How do you keep in contact with your students' parents?

[GREED]

One of the most important aspects of maintaining any school, among other thing, is how do you keep in contact with parents, particularly those who you see so rarely (at the gates, briefly... or maybe at parent's evening)?

 

I have a genuine interest in this area, something I was very keen in perviously and worked well with some suppliers of communication technologies, although that is only a part of the overall picture.

 

So what do you use, not just for messages (there are probably about 4 answers for that), but also for keeping them included in school happenings etc? How do you get the data to them?

 

[As with other threads I have started, not looking to praise or bash one supplier or another, just a general interest thread]

[glennda]

we use email and have school meetings at least once a term which each parent would be invited to, of one thing or another whether it is report days meeting teachers or a careers evening with SLT. On the afternoons SLT try to have at least one of them in reception meeting/greeting etc

[Sylv3r]

e-mail, SIMS Learning Gateway, paper letter, twitter and facebook.

[laserblazer]

Parentmail.

[vikpaw]

In person when they come in to apply, to pay fees, to attend school shows / events, parents evenings.

By email / text, directly or via schoolcomms.

Letters home via students, also termly newsletters, printed reports each semester.

Annual review book, like a year book.

The website.

Twitter / Facebook coming soon.

An app - maybe one day in the future.

[GNewnham]

All parents and guardians have access to our intranet where the sports team sheets, photos of events, news, termly letters and forms are to be found. They also have access to a parent portal for individual information about their own children ie reports (twice a term), detentions received, merits and commendations awarded, teaching sets, exam entries, timetables etc. There is also a termly parent/teacher meeting. Otherwise all other info is communicated via email or sms (if more urgent).

 

Hope this helps.

[Alfred_Bester]

Parents are contacted using InTouch (texts, e-mails), they have access to school webiste/Learning Platform, letters from the school, parents evenings.

The school will use specific events (e.g. school musical) to promote other areas of interest to parents as well.

[accura2000]

We use phone, email, SMS, Facebook, Twitter and our school website.... All seem to work quite well and rarely get complaints that parents dont know whats going on...

[GREED]

Thanks guys for your opinions and answers, I love reading about schools use of communication technologies, particularly social networks.

[Danp]

We use email, text when needed, main school website, ePortal and Twitter.

[Dom_]

E-mail, School website, paper newsletters, school blog. Looking into using facebook/twitter at a few schools but need to get it unblocked for staff first...