Letter to parents

[Charlene Hallman]

This will be my 2nd year in the computer lab. I discovered last year that many parents are very interested in what their children do in the computer lab, and really have no clue what we do. When school starts back, I'd like to send a letter highlighting the types of activities I do with the students and other general information. Does anyone else do this? Is it successful? I'd love to see any examples of letters you may use.

[Vicky S]

I did a letter to the parents (you can download it at this link) for our Back to School night last year. I also did a 1-page recap of what was going on in the lab 4-6 times during the year that went out with our weekly newsletter to the parents. My plan was to do it twice a quarter but I didn't do it quite that often. I've attached a sample of one of them that I sent out to this reply.

I also updated a Computer Lab Blog during the year - though it's still missing end of year things for most of the grades. I'm working on that right now.

This coming year, I plan to do business cards or post cards for Back To School night with the web addresses for our wiki and the blog. We're trying to reduce the amount of paper we use at the school so I think the blog will be my way of communicating this year rather than trying to do anything in written form.

[Robin Walker]

Hi Vicky, I want to say BRAVO to you what a great wiki page (stmcomputers.wikispaces.com) this is your work correct? I love it. Would you mind if I copied some of your ideas and layouts for me to create my own computer wiki page. I am just starting to learn how wiki's work and would like to start one for an example to my teachers in our school. Can I ask where you got the home page images they are so cute are they free graphic's or did you purchase them. I also loved your computer lab procdures..would you mind if I used them and altered to fit my needs.

[Vicky S]

Robin, feel free to use whatever you would like. The front page is a glog from Glogster.

[Robin Walker]

Thanks Vicky I might be contacting you on some questions about link to pages and such if I can't figure it out. I hope you don't mind but I kind of followed your leadin in creating my page. Again thanks so much.

[Nedra]

I try to get a letter into the first issue of the school newsletter with my web address and tell parents to check it frequently. I also try to get another note into the newsletter once a quarter with highlights of what we've been working on in the lab. I wish I would get something in every month but I just seem to run out of time.

[Charlene Hallman]

Thanks for your suggestions. This will help me get a good start!

[Renee C]

I'm new here and a new Tech Teacher this year as well. I'm thinking of either sending mine home in the students' folders the first week of school, or emailing them.