The School Feed is your school community’s private communication network. Here are some tips on excelling in school communication utilizing the School Feed.
These tips can enhance your school’s communication and ensure your messages are transparent, effective, and inclusive.
#1: Create a Clear Title
Craft a title that gets straight to the point so your community knows to keep reading. The title is the first thing community members see in the subject line of email, text or push notifications. Ensure the title is clear and concise—this is not the place for creative writing experiments.
#2: Get to the Point
Ragan Consulting Group offers sage advice: Edit. Trim. Repeat. Make sure every word counts, no matter how many you use. (learn more)
#3: Avoid Time-Based Words like “Tomorrow”
Use exact dates instead of time-based words like “tomorrow” or “yesterday.” These references can confuse busy readers as their meanings change daily.
#4: Communicate with Visuals
The human brain processes visuals much faster than text, and visuals can evoke an emotional connection to the topic. Ensure the visuals are relevant and include contextual images and close-ups that drive emotional engagement.
#5: Time It Right
While research on the best times to post on social media is not definitive, the general advice is to avoid late-night posts and Saturdays. Early morning or afternoons after 1 PM are typically better. Consider when parents are most likely to engage with the post. For instance, requests to fill out online forms might be better sent earlier in the week, while sharing pictures might be best after dinner when parents can check their phones.
Use School Signals delivery reports and statistics to see how quickly the community opens notifications. Then, use the School Signals scheduling tool to time your posts appropriately.
#6: Use a Content Library
Maintain a content library to create communication templates for your staff and teachers. This ensures that communication is quick and consistent in style and tone. Keep your messages clear and to the point.
#7: Follow Up with a Communications Audit
To gauge the effectiveness of your communication, seek feedback from the recipients. Create an online form for community members to provide feedback anytime or send out an annual survey. Ask questions like:
- Is the communication frequent enough?
- Is it easy to provide feedback?
- Is the communication accessible and easy to locate?
- Is the communication inclusive of the community’s voices?
#8: Be Ready to Adjust Your School Communication Plan
Effective communication involves dialogue, not just informing. Engage your community members in the communication process to create a vibrant school culture. Listen to and include all voices from the community, and be ready to adjust your school communication plan to serve their needs better.
- Unlocking Parent Feedback: Best Practices for School Feedback Forms - November 6, 2024
- Time of Change? Reaching Buy-In by Communicating Proactively - September 12, 2024
- 7 Key Takeaways from Research on the Parent-Teacher Conference Experience - September 7, 2024
