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Ask Elly: Communications

Newsletters: Send them how often?

Dear Elly,

I’d like our corresponding secretary to send out newsletters more frequently. This would be a huge change for us—I only received two or three last school year. But how often is too often? A few years ago, we sent them monthly. It seems like we could circulate smaller, simpler newsletters if we did it weekly. What experiences have you had with this?

You might start by sending a survey to parents; ask them how often they’d like to get a newsletter and what types of things they’d like to see in it. Monthly newsletters work well for many groups, though some find that families don’t like that long an interval to go by without receiving news.

Weekly newsletters on a single sheet of paper, one or both sides, do work, and a lot of schools use them. If you decide to distribute your newsletter weekly, make sure it goes out on the same day each week; that way, parents will know when to expect it. Some groups even use a comprehensive communication system: They send home large (returnable) envelopes filled with event flyers, meeting minutes, and school announcements as well as the PTO newsletter. Consider a catchy name, such as “Friday Folders” or “Tuesday Tidbits.” Just be prepared for phone calls if your materials don’t make it out on time!

Also, be sure to check out the different ideas and templates for newsletters on the File Exchange. Good luck!

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