The weekly Eagle Editorial is the main tool of communication from admin to staff – check your email each weekend for the memo to get updates on calendar events, action items, birthdays, professional learning and more! (Send Mr. Moore pictures of field trips, class activities and celebrations to include in the weekly memo via text or email!)
Be sure to stay up-to-date on your emails daily. Information about school-wide reteaches, PLCs, changes in schedule etc are sent daily.
Be physically and mentally present at staff meetings, team meetings and professional learning trainings for updates.
We LOVE hearing from you. We have open door policies. Come by and chat with Moore or Phillips if you need clarity, need assistance with something, or just want to catch up - Having good communication and rapport between staff and leadership is crucial to the our overall success!
In the event of an emergency, conflict or urgent matter please call, text, or come by so we can be sure to address your needs.
If we don’t know, we can’t help - Reaching out to your administration allows us to assist in the problem solving and also help revise or improve structures to better suit current situations.
Confidentiality: What we discuss is confidential, you may choose to discuss but as administrators we will not.
Reach out at your own comfort level and choose your preferred mode of communication (face-face, phone, text, email, etc.
Allow administration to partner with you and know how to personalize coaching tools and experiences for you.
Communicate daily through phone calls, dojo, email, etc
Be sure to not “conference” with parents over Class dojo – it is a third party app and confidentiality could be breached
Be sure to give positive ratio of information
Document pertinent information in PLP
Weekly newsletters/updates should be sent home regularly
Staff may receive information regarding students or employees’ medical, educational or legal issues and are required to keep it confidential and are legally prohibited from passing confidential information to any unauthorized person.
Confidentiality is discussed and explained to employees in many forms: this handbook, our opening meeting, the employee code of conduct, FERPA training, online safety training, etc…
Important precautions:
Avoid texting and calling parents from your personal cell phone number – use email or the school phone if possible.
Avoid conferencing with parents about concerns over free apps (i.e. Class Dojo, Remind 101, etc)- communication on these apps should be limited to announcements, reminders and quick questions about homework/assignments.
These apps have a third party that may be able to view the information.
Students must have a signed media release form before posting pictures on these apps as well.
Avoid discussing students in public or with individuals that are non-related to the student’s educational needs.
Workroom chatter is also a violation of FERPA laws if discussions are about confidential student information.
Emails should not include information about students, employees or parents that can be used later to incriminate and become open records.
Social Media – avoid including parents or students on any personal social media.
Do not “vent” frustration or anger about school issues on social media.
Failure to maintain student confidentiality is a violation of federal laws, state statutes, FCPS policies and the FCPS Employee Code of Conduct.
Each grade level must send home a newsletter weekly or bi-weekly. It can be in multiple forms but must reach parents at least twice a month. The purpose of newsletters is to create another avenue of communication for our students. Special Area teachers need to send a combined newsletter home quarterly.
Guidelines for Newsletters:
Sent home once a week or at least once every 2 weeks (may be grade level or teacher specific)
Gold Standard would be once a week!
Include dates for upcoming events, assessments, family nights, etc
Include upcoming standards and essential questions
Include helpful tools/hints for parents to work on at home with students
Newsletters may need to be translated if stakeholders do not read English.
A copy should be given to the Title 1 teacher representative for documentation