One of the best ways teachers can support your PTO is to communicate with parents and get encourage students and families to come to PTO sponsored events. Teachers are super busy and have negative time to get everything done. So anytime you want to tell them something, it needs to be done smart and strategically! Here’s exactly how to communicate effectively with teachers and all school staff!
What to Say
Most importantly, make all communications, whether verbal or written, short and super clear. Make them shorter than you think they probably should be. Just enough to get across the essential information. Cut out the introductory fluff that you might otherwise include.
Just like the flyers you send home to school families, you’ll want to cover the basics: what, when, where and a tiny bit about the why. Include all of this information so they know enough to answer questions from parents, but not all of the little details that PTO event organizers know. Teachers will appreciate that you get straight to the point and that they don’t have the waste time trying to figure out how they can help.
Check in first
If you haven’t already, check in with the teachers via your Principal or PTO Teacher Representative and see how they want to be kept in the loop. Once you have that figured out, then use their preferred method as the primary mode of communication and then layer on the methods outlined below.
Take advantage of prime locations
Copiers. All off them.
If you’ve ever run copies, you know there’s always a little bit of time to kill. Why not take advantage and post flyers around the copiers? Make sure you put copies by all of the copiers for the biggest impact.
Teachers’ Lounge
Don’t forget to post information int he teacher’s lounges as well. Consider buying acrylic sign stands and slipping the flyer into the stand and leaving them on the tables in the teacher’s lounge. The information is sure to stand out when presented like this instead of just taping it onto the wall.
Teacher’s Mailboxes
Put a copy of the same flyer you’re sending home with students in the teachers’ mailboxes so they can stay in the loop.
Teacher’s Inboxes
A word to the wise about sending emails to teachers. They get a lot of emails. A LOT. So make sure you have a super clear email subject line (think more Fundraiser Order Deadline is this Week and less Important Information), and remember, don’t get too wordy in the body of the email.
Timing is Everything
One of the most important factors of clear communication is to communicate early and often. Make sure to let teachers know well in advance of upcoming events so they have time to work in announcements to their students. If you’re only letting teachers know about things at the last minute, don’t count on them being able to relay that information onto parents. There’s a heckuva lot of things happening in the school building and late notice will just get lost.
Think Outside the Usual
A really effective way to communicate teachers well in advance of events is to put all PTO events and deadlines into a well designed calendar. The Event Calendar Template available in the PTO Answer’s Shop is a fantastic way to communicate to teachers all of the important event details in a super clear and efficient way.
Bottom Line about Effective Teacher Communication
The truth is that teachers want to help PTOs by spreading the word about events, programs and fundraisers. But they need PTOs to provide the information in a clear and concise ways so that they immediately know what to communicate. Help your PTO and your teachers by using these communication tips.
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