Break Down Your Walls and Share Your Stories

Our teachers work hard to provide quality education for our children. Amazing things happen in our classrooms every day, but how do we break down the walls of the classroom so parents and the larger community can experience what our schools are truly like? How do we get our stories out there?

The 2018 PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools surveyed 1,042 adults, 515 of whom were parents of school-age children. Fifty-five percent of respondents stated that students today receive a worse education than the respondents experienced when they were students.

When asked to give their local school a grade, seventy percent of parents of current students gave their oldest child’s school an A or B grade. However, when the general public were surveyed, only nineteen percent gave their local schools an A or B.

So how do we change this? How do you ensure that your parents and communities have an accurate picture of your district? How do you break down the walls of your classrooms? Share your amazing stories on social media!

Sharing your students’ stories on social media gets parents more involved. It lets the parents see inside the classroom and experience the amazing things their children achieve every day. Parents can then ask their child questions about specific things they are sharing in the day-to-day activities that occur at school.

Then instead of this exchange:

“How was your day?”

“Fine.”

“What did you do today?”

“I don’t know.”

You get this exchange:

“I heard fireman gave a demonstration at your school today – how was that?”

“It was so cool, we got to use the hose and try on the helmets.”

“Are you writing a report about it?”

“Yes, and I drew this picture.”

When parents are more involved and engaged, students do better and enjoy school more.

So get your stories out there; get your teachers and coaches involved; and when parents and community members like and share your stories, you’re on your way to promoting how wonderful your school really is.

Want to Learn More?

Come to WASWUG Spring 2019 (March 10-12 – Bellevue, WA) and learn how to turn a spotlight on what’s great about your school from our keynote speaker, Joe Sanfelippo - Superintendent of Fall Creek School District and author of “The Power of Branding – Telling Your School’s Story.”

 

---

WASWUG is a Washington Skyward User Conference designed for and created by district users who want to learn more about Skyward, share insights, and network.

WSIPC is a non-profit cooperative that provides technology solutions (including Skyward), services, and support to K-12 schools. WSIPC’s purpose is to help schools do more with every dollar and to empower them with the tools to work smarter.