Critter,
I am happy that you found my database helpful.
It was a labor of love putting it together and each year I use it, I tweak it a bit more.
I also use an Access database to put together our basket auction program and to manage the solicitation master list.
I will now admit to something petty and small. I decided to step down from doing the directory this year. To make a long story short, we had sort of a military coup last year with teachers running for PTO president and loading the ballot with attendees at the voting we had never seen before or since.
Teachers are now doing the directory and are at a total loss of how to do it. They have not come to me for help so I have not offered. As I said, I am being petty and small and rather self satisfied that they can't accomplish as a committee what I did singlehandedly.
ademon, I just want to thank you for sharing your database with us a few weeks back. I have used Access for other applications, but felt it wouldn't work for our directory. Your database made me rethink some of our long-standing directory layout "traditions" and we realized that Access is of course the perfect solution. I am pleased to say our directory chair sent the master to the printer yesterday -- at least two weeks earlier than in past years (when we used Word tables). We had tweaked your layout a bit to match our unique requirements, but your initial design was a great starting point. Thanks for helping us see the forest for the trees.
Could you please send me the access database as well? Thanks, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ademom74, could you please send me the directory data base in Access that you use. I did our school directory this year. It was previously done in word merged with an excell file...lots of cutting and pasting. I would like to do something different (and easier) for next year. Thanks!
I didn't really have to much of a problem entering in all the e-mail addresses when I did it last year. It was also exremely helpful having them as committees came together for start up meetings. Sending out one e-mail is better than making 20 phone calls.
What is of concern to me is directories in middle schools publishing e-mail addresses. Half the time, parents don't understandt the directions and enter their kids e-mails, not their own. In this world of cyber bullying, the last thing I would want is my kids e-mail address published. That is why only parents names and phone numbers are used after 4th grade in our district.
We included email addresses a couple of years ago, and it was a real pain. Half the people have somewhat normal email address, such as This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., that at least your brain can register as Smith Home in New York. But the other half have This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., which means absolutely nothing to your brain. But even worse the people with the oddball emails then have the audacity to write them on the form in cursive. So now you are trying to interpret strange cursive writing of a strange word.
Then we even offered to send out the PTO minutes via email to those interested. So when I went to load them into my email address book and send out the first minutes, I got about 12 of them back as undeliverable. People had either changed them or I interpreted their illegible writing wrong in the first place.
Not that I am at all for government intervention, but it would be nice if email addresses were somewhat standardized. (The only people I need arguing the case against me for standardized email addresses are people who have tried to send out an email and hand typed 250 different email addresses. If you have never done it you don't understand what I am talking about.)
