Your easy button for new parent communication
Written by lauren empson
Schools have opened their doors for another school year. As a communications professional, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the information sent from our new elementary school. I know exactly when school starts. We’ve gotten our school supplies list and know our teacher assignments and class schedules.
Yet, as a parent of a kindergartner and a first grader in a new school district, I still have so many questions! For example: What types of opportunities for free play are built into the day? How much screen time are kids actually getting each day? What if my kid falls asleep on the floor because she’s 5 and sometimes just needs a nap?
As a school leader, it’s important to realize that kindergarten parents and new parents are a rare breed. This audience doesn’t have the experience or insights that your returning families bring to a new school year. Everything is new for them, and your communications efforts must reflect that – not just during this back-to-school season, but throughout the year.
By helping families understand what their child’s day looks like during school, they become more confident and comfortable with their decision to share their children with you and your staff.
easy opportunities for school leaders
The list below outlines several opportunities that school leaders can pursue to build parents’ confidence during back-to-school and throughout the school year (e.g., testing periods, etc.).
1. Make your website a hub for your communication.
It may sound simple, but with emails, school apps and social media, it’s easy for families to not know where to look first when they need information. Your website is a tried and true central resource, and it’s a platform that most families are familiar with. Make sure it’s up to date and user-friendly.
2. Establish regular communication with parents, and share the good news.
I’ve heard not only from my school’s principal, but from countless Forthright clients that schools worry about burdening parents and caregivers with “information overload”. This can lead schools to sharing more limited updates – “just the facts” and important information can get lost because it’s only shared once.
Research suggests parents are getting limited, if not inaccurate, messages about their kids’ performance. New survey findings echo the problem: Nearly half of parents say they want better communication from their kids’ schools – especially about attendance.
Plus, we know what the data says about repetition: people need to hear things seven times before they begin to remember it. Here’s a handy graphic to help inspire some places to repeat your information.
Bring parents into the classroom early.
Studies suggest that parental involvement can help students succeed. Students with involved parents and caregivers achieve higher grades and test scores, have improved social skills, are better able to stay on task, better attendance and participation, and decreased behavioral problems in the classroom.
Give your parents and caregivers opportunities to be involved. Back-to-school nights, reading to the classroom, birthday lunch celebrations, even a meet-the-teacher event where you hand out classroom assignments and can chat with your child’s new teacher. Set the tone early and continue to offer opportunities for parents to be involved.
But, make sure you’re equally involving those families who may not be able to attend in person – help them feel involved, too (see steps #1 and #2 above). Need help reaching families without internet access in your district? We have a free resource for that!
A recent survey shows that families are increasingly considering new schooling options for their children. And with school choice programs expanding, it’s important for public schools to think about how they can engage current, new and prospective families. Communications play a key role in your engagement strategy.
Go forth and communicate!
P.S. Not sure where to start? We’re here to help! Our team has worked with school leaders to build strategic communications plans and make sure you’re reaching parents, caregivers and community members with the information they need AND want.
