Transform Your School Communication with Smore’s Collaboration Features

Creating consistent, engaging school communications can be challenging when multiple team members are involved. From maintaining brand consistency to managing last-minute updates, coordinating your school newsletter efforts often feels like a complex juggling act.

That’s where Smore’s collaboration features make all the difference.

In this guide, we’ll explore how Smore’s shared folders and real-time collaboration tools can streamline your school’s communication workflow. You’ll discover practical ways to help your team work together more effectively while maintaining the professional quality your community expects.

Why Team Collaboration Matters

When it comes to school communications, working together effectively isn’t just about convenience—it’s about creating a unified voice that resonates with your community. Here’s why collaborative communication makes a difference.

• Consistency in Messaging: When teams work together in a shared space, maintaining consistent branding and voice becomes natural rather than an ongoing challenge
• Time-Saving Workflows: Templates and shared resources eliminate duplicate work, letting your team focus on creating meaningful content
• Better Quality Control: Real-time collaboration enables quick feedback and improvements before messages reach families

Key Collaboration Features in Smore

Smore offers two primary tools that transform how schools create and manage their communications.

Shared Folders 📁

Think of shared folders as your digital communication hub. They enable your team to:

• Create and share on-brand templates across your organization
• Organize newsletters by department, grade level, or purpose
• Control access levels with viewer and editor permissions
• Maintain a searchable library of past communications

Pro Tip: Create a dedicated “Templates” folder with viewer-only access to ensure brand consistency while allowing teams to customize content for their needs.

Live Collaboration ✏️

Smore’s real-time collaboration feature brings intuitive teamwork to your school newsletters:

• Multiple team members can work on the same newsletter simultaneously
• See who’s currently editing with status indicators
• Track changes and contributions from team members
• Collaborate seamlessly without version control issues

Setting Up Your Collaboration Workflow

Here’s how to implement Smore’s collaboration features effectively.

1. Structure Your Shared Folders

• Create separate folders for templates, active newsletters, and archived content
• Set up department-specific folders (e.g., Athletics, Arts, Grade Levels)
• Establish clear naming conventions for easy navigation

2. Assign Access Levels

• Make templates “view only” to preserve formatting
• Grant editor access to team members who need to collaborate on content
• Create admin-level folders for sensitive communications

3. Train Your Team

• Schedule a brief training session on using shared folders
• Demonstrate live collaboration features
• Share best practices for template usage

4. Establish Communication Guidelines

• Create a style guide for consistent messaging
• Set clear roles and responsibilities
• Define approval workflows for different types of communications

Best Practices for Team Collaboration

Make the most of Smore’s collaboration features with these proven strategies.

Template Management

• Create master templates for different types of communications
• Include placeholder text and images for easy customization
• Update templates seasonally to keep content fresh

Workflow Optimization

• Designate specific team members for final review
• Set internal deadlines that allow for collaborative feedback
• Use shared folders to organize newsletters by publication date

Team Communication

• Establish clear protocols for requesting edits
• Use the live collaboration feature for real-time feedback
• Schedule regular check-ins to discuss what’s working

Elevate Your Team’s Communication

By leveraging Smore’s collaboration features, schools can create more efficient workflows, maintain consistent messaging, and strengthen community engagement efforts. The result? Better communication that takes less time to create.

Ready to see how Smore can transform your school’s communication strategy? Book a demo of Smore for Teams today to explore our collaboration tools in action.

Remember: Strong school communication isn’t just about what you say—it’s about how effectively your team works together to say it. 

Let Smore help you build a more collaborative communication culture in your school community.