It really depends on your community. If they are already connecting on Facebook and Twitter, then it really makes sense for you to connect there as well.
If you are going to do it, you should have a plan. It is easy to set up a Facebook or Twitter account and never do anything with it. Decide how you are going to use it first. Twitter is great for instant updates about what is going on at your parent group. Consider having someone live tweet your parent meetings so that they can be followed from home. This could be a great way to boost awareness and involvement. You can even have the tweets stream on your website so people who are not Twitter users can follow along as well. If you are really adventurous, you could allow parents to tweet in their thoughts as the meeting progresses.
Facebook is a great place to put up event information, profile members, and just stay in communication. You can post updates as well as longer information. Also, consider adding photos of events. Everyone likes photos.
As far as building your community on Facebook and Twitter, it starts by letting everyone know, as often as possible, that you have accounts. Once you start to build your network, it will grow naturally. So, add a footer on your outgoing emails, put up links on your website and in your newsletter, etc. Make it easy for people to connect with you and provide them information and it can turn into a great communication method for your group!
Jollymon;149835 wrote: Constant Contact is another way. Not everyone uses the social sites or remembers to check them. but 99% of them have an email address.
it's an email data base that lets you store emails and create customized emails. you can even make up a few in advance and pick when they will be sent.
My wife uses it to remind parents about events, deadlines, fundraisers, report cards, and holidays.
The cool thing about it is you can see who has read the emails you sent.
The price is $15/month for under 500 emails.
At the open house we have a table with a sign up sheet for parents to write down their email. but make sure someone is manning the table so they can see if the email is readable.
if you have any questions feel free to contact me.
Hi Jollymom -
Agree with you completely, except for the $15/month part. Did you know we have a partnership with Constant Contact (for PTOs and PTAs only) offering a really good version of CC's service (only limitation is the number of templates you have access to) for free. Nice option.
Constant Contact is another way. Not everyone uses the social sites or remembers to check them. but 99% of them have an email address.
it's an email data base that lets you store emails and create customized emails. you can even make up a few in advance and pick when they will be sent.
My wife uses it to remind parents about events, deadlines, fundraisers, report cards, and holidays.
The cool thing about it is you can see who has read the emails you sent.
The price is $15/month for under 500 emails.
At the open house we have a table with a sign up sheet for parents to write down their email. but make sure someone is manning the table so they can see if the email is readable.
if you have any questions feel free to contact me.
I use facebook as a site where parents can get info about our school. Not only can I send messages to them all about upcoming fieldtrips/fundraisers, but I can contact a parent that I don't normally get to see by sending them a message to their inbox.
There's other times I've set up chat times in the evening when it's best for the parent to talk with me. I don't use it as a social time but more as a here's what we did today kind of chat.
I am not only a first year president for this next school year but my first child is only going to be in 1st grade. I was bothered this year about the lack of parent involvement in school and wanted to do something about it. After researching I noticed a ton of parents had Facebook pages. So asked the other members of the board and our school principal about it and they said no problem (we just cannot use names or pics without parental consent) I started it a week ago and have received a great response. Parents love it. They can keep in touch with what is going on at school without worrying about losing the paper with the information or their child keeping them in the dark. So many parents work and are too busy to attend meetings or make appearences at school. This way its an easy way to stay connected. Some already have the schedule now for the next school year and know when meet the teacher night is!!!
Cassy Downs<br />
<br>PTO President <br />
<br>Jack Barnes Elementary
I have noticed that more schools and parent groups are using Twitter and Facebook to reach out to their community/parents. Seems to be gaining traction. Would suggest getting on Twitter & Facebook and searching on PTO, PTG, PTA group, etc to get an idea of how groups are using them.
Our editorial team is also researching the use of social media by parent groups and will keep you posted on our findings in an upcoming issue of our magazine and on the website.
We'd love to hear from more parent groups about how they are they are jumping into the social media craze!
