Each Home Room Parent keeps a roster of each class. So, I send an email to the Home Room Parent Coordinator and she forwards to each HRP, and they forward to their respective classes. Very convoluted and sometimes they are timely and people don't get them in time. We are going to start using PTO Manager to send emails; we were going to ask parents to register but instead we are going to enter all the email addresses ourselves... We do send attachments sometimes but would prefer if we could put that graphic/info directly in the email, as some people don't open attachments, or don't have the software version the flyer was created in. Some parents don't want too many emails, others tell us they would prefer email; they can read it when they want, delete it or save it, forward it (if it's info on a fundraiser), etc. I prefer e-mail, since many of our parents do not read the info in the Communication Folder sent home on Wednesdays.
Our district has a listserv for each campus and parents are encouraged to subscribe. Most principals send out a weekly message that includes all school announcements. PTO/PTA announcements are included there - but briefly as there are a lot of items. (This is a one-way communication; not discussion.)
Most of our parent groups keep lists of members and volunteers, but only sparingly send out bulk email messages. Usually it would be to potential volunteers for a specific activity. (i.e., it's time for bookfair - email everyone who checked that activity on their volunteer form). Naturally, there is a lot more communication among committee members or those actively working on a program.
Our high school PTA, which is very small, has a Google Group that members can choose to join. A lot of good discussion happens there.
In the elementary levels, the best way to get the word out is still flyers/newsletters in the backpacks.
I tend to like to keep the data in Excel. It's easy to sort and filter or merge with Word. There are plenty of volunteers familiar with it. At elementary school, we keep master files on the school computers, but - of course - a lot is carried back and forth and done at home. In middle school/high school, everything is created and stored off campus. Google Docs and Spreadsheets offers some nice features and then then data can be accessed from anywhere.
Wow!! I am jealous! I had hoped this would be the year our school would get online. We have run into many complications and misuse of email addresses so I have backed off from this form of correspondance until we have regulations and policies in place. I apologize for the negativity but we have some growing up and catching up to do around here.
It is a wasted resource until then. We email with in committees to make plans, our board stays in touch this way sometimes. But as far as mass emails go we are still trying to catch up with the 90's and work out the bugs!
At the three schools that I'm involved with, we use Google Groups to send out our weekly emails. We use a form in our welcome packet as well as including sign-up information in our newsletters throughout the year. We also collect email addresses during our parent orientations in the spring.
Emails are sent out weekly. We post our newsletters on our websites and provide a link in the weekly email.
Google is great but I would like the ability to segment our parents by multiple indicators so that everyone does not have to read emails that are meant just for one grade or activity.
