Communication Committee Recommendations
From Afehandbook
AFE Communication Committee Here is a summary of ideas discussed at an AFE Communication Committee meeting of May, 2002, which was revised in December, 2005.
To improve direct communication to families:
1) Voice mailbox for weekly schedule – families could call in to hear schedule of activities for upcoming week. 2) Voice mailbox for daily news – families could call for last minute news or changes each day, such as class cancellations, meeting place info, etc. 3) Improved bulletin board – with sections 4) Website with updated info – clarify process of how to add to the website 5) Email address list – one or two designated people could maintain an address book of AFE families and send out group emails, alerting families of upcoming events, changes in date and place of activities, networkingn opportunities, etc. 6) Phone tree – a tree could be compiled for families who don’t use email, so that they may be contacted about latest AFE news, and/or a tree could be used to contact families in case of an emergency. 7) Roster of families/students distributed at the beginning of each semester 8) Large visible calendar – post a large calendar at the bulletin boards so parents can view upcoming classes and events.
To facilitate use of communication tools:
1) Require families to fill out a communication preference form at each semester meeting with the teacher 2) Have a workshop on how to use email, access the website and post messages 3) Have a phone that is answered by a human. 4) Post agenda of staff or site council meetings as well as notify families of upcoming important decisions, so they can give feedback, if desired. Post minutes of meetings on the bulletin boards. 5) Have a parent liaison from each of 3 age groups represented at meetings - a designated contact person 6) Set out a suggestion box at the Resource Center.
To facilitate communication of resources:
1) Have a parent mentor for new families – parent volunteers from each age group could support new families by inviting them to events and being a buddy as well as communicate about the program and give ideas about how families do homeschooling 2) Have monthly meetings – perhaps one hour of a topic or speaker and then one hour of socializing 3) Re-think the community picnic at the beginning of the year and how to make it work as an orientation, a way to communicat ewell about the class offerings, and how to make it work as an “ice-breaking” activity for new families. 4) Create an AFE family handbook – with information on procedures, guidelines, expectations, resources, etc. 5) Have a parent resource area at the RC. 6) Keep a resource notebook at the RC and/or on-line. Parents and staff could complete a form about resources that were useful to them—from volunteer opportunities in the community to texts, videos, manipulatives, or other materials they have found useful, so other families don’t have to reinvent the wheel. It could also include activities they have organized for AFE that worked well. For example, we used to have a games group and an “Investigations” monthly activity. Someone might be interested in starting them up again, if they heard about it. 7) Have a high school orientation so families can be prepared for how to create classes and manage credits as well as hear about other options for high schoolers. 8) Have families fill out volunteer/resource forms at semester meetings with the teacher. These would ask families to think about how they could volunteer time, expertise, services, or make donations of products that would benefit the AFE community. They could also suggest resources.
To improve staff–to-family communication:
1) Create guidelines book for staff – this would set protocol for staff on classes, progress reporting, communication, responsibilities, etc, and cold set a baseline for what information to give to all families.
Friends of AFE Support Form
Parent name: Phone #: Parent name: Phone #:
Consultant teacher name(s):
I can help support AFE and/or my children at AFE by doing the following (check all that apply):
_____ Home support: The best way I can help at this time is to provide educational and emotional support for my children in their homeschooling.
_____ Monthly donation of $5 $10 $20 $25 $50 $100 or $______
_____ Bi-annual donation of $25 $50 $75 $100 $200 or $_____
_____ Donate supplies ___ art supplies ___ office supplies ____ educational materials ___ furniture ___ gardening/landscaping ___ used items ___other (please list) ____________________________________
_____Volunteer time (office) : Circle all that apply shelving books working at the resource center updating website answering phone computer work typing photocopying folding/mailing newsletter manage email news update RC bulletin board phone-calling
_____Volunteer time (classes): circle all that apply help in classroom make materials for classes teach a class help with yearbook other:_________________
_____Volunteer time (community): circle all that apply fundraising committee organize activities/events organize playgroups grantwriting team mentor new families parent handbook attend site council meetings attend small school meetings attend dist. Meetings organize AFE community meetings gardening/caretaking manage recycling help plan fall picnic help plan graduation
other: ______________________________________
_____Find resources in the greater Santa Cruz community to: circle all that apply donate money provide services donate supplies sponsor events List names/phone numbers of possible donors: _____________________________ ___________________________________________________________________
_____Other types of help or donation: (please list) ______________________________ ___________________________________________________________________
_____I am not sure how I can best help. Please call me at: Phone #_________________
AFE Communication Preference Form
Do you wish to be listed on our AFE Roster? (a typed handout of students’ names, addresses, phone # and parents’ names, which is given to AFE families for information and networking) ______ yes _____no
If yes, please list parents’ names (list separate phone humbers if at different addresses, and your student’s name(s): Parent name___________________________________________Phone #___________________
Parent name___________________________________________Phone #___________________
Student name(s)__________________________________________________________________
Do you want your email address to be included on the roster so families can contact you by email?
____yes ____no
Would you like to be on the AFE email list? (you would be part of an email distribution list kept by one or two peole and would be sent messages regarding upcoming events, changes in class schedule or meeting place, networking requests, important news, etc. This would NOT be avable for everyone’s personal use; families who wish to exchange email addresses could do so on their own). _____yes _____no
If yes, would your preference by: ____to receive all news and updates, including important last-minute changes (24 hour notice) by email? Preferred email address:___________________________________________________________
OR
_____to receive only updates and general information by email but be called by phone for last-minute changes preferred phone #_______________________________
email address__________________________________
Do you wish to receive the AFE monthly newsletter by email? _______yes _____no
Thank you for filling out this form. It will help us improve our communication!
