Back to School Basics: 7 Tips for Fostering Good Communication
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When we took away the clerical piece of attendance interventions, principals became more connected to students and families. They started to recognize the real-life barriers to attendance. Now, they’re connected to people and not paper.Dr. Margie Boulware
Executive Director of Special Programs, Corsicana ISDResearch demonstrates that family support for language and literacy activities at home is positively related to children’s outcomes, including reading acquisition, language, vocabulary learning, conceptual development, and literacy achievement.Partnering with Families for Early Language and Literacy: Research-based Strategies for Early Childhood Educators – 2nd Edition
B.J., Cunningham, P.D., Bachman, H.F. & Wellman, M.E.Having a student’s data and family communication on a single screen means that we’re seeing issues sooner, and then can address those issues immediately.Elizabeth Lalor
Assistant Superintendent, Galena Park ISDFor us, SchoolStatus is a data warehouse where we can see the whole child. If we’re doing an MTSS process on a student, I can see attendance, discipline, grades, test scores, and what kind of engagement educators have had with the parent — all in one place.Pamela Dillard
Director of Technology, Greenville Public SchoolsSchoolStatus is a powerhouse data and communication tool.Chad Shealy
Superintendent, Vicksburg Warren School DistrictWe’ve saved hundreds of hours of staff time, and I’m sure many more for our parent community. By digitizing and automating everything through [SchoolStatus Forms & Flows], there’s no more populating information from the DOE into forms by hand.Renny Fong
Principal at PS 130 Hernando De Soto (Manhattan)[SchoolStatus Boost: Inspire] has played a huge role in our continuous learning and coaching process, which has led to the observed professional growth of our teachers.Josh Snyder
Director of Learning, Wahoo Public Schools -
SchoolStatus has provided us a tool to make communication easier, more transparent, and quantifiable.Dr. Ron Brown
Former Superintendent, Lumpkin County SchoolsWe’ve seen an over 50% decrease in chronic absenteeism, which is the statewide goal. We’re already there, in just one year of work.Jessica Hull
Executive Director of Communication and Community Engagement, Roseville City School DistrictThe help [SchoolStatus] gave us was amazing; I’ve never before received help like that from any company. Honestly, we feel like we want to stay with [SchoolStatus] forever.Dina Testa
Assistant Principal, Intermediate School 7 at NYCDOEEveryone wins when you stay in the loop, and SchoolStatus Connect really helped me make that happen while also saving me time.Ellen Zissis
First Grade Teacher, Chartiers Valley Primary SchoolOur families now feel that they’re not alone. They know we want to talk with them. That’s why we’re using SchoolStatus Connect.Maureen Brown
Principal and Director of Outreach, Dove Schools -
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Working at SchoolStatus is an incredible experience—our supportive team culture creates an environment where I feel valued and inspired. The company prioritizes both personal happiness and professional growth.Dr. Stephanie Walters
Customer Lifecycle Marketing ManagerI like the ease with which I can contact families using my own personal phone without giving out my personal number. I also like that the student's contacts are readily available. This platform works well for families to contact us, too. We can truly partner in the student's education and work towards a goal that works for all.Abigail S.
TeacherWe’ve seen an over 50% decrease in chronic absenteeism, which is the statewide goal. We’re already there, in just one year of work.Jessica Hull
Executive Director of Communication and Community Engagement, Roseville City School District
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How to Make the Most of Your Welcome Back Letter
It’s true—emails with “welcome” in the subject line have significantly higher open rates than any other type. This makes back-to-school welcome letters to families and teams some of the most crucial communications principals and superintendents send all year. With this added attention, here’s how to make these emails even more impactful.
1. Start with Key Information
Most people (85% and climbing) read emails on their mobile phones, which means they’re likely skimming. Lead with the essentials—like dates, locations, and anything they need to bring. Use clear headers to guide their eyes to the most important information.
2. Inspire Your Audience
Back-to-school season is a mix of excitement and anxiety. Teachers are eager to meet students, parents are relieved to get back into routine, and students look forward to reconnecting with friends. But it’s also a high-stress time, especially for those with attendance challenges. Try adding an inspiring quote, a playlist, a back-to-school newsletter, or even a small challenge with a fun reward to help ease the nerves and build positive momentum.
3. Offer Resources (Illumination)
Everyone appreciates a helpful resource, especially during busy times. Share a blog post on easing into school routines or an article on building strong family-school connections. SchoolStatus Connect provides a range of editable, digital newsletter templates, making it easy to reach families in 130+ languages.
Happy back-to-school season!
Dr. Kara SternDirector, Education and Engagement
Dr. Kara Stern has seen school from just about every angle: high school English teacher, middle school principal, fellowship director for math and science teachers across New York City, and head of school at a rural N-12 school. That breadth is what she brings to her work at SchoolStatus, where she writes, speaks, and challenges educators to build the kinds of school communities where every student thrives. She holds a Master’s in Education Leadership from Teachers College and a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning from NYU.
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