I am curious as to what other PTO groups use for communication to parents?

We currently use a few methods:
1. Flyers (full or 1/2 page) printed, then distributed to teacher mail
slot, teachers distribute to students (K-5), then students take
home.
2. Monthly e-mail using Constant Contact.
3. Quarterly printed PTO newsletter distributed same method
as #1.

4. Stickers to put on ALL students the day of the event. But
this relies on the teacher checking their mail slot and giving
the stickers to the students on the correct date. Also relies
on the student not removing the sticker from their shirt before
they get home.

The problem with #1 is that not all teachers check their mail slots regularly, not all teachers distribute materials to students regularly, students don't always take the flyers home promptly, or students then don't give the stuff to their parents.

The monthly e-mail is getting great feedback, but not all families have e-mail. And we don't have full participation from those that do.

We had a hard time getting enough volunteers to run our Fall Dance. And we heard from some parents that they didn't even know about the event!

Any ideas?

I've been working on improving communication in our school since last year, this is what we've done so far-

1) Set up a website on webs.com (REALLY easy)

2) Started a monthly PTA Newsletter that highlights events coming up within a month, not only run by PTA but including major school events as well. Not quite as easy and limited to one page front and back.

3) Expanded our input into the school newsletter that is sent home approximately every other month.

4) Sent home flyers regarding specific events we're having. This does run into the problems listed above-teachers checking their boxes, students giving them to their parents (my own son doesn't hand me half of what I know we've sent home).

5) Meetings-our PTA is only "required" to hold 4 meetings per year, and 2 of them are nominating and electing the new board; since our meetings are piggybacked onto the school's parent meetings we've been having a prescence at most of them, even if it's just to stand up and say who we are, what's coming up and thank you for coming.

6) Contests-we're running more contests than ever and tying the awarding of the prizes to events already in place. Our Box Tops contest winners will be announced at the next school meeting, prizes for students and staff thru our Membership Contest will be awarded at our auction, etc. All contests are publicized using all of the methods listed above plus going on the morning announcements for some of them.

7) Freebies- PTOToday, Box Tops, Fast Fixin' and other companies have freebies you can request periodically; in years past I was too late getting my request in or didn't receive them for other reasons, but this year I've managed to get almost every one I've asked for. We set up a table outside the Media Center on meeting nights and give them to people as they come in; whatever is left is distributed thru the school. It's slow going, but people are starting to understand that coming to a meeting can net them free stuff which increases attendance which increases how many people we can reach.

We are lucky that our administration appreciates what we do for the school and works with us, allowing us to use their copier, giving us our own mailbox, taking phone messages for us, etc.
3)

Another option is to encourage family's to use e-CYREN an online database where parent's record and maintain important information on their child. When the school request parents to keep their child's information up to date through e-CYREN, they can also send messages regarding Parent events. This would be another avenue to improve communication.