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 With the ubiquitousness of cell phones and social apps it’s a good idea to use these tools to reach out and connect with parents. I’m in my 40’s and the primary social media tool that my peer group and I use, is Facebook. Most of my parents are on there as well. Obviously you don’t want to use your personal Facebook account to reach out to school parents but the following are some ideas on how to grow your school community’s engagement using social media.
According to Statista, a website that tracks a multitude of statistics, Facebook had 1.79 billion active users as of the third quarter of 2016. Facebook should be the foundation of your social media strategy if you want to get your school, and the cool things being done, in front of your parents . You can post activities your school’s doing like a community meal, or awards ceremony. By posting these types of events on a consistent basis it helps to build the school’s brand. Twitter is a great way to give a distilled version of events. Where on Facebook there’s the opportunity to expand on updates, Twitter forces you to be concise. A great way to connect to parents in the Midwest is to have them follow you during the winter months. Let parents know that you’ll be announcing snow days via twitter. You might find that December through February is the best time to increase your followers. Youtube Youtube can be a great resource for parents. Often times parents have trouble logging into a certain section of a school’s website or they have difficulty logging into a particular app that the school district uses to display their child’s grades. By having “how to” tutorial videos on your webpage you can address some of those concerns. Youtube is also a great way highlight student work and their projects. By integrating these three social media tools you can increase the reach that your school has in the community. The more often parents see you the more comfortable they’ll be entrusting their children to you. What social media tools do you use to promote your school? What apps have you found that are helpful? Leave your tips in the comment section below.
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 The office staff are the first people that parents come into contact with when they enter the building. Making sure this is a positive welcoming experience is key in parents leaving the school with a great feeling. When contacting parents either over the phone or through an electronic connection, keep in mind that this is an opportunity for them to spread the word about how good your school is in communicating. This is a great time to reflect on how parents perceive your school. Use the tips below to make sure they have a great interaction every time they interact with someone from the school.
Parents’ Expectations A good way to know what your parents need is to put yourself in their shoes. If you have a child and you walk into a school or talk to a teacher what do you expect? I always feel a sense of comfort when the front office staff knows my child’s name and the teachers speak about them as if they know them. Make sure your staff knows their students. By showing you know a child you’ll have a much better chance of that parent walking away with a good feeling. They’ll be sure to brag about how good your school is to their friends when you consistently live up to their expectations. Technology is your Friend The frenetic pace at which technology continues to evolve makes it difficult to stay up to date. However, as the building leader you need to be at least proficient. It’s no secret that more and more people are accessing information through their phones. Using communication apps like Powerschool, where parents can access grades and teacher contact information, or social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to share your school’s success are great ways to meet parents where they are. By leveraging tech parents will know that you’re doing everything you can to give them a great service. Winning Language Winning language is a way to communicate information in a positive way. When a parent is upset and calls wanting an immediate meeting you want to use positive language if you don’t currently have the time to meet. There are a couple of ways you can answer: You could say, “No I can’t meet right now. I don’t have time.” Or you could say, “I’m happy to meet you tomorrow at 2:00, or at 4:00”. Both examples convey the same information. The first example however, sounds abrupt and dismissive. The second option is more friendly, gives a couple of choices and sounds much more accommodating. While the answer is the same, the parents will have a much better perception of how you’ve communicated with them if you use the second example. Promoting positive school interactions with parents is key to having a successful school. What strategies do you use to influence parents perceptions of your school? Please share your ideas in the comment section!
You want everybody, teachers, students, community and board members, to walk into your building and feel the great energy that you’ve worked so hard to establish. If you want your school culture to be positive, guard against these three destroyers of staff morale.
Vertical management We’ve all been on staff that has been top-down and complained about the “leadership” not caring about or even knowing about our situation.
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AuthorI'm a Principal and an Entrepreneur. I'm the former owner of a food venture Hustling Hoagies, the author of the children's picture books Detective Dwayne Drake and the Alphabet Thief, Detective Dwayne Drake and The Case of the Mathematical Misfit and the ebook Making it as a Male Model in Michigan. I've worked professionally as a model and commercial actor...... Archives
May 2020
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