A parent handbook is an essential piece of communication for any school or childcare facility. It outlines the policies and procedures of the organization and provides important information for parents. Let’s look at how to create one below.
Why Every School Needs a Parent Handbook
Here are three reasons why every school needs to have a parent handbook:
1: Helps Parents Understand Your School’s Policies
Your school’s policies play a big role in shaping the culture and community of your institution. From dress codes to discipline procedures, parents need to be aware of the rules that their children will be expected to follow. A parent handbook is the best way to ensure everyone is on the same page.
2: Keeps Parents Informed About Important Dates and Events
Parents need to be aware of many important dates and events throughout the school year. The start of school, end of school, and breaks for holidays are important for parents to keep track of!
3: Provides a Point of Contact for Parents
The parent handbook can also serve as a point of contact for parents. If they have any questions or concerns, they can always refer to the handbook. This is a great way to keep everyone on the same page and ensure that everyone is getting the information they need.
Keep these things in mind if you wonder why your school needs to have a handbook.
How to Make a Parent Handbook: What to Include
Now, you need to know what needs to be included in a parent handbook:
1: Introduction
The first thing that should be included in your parent handbook is an introduction. This is where you can provide an overview of the school and its policies. It’s also a great place to include contact information for the school’s administrators.
2: Table of Contents
A table of contents will help parents navigate the handbook and find the information they need. Be sure to include all of the sections listed below in your table of contents.
3: School Policies
As we mentioned before, one of the most important aspects of a parent handbook is outlining your school’s policies. This is where you can go into detail about things like the dress code, attendance policy, and discipline procedures.
4: School Calendar
A school calendar is a great way to help parents plan for the upcoming year. Be sure to include important dates and events, such as open houses, parent-teacher conferences, and field trips.
5: Contact Information
The last thing you’ll want to include in your parent handbook is contact information. This is where you can provide the names and numbers of the school’s administrators. This is a great way to ensure that parents can always contact someone if they have any questions or concerns.
Creating a parent handbook is a great way to ensure parents are completely informed. Be sure to include all of the information listed above to ensure that your handbook is complete and informative.
Steps to Create an Effective Parent Handbook
Finally, here is a step-by-step guide on how to make a parent handbook:
1: Find a template
You can find a parent handbook template online or ask other schools for their template. There is software that provides parent handbook templates as well. There are a variety of templates available, so find one that meets your needs.
2: Input your school’s information and edit
After choosing a template, start by inputting your school’s name, logo, and contact information. Next, edit the template to fit your school’s needs, such as adding or removing policies. Ensure that it is fully customized for your school before moving on.
3: Print it out or make a PDF
After editing the template, print it out and get it ready for review. It would be best to make sure that everything is perfect before you start distributing the handbooks to parents. You can also send your handbook through e-mail to each parent as a PDF. This saves paper too!
4: Review it with your team
Once you have created the parent handbook, review it with your team to ensure that everything is correct. You can split it into sections and have different people review different parts. After everyone has had a chance to review it, revise it as needed.
5: Distribute it to parents
Finally, after a full edit, distribute the parent handbook to parents at an open house or during the first week of school. Be sure to make it easily accessible on your school’s website as well.
By following these steps, you can be sure that your handbook is effective and informative.
A parent handbook is a great way to ensure that your school’s policies and procedures are clear. Be sure to include all of the information listed above to make sure that your handbook is complete and informative. Use a template to make the process easier, and be sure to review it with your team before you distribute it to parents!
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