I am a strong believer in weekly newsletters, but I am also a strong believer that newsletters shouldn't be a long drawn out process. Families are busy, they need right to the point, short tidbits of important information. I send out my newsletters weekly via email, only providing hard copies to families upon request. I do not print my newsletters in color, because I know that a
Things to include in a kindergarten newsletter
1. Upcoming events
I put this on the front page, because this is what parents are looking for. I include field trips, upcoming student birthdays, due dates, and community events.
I put this on the front page, because this is what parents are looking for. I include field trips, upcoming student birthdays, due dates, and community events.
2. What can we work on at home?
This is not designed to be a list of things to do, that is too overwhelming for parents, especially with students whom are struggling in multiple areas. I like to start this section with a question. Can your child ______, if not it is never too early to start practicing.
An example might be,
Can your child count to 100, if not it is never too early to start practicing.
Kindergarten students are expected to be able to count to 100 independently by the end of the school year. Some great times to practise are in the car, waiting in line at the grocery store, or even during bath time. Counting to 100 is tricky, so please be encouraging and don't think that you have to start your child at one each time. Maybe your child has mastered counting to 39, start at 30 instead. Thank you for your continued support at home.
3. Photos, Photos, PhotosNothing gets parents more engaged in a newsletter than seeing a picture of their adorable kindergartner. (Make sure to follow school policies about pictures in regards to confidentiality.) I love taking pictures of the kiddos and sharing them with families. I have a google doc checklist where I keep track of which student is presented in the newsletter each week to keep things fair. I am lucky enough to have the world's best gym teacher whom also provides me with pictures often. So fun!
4. What are we learning?
Nothing drives me more nuts than hearing a parent ask their little one what they did in school today and they respond nothing. AHHHH! This section lists the concepts we are learning for the week to help parents stay up to date and guide at home conversations
5. Cutesy!!!
Who wants to read a boring newsletter, not me. Add some color, add some clip art, add something. We make learning fun for our students, lets provide some fun for the parents too. If you are interested in any of the clip art on this page click here School Supplies Clip Art, created by yours truly.
My Newsletter Example
No comments:
Post a Comment