Ideas You Can Use

These ideas have all worked in high schools somewhere. Some may not be appropriate for your school; others could be a great match. We encourage Partnership principals to review the ideas, consider which make the most sense for them, adapt them for their needs and communities, and give them a try. They all are geared to making people more supportive of your school.

We also are seeking additional ideas. If you would like to contribute a communication idea that is working for you, send it to [email protected]. You and your school will be credited.

(Click here to download this page in MS Word format.)

For communicating with STUDENTS

• Learn the names of as many students as possible. Greet then by name at every opportunity—at events, in the hallways, in the cafeteria, etc. Show them you care.

• Assign an upperclassman to freshmen and other new students. The upperclassman can show the newcomer around the school, introduce him/her to peers, and serve as a positive role model.

• Find ways to recognize all students—not just the high achievers. A congratulatory letter mailed home, announcements over the PA system or on the video board, awards assemblies, a hall of fame, all say you care and you have successful young people.

• Create a tutoring program with a feeder school. Everyone benefits. The high school students have a chance to serve and are recognized for it, and education opportunities for the younger students increase. Plus, you demonstrate to feeder school parents and students that there are quality young people in your high school.

• Don’t forget that high school students want to know “why.” Provide them rationale for important school decisions, such as moving to block scheduling or eliminating a junior varsity sport. If you don’t provide them the accurate reason, students may create their own reason and communicate it to peers, parents and community members.

• Develop a student screening committee for school assemblies.

• Establish a partnership with local businesses to recognize student success. Businesses could provide discount coupons for students who improve their academic or attendance records or complete a certain amount of community service.

• Schedule occasional brown bag lunches with small groups of students. Use the time as a way to provide information, hear the students’ concerns and recognize them for their accomplishments. Remember to include all segments of the student body.

• Have a foreign exchange student from your school visit feeder schools to discuss her or his country.

• Develop a Grade-a-Thon project where students can earn pledge money for a scholarship fund or new materials by obtaining As and Bs on their report card. Students can recruit pledges from parents, grandparents, community members, etc.

• Take students to your civic club meeting and introduce them to the club. Have them make a short presentation on a favorite class or activity at the school. This is great recognition for the students and a wonderful way to showcase your successes to key community members.

• Establish a day when students can shadow the principal, AP, school secretary, or custodian. This can be a reward to students and also helps build bridges between staff and youngsters.

• Produce a short (10 minute) video on your school. It can be shown at feeder schools, at events for new students, at parent meetings, or to community groups. Plus, you can allow people to check it out and view it at home.

• Try to have at least one positive comment on every report card. If there is a positive note, student morale will be higher and parents will be more supportive toward the school.

• Frame your students. Northern High School (Port Huron, MI) puts news articles on students, certificates they receive and other positive items in a picture frame and hangs it in a showcase at the school. Those items are sent home when they are rotated out of the showcase.

Ideas for communicating with PARENTS

• With the hectic schedules everyone seems to have these days, some parents can’t always make it to the school performance to see their son or daughter. Consider video taping school plays, concerts, etc., and letting parents check out the video to view at home.

• Make sure there’s a consistent vehicle which serves as the official voice for school news. A print or electronic parent newsletter, which comes out on a regular basis, fits this need. It should include important dates, deadlines, meeting notices, but also publicize student achievements and class activities.

• Establish an open-door policy or some other way for parents to obtain accurate answers to their questions. It’s a wise use of time to clear up any misunderstanding before that perception becomes a rumor and spreads throughout the community.

• If there’s room available in classes such as art, woodworking, or introductory computing, let parents “audit” those classes. It’s only a little extra work and shows parents you are concerned about them. Plus, it can help with classroom discipline.

• When students graduate, don’t forget the parents. Give them a “diploma,” congratulating them and praising their support. Also, include an invitation to remain involved.

• Schedule some parent meetings when working parents can attend, including parent-teacher conferences, recognition events, etc. This act demonstrates that your school is customer friendly.

• Make sure important matters, such as policies, key dates, ways to have questions answered, are publicized in the school handbook and that every parent receives one. Put this information on your Web site, and promote its availability at meetings and in letters and publications.

• Encourage development of a “welcome wagon” for new parents in conjunction with your PTA or other parent group. The student council or National Honor Society chapter can also be involved in this.

• Create a list of tips on parenting which can be printed in your parents’ newsletter or in a special parenting brochure. Better yet, run an evening class on parenting skills.

• Publish a calendar of key dates which parents need to know. Include it on your Web site or publish it as a calendar with student artwork and photos.

• Invite parents of students who will move into your school next year to an evening meeting where they can learn about the curriculum, policies, and activities. Have your parents discuss their views of what the school offers.

• Establish a recognition program for parents who contribute to the school or work especially hard with their youngster. Publicize those parents and make them role models for others.

• Disseminate bumper stickers that allow parents to proclaim their pride in their student’s achievements. But be sure to include all areas—academics, activities and service.

Ideas for communicating with TEACHERS

• Urge parents to thank teachers and share other positive comments—not just complain when there are problems.

• Develop partnerships with local businesses and community groups to recognize teachers, especially during Teacher Appreciation Week. Recognition might include certificates for dinner at a local restaurant, a congratulatory letter from the mayor, an invitation to a civic club’s breakfast, or discounts at a clothing store.

• Assure that teachers have quality professional development time to sharpen their skills. Something as simple as a period to read or time to visit surrounding schools can do wonders for morale.

• Teach a class occasionally. Not only is this appreciated by the teacher, it clearly demonstrates that the principal cares about students. In fact, all members of the school’s administrative team can teach a class now and then.

• Meet with local businesses to establish summer internships for interested teachers. This can provide additional revenue for teachers, plus also help them remain current in their field, depending upon the internship.

• Send birthday and anniversary (when they started teaching at the school) cards to teachers and congratulate them on the staff room bulletin board.

• Recognize teachers in the school newsletter and on the Web site for awards, new classroom initiatives, and other successes. Also, praise them at PTA or advisory council meetings.

• Do whatever you can to make teachers feel as much like “a professional” as possible. Good teachers work as hard as anyone else, if not harder, but too frequently they can’t even find a telephone. Try to adopt a “corporate atmosphere” for teachers when possible.

• Have a special place in your heart for substitute teachers. Their job is tough.

Consider these support ideas:

›Post a Polaroid photo of the substitute in the staff lounge so other teachers know whom that substitute is.

› Visit the classrooms of substitutes, especially early in the day.

› Send appreciation letters to those who shine. You want them to return.

Communicating with NON-TEACHING STAFF

•Be certain all staff members have the essential information about the school. Custodians are likely to talk about a new instructional program; bus drivers may report their beliefs about students. Professional support staff delivers frequent, credible information to the community. Principals must assure they have accurate information.

• Send birthday cards and recognize other “personal celebrations.”

• Urge support staff members to make suggestions and share ideas. Frankly, the school custodian may be the best person to recommend ways to make school maintenance more cost effective. Value their opinions.

• Encourage support staff individuals to assume new responsibilities. One school secretary writes a newsletter on student awards and classroom achievements; a custodian created a club for “at risk” students where they work with him on school improvements.

• Recognize support staff publicly for their accomplishments at a PTSA or staff meeting. Report their successes in the school newsletter and staff bulletin and on your Web site.

• Create a staff room for all staff.

• Eat in the school cafeteria. Show the food service staff you appreciate their work.

• Ride a school bus occasionally. Learn about the challenges bus drivers face, and show them you care.

• Don’t overlook support staff when it comes to professional development. We can all learn, but sometimes professional support staff is forgotten.

• Let support staff members shine in front of the faculty. Have them share a special interest like photography or wood-working at a staff meeting. Sometimes this leads to mini-lessons for the classroom.

GENERAL communication ideas

• Consider what messages you want people to receive from your school this year. Brainstorm ideas with your staff and key advisers. Announce those message points to the school staff; then, print them on tent cards and place one by every telephone. Whenever someone answers the phone he or she can refer to the card to determine whether there’s a chance to deliver that key message.

• Include a coupon on your Web site or in a printed publication which entitles free admission to a school athletic or cultural event. It’s a great way to encourage readership and show off students.

• Schedule “See for Yourself” Days. Students at schools in Adams County (CO) each receive three invitations to give anyone in the community. The invitation allows them to come into the school and see how learning has changed from “the good old days.”

• Decorate the school with student artwork to demonstrate the quality of student work to visitors. Have the art class paint murals on the exterior walls. Some schools have found that this is the best way to combat graffiti.

• List the url of your school Web site on the marque board in front of the school to encourage non-parents to discover information about the school.

• Develop brochures describing the contributions of staff members who may not be recognized frequently, i.e. classroom aides, counselors, coaches. Distribute these at back-to-school nights; have them available in the school office; use them as handouts to civic groups.

• Invite central office personnel into your school for an especially exciting instructional activity, competition or performance. Show off your students and teachers. Give these people a role at awards assemblies.

• Develop a wall of fame featuring your successful graduates. Display their photos in a prominent location with a short description of what they have achieved since graduation .

• Send short articles of community interest to the publications of local organizations, i.e. religious bulletins, civic club newsletters, etc. Ask them to include those articles to help reach non-parents.

• Use the school marque board to deliver “success messages,” i.e. 20 percent of graduates earn college scholarships, science club cleans creek bed. Too many schools use the board only to announce games or other deadlines.

• Make visitors feel welcome at your school. Greet them promptly in the office, smile, and make the “visitor sign” more customer friendly. Instead of saying, “Warning, all visitors must report to the office,” say “Welcome, please register at the office.”

• Develop a theme for your school that really says what you are about. Then put that theme where people will see it over and over again. It’s great to have it on your letterhead, but more people will see your envelope. Place it on your website, marquee board, lunch menu, newsletters, bulletin boards, etc.

Ideas for communicating with BUSINESS/COMMUNITY LEADERS

•Offer student performing groups to organizations throughout your community, i.e. Chamber of Chamber, Realty Board, Library Guild, etc. This can occur throughout the year—not just during the holiday season.

• Have student art groups decorate store windows during the holiday season or other appropriate occasions.

• Host community leaders at a breakfast or lunch at the school with food prepared by your foods class. Have the students meet the community leaders and invite then on a tour of the school after the food event. Let the community leaders see what students learn in school today.

• Speak at civic and community groups occasionally. Look for especially appropriate times such as American Education Week and discuss the importance of education and how your school contributes to the community. Bring a student with you. Many Chambers of Commerce have lists of these groups or some of your parents may be members.

• Give leftover yearbooks, literary magazines or other publications which demonstrate the success of your school to doctor and dentist offices. People frequently sit in these offices with little to read other than three-month-old magazines. Consider other locations in your community for these publications.

• Publish brochures which describe the quality of your instructional program and your school’s achievements. Provide these to realtors, business leaders, employers… anyone who may want to attract individuals into the community.

Ideas for communicating with SENIOR CITIZENS

• Provide senior citizens with Golden Age Passes that provide free admission to school events—athletic contests, band concerts, drama presentations, etc.

• Allow seniors to use school hallways before and after school for walking exercise. They enjoy the exercise, but walking in cold or humid climates can be tough.

• Give members of student clubs several coupons which read,” I’ve been helped by a student at Sunnyside High.” Urge students to look for ways they can do a good deed for a senior citizen such as carrying their groceries or picking up litter on their lawn. Do the good deed; then give them a card. Build this into your community service program.

• Encourage seniors to teach a mini-lesson on a hobby or local history. Lessons could range from photography to beekeeping. This will show seniors first hand that many teens are working hard in the classroom.

• Have the foods class host a quarterly luncheon for seniors. The choir could also perform that day, or the orchestra could provide strolling violinists.

• Allow seniors to “audit” a class that is not full. Demonstrate that the school has something for them.

• Send student groups frequently to senior centers to perform. This doesn’t just mean the school choir. Computer students can also go to senior center to teach basic computer and emailing skills to the seniors.

• Establish service projects for students to conduct at senior centers, i.e. delivering Easter baskets, decorating during holidays, visiting seniors on Grandparents Day, etc.

• Bring leftover copies of school publications, such as yearbooks, to senior centers.

Ideas for communicating with ELECTED OFFICIALS

• Invite an elected official to teach civic or other class.

• Hold an annual luncheon for elected officials where teachers, the principal, leaders of the school parent group can discuss issues with the elected officials. The student food class could prepare the luncheon and music groups could entertain.

• Offer student artwork to an elected official for his/her office.

• Volunteer to serve as an elected official’s resource on educational issues. They could be looking for interpretation and advice when an educational issue arises.

• Invite elected officials to student events, such as plays and concerts. Give them a role at a student awards assembly. Let then see first hand the results of the programs they fund. Better yet, have one of the students invite them.

• Develop a list of your school’s achievements and send it to elected officials representing your area.

• Put elected officials on the mailing list for appropriate school publications.

• Remember to thank elected leaders for the positions they take that help your school.