School Level Communications Guidelines

Through each school’s website, social media, email newsletter, School Messenger, and printed documents, schools play the most important role for educating parents about Batavia Public School District 101. The District’s communications department will continue to support the needs that arise and offers this basic framework for what communications methods to use with frequency guidelines.

School Website
The school website is the central hub and primary location for information about each school. Parents, guardians, employees, and community members should have confidence if important and up-to-date information is needed, it will be found on the school’s website.

Calendar
Frequency: As needed
Each school utilizes Google Calendars for events. These calendars are displayed on the school website and are easily accessible and shared with parents, staff members, and the community. Every effort should be made to continuously keep the calendar up to date and accurate.

News
Frequency: One per month
News and celebrations should be shared to the school website. Schools are encouraged to share, at a minimum, one story directly to their website each month. This news item should be a celebration of a student, staff, or an event that has recently occurred. When possible, pictures should accompany news stories.

Email Newsletter
Frequency: One per week
Each school will send out one weekly e-newsletter update to parents and staff. This email newsletter will inform the recipients of important upcoming events, the most current school news, and the latest district-level news. Each issue can include an introduction from the school principal as well as special announcements and an update from the school’s PTO.

Facebook
Frequency: Two to three per week
It is suggested that each school posts one to three items to Facebook each week on different days. These posts may include important announcements, upcoming events, news stories, and other similar items.

Twitter
Frequency: Daily
Twitter has become another valuable resource for parents and staff to stay current with each school. Schools should strive to have activity on Twitter every day of the week and at various times. Ideally, one original tweet would be generated daily with a few re-tweets of district and staff posts.

Instagram
Frequency: Weekly
While schools are welcome to use Instagram, it isn’t a requirement. The District chooses to use Instagram as another method to visually share events and celebrations. Photos are posted to Instagram in support of news stories after each article is posted to the website.

School Messenger
Frequency: As needed
School Messenger is used to share the highest priority announcements and emergency messages and should be used sparingly. There is no set frequency as this is used when needed. These communications are through phone, email, and text messages.