katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,610 
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Post by katybee on Nov 4, 2017 0:56:24 GMT
How can teachers get you to read the monthly newsletter? Warning...this is mostly vent. I understand that none of you have kids in my class (at least I don't think so). But I am curious....do you read your child's teacher newsletter or website? We we are required, by my principal, to maintain a grade-level website and update it by the first Friday of every month with a newsletter. I spent 2 hours working on the November edition after school today. I include important dates, reminders, announcements (book fair, Veteran's Day ceremony info, food drive info, Thanksgiving Lunch info, literacy night info...there's a LOT going on this month), etc. Then I include a little blurb about what we are learning in each subject and how parents can help at home: In math, we are learning blah, blah, blah. If you want to help at home you can blah, blah, blah. I always include helpful videos, links, etc. I write it in SHORT paragraphs and include lots of visuals. I understand that people are busy. Tonight, after I published November, I went to check october's stats. NINE people read it. NINE.  We have over 100 kindergarteners. We send an email with the link---all parents have to do is click. We have a well-educated, even affluent community. What is even more frustrating is when parents email me and ask questions that were ANSWERED in the newsletter. I already work 60 hours a week. It would help if you would just read the FREAKING newsletter and I wouldn't have to spend time answering your questions. It it takes about 5 minutes to read the newsletter. A little longer if you explore the links (but I wouldn't want anyone to have to actually devote any time to their child's education).  Only nine people cared enough to read October. But I'll do it again in a month...because I HAVE to. |
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 20:36:17 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2017 1:07:49 GMT
I'm sorry that you're frustrated. The bright side is that 9 people sought out your website and were probably very grateful for your effort. You're making a lasting impression on your kindergarteners and I'm sure you are very important to them, so don't let the newsletter get you down. Maybe even request some parental involvement to get make them aware of what they're missing. Sounds like a lot of them are probably new at this if these are their first school age children. I'm sure their current lack of support isn't personal.
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smcast
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,509
Location: MN
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Post by smcast on Nov 4, 2017 1:09:18 GMT
I do if there is one. I would really appreciate it.
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caangel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,025
Location: So Cal
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Post by caangel on Nov 4, 2017 1:10:03 GMT
As PTA President I get you. What we have found is if they even check their email no one wants to click. We have had better luck once we moved to a newsletter that was integrated into the email. Mail chip is a free option.
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Post by jenjie on Nov 4, 2017 1:14:12 GMT
When my kids were in elementary school, their end-of-week test packet included a page with some of that info. Parents needed to sign and return stating they read/received it. It was mostly about the test grades, but if that packet was not signed and returned, the student would be dinged in some way. Maybe you could institute some sort of return receipt, or read receipt. Good luck. I know it's frustrating.
ETA very little of my email gets read, but personal emails from teachers get opened immediately. If the school could stress the importance of these emails, it might make a difference.
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johnnysmom
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Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Nov 4, 2017 1:15:17 GMT
I’m sorry, that sucks I’ll admit I almost never go to ds (1st grade) teachers website I know she has one but always forget to check it. I do read the weekly/monthly newsletter (printed, in his folder) plus follow the Facebook page and like the pics. I also sign up for parties/conferences via sign up genius. But I know I’m not the norm, there are lots of parents who don’t even check their kids backpacks on a regular (or even weekly) basis. Wonder if you could text the newsletter link? Maybe the emails are getting lost in spam?  |
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Post by Basket1lady on Nov 4, 2017 1:16:32 GMT
When you respond to a parent's questions, answer them and then have some pat response like, "You can always check our website at www.cluelessparents.edu for up-to-date information." I'm not saying all 100 will read it, but maybe you will get another 9? or maybe you can even make it to 20 parents? But honestly, people constantly tell me that they don't read my emails--that they are just too long. Well, sure. I'd hate to interrupt your Netflix marathon. As a K teacher, you have the chance to teach these newbie parents how things work at your school. It doesn't make it any easier or less frustrating. But maybe the first grade teachers will have it a little easier! |
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,467
Location: Dallas Texas
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Post by SabrinaP on Nov 4, 2017 1:18:39 GMT
Do you have pictures and videos of the kids on your website? I’ve found that always gets parents to keep visiting.
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,610
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Post by katybee on Nov 4, 2017 1:19:00 GMT
As PTA President I get you. What we have found is if they even check their email no one wants to click. We have had better luck once we moved to a newsletter that was integrated into the email. Mail chip is a free option. They have the option to get it in an email format. In our first newsletter, I put a big arrow pointing exactly where they need to enter their email address to make it happen. Literally, all they have to do is put in their email address and hit submit. As of tonight, we have exactly ZERO email subscribers. Unfortunately, we are required to maintain the website. No choice--my principal wants us to have a public presence on the web. |
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Nov 4, 2017 1:20:21 GMT
I would be all over a website that is devoted to my child's class, and even updated regularly.
I don't know how to "make" parents find the time. Those who want to, will.
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Post by lucyg on Nov 4, 2017 1:24:29 GMT
My sympathies. My grandson's teacher sends home a brief newsletter every Monday. On the back of it is a homework checklist where the kids are supposed to check off each of their homework assignments Mon-Thurs and the parent signs it and sends it back with the homework on Friday. I am the Friday morning "mom" in the classroom. I take all the papers out of the folders, sort them out, and put stickers on the folders for turning in all homework.* I cannot tell you how many of these parents never even look at the newsletters, let alone sign off on their kids' homework. I can tell because they're still backwards on the wrong side of the folder, along with piles of old school work, tests (!!), artwork, announcements we sent home weeks ago. This morning I noticed that one of them still had their kid's unopened progress report from a few weeks ago in the "take home" side of the folder. It was supposed to be signed and returned. Said so right there in the weekly newsletter.  This is an educated, financially comfortable small town/suburb. High rate of home ownership, low rate of unemployment, zero homelessness, hardly any crime, award-winning schools. I know parents are busy and stressed, but jeez, take five minutes to focus on your kid's school stuff once or twice a week, why doncha? *note, this is third grade and homework is very light. My grandson spends about five minutes a day on math and spelling, and another half an hour reading. |
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 20:36:17 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2017 1:24:29 GMT
Is the newsletter for the entire school or specific to each teacher? I can tell you that when my son was at his K-8 school, it was difficult to read each teacher's web page, especially when he was in 7th and 8th grade and had multiple teachers. In addition, each teacher had various links to click on for different info. It was information overload and too fragmented IMO, especially as a parent with multiple children at the same school. In high school, we receive one monthly email that contains the newsletter. All important information is right there, easy for me to scan and read through. Additional links are included for specific topics. It's simple, concise and a way more effective form of communication.
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Post by Linda on Nov 4, 2017 1:30:26 GMT
Do you have pictures and videos of the kids on your website? I’ve found that always gets parents to keep visiting. that would be my suggestion also. katybee - if I were one of your class parents, I would be thrilled to get information all in one place like that. But sadly, I don't think you can make parents care/pay attention.... I have a GS troop of 9 girls - I send ALL the information out via email AND our FB page as well as verbally at the end of the meeting and I still get parents who message me and ask for the exact information that I've JUST given them and others who never seem to have it together at all and consequently their girls miss out on our non-meeting activities. |
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caangel
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Posts: 6,025
Location: So Cal
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Post by caangel on Nov 4, 2017 1:31:13 GMT
Can you some how reward the class when x# or % sign up for the newsletter? Make it part of the homework packet for parents to check off. Have a competition for the class that has the most subscribers each week? Depending on how many kids are in your class, can you have parents fill out a form if they are interested in signing up for the newsletter and sign them up your self or have a room parent do it while volunteering?
As a teacher I found when I made it important to the students they put the pressure on the parents to get it done. Doesn't work for all kids but made a big different.
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,610
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Post by katybee on Nov 4, 2017 1:31:17 GMT
Do you have pictures and videos of the kids on your website? I’ve found that always gets parents to keep visiting. So it's a team website for all of the kinder teachers. It's for our common information (we are a very unified team--so almost everything is common). Off the main webpage, each teacher has their personal page for pictures, videos, etc. Once a month, I post a video of our class...I edit it and set it to music...it's the cutest thing ever. I just checked, it has 35 views...so at least people watch it. But I would never know since no one ever acknowledges it! No thanks..or "awww....that's so cute!" Just crickets. We also have to maintain a Class Dojo account. I send reminders about library books and due dates through that (text message). And at least 2-3 times a week I send pictures. Those get likes, so I guess people just prefer text message format. Oh yeah--we're also required to have a twitter account. But I don't. I refuse. I do enough. |
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Post by busy on Nov 4, 2017 1:35:19 GMT
I read ours, which comes as a link in email, but a lot of parents request the link to be sent via text.
A communication app like Class Dojo would also be an option.
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caangel
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Posts: 6,025
Location: So Cal
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Post by caangel on Nov 4, 2017 1:36:33 GMT
That's a lot of different things to keep on top of. I would think one done well would be enough. As a parent that is a lot to check for one kid. I would probably expect the most updated to be class dojo and feel like I wouldn't need to go else where.
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Post by threegirls on Nov 4, 2017 1:39:02 GMT
I'm sorry I don't have any answers for you but I would love it if the teachers at my girls' school would do that. One of my biggest disappointments about their school is the lack of communication.
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,610
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Post by katybee on Nov 4, 2017 1:45:07 GMT
Is the newsletter for the entire school or specific to each teacher? I can tell you that when my son was at his K-8 school, it was difficult to read each teacher's web page, especially when he was in 7th and 8th grade and had multiple teachers. In addition, each teacher had various links to click on for different info. It was information overload and too fragmented IMO, especially as a parent with multiple children at the same school. In high school, we receive one monthly email that contains the newsletter. All important information is right there, easy for me to scan and read through. Additional links are included for specific topics. It's simple, concise and a way more effective form of communication. It's the kinder team newsletter. It's mostly stuff that is specific to kindergarten. There is a school wide newsletter (PK-5) that has info pertaining to all grades. But it's very generic. |
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Post by bigbundt on Nov 4, 2017 1:45:23 GMT
In my last job I was in charge of organizing info given into a newsletter and then sending it out to our database and monitoring the open and click through rate. Another part of my job was going out and meeting with these people to gauge their satisfaction with our service in general. I always asked about the newsletter, what they liked, what they would like to see, do they like their method of receiving it, etc.
What I have learned is people respond differently to the same information depending on how they receive it. Some people wanted a hard copy, some people wanted an email, some a website, some wanted social media notifications, text notifications, etc, etc. When it isn't received by a method they use regularly, they ignore it. Email is not a 100% reliable method for delivery as it can go to spam or depending on the email server security protocols used, not delivered at all.
Long response to say if you want to hit the widest audience, you are going to have to use other methods besides just email and the website. That can be putting a hard copy in folders, emailing a link to the newsletter, sending out newsletter link via social media and text, putting the newsletter on the website, do it all. Will this ensure 100%? No.
As parent of a second grader I would love it and read it but I always open emails from the school/teachers.
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AmandaA
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,502
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Post by AmandaA on Nov 4, 2017 1:49:24 GMT
That would be discouraging. My kids' teachers all send weekly emails and I really enjoy getting them. But I will say that sometimes parents surprise me. I am the cochair of our parent group this year. I had to send out our big introduction email with the calendar of events and fundraiser info. I put together a very nice, concise 3 paragraph message- the director of the school sent it back and made me redo it. She said parents won't read paragraphs... must be bullet points 😳 This is a private school in an affluent community as well. Those of us who aren't attorneys, doctors, and corporate big shots are in the minority for sure. But they won't freaking read 3 paragraphs.... blew my mind.
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Post by MissBianca on Nov 4, 2017 1:55:21 GMT
To be completely honest, after 4 kids I barely skim the Wednesday folder. And I don’t sign anything either. We get so bombarded with papers, 9 times out of 10, I toss them without looking.
I also very very rarely check email, even though it’s on my phone.
2 things I check are text messages, our cross country coach uses remind for messages and I know for pasta parties and race info you can embed a link.
And I check FB. Will they let you do a private FB group instead? Our fencing team has a page where they post photos, info etc.
Heck my HS kids have power school which has an app and I don’t even check that.
If it were me, and 9 out of 100 parents looked at the email, I would keep it as short and sweet as possible. Like as in the absolute least amount of info you can get away with without getting in trouble. Then I would start polling the other teachers, not just your grade, to see what percentage of their parents actually look at the email. Then I would take that info to your bosses and ask them if it’s really a productive use of your time and if there are better ways to share info with parents.
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Post by iteach3rdgrade on Nov 4, 2017 1:55:48 GMT
I’m a parent and a teacher. I think there are a lot of apps out there that are more user friendly and easier to check on phones. That doesn’t help you though.
Less is more for me. Give me the cliff note version. I use dojo and upload a brief weekly letter and I also send a paper copy home.
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Post by bigbundt on Nov 4, 2017 1:57:39 GMT
Another thing I thought of that was successful with my group. We sent out a separate email with dates and hyperlinked them with the ability for the recipient to be able to add it to their calendar from from the link. That was it, no paragraphs, no other links, just a list of dates/events with the links. It had a much higher open rate than our normal newsletter. People don't want to read, they want info in short, quick to scan blocks.
Another thing to look at is what the information you send out looks in mobile devices. When I left my job, the tide was turning from people viewing the information on a desktop to mobile devices. If your info is not optimized for mobile viewing and can't be read, many people will not return to your info once on a desktop. So keep that in mind too.
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Post by Zee on Nov 4, 2017 1:58:04 GMT
Are you emailing a link to them or just expecting them to go to the website? I'd follow a link from my child's teacher but probably wouldn't bother to look it up on my own. I assume you're not printing out copies (that would be more likely to be read, though, if it's in a child's backpack with their homework).
Include a "guest column" that gets the kids involved if you can, maybe just some general questions discussed in class with cute answers that the parents would enjoy. Have a student of the week (everyone included throughout the year--just a quick paragraph with a self-portrait drawn by the student, maybe). I know all that sounds like a lot of work and maybe isn't practical, but it might get parents more interested.
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TankTop
Pearl Clutcher
Refupea #1,871
Posts: 4,876
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Jun 28, 2014 1:52:46 GMT
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Post by TankTop on Nov 4, 2017 2:02:45 GMT
Don’t answer the email. Just reposted with a quick...
That information is right here.... insert link.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 20:36:17 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2017 2:05:53 GMT
So it's a team website for all of the kinder teachers. It's for our common information (we are a very unified team--so almost everything is common). Off the main webpage, each teacher has their personal page for pictures, videos, etc. Once a month, I post a video of our class...I edit it and set it to music...it's the cutest thing ever. I just checked, it has 35 views...so at least people watch it. But I would never know since no one ever acknowledges it! No thanks..or "awww....that's so cute!" Just crickets. We also have to maintain a Class Dojo account. I send reminders about library books and due dates through that (text message). And at least 2-3 times a week I send pictures. Those get likes, so I guess people just prefer text message format. Oh yeah--we're also required to have a twitter account. But I don't. I refuse. I do enough. There is a school wide newsletter (PK-5) that has info pertaining to all grades. But it's very generic. Sounds like a possible reason why parents aren't reading the newsletter is because its overwhelming. Between the various newsletters, websites, emails, texts, etc., it's information overload, and that is just for the kindergarten students. Imagine what parents with multiple aged students are receiving. Any way to consolidate all of this so that parents aren't receiving so many different forms of communication so often? |
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,610
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Post by katybee on Nov 4, 2017 2:09:06 GMT
So let me ask this for those who want the "Cliff Notes" version: Do you wat to know what your kids are currently learning? And ways you can help at home? Or should I skip that part? Here is what I wrote for reading this month, and it was by far the longest (it's formatted better and easier to read on the website):
By now, your child should be bringing home book bags weekly. It is very important to read with your child every night!
Before you start reading a new book with your child, take a PICTURE WALK. Have your child look carefully at the pictures in the book (in order) and try to tell the story without looking at the words at all. This prepares your child for reading by:
*teaching them to use pictures clues when they come to a word they don't know.
*helping them get a feel for what happens in the story and who the characters are.
*getting them excited to read the book.
*helping them activate prior knowledge and make connections to their own lives.
*helping them learn new or difficult vocabulary.
Most are more like this (science):
In science, we are exploring the ways objects move and describing the position of objects. We are also exploring the interaction of magnets with various materials. We are having lots of fun in class, but if you want to continue the fun at home, check out these activities! (With a picture and link to a website with magnet activities).
I feel like we're damned if we do and damned if we don't. How can we involve parents if they don't even care what their kids are learning about?
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 20:36:17 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2017 2:09:17 GMT
Next time a parent askes you a question answered on your website/newsletter your response should be...
"Hello - you will find that information answered in Section Blah-Blah, Item 3 in the December newsletter."
Parents will never learn to look for themselves unless you teach them how to find the information. If you keep giving them the answer they will expect you to keep giving it. Teach them to fish like you do your Kinder kids.
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,610
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Post by katybee on Nov 4, 2017 2:13:06 GMT
Another thing I thought of that was successful with my group. We sent out a separate email with dates and hyperlinked them with the ability for the recipient to be able to add it to their calendar from from the link. That was it, no paragraphs, no other links, just a list of dates/events with the links. It had a much higher open rate than our normal newsletter. People don't want to read, they want info in short, quick to scan blocks. Another thing to look at is what the information you send out looks in mobile devices. When I left my job, the tide was turning from people viewing the information on a desktop to mobile devices. If your info is not optimized for mobile viewing and can't be read, many people will not return to your info once on a desktop. So keep that in mind too. We have a google calendar tab with all the upcoming events. Parents can add it to their own google calendars. We use blogger. It is automatically formatted for mobile devices. I read it on my phone and iPad and it looks great. |
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We have over 100 kindergarteners. We send an email with the link---all parents have to do is click. We have a well-educated, even affluent community. 
