Classroom “Newsletter” – a.k.a. The Update

When I first started teaching, the classroom newsletter was a staple in my classroom.  Now, nine years later, I have transitioned to the digital age, and have found a wonderful replacement idea!  Instead of a weekly newsletter, parents get a weekly update email from me.  The update has three sections: curriculum, news, and upcoming events.

The Curriculum section details what we have been learning about in each subject.  It is also a place for me to mention upcoming tests or important due dates.  The news section has any information about our classroom or the school that is important to get to parents.  Some weeks, this is the biggest section of the Update!  The last section, Upcoming Events, is just a list of dates of upcoming events in our classroom and school.  This is where I list study trips, skating parties, and school programs.

I like the Update emails for a few reasons.  They are much easier to write than the old newsletters that I did (mostly because the formatting is simple – it’s just an email!).  I have also found that it increases parent communication.  They are much more likely to “reply” to an email than to write me a note about a printed newsletter.  I am especially loving the Update in the era of smartphones, because most of my parents get the Update immediately after I send it.  Sometimes I get replies within minutes!

How do you keep your parents up to date?