Weekly Comm Plan
November 18. 2019
What to put in your newsletter?
As a principal, you get a lot of requests from people to "add this to your newsletter". Very quickly, it can become very long. Your newsletter is your one big shot each week to connect with your parents on what you feel is most important that they need to know. Here a few of my suggestions on what to do with that precious space:
- Keep it on the shorter side. We all know that attention spans aren't long - kid or adult - so once you get through 5 or 6 things, people are likely done reading.
- Make sure your #1 message is the very first thing they see. If that's not the calendar, that's okay. Maybe you need to specifically highlight one thing that's in the calendar.
- Don't put in the same things every week. People want to see that your newsletter is NEW! For example, if you always put in pick-up procedures, they are not getting read anymore. Take it out, wait a few weeks, then put it back in - at the top - to stress it.
- Take requests carefully. Would someone's request make a better Peachjar flyer? Don't let others requests cloud the important messages you want to share with your families.
- Can't fit everything into your newsletter? Create a Peachjar flyer!
- Read your newsletter as if you are the parent. How do you feel reading it?
- Take time to highlight the kids in one of the articles, or create a special feature to highlight one thing from the school and put it at the end so people want to get to it. This is a strategy you'll see the news do all the time. It's called a Kicker... end with something good:) (That's why the Tag You're It segment in News & Notes is at the end.)
What "launches" are you aware of?
In this upcoming newsletter, I am going to do the Spotlight article on "What is Capturing Kids Hearts?" In it, I would like to illustrate how kids see it play out in our district (social contract, good things, teachers shaking hands, etc.) I'm wondering what type of launches are out there that we could use for examples. Please let me know what you know! (In my head is the DSE phrase at the end of each assembly and the WSE kindergarten motto. What else?)
Newsletter planning
In one week, I will be sending the Fall 2019 Edition of the newsletter to the printer. If you have any thoughts on what you want highlighted from your building, speak now!
On My Schedule this week:
Monday
- Character meeting, 8th grade, OMS
- Athletic signing, 3pm
- Art club, DSE 3:45-4:45
Tuesday
- gone for county PR meeting
- Comm meeting with Melissa/Mark
Wednesday
Thursday
- Art club, DSE 3:45-4:45
Friday
- Band-a-thon underway
Saturday
- Good luck, OMS Robotics!
For the Media:
- Band-a-thon
- Athletic Signings
Coming Up...
OMS Food Drive
OHS Toy Drive
Holly McCaw, Director of Communications
Email: hmccaw@otsegops.org
Website: otsegops.org
Location: 400 Sherwood Street, Otsego, MI, United States
Phone: 269-267-7822
Facebook: facebook.com/otsegops
Twitter: @OtsegoSchools