Gmail for the Classroom

I am beginning the next school year with a set of Chromebooks in my second grade classroom, so I have begun to think about the use of Gmail and Google within my classroom.  I plan to set up a Google Classroom and each child will have a Gmail account.  They will be able to share assignments with me and their parents.  At conferences prior to school starting I will collect Gmail addresses from parents, or have them set up an account.  I will use the addresses to send Gmail messages that will alert the parents to current events in our classroom, field trips, assignments, special projects or upcoming evening events at school.