To think that dcs school is totally inappropriate

[Lillyrosey]

AIBU to think that's my kids school is completely an utterly inappropriate and unprofessional in assuming I will get information about dressing up days, phonics sessions times and other important information that I need to know for my kids to settle into school nicely!??

So there have been a couple of things that I have missed sincd children have been back to school and I was quite upset over one in particular Tha was my daughter's first phonics session with parents. Now I check the newsletter and my emails all the time. It wasn't on it at all.
Then there is a fancy dress thing this Thursday my son has announced to me to which I reply well no there's no fancy dress thing as I haven't been informed! Double check the newsletter yet again nope nothing on there.
I couldn't work out what I was missing??! Nows the time to add that I do not do social media.
I Merion this morning to my daughters teaching assistant how gutted I was to miss her phonics session and she turns to me and said well then you should of been checking our facebook and Twitter sites. But I'm not on Facebook or Twitter I reply. I suggest you join she replys and walks off!!
I left the school raging to say the least but didn't show it to kids.
Drive off and thing hang on a minute it surely is the school's job to inform parents of important things through the school newsletter? And not bloody Facebook!
I'm going to phone to school tomorrow as Im not dropping kids in the morning. I just want to check your opinions before I phone up about this

Our school is paperless and cashless. All are round here. No newsletter. Sometimes there’s an email but you won’t know what’s going on if you’re not on social media unfortunately.

You’ll need to get used to it too because all clubs are the same. Brownies, gymnastics, netball, etc - all communicate through Fb.

If you have a genuine security concern- adopted children or an abusive ex, for example - make a profile under a false name and only use it to follow the school and extra curricular clubs?

Does your school use Class Dojo?
Our school has paper newsletters, Twitter and Facebook, but the SM platforms are not our main means of communication. We also send messages via Class Dojo. We also have our school website which has class info on it too. Does your school not have this?

Google “schoolname Twitter”. Look at their twitter feed. Update your diary accordingly. Repeat daily.

No need for a Twitter account.

That's crackers.

My kids school uses an app. Just long in and check letters home etc.

I use the newsletter to fill in the gigantic calendar with delightful things I need to organise/buy/do as much in advance as I can.

ExH is like this. The number of times he hasn’t known Brownies is cancelled or the venue has changed for gym because he won’t make a Facebook account.

Our schools do use Twitter but for things like this they also put in on their website and send texts out. I like the texts as there's no chance of me missing them. I wouldn't like to have to use Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date. I know quite a lot of people who don't have Facebook, me included.

YANBU.

I’m not on either for school and wouldn’t join them - I don’t need to know everything about every other year, I want a calendar of events that I can refer to.

Luckily our school communicate via letter, text and the occasional newsletter.

Google “schoolname Twitter”. Look at their twitter feed. Update your diary accordingly. Repeat daily.
Parents shouldn't have to do that!

They shouldn't have to trawl through different social media platforms to access information the school should have available centrally on newsletters.

In fact maybe I'm cynical but it seems like they've not really got their calendar together properly and someone isn't coordinating events properly which is why they're relying on ad hoc social media because people haven't put the dates in in time for the newsletter.

@Proseccoinamug why can't they text! ? I really do not understand having a school news letter or a texting service if it's only for select information. The rest i have to find out through social media. Ridiculous.

I agree. All this kind of thing should come in the newsletter, via emails, or worst case scenario the school website.

But the reality is that schools and activities expect you to also watch Facebook and Twitter so you need accounts on both.

I would not expect social media to be the information service for the school Our PTA use it but not for official school news. We have emails, website and letters.

YANBU

Facebook is fine for reminders but not initial communications. Very bad practice. There's so much evidence that social media is bad for mental health - nobody should feel forced to use it to keep up with school comms.

I agree, completely unreasonable, especially as they hadn’t communicated this information to you either.

Our school used Parentmail or email to send out letters etc. Not difficult!

I left fb for 8 months. The only reason I re activated it was because I was missing too much information regarding school. I rarely use it, just check the schools fb page twice a week. Saved me a lot if hassle. Just join fb or Twitter solely for that purpose.

I won't have a FB account and don't often look at twitter . I would be furious if that is the school's menthod of communication. Emailed newsletter is what DC's school had.
YADNBU

They can text. But they don’t. So if you want to know what’s happening you need social media accounts unfortunately!

My dh doesn't have a twitter account, he just looks at the school twitter accounts.

It is not a great way of main communication though, too easy to miss things.

YANBU

they should use email as a standard because that gives a proper record & lasts (unlike the other platforms which can be deleted / lost etc).

And text as a secondary option.

I use both FB (rarely) and twitter but no one should be forced to.

Texts cost the school a considerable sum, we use them for emergency messages only.

I admit this seems odd, so why not politely raise with the Head.

A quick group email to parents with the info in is easy enough to do.

Surely they can email or text? How ludicrous.

Write to Headteacher and say it's exclusionary.

Most schools in our area use Twitter, I wasn’t on twitter but joined it so that I can keep up to date. I don’t use it for anything else and if anyone follows me then I block them, I use it solely to keep up to date with school news,

YANBU

I would be pissed off if that’s the response I got. I’m not on FB and have no intention of joining. The school need to email and/or provide alternative methods of communication.

Why should anyone be expected to expose themselves to social media by the school? I heard of someone on interview who was asked about their Facebook, when she said she wasn't on Facebook they seemed not believe her and made a big fuss about it.

I understand what you are saying @Proseccoimamug however I believe the school have a duty to make sure I receive important information regarding my children. The school also need to be inclusive of every parent and child, using Facebook is definitely not inclusive of every child's and parents needs as putting the information in a standard newsletter that they know goes to every parents email address that is inclusive, however just catering for parents that use social media is not inclusive that is the most worrying part.
It's encouraging the use of Facebook and then on the other hand having internet awareness and safely lessons for kids, very hypocritical imo

I feel the rage for you OP. Bloody facebook cliquey groups used to drive me insane. Whatever happened to emailing parents? My kids have all left school now but I still hate facebook and I'm still not on it.