Mail Merge for Teachers with Gmail (2025): Simplify Your Classroom Communication

When you’re a teacher, time is a precious resource — especially when you have to keep dozens of parents, students, or colleagues informed.

That’s where mail merge becomes your best ally. Think of it as a “smart copy-paste”: you write one email, but each recipient feels like you wrote it just for them.

The Benefits of Mail Merge for Teachers

✅ Here’s why it’s a game-changer:

• A huge time-saver.

• No more manual copy-pasting.

• Easily schedule or track replies.

• Avoid classic mistakes like “Reply All” or “Cc everyone”.

• More compliant with privacy requirements.

• More professional in both tone and format.

⁉️ Why is that important? Schools don’t always have a single platform for all communication. Each teacher is often responsible for:

• their own contact lists,

• their emails,

• their organizational tools (Google Classroom, Gmail, Google Drive, etc.).

Mail merge fits perfectly into this Google ecosystem — already everywhere in schools thanks to Google for Education.

👉 It allows teachers to send one message template that’s automatically personalized for each recipient (name, class, grade, individual comment, etc.).

Example:

“Hi {{First Name}}, I wanted to let you know that {{Student Name}} did great on the last math quiz!”

Practical Examples of How Teachers Use Mail Merge

Communicating with Parents

Teachers use mail merge to:

• Send updates about each student’s progress or grades.

• Share positive feedback or address concerns.

• Remind parents about conferences or meetings.

• Announce school events (field trips, performances, etc.).

Sending Personalized Reports or Grades

Some teachers track grades directly in Google Sheets. With mail merge, they can automatically insert key details into each email, such as:

• Average grade.

• Personalized comments.

• A link to a shared document (PDF report, Google Drive folder, etc.).

Individual Student Follow-Up

Teachers are often encouraged to maintain regular communication with their students — especially in middle and high school.

Mail merge can be used to:

• Congratulate a student on their progress.

• Remind them about missing assignments.

• Provide personalized feedback.

• Offer encouragement before a test or project.

Coordination Between Teachers or Administration

In larger schools or districts, teachers can also use mail merge to:

• Share internal information (schedules, training sessions, meetings).

• Follow up on a teaching project.

• Manage communication with other staff members.

Understand Mail Merge in 5 Minutes

How It Works

Mail merge is a simple method that lets you send the same message to many people — while automatically personalizing certain parts of it.

🧩 In short, it’s a combination of two elements:

1. A database (usually a Google Sheets spreadsheet).

2. An email template with “fields” that get automatically replaced by data from the sheet.

When you run the mail merge:

1. The program goes through each row of the spreadsheet.

2. It replaces the variables (like {{Student Name}}, {{Grade}}, etc.) with real values.

3. It sends a personalized email to each recipient — one by one.

The result:

• Mr. Brown receives: “Liam’s current grade is A-.”

• Mrs. Kim receives: “Sophie’s current grade is B+.”

The Tools You Need for Mail Merge with Gmail

Gmail Account and Google Sheets

Mail merge is much simpler — and more accessible — with a Gmail account, especially for teachers, since everything is already built into the Google ecosystem.

With a Gmail (and therefore Google) account, you already have:

• Gmail → to write and send your emails

• Google Sheets → to store your recipient list and their information

• Google Workspace (or Google for Education) → to connect everything with just one click

💡 To use Google’s built-in mail merge, you must have a Google Education Standard or Education Plus account. Free Gmail accounts are not compatible with this feature.

👉 Check out my article How to mail merge from Google Sheets.

Useful Add-ons and Extensions

Google offers several free or affordable add-ons, such as:

• Mail Merge for Gmail.

• Mailmeteor.

• Yet Another Mail Merge (YAMM).

• GMass.

Mail Merge for Gmail is the simplest and most budget-friendly option.

👉 You can read my related articles on this topic: 

• Top 9 YAMM Alternatives to Upgrade Your Email Marketing Strategy.

• Top 5 Mail Merge Alternatives here.

Steps to Create a Mail Merge with Gmail

There are several ways to do it:

• Use Gmail’s built-in mail merge, available if you have a Google Education Standard or Education Plus account.

• Use Google Apps Script, which is a rather complex method.

• Use an add-on like Mail Merge for Gmail — the simplest and most affordable option.

And that’s the method we’ll be focusing on here.

👉 Check out my article What is Mail Merge for Gmail if you want to learn more.

Step 1: Install Mail Merge for Gmail

• Install Mail Merge for Gmail from this link by clicking the Install button.

• Open Google Sheets (if it was already open, refresh the page).

• Go to Extensions > Mail Merge for Gmail > Start.

Step 2: Add contacts in Google Sheets

• In Google Sheets, create a spreadsheet then add your list of recipients.

• In your Google Sheet, each row corresponds to a separate email.

• At a minimum, you need a column containing all recipient email addresses to send your campaign.

• You can include additional columns with custom details, which you can later insert into your email template (e.g., Name, Company, etc.). 

Step 3: Customize your email template

• In the template editor, you can now pull data from your Google Sheet to personalize your emails. 

• Simply select the desired column from the dropdown menu, and it will automatically insert the corresponding merge tag (e.g., {{Name}}). No need to type anything manually—just pick and apply!

• You can also use merge tags to tailor your email subject line. If your Google Sheet includes a "Name" column, simply insert the corresponding merge tag ({{Name}}) to dynamically personalize each subject line. Here's how it works:

Step 4: Write Your Mail Merge Email Template

We’ve included ready-to-use email templates for teachers at the end of this article!

Step 5: Send or Schedule Your Email Campaign

The process to schedule a blast campaign is straightforward :

• Click on "Schedule Send" . The button is available using the select item from the button. 

• Pick a date and a time by clicking on the Date picker.

• When it's done, simply click on "Schedule Send".

Step 6: Track Your Emails

Tracking status will be available in your spreadsheet. When the email will be opened, the status will change from "Sent" to "Read".

💡 There’s also a quick video tutorial if you prefer, here.

Our Ready-to-Use Templates

Pack 1 — Communicating with Parents (4 templates)

Academic progress update

Subject: Great Progress in Math!

Hi {{Parent Name}},

I just wanted to let you know that {{Student Name}} has made wonderful progress in math this week — especially with multiplication facts.

Keep encouraging {{him/her}} to practice for 5–10 minutes each evening. It’s really paying off!

Best,

{{Teacher Name}}

Positive behavior note

Subject: Positive Update on {{Student Name}}

Hello {{Parent Name}},

I wanted to share that {{Student Name}} showed great leadership during our group discussion in English class today.

{{He/She}} encouraged others to participate and set a great example for peers.

Thanks for your continued support,

{{Teacher Name}}

Parent-teacher meeting reminder

Subject: Reminder: Parent-Teacher Conference for {{Student Name}}

Dear {{Parent Name}},

This is a friendly reminder that our conference for {{Student Name}} is scheduled on {{Date}} at {{Time}} in Room {{RoomNumber}}.

Please let me know if you need to reschedule.

Best regards,

{{Teacher Name}}

Report card or grade summary

Subject: {{Student Name}}’s Current Progress in {{Subject}}

Dear {{Parent Name}},

I wanted to share {{Student Name}}’s current progress in {{Subject}}.

• Average grade: {{AverageGrade}}

• Latest assessment: {{LastAssessment}} ({{Score}}%)

• Homework completion rate: {{HomeworkRate}}%
  
  

{{Student Name}} has shown steady progress this term. Continuing to review material at home will help reinforce key concepts before our next unit.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to schedule a meeting.

Best regards,
{{Teacher Name}}
{{School Name}}

💡 Tip: You can introduce these examples with a sentence like:

“This type of personalized reporting is highly valued in U.S. schools, where teachers often maintain open communication with families throughout the term. Mail merge makes it easy to share progress in a professional yet caring way.”

Pack 2 — Communicating with Students

Personalized feedback

Subject: Art Project Feedback for {{First Name}}

Hello {{First Name}},

Your recent art project on {{Project Theme}} showed great creativity — I especially liked how you used color and texture.

For the next project, focus on composition and balance; I think you’ll see an even stronger result.

Great job overall!

{{Teacher Name}}

Encouragement before a test or project

Subject: You’ve Got This, {{First Name}}!

Hi {{First Name}},

Just a quick note to remind you that you’re ready for tomorrow’s {{Subject}} test.

You’ve worked hard all week — trust yourself and take your time with each question.

I’m proud of your progress. You’ve got this!

{{Teacher Name}}

Pack 3 — Coordinating with Staff and Administration

Sharing internal updates or schedules

Subject: Weekly Update for {{DepartmentName}} Teachers

Hi {{FirstName}},

Here’s this week’s update for the {{DepartmentName}} team:

Upcoming training: {{TrainingTopic}} on {{Date}} at {{Time}} in {{Location}}

New curriculum resources: available in the shared Google Drive folder

Reminders: Please submit your lesson plan overview by {{Deadline}}.

Thank you for your continued collaboration — your work makes a real difference for our students.

Best,

{{CoordinatorName}}

{{Role}} | {{SchoolName}}

Follow-up on a pedagogical project

Subject: Follow-Up on the {{ProjectName}} Initiative

Dear {{FirstName}},

Thank you for contributing to the {{ProjectName}} project. As part of our next steps, please complete the brief progress survey by {{DueDate}}.

We’ll discuss key findings during our next meeting on {{MeetingDate}} in {{Location}}.

Your input is essential to shaping the final version of the curriculum materials.

Best regards,

{{ProjectLeadName}}

{{Title}} | {{SchoolDistrict}}

Bonus Templates – Thank-You or General Announcement Email

These templates can be used to:

• Thank parent volunteers, students, or colleagues

• Share general announcements (events, holidays, schedule changes, etc.)

• Simply maintain a positive, regular connection with your school community

💡 It’s the kind of message every teacher sends several times a year — and mail merge makes it incredibly fast to personalize.

Thank-You Message to Parents or Volunteers

Subject: Thank You for Your Support, {{FirstName}}

Dear {{FirstName}},

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your help during {{EventName}}.

Your support made a big difference — the students truly appreciated it, and everything ran smoothly thanks to your contribution.

We’re so fortunate to have such engaged and supportive families in our school community.

Warm regards,

{{TeacherName}}

{{SchoolName}}

General Announcement to Parents or Students

Subject: Update from {{TeacherName}} – {{Topic}}

Hi {{FirstName}},

Just a quick note to let you know about {{AnnouncementDetails}}.

Please note that {{KeyInformation}}. If you have any questions, feel free to reply to this email.

Thanks for staying informed and involved — your engagement means a lot!

Best,

{{TeacherName}}

{{SchoolName}}

FAQ

Can I do a mail merge using Gmail?

Yes, you can. With Gmail, you can perform a mail merge using Google Sheets for your contact list and an add-on such as Mail Merge for Gmail.

You write your email in Gmail, connect your spreadsheet, and the tool automatically sends a personalized message to each recipient.

How to send bulk email with Gmail for free?

You can send bulk emails for free with Gmail by using Google Sheets and a free add-on like the Mail Merge for Gmail (free version).

👉 Note: Gmail limits daily sending to 1,500 emails per day.

Is mail merge free for Gmail?

Yes — if you use the free version of an add-on like Mail Merge for Gmail.

No — if you want to use Google’s built-in mail merge feature, since it requires a Google Education Plus or Education Standard account, which are paid plans.

What is the best mail merge for Gmail?

The best mail merge tool for Gmail is Mail Merge for Gmail.

It’s simple, reliable, and designed specifically for teachers and professionals who use Gmail or Google Workspace.

With Mail Merge for Gmail, you can easily send personalized emails directly from your Gmail account using data from Google Sheets — no complex setup required.

👉 You can read my related articles here:

• Meet the most recognized alternative to GMASS. 

• Meet the most recognized alternative to YAMM.

• Meet the most recognized alternative to Mailmeteor.