diff --git a/public/admin.js b/public/admin.js
index d678ee9..8416762 100644
--- a/public/admin.js
+++ b/public/admin.js
@@ -2018,13 +2018,12 @@ async function openAdminThread(studentId, meta) {
     const input = $('#msg-admin-input');
     const body = input.value.trim();
     if (!body) return;
-    const lastMsgId = msgs[msgs.length - 1]?.id;
-    if (!lastMsgId) return;
     input.value = '';
-    await api(`/api/messages/${lastMsgId}/reply`, { method: 'POST', body: { body } });
+    await api(`/api/admin/messages/${studentId}`, { method: 'POST', body: { body } });
     const updated = await api(`/api/admin/messages/${studentId}`);
     msgsEl.innerHTML = renderAdminMsgs(updated);
     msgsEl.scrollTop = msgsEl.scrollHeight;
+    loadMessages();
     loadMessagesBadge();
   });
 }
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 955e94a..df51a60 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -1773,13 +1773,12 @@ app.post('/api/students/:id/messages', (req, res) => {
   res.json({ id: lastInsertRowid });
 });
 
-app.post('/api/messages/:id/reply', requirePin, (req, res) => {
+app.post('/api/admin/messages/:studentId', requirePin, (req, res) => {
   const body = String(req.body.body || '').trim();
-  if (!body) return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Reply cannot be empty' });
-  const msg = db.prepare(`SELECT student_id FROM messages WHERE id = ?`).get(req.params.id);
-  if (!msg) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'No such message' });
-  const { lastInsertRowid } = db.prepare(`INSERT INTO messages (student_id, sender, body) VALUES (?, 'parent', ?)`).run(msg.student_id, body);
-  db.prepare(`UPDATE messages SET read_at = datetime('now') WHERE id = ?`).run(req.params.id);
+  if (!body) return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Message cannot be empty' });
+  const student = db.prepare(`SELECT id FROM students WHERE id = ?`).get(req.params.studentId);
+  if (!student) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'No such student' });
+  const { lastInsertRowid } = db.prepare(`INSERT INTO messages (student_id, sender, body) VALUES (?, 'parent', ?)`).run(req.params.studentId, body);
   res.json({ id: lastInsertRowid });
 });
 
@@ -1790,9 +1789,9 @@ app.get('/api/admin/messages', requirePin, (req, res) => {
            MAX(m.sent_at) AS lastAt,
            (SELECT body FROM messages WHERE student_id = s.id ORDER BY sent_at DESC LIMIT 1) AS lastBody
     FROM students s
-    JOIN messages m ON m.student_id = s.id
+    LEFT JOIN messages m ON m.student_id = s.id
     GROUP BY s.id
-    ORDER BY lastAt DESC
+    ORDER BY lastAt DESC NULLS LAST
   `).all();
   res.json(threads);
 });