In my own school community I have tried to connect with my school community in a variety of ways. The first way is through the use of social media. The use of Twitter and Facebook allows me to share what is going on in our school in a quick way. It doesn't take much time to snap a pic with my phone and then share it on Facebook and Twitter. Sharing what is going on in our school allows our parents and community to see all of the great things our students and teachers are doing on a daily basis. Parents appreciate seeing what is going on in the school and I have had a lot of positive feedback on the sharing we have done so far this year.
The second way that I share with my school community is through the use of Newsletters. Each month I send home a paper copy of our school newsletter. We include a calendar of the month's upcoming events, news about what has been going on in the school, and important announcements. This newsletter is something that our previous principals did and I have continued it as another way to connect. I have also started using SMORE to publish a weekly digital newsletter. For this newsletter I share pics, stories about the week, and any upcoming announcements. I share this newsletter using the Remind app, and on Facebook and Twitter. I am anxious to see how this weekly newsletter is received over time.
Another way that I connect is by being visible. I try to be visible every morning by greeting students as they enter the building. I speak to as many of the students as I can and say good morning. I also have a daily goal of saying good morning to all of the school employees as we start our day. I am not always able to see everyone, but I try. I think it is important to be accessible to everyone, to let them know you are glad they are here and you are ready to help if they need it.
Being connected is an important thing for all educators. In my school community the way that I have tried to build those connections is through information sharing and building relationships. Once relationships have been established then we can see the many benefits of being connected.
Another way that I connect is by being visible. I try to be visible every morning by greeting students as they enter the building. I speak to as many of the students as I can and say good morning. I also have a daily goal of saying good morning to all of the school employees as we start our day. I am not always able to see everyone, but I try. I think it is important to be accessible to everyone, to let them know you are glad they are here and you are ready to help if they need it.
Being connected is an important thing for all educators. In my school community the way that I have tried to build those connections is through information sharing and building relationships. Once relationships have been established then we can see the many benefits of being connected.
And you do a nice job with all of this. Our school is fortunate to have you as our leader.
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