06.11.2017 Views

Back to School for Grown Ups

This eBook is for parent committees preparing to make the most of the start of the school year. We have ideas and inspiration for welcoming and engaging families.

This eBook is for parent committees preparing to make the most of the start of the school year. We have ideas and inspiration for welcoming and engaging families.

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Open Days and Orientation<br />

These are a prime opportunity <strong>to</strong> make your committee known<br />

<strong>to</strong> new families. You’re not going <strong>to</strong> attract new members if no<br />

one knows who you are so it’s really important that you have a<br />

presence at your open day and/or orientation day.<br />

1. Make your committee members easily identifiable - This<br />

can be done with cus<strong>to</strong>mised t-shirts or hats but if your<br />

budget doesn’t stretch that far, nominate a particular colour<br />

shirt <strong>for</strong> your members <strong>to</strong> wear (possibly one of your school<br />

colours) or give them name-tags or a lanyard with their name<br />

and ‘P&C member’ or ‘P&F member’ on it.<br />

2. Mingle - Don’t just plonk yourselves and your in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />

on a table in the corner and chat with each other. This could<br />

be perceived by new parents in a negative way. Get amongst it<br />

and have your team mingle with parents and staff. Your<br />

committee will look a whole lot more approachable and<br />

parents can ask questions without feeling intimidated and<br />

needing <strong>to</strong> join on the spot.<br />

3. Facebook live/Video – Due <strong>to</strong> work and other life<br />

commitments, there will be some parents who can’t make it on<br />

the day. Parents will often follow the Facebook page of a<br />

potential school <strong>to</strong> ‘test the waters’ and Facebook live is an<br />

easy way <strong>to</strong> be able <strong>to</strong> connect with those who can’t be there.<br />

You can provide a ‘virtual’ <strong>to</strong>ur of the school, all you need is<br />

your phone and you can showcase activities that are<br />

happening as well as giving additional in<strong>for</strong>mation and the<br />

opportunity <strong>for</strong> questions <strong>to</strong> be asked and answered on the<br />

spot. Or record a school <strong>to</strong>ur video and upload it later.<br />

4. Welcome packs – rather than having a whole pile of<br />

random pieces of paper <strong>to</strong> give out. Look at combining<br />

everything <strong>to</strong>gether in<strong>to</strong> a ‘welcome pack’, such as the<br />

'Dummies Guide' referred <strong>to</strong> in the previous page, that<br />

families can sit down with a cuppa later on and digest.<br />

B A C K T O S C H O O L : F O R G R O W N U P S | 6

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