We do a District Wide directory through our Central PTO all students are in one directory makes it easier for mom and dad to keep track with kids in different schools. It is in alphabetical order and lists name and address of students and parents names as well. In the back are the class lists by school. We have about 3900 students in our schools. We do not sell advertising and the book cost is included in your PTO dues you can only get one by joining the PTO!
Does your group produce one for your school? Does your school produce one?
At the elementary schools, the PTA's produce the directories. At the middle school, the parents group produce the directory.
Is it a painful or easy process for your group? (How do you do it?)
First year was hard at both schools I was involved in, after that it was pretty easy. Elementary and middle both have an opt in policy. Forms are sent out asking for name, address, phone and one e-mail address. Families that have more then one set of parents can send in all information to be printed. At the middle school we have parent volunteers that take the information and just plug it into a pre-set format to a word document and that is then e-mailed as an attachment to the chairperson. She can proof and fix. Once you get the information for the first time, it's so easy to just purge the families that have no younger kids from the original and then just plug in the new families.
Do you accept advertising in your directory? (If so, do you break even or better?) Yes, at my son's old elementary. That makes it a break even project. Not yet at the middle school.
Our principal refuses to allow directories, either through the school or the PTO. His reason is that he is concerned about confidentiality issues, although I would think that would be easy to get around if the parent(s) gave written consent. I don't think many parents have even asked about a directory, although I would surely think it would be a handy resouce.
I had never thought of a directory, but now you have me thinking. We are a school of appox. 600 students and have a 40% turnover rate. I wonder if it would be worth doing? I have access to a current print out of all students and staff, but I think that it may be too late in the year to get this off the ground. I'll have to get some feelers out and see what others think.
This is our first year with a directory and it has been a HUGE hit. Parents love it. We have a very small school & private. Kids come from all over the area.
We send home a info. sheet at the beginning of the year. It is completely opt-in. We have several lines and if you don't want something listed, just leave the line blank. We include Child's name, Child's address, Child's phone number, child's birthday (you'd be amazed at how this has helped in planning birthday parties so that kids with close/same birthdays don't have a party on the same day), subdivision name, Parents name (primary), Parent's email. Lists will be saved year to year and updated only as necessary.
All information is put into outlook and printed by class. Each list is sent home to the class it belongs to and is proofed by the parents. Any needing corrections is then returned, fixed, reprinted and sent out. One per family and free. We use just regular 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Our school covers the cost of printing.
