NEIT16+Open+Space+1G+-+Parlor+C

This topic is coming out of NYCIST meeting.

How can we be our best communication department?

How to we battle information overload?

How does this tie into Manoush's keynote?
 * How can we ask our consits. to pull back on usage, when we ask so much?
 * It's ironic that as an information professional, it feels complex about how to get information about information!
 * We're misusing the term "screen-time". There are different things happening with a child's mind when they are watching TV vs. using an interactive device (laptop, iPad, etc.).
 * The shower principle doesn't really make sense. We wouldn't take a shower all-day. Just being bored doesn't inspire limitless thought.
 * It's not all about just removing the device. It's about being more purposeful in the usage. Kids need guidance, and so do adults!

So, there's information overload for all groups. So, how do you approach this for each particular constituent group. Does the communication department do this? Are we responsibility

The idea is to get people to buy into the message. Go viral. Make fake commercials. Start scheduling the communication that comes from the school. We should make an effort to be as brief as possible

What's coming out?:
 * Event announcements
 * Directors letters
 * Homework
 * PA
 * etc.

So with all that, how do we get our voice heard.

Is there an alternative to email? Trying slack with students. Some schools moderate their email. Some schools are doing limited texting with students. What aren't we texting more? Some discoverability, reliability, cost issues.

Shoot lots of videos. Always feature kids. This has been good. But, Colin is managing this all by himself.

Twitter can be used as a grassroots campaign for teachers to be feeding content to the website.

Down with newsletter!

Is anyone using the model where there's a place with all the content, and parents go to get the information? Some, LS teachers. Are we leveraging our FinalSite / Whipple Hill tools? Hit or miss. Can be a good idea to push this. Chapin is doing both: posting info and emailing it.

Can/should we try to create parent to parent communication?

If the eyeballs are on FB, how about posting stories as click-bait?

Can we push podcasting?

How about a newsletter that is video with kids.

What's working? Using a Google+ group to communicate to teachers and admins. Google Sites page that acts as a portal w. links to resources. It archives discussions.It's become the place teachers go first. //**"Sometimes you build it and they don't come!"**// How do administrators communicate out to teachers?

Smore.com as a tool to send a weekly technology letter.

Timing is everything! Too much from one person becomes the boy who cried wolf. What's the best time to send an email? There are studies around this.