Written by Kaylin Smith
“When is that event coming up?”
“Are parent-teacher conferences next week?”
“I didn’t know that form was due already.”
While parents want to be involved and up-to-date with their student’s lives, busy schedules and endless responsibilities may prevent them from fully absorbing all the information you send home.
Though long emails are sometimes necessary, parents may feel overwhelmed by essay-like messages that get lost in their inbox and, consequently, end up missing half of the information.
How many times have you opened a lengthy email only to skim it and forget why you were supposed to read it in the first place? By keeping your communication with parents short, effective, and engaging, they’ll be sure to stay informed (and will appreciate you more in the process).
Give it a go yourself and try sending out brief weekly reminders highlighting and reinforcing essential information for parents! Here are some best practices to keep in mind:
Keep It Concise
Avoid wordy, fancy layouts. A crowded message with little open space may discourage parents from reading the entire thing. Stick to the essence of the reminder by using short paragraphs or utilizing bullet points to highlight key ideas and events.
List the Most Time-Sensitive Information First
If you have to write a long message, be sure to list the most important points first. If parents stop reading the email midway through, at least they’ll have the need-to-know information down.
Be Clear With What You Need From Them
Instead of letting parents draw their own conclusions, be upfront with what you need them to do in order to support their child. Telling them exactly what you need will limit any confusion and make overall communication more enjoyable and efficient!
Utilize Your Subject Line
Be specific with your subject line too. Include an upcoming event or an essential due date to grab the reader’s attention and reinforce important information.
Optional: Include a Weekly Student Favorite or Personal Anecdote
Did something exciting or funny happen in class that week? Quote a student’s favorite moment from the week prior at the end of your message! Ask parents to respond in the comments section with their own child’s favorite moment and highlight a new one in each week’s email. This fun addition will get parents talking to their students, teachers, and other fellow parents!
Below are some example “Monday Memo” messages to send to your district, school or classroom community.
Hi Parents,
Here are some friendly reminders for the upcoming week:
- Science Camp field trip forms are due this Wednesday and no later. Please fill them out and submit below, if you haven’t already.
- Our fall carnival is on-campus this Friday! If you would like to donate to the cakewalk, be sure to sign up below and drop off your baked treat by 4pm in classroom 2B, across from the cafeteria.
- Finally, remember to keep reminding your student about their daily reading goal! At least 30 minutes of reading time should be completed each day 🙂
Last week’s favorite moment comes from Cassidy Holm:
“I was so happy after our trip to the library this week. I picked out a new book and it’s so good, I haven’t been able to put it down since.”
Be sure to ask your student about their favorite moment of the week and respond in the comments for a chance to be featured next time!
Hope you all have a great week ahead!
Best,
Mrs. Synder
Good Morning parents,
It’s that time of the year again! Here are a few essential reminders regarding the AP Calculus exam this week.
- Students should meet in front of the cafeteria Tuesday, May 5th at 9 am with a #2 pencil, a graphing calculator, and their student ID.
- Your student should have submitted an Excused Absence Form for the day of the exam via their StudentSquare account last week (please have them reach out to me personally if they haven’t yet)!
Your students have been working hard all year long and should be more than ready for the exam! Feel free to message me with any questions.
Kindly,
Mr. Romero
Hello all,
Happy Monday! With graduation less than 3 days away now (where did the year go?!) I’d like to take the time to share a few final reminders!
- Students should be lined up in their assigned position on the field behind West Campus no later than 8:30 am this Thursday.
- Early Release Permission Slips should be signed and returned to me by the end of the day tomorrow (see form attached below).
- We are still looking for 2 volunteers to help handout graduation pamphlets and direct parents at the ceremony. Sign up below and help support our graduating kiddos on their special day!
We can’t wait to celebrate your students’ job well done and help lead them into high school with you! See you Thursday.
Sincerely,
Ms. Frizzle
Pssst…want to take your memo to the next level? If you’re a ParentSquare user, you can include actionable items like signups for your latest potluck, the field trip form for science camp, a class poll on the next book club theme, or any other attachment you can dream of straight in ParentSquare!
If you aren’t a ParentSquare user but you’d like to learn more, reach out to us at schools@parentsquare.com or watch this 3-minute video.
Using clear, friendly communication is an excellent way to make sure your reminders are heard, understood, and taken to heart. By providing simple weekly updates, parents are sure to feel included and engaged in their students lives — improving parent, student, and teacher interactions all-around! Taking five minutes out of your day to write a simple update can work wonders.
How will you draft your next Monday Memo?
Check out our other template, 5 Minute Friday.
