One of the best ways to keep in touch with parents is with a school newsletter. Parents can receive the newsletter by sending a hardcopy home with the students, mailing a hardcopy to parents’ homes, or sending an electronic copy directly to parents via e-mail or as an attachment in a message. This can be done every week, month, or however often school administrators see fit. Creating a school newsletter will keep parents informed about school events, academic focus and expectations, upcoming deadlines, and the measures the school is taking to keep children safe from illness, natural disasters, and other threats.
Teachers or school administrators, such as the principal or counselors, should write and send regular newsletters. When creating a school newsletter, be sure to include the following elements:
1. Contact Information
Teachers and administrators should include contact information for their schools and classrooms in their regular newsletter. These letters should include the school’s phone number, address, and email information. Teachers, too, can list the most appropriate way to contact them and the school email address in letters to the parents of their students. It can also be helpful to list the school’s office hours and teacher’s classroom hours so parents can make visits or schedule meetings if they have any concerns (Author).
Listing contact information is a great way to encourage communication between parents and teachers. Parents should feel welcomed in their children’s schools and classrooms and feel comfortable contacting their children’s teachers with questions or concerns. Listing contact information encourages feelings of trust and allows parents and teachers to work together to resolve classroom issues and do what is best for the students.
2. School Policies
Including school policies in a newsletter is particularly beneficial for the parents, students, and teachers. Administrators should make sure, especially at the beginning of the school year, that parents and students are aware of school rules and policies. Newsletters can include information about picking up and dropping children off at school, dress code information, and regulations about absences or tardiness to class (White). When parents are aware of policies about expected behavior and routines at school, they will be able to help their children follow the rules and be good students.
3. Event Calendar
School newsletters should include a practical calendar that lists upcoming events. Informing parents in advance about upcoming fundraisers, school plays, or sporting events will increase attendance, promote school spirit, and foster a sense of community among the students, their families, and the school.
Be sure to put the following events on calendars in school newsletters:
- Contests
- School-wide activities (such as field day, assemblies, read-a-thons, etc.)
- Modified/changed schedules
- Fundraisers/drives
- Music concerts
- Plays/theatrical productions
- Sporting events
- Deadlines (for registration, classroom fees, yearbook sign-ups, etc.)
Teachers should include basic information about the upcoming school week, month, or term in the newsletter. Teachers should include topics or objectives to be covered in class, assignment deadlines, homework assignments, and quiz/test dates. The newsletter should also include information about field trips, holidays, celebrations, and upcoming classroom activities or events.
5. Safety Information and Resource Announcements
Because the school year may be disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers and administrators should include information about how they are keeping students safe. This goes for safety during earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, storms, and fires as well.
School administrators should discuss the protocol and practical actions that will be taken in response to disasters, illness, or modifications due to increasing COVID-19 levels. By informing parents of fire safety drills, earthquake drills, and tornado drills, parents will be more trusting of school administrators and teachers and will be more comfortable with the measures being taken to keep their children safe.
Educators should also include information about resources for low-income students and their families. Many schools offer discounted food programs or access to clothing/hygiene products for students in need, and these organized programs are an integral part of keeping students safe and healthy.
Teachers and educators should also regularly update parents about how they are combatting COVID-19, encouraging hygiene, enforcing rules about handwashing and the use of hand sanitizer, and implementing social distancing. If any changes to schedules or classrooms need to be made due to COVID-19, educators can inform parents via the school newsletter.
6. Student Accomplishments
Educators need to highlight the successes and achievements of their students (Hammermill). School newsletters can include segments about students who have achieved exceptionally high grades, won awards, or participated in a noteworthy school/community activity. Parents will be proud to see the accomplishments of their children, and the students will be delighted to be highlighted and praised for their positive contributions to the school and community.
7. Overview of the Year
Parents appreciate information about goals and school-wide initiatives in advance. Has the school selected a motto or theme for the school year? Are there helpful, proven programs that will be incorporated into learning? What goals and expectations do educators have in mind for their students? By including this type of information in the school newsletter, parents will get an idea of what the school expects and will be able to encourage their children to meet those goals and participate in school initiatives and themes (White).
When teachers include parents in the academic lives of their children, they will see their students participate more and possibly improve academically. When teachers include contact information, school policies, details about upcoming events, class schedules, proven safety policies and updates, student accomplishments, and yearly overviews in newsletters, they encourage an atmosphere of community cooperation and involvement among parents with their children. For organized school newsletter template ideas, visit the following sites:
https://www.hammermill.com/blog/4-effective-tips-creating-school-newsletter
https://www.whatihavelearnedteaching.com/6-tips-writing-perfect-first-letter-home/
For more recent, informative articles for parents, students, and educators, subscribe to the EdGuru Edge blog at https://blog.edguru.co/.
References
Author, Guest. What I Have Learned. “6 Tips for Writing the Perfect First Letter Home,”
https://www.whatihavelearnedteaching.com/6-tips-writing-perfect-first-letter-home/.
Accessed July 6, 2020.
White, Allison. Magoosh. “How to Write a Back to School Parent Letter,” https://schools.magoos
h.com/schools-blog/how-to-write-a-back-to-school-parent-letter. February 11, 2019.
(Hammermill). Hammermill. “4 Effective Tips for Creating a School Newsletter,” https://www.ham
mermill.com/blog/4-effective-tips-creating-school-newsletter. January 31, 2018.
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