For those of us who prefer getting our news and information via the email inbox, there are a couple more opportunities to stay in the loop.
The village has offered a subscription e-mail newsletter for years and the DG Park District recently added a similar service. Now both school districts also are going electronic.
D58 has just launched its Communicate 58 e-newsletter to keep subscribers informed about district and school board news, budget information and other developments of interest to parents and residents.
Today’s edition of Communicate 58 includes stories about the district’s plan for dealing with H1N1 flu, announcements about the upcoming education foundation fundraiser and El Sierra school’s 40th anniversary celebration and a story about the district’s transition to electronic flyers in an attempt to reduce the number of announcements that go home in backpacks.
“In 2008-09, District 58 distributed more than 425,000 pieces of paper on behalf of community groups,” according to Communicate 58.
About half of the district’s schools have phased out generally circulated paper newsletters in favor of online editions, said Jennifer Waldorf, community relations director. That’s up from two or three at the beginning of the 2008 school year.
“We are leaving the decision up to the schools,” she said. “They know their school community best.” Those that opt for online newsletters are cautioned to be more restrictive with the information posted on the Web, for example, using just first names when identifying students, or no names at all for photo captions.
The Bridges newsletter will continue to be mailed out to district households, although less frequently than before. The cost savings is substantial. A six- to eight-page edition costs $8,000 to $10,000 or 35 cents to 40 cents per resident while Communicate 58 can go out to 1,000 subscribers at a cost of just a couple hundred dollars, Waldorf said. The cost for 10,000 subscribers would be $900 a year, or less than 15 cents per subscriber per year.
The e-newsletter is the latest electronic communications tool for the district. It has been using the Connect Ed voice call-out system to announce school news, snow days and other urgent information for about two years.
D99 is also readying a “push email” system, said spokeswoman Faith Behr. “We will be initially starting with parents, most of whose e-mail addresses we already have,” she said. “We plan to send an e-mail out early next week with a reminder about open houses.”
Parents who do not have e-mail addresses on record will be able to subscribe for the serve at next week’s open houses, Behr said. “We plan to allow community members to subscribe as well.”
Seems like the concept is catching on, and quickly, among D58 parents.
Earlier this week, Communicate 58 had more than 400 subscribers. That number doubled after the district sent out an e-mail advisory today inviting parents to subscribe.
To subscribe to the e-newsletter, click on the box at the lower right corner of the D58 Web site or e-mail Waldorf at jwaldorf@dg58.org.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful for some journalist, print or internet, to produce a periodic “readers’ digest” of all these!