One significant challenge teachers and other educators face when attempting to contact parents is accessing the correct contact information to do so.  Phone numbers, emails, and other contact information change throughout each year.  In most school computer systems, teachers cannot edit or add contact information as they become aware of it.  They can only access a student management system that was populated with data at the beginning of the year and is rarely updated through the year.  On any given campus, typically only one (or at most a handful) of staff are authorized to update this information.  Consequently, the information is as often wrong, incomplete, or out-dated as it is correct.  What an inefficient system!

Imagine too that you are a teacher who has to address email to 20-100 students and/or parents per week.  What a pain!  Of course, a teacher could build a group in their email program, but then the challenge is keeping up with those groups and making sure the email addresses of group members stay up-to-date.  There are better ways to tackle this challenge!

Instead, if you use a web-based communication solution like EdClick's Collaboration Manager, all staff members are empowered to update student and parent contact information dynamically, as they become aware of changes.  At school, from home, or wherever else they are connected to the internet, staff members can access student contact information that is as fresh as the last communication any staff member had with that parent.  When they learn of new contact information, within a minute they can update it for the benefit of all.  It is a dynamic, decentralized process that is efficient, collaborative, and promotes enhanced communication and cooperation between home and school.

Consider this form:

When I received a call today from a parent I know who was frustrated by the stack of failing papers she had just received from her daughter's teachers, I was reminded yet again how important it is for the teachers of struggling students to reach out to parents.  The earlier the better. 

Each attempt should be documented.  Beyond the C.Y.A. factor, this is valuable information.  Written communication to/from parents should be archived.  Verbal conversations should be documented in notes. Not merely that the conversation occurred, but the notes should also include a brief summary of some sort. 

When this type of documentation exists, professional staff members with a need to know can readily refer to a "file cabinet" (of sorts) where these notes are stored.  They can easily access these notes and other documents before making a call, so they gain insights that help them build on prior conversations colleagues have already had with the parent.  They should enter conversations with parents as informed and prepared as possible.  And, those conversations should be as focused and constructive as possible.

The file cabinet I am referring to is not two-drawer, nor is it four-drawer.  In fact, it is not really a cabinet at all...unless you're stuck in the 20th century.  Instead, it is a database on the internet that makes the process I outlined above a snap for all personnel.  Easy.  Accessible from anywhere.  A series of check boxes, pull-downs, and text-fields. 

EdClick's Collaboration Manager is the collaborative "file cabinet" your school can use to enhance and document parent communication--->cheaply, easily, and in a manner that improves your school's performance!  You can see it work in an online demo, right from the convenience of your computer!