How often does the school calendar sync?

Every hour. You can also tap the sync button on the Connected Calendars screen to pull the latest events right away.

Can I add calendars for multiple schools?

Yes. You can connect up to 5 external calendars - one for each child's school, plus sports leagues, dance studios, or anything else that publishes an ICS feed. Each calendar gets its own color.

Is syncing school calendars free?

Connecting external calendar feeds is a premium feature. Forwarding school emails to extract events works on both free and premium plans.

Can both parents see the school calendar?

Yes. Once connected, school events appear in the shared family calendar that all family members can see.

Can I edit imported school events?

Imported events are read-only since they come from the school's calendar. You can create your own events and reminders alongside them.