Emails from preK/preschool/daycare

[bethaboo]

As in ... does your child’s preK send them?

This is our first experience not in an in-home daycare and I’m trying to decide if I’m being unreasonable before I say something to the center.

In the two months we’ve been there, there have been school pictures, sign ups for a variety of activities (Soccer Shots, etc), two Scholastic book sales, an ice cream social and now a Halloween party and trick or treat where they asked for donations of snacks and toys for trick-or-treating.

All of this is announced via signs around the center. My problem is that I do drop off only so I notice the signage but then have to race to work and generally forget once I get bogged down in work stuff. Sometimes, if I remember, I will have H ask the teacher at pick up but then I’m never certain of what gets lost in translation.

I would like to suggest that these things could be emailed to us as a written reminder that I can deal with on my time feels much more likely to be attended to. But I don’t want to be an annoying parent or burden them with one more task. Does it seem reasonable to expect an email announcement?

[scm1011]

Yes, completely reasonable. Our daycare center sends emails about all of the above. They post notices sometimes as well, but I'm with you - drop off and pick up are so hectic I'd miss stuff if that was the only way it was communicated.

[vtdiamond]

Yes my kids daycare does signs and emails.

I’ve gotten 3 emails from them leading up to today’s Halloween Parade/party with instructions on where to stand for the parade, what to pack, etc.

I’m with you and mostly do drop offs, it’s hard to catch everything on the morning when you’re distracted by the kid and trying to get to work on time.

[lessel]

Our daycare doesn't do emails, but they pretty much have flyers for everything along these lines. So I grab that when I'm picking up. (DH does drop off.) They also have a monthly calendar that's on the wall, but then also print it out so we have one hanging in our kitchen that lists special days, events, etc.

I'd prefer email over lots of wasted paper...but maybe that would be something else to suggest if they're just not set up to do mass emails or whatnot.

[cinco]

Ours did not send emails. We did get a monthly newsletter with information in their backpack. Dd2’s kindergarten teacher did one of the online apps last year and sent pictures and info, but her first grade teacher sends nothing. We got nothing from DS’s teacher last year and this year his teacher frequently emails and sends reminder texts (5th grade). In our experience it has been teacher preference. I don’t think it hurts to ask/make a suggestion.

[starburst604]

Yes we get emails about everything. We get a monthly calendar with all the events on it along with lunch menus, then reminders about all the events as they approach. I would miss everything because H mostly picks up and pays zero attention to signs like “tomorrow is pajama day!!” Its also how we are alerted when a kid in the class has been diagnosed with something contagious. It’s completely reasonable in 2018 to request this!

[ECB]

So that's it, just signs on the walls?  Yeah.... they need to step up their game a bit.   

Email, IMO, is the easiest and it puts it in the parents hands and easier to remember.  That would be my argument for email alone- that you don't see/ don't have time to read the flyers.  If they sent out emails - weekly or monthly - with a list of upcomgin events, you'd remember and probably participate more.  

If they have some issue with that, though, I'd recommend a monthly newsletter that either goes home with the kids or that they have stacked by the door so that you can grab one on  your way out. Something to have in hand.

I would imagine that they will get more participation if they do one of the above. 

[boiler717]

I think emails are totally reasonable.

[VillainV]

No emails. There is a closed group FB page for parents that has announcements and reminders. And signage. I try to take pictures of the signs on my phone so I can remember the details.

[kath16]

ours doesn't do emails at all, but each family has a mailbox in addition to the kids' cubbies. stuff like this gets put in the mailbox so you have a hard copy of everything.

[raangoli]

I think that is a reasonable to request to ask that there are also emails sent. Both centers we have been at have done signs and emails as reminders. And also fliers in the cubby as needed.

[outnumbered]

The school should be sending an email or maintain on online calender. My preschool sends a monthly newsletter via email. All the events are listed in the email. Signs are also posted around the school.

If there is no email take a picture of the sign. I take pictures of my kids field trip permission slips so I do not have to write down or remember the details

[dcn]

Ours does not send emails. Just signs or notes sent home in cubbies. I forget all kinds of things as a result.

I think emails are reasonable!

Ours just gave out instructions for an app to keep updated. Email seems easier haha.

[kdubs923]

I think it's a reasonable request. We have a weekly (specific to our location)/monthly (chain-wide) newsletter that goes out via email.

Also, our daycare uses the Tadpoles App, so the daycare can send home messages to everyone and individual teachers can also send out class specific information. These messages go to the app and email.

If I had to survive just on paper reminders alone, my kids would alway miss out on things (because of me).

[brooke77]

Center wide stuff like pasta dinners, photos, etc is emailed. Classroom specific stuff is usually sent home via flyer OR there are sign ups on the classroom door (like snacks for holiday parties). I think it’s totally reasonable to request an email reminder!

[pooh8402]

Yea we get emails about all of the above and notifications through the Tadpoles app, in addition to signage. Classroom specific stuff is done through the Tadpoles app mostly.

[undecidedowl]

Ours does different communication depending on the event/info. I'm in the same position as you with rushed drop off and DH doing pickups. What I find works best is to take picture of any sign that I see and need to read/deal with later. That way, it's available when I have time and I can also send to DH if needed to get more info.

As far as other methods of communication, I would say 50% is just signs (things that are non-critical, or put out way in advance), 40% is from the teacher via the Remind app, and 10% is emails.

[galaxy8227]

Our daycare does the remind app--they send messages about parties, dress up days etc. This is an in home so not a ton of kids but I do appreciate the messages this way.

[countthestars]

We just have signs too. Well, we have a FB page but it's rarely used. I usually take pictures of the signs so I can read them later. Asking if email is an option would be reasonable (I think it would create more problems here though, to be honest, because sometimes they post things like, the morning on, on our Facebook page. If I'm looking for an email I'd want advanced notice.

[sunshine608]

Yes. We get a weekly email on Sunday with information for the week and then reminders as needed as well. Some stuff does come home in the folders, but is usually follow-up from the weekly email.

However we have a car line, most parents don't even go in the building. If you park, you usually just walk your kid to the door.

[luv2rn4fun]

Yes, we get at least a weekly email, maybe even a monthly newsletter as well. It seems like they are always emailing...which is great because then I don’t forget things.

[bethaboo]

Thanks for the feedback! I probably should take pictures of signs but I also think I’ll have my husband say something to the director (the front desk is empty when I drop off) today.

[redheadbaker]

Ours was about 50/50 on sending an email for events. I used to take photos ofthe flyers and email them to myself.

[icedcoffee]

Ours uses an app and they put reminders in there. It's nice because it reminds me when they enter it, at the end of the day when i get the final report and AGAIN at 6:30 am the next day.

They also occasionally do blast text reminders which is unnecessary but helpful I guess.

An email is not too much to ask for.

[huskymom]

Oct 31, 2018 7:55:07 GMT -5 pooh8402 said:

Yea we get emails about all of the above and notifications through the Tadpoles app, in addition to signage. Classroom specific stuff is done through the Tadpoles app mostly.

This...but sometimes it’s like 20 emails a day which is the opposite problem !

[brooklyn]

Our teacher sends out a weekly email, plus sends flyers home in the backpack about picture day and other school events.

I’m also Class Mom and it’s the class moms responsibility to also send weekly emails about class events and school wide PTA events. Emails are definitely the way to go, so easy to look back through my mailbox for info.

[minionkevin]

Our school has an app (Remind) that they send announcements on. We also get flyers every once in awhile, but very few emails except from the larger organization (a huge regional YMCA).

[CrazyLucky]

My kids have been at three day cares. The first two had no electronic communication. Requests were put on the door, along with a signup sheet for what to bring to class parties. The one they're in now sends home flyers and will sometimes text. This daycare is really great, opens a lot of days that schools are closed, and I've never thought to request emails.

[mbcdefg]

Daycare sends a monthly calendar (theme days, planned closures, parties, etc.), curriculum, and newsletter in the same email, on the first of the month.

We get emails about parties, illness notifications (example, they said a child came down with croup so they sent out a list of warning signs to watch for), extracurricular sign-ups (class photos; if we want to pay to include her in a music class where someone with a guitar comes in and sings; etc.). Maybe once or twice a week, I'd say?

There is also signage around the center. Pics are posted to a private IG account almost every day.

[kershnic]

Our daycare sends a monthly newsletter and monthly menu but no other email communication. We are notified of things via a paper flyer in their parent communication folder.