Arlington CCPTA

PTA TIPS

Volume 1: Communication Tools

September, 2013

 

Every PTA should have a communications plan that they have coordinated with their school’s principal and main office.  Here are some of the tools that APS makes available for school and PTA use.

§  APS School Talk – The APS communications office and school principals may send out email messages to their school communities using APS school talk.  Principals can include important PTA dates and events in the messages they send out.  Parents are automatically enrolled in APS School Talk when they complete the first day information packet.

§  Web Sites – Most of the PTA organizations have web sites that use the APS web tools, or link to an external page from their school’s main site.  If you have questions about how to use the tool, contact your school’s Principal or Webmaster.

§  BackPack Mail – Keeping in mind that not all your families have access to high-speed internet, sending information home in weekly or monthly backpack mail works well for elementary and some middle schools.  There is a school board policy governing what may be sent in backpack mail, and outside organizations must receive approval to send items in backpack mail from the APS Communications Office.

§  Robo-Calls – Schools and PTAs (through the school office) have the ability to send automatic calls to their school communities. Note that the messages will be sent to EVERY phone number a parent has registered with APS, so use these messages judiciously, and coordinate them with the Principal.  To establish a robo-call message, contact your school’s main office.  If they aren’t sure how to do it, contact the APS Communications Office 703-228-6005.

§  Translation Equipment – APS has 5 sets of translation equipment with 24 receivers each that may be used free of charge.  The equipment is designed to be used by someone translating a meeting simultaneously, and must be checked out and in at the Communications office in the APS Education Center. Equipment may be reserved by calling Claudia Mercado at (703) 228-6005.

§  PTA Listservs – Many PTAs have established listservs for their school communities, and many use common free tools like yahoo or google groups to administer them.  Most allow individual families to sign themselves up for these groups, and it is good practice to have assigned PTA members to monitor the messages posted.

§  CCPTA Listserv – Join the CCPTA listserv to receive announcements of important events and CCPTA-sponsored meetings and information sessions.  Each school is invited to send representatives to the CCPTA, and all parents are welcomed to attend the meetings. 

To join the CCPTA Listserv, go to http://arlingtonccpta.blogspot.com/, click on the MEETING DETAILS tab and click on the link to join the CCPTA Yahoo Group.