Walnut Creek, California
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Summary of Recommendations for Executive Board:

  1. Officially adopt policy that eNews is distributed every Wednesday except during school holidays (ex. Thanksgiving, Winter Break, Spring Break, Summer Break (mid June – mid August)
  2. Officially remove BV hotline from communications list.
  3. Officially change distribution date of BARK  from 1st Wednesday of the month to the 1st Monday of the month, unless a holiday then the 1st Tuesday, and distributed in via eNews devoted to BARK distribution.
  4. Adopt revised Privacy Policy
  5. Propose that BARK be published less frequently, from monthly to every other month (publication dates September, November, January, March, May, which means the work is done in August, October, December, February and April).  Please think about what needs to be communicated through the newsletter and how often.
  6. Instead of sending eNews with a link to BARK, have active links to each sections of BARK.
  7. Adopt electronic School based Flyers in line with eCommunication vision (changes to website and eNews), similar to community based flyers distributed from the District Office.
  8. Adopt electronic Welcome Back Day process in line with eCommuniciations vision (changes to website) next summer

Flyers

  1. District approves all community flyers.  All community Flyers all electronic, no exceptions (last year paper families did not receive these)
  2. Located on Walnut Creek District website
  3. Home page – Site shortcuts
  4. Forms & Policies -> Flyers
  5. Located on Buena Vista PTA website
  6. Linked directly to Walnut Creek District website Forms&Policies/Flyers
  7. School Flyers ((Spanish class, art class, upcoming events, etc.) 
  8. Located on Buena Vista PTA website
  9. Home page – Below “Welcome Message”
  10. Location Waiting for 1st flyer
  11. Follows same approval process that occurred with paper flyer. 
  12. Principal approval process
  13. Exceptions Process requires principal approval.  This is a work in progress and will modify process as things come up.
  14. Current exceptions
  15. School Emergencies
  16. Need to know right away information
  17. Communications that require written feeback such as ballot

Welcome Back Days 2009/2010

  1. Most information can be electronic
    1. Can be electronic next year
  2. WBD Letter
  3. Principal Ltr & Special Project fund
  4. PTA Letter
  5. PTA Membership, etc.
  6. PTA Volunteer form
  7. Check List
  8. PTA Membership, etc.
  9. eCommunications form
  10. WCEF flyer
  11. Matching Employer Contributions Form
  12. Student Accident & Health Insurance accept/ decline form
  13. Student Accident & Health Insurance information (website)
    1. Exceptions Paper Only forms:
  14. Student Registration Card (vanilla colored)
  15. Directory Form
  16. Notification of parent/guardian rights & obligations ? (The distict could post this on the website)
  17. Are there barriers to having an electronic WBD packet?  Please note that there will continue to be a paper process to support New families and Paper Families.
Buena Vista PTA Summary Communications

eNews

Publication Date:  Wednesday
Publication Frequency:  Every week during and prior to school year
Submission Deadline:   Sunday prior to 5 pm
Format:  Short (4-5 sentence) paragraph in word format.  If more detail needed then use weblinks to link to more indepth information.
Where:  enews@buenavistapta.org

Bark

Publication Date:  1st Wednesday of the month.  Electronically 1st Monday of the month.  If the Monday is a holiday, then the following Tuesday.  For Paper Families distribution will be on 1st Wednesday of the month via the Wednesday Envelope.
Publication Frequency:  Each month during school year (Sept thru June)
Submission Deadline:  10 days prior to publication (check website for exact date).  2 non-holiday weekends. 
Format:  word article of any length with graphics
Where:   bark@buenavistapta.org

Website

Update Frequency:   weekly
Submission Deadline:  Each week, Sunday prior to 5 pm
Updates:  Tuesday
Where:  web@buenavistapta.org

Bulletin Boards

Submission Deadline:  Three days prior to posting
Format:  4 copies “as is”
Where:  folder in office
Notify: Bulletin Board volunteer

Phone HotLine

Call and update your event news at your convenience.  Phone number listed is school office.  Does this fit in with eCommunications vision.  Also not used for past 2 school years. 


Buena Vista PTA
Communications Policy

BV School eCommunications Vision:  All BV PTA communications provided to BV community electronically.  Electronic is defined as email or website.  For those families (Paper families) that indicate through the eCommunications form that they require paper communication, either at Welcome Back Day or through the school registration process, will receive paper communication through the Wednesday envelope process.

Policy
It is the goal of the Buena Vista PTA to maintain communications with the Buena Vista community regarding Buena Vista PTA and Buena Vista Elementary (the School).Purpose.  The purpose of Buena Vista PTA communications is to:

  1. Inform the community about PTA activities and school functions.
  2. Encourage involvement of every parent with their child both at home and in the school.
  3. Foster cooperation with the school in keeping parents informed about school functions, regulations and/or procedures on school (implies child and parent) related issues.
  4. Inform every family in the school of the aims, accomplishments and programs of the Buena Vista PTA.
  5. Encourage attendance at PTA meetings, and parent involvement in PTA projects and activities.

Content:
All communications disseminated by the Buena Vista PTA shall be related to our PTA or the School.   These communications may also be used for safety/emergency alerts.  No communications shall contain political, commercial or other non-PTA/school business unless as otherwise stated in this Policy.
Responsibilities. 
The Buena Vista PTA President  is responsible for the accuracy of PTA communications and compliance with PTA policies.  This responsibility may be delegated to the Vice President of Communications.
The Buena Vista Elementary School Principal (or designee) is responsible for the accuracy of school information and compliance with the State Education Code and school district policies.
Method:
The Buena Vista PTA provides communications so that information is received by the BV community utilizing the most comprehensive and efficient methods.

Privacy Policy
All e-mail addresses provided to the Buena Vista PTA shall remain confidential. The Buena Vista PTA shall not be disseminated to others including the selling or sharing of address lists with other parties or organizations as well as the display of e-mail addresses in messages sent by the Buena Vista PTA.

Suggest the following:
All email addresses provided to the Buena Vista PTA will be used ONLY for communication purposes by groups affiliated with the Walnut Creek School District, Buena Vista Elementary School, Buena Vista PTA, and WCEF K-12. This information will not be sold or given to any outside organization.  To facilitate the transition to intermediate school, all 5th grade families enrolled in our eCommunications database will automatically be enrolled into the WCI eCommnications database near the end of the school year.

Communication Tools
Monthly Newsletterr
The Buena Vista PTA publishes a monthly newsletter electronically on the first Monday of every month unless a holiday, then on the first Tuesday.  Paper  Family newsletters will be the first Wednesday of every month via the Wednesday envelope process. 
Content: 
The Buena Vista PTA newsletter shall contain information related to upcoming PTA and School news and events.  The newsletter shall also contain messages from the PTA and School staff.  The newsletter shall not contain any  political, commercial or other non-PTA/school business.
Article Submission: 
All articles for the PTA monthly newsletter shall be submitted at least 10 days prior to the publication date.
Review Process: 
All articles must be reviewed by and cleared with the Buena Vista PTA President or Vice President of Communications and the Buena Vista School Principal (or designee) before publishing.   
Method:
 A draft of all articles submitted for publication shall be disseminated for review and clearing at least 5 days prior to publication.  All changes/objections must be submitted no later than 2 days prior to publication.  Articles not cleared will not be published.
Distrubtion:
 The PTA monthly newsletter shall be distributed to all faculty, staff, parents and school community members who have provided the PTA with an e-mail address.  Parents who do not have access to electronic mail, shall be provided a paper copy of the newsletter.  In addition, a paper copy of the newsletter shall be placed in the School office, School library, School family room, Staff lounge, each classroom and the Buena Vista Club. PTA Bulletin Boards
E-Newss
The Buena Vista PTA distributes weekly electronic announcements.
Content:
The Buena Vista PTA eNews shall contain notices related to upcoming PTA and School news and events.  eNews shall also contain links to the Buena Vista PTA Website, the Buena Vista Elementary School Website and other websites relating to PTA and School business.  eNews shall not contain any  political, commercial or other non-PTA/school business.  However, the eNews may contain links to such information if contained on the PTA Website.
Article/Notice Submission:
All articles and notices for the eNews must be submitted on or before 5 pm Sunday to be published in the weekly eNews distributed the following Wednesday.  Articles or notices should be written concisely and may be linked to more detailed information contained in the PTA monthly newsletter (not set up to do this as a PDF file) or PTA Website.
Review Process: 
An eNews draft  must be reviewed by and cleared with the Buena Vista PTA President or Vice President of Communications and the Buena Vista School Principal (or designee) before publishing.  
Method: 
An eNews draft of all articles or notices submitted for publication shall be disseminated for review and clearing on Monday but no later than Tuesday morning.   All changes/objections must be forwarded no later than 5 pm Tuesday.  Notices not cleared will not be published.
Distrubtion:
eNews shall be distributed to all faculty, staff, parents and school community members who have provided the PTA with an e-mail address.    In addition, a paper copy of the eNews shall be placed in the School office, School library, School family room, Staff lounge, PTA Bulletin Boards, each classroom and the Buena Vista Club.
Application:  Constant Contact

Website
The Buena Vista PTA publishes a website.
Content: 
The Buena Vista PTA  Website shall contain information related to upcoming PTA and School news and events.  The Website shall also contain links to the Buena Vista PTA Website, the Buena Vista Elementary School Website and other website relating to PTA and School business.  The Website shall not contain any  political, commercial or other non-PTA/school business. 
However, the Website  may contain a classified advertisement area with information on after-school activities (such as clubs, sports, scouting, language, art and music classes, before/after school child care, summer camps), . . . . .
Content Submission: 
All content for the PTA Website submitted on or before 5 pm Sunday may be published in the PTA Website updated the following Wednesday. 
Content Review: 
All content  must be reviewed by and cleared with the Buena Vista PTA President or Vice President of Communications and the Buena Vista School Principal (or designee) before publishing.  
Method: 
An update notice will be sent each Tuesday afternoon.  The notice will contain a summary of content changes.   All comments must be forwarded no later than 10 pm Tuesday.  (Is this the usual process?  I haven’t seen anything yet)

Application: ?