Create a school newsletter to keep parents informed.
School newsletters give the faculty members and staff an outlet to communicate important information to parents about the goings-on and needs inside of a school. You also don't have to depend on children to remember and relay lots of different messages to parents. Even if your school has never produced a newsletter, you can create a compelling, functional newsletter that parents will be willing to read on a regular basis.
Consistency Is Key
The size and appearance needs to be consistent, as well as how often you release the newsletter. If you release a monthly newsletter, the size can be considerably smaller than if you only release one newsletter once per semester. Also be sure to include consistent sections in your newsletter, like a letter from the principal, a reminders section or a feature story on a student's or a class's accomplishments.
When you first start producing a newsletter, it may take a while to work out the kinks in the layout, the size and the timing. Kindly explain why these changes happened to parents in the newsletter, and they'll understand.
Budget Information
Parents don't need every little detail about the school's budget, but it is important to make sure they understand the bigger picture, especially if you're at a public school. Be completely honest about the school's and the district's financial situation and tell them what challenges you're facing. Parents may not be happy to hear about these challenges, but it does keep them involved in the state of their children's education and they may even be able to offer creative solutions. Their company may even be willing to make donations instead of cutting out a major part of the school's curriculum or upkeep. They'll also be less upset when you have to announce cuts or make major changes in order to make ends meet.
No Jargon
Think like a reader when you write the newsletter. Keep in mind that most children's parents don't work in the educational system and don't know all the educational jargon that goes along with the job. Eliminate all acronyms and make sure that all the vocabulary and explanations you use would be easy to understand by everyone in the general public.
Include a Reminders Section
Place a section for important reminders at a focal point on the page, near the top of the newsletter instead of near the bottom or on the last page. This is where you'll update parents on making reservations for parent-teacher conferences, tell the date and time of the school play and list reminders about holidays or end-of-the-year festivities like Field Day. You may find it helpful to use a bright or bold color for the title of this section as a way to grab attention.
Easy Access
Make sure parents can easily access the school's most recent newsletter. Post a PDF version of it on the school's website, send a hard copy through the mail or have the parents sign up for a school-wide email list to receive a notification and electronic copy of the newsletter when one is available. The bottom line is to make sure the newsletter makes it from your computer to the eyes of the parents.
