Notes from school

[MyMamaToldMe]

We get notes almost every day from our DD school. Most of the time the note is asking for something/reminding you of something with a date to be done by. How does everyone keep on top of this? We get them, read them, and then forget them! Then see the note again on the day/day later when it is too late! Would really love to keep on top of all this as I am finding it really difficult!

with DD I write the dates on the calender then pin the notes on the kitchen pinboard

We get pupil post once a week in a folder. It's a great way to keep in top of it- just write down all at once. Also get newsletter weekly by email, same day.

Thanks! Next thing I buy will be a kitchen pinboard and calendar! Will then try to remember to look at it!

set reminders on my desktop calendar.

Also get a ring binder with 43 pockets.

Label January to December and 1 to 31.

Then file in relevant date, or month. Then at the start of each month, brig any stuff for that month into the 1 to 31 pockets.

Works for life stuff not just school things.

I used to keep them in a specific place - and put them in the order they needed dealing with. Then when I had a few minutes I would deal with the ones that needed doing. I must start doing that again as it worked really well and now I'm the queen of disorganisation

I find thaat setting reminders in my phone calender works well for me.

I just couldn't manage without a wall calendar and a desk diary to remember everything.

I also keep the letters in a file until the event has happened just in case I need to refer back to it.

The only way I keep vaguely on top of things is by putting them into my phone calendar with alerts - so 2 days before, then 1 day before etc I get a reminder. You have to just make sure you do it as soon as you get the note.

kitchen calendar rules our house. We have one of those with space for 5 family members, so i can post their activity under their name. My dh is expected to put his stuff on it too, if it relates to us all (eg when he is out)

I have a drawer and a pinboard. If the letter needs returning with permission and money, I try and fill it in straight away, put money or write a cheque and put it straight back in bookbag. if that is not possible it goes on board. Once it has been filled in, the rest of the information goes in the drawer for reference. I clear the drawer out each holiday. It is a herculean task to keep 3 dcs with brownies, ballet clubs and school all organised

It's mental isn't it? The amount of letters you get. Almost everyday something comes home in DS book bag: newsletter, parent reading session invite, info about nits.
We also get regular text messages. How 21st century. Got one yesterday informing me that for every 20 school dinners purchased today the caterer would donate a dinner to starving children in Africa WTAF?!

Hi MyMamaToldMe:

We had similar problems but we asked the school to post letters digitally on the school website - general letters at the top and then letters for specific years under year number. So if you've mislaid the letter - or can't remember what they can wear on the field trip - you can just check again.

The other thing our school does - is they use twitter to help tell us extra things. So for instance, a field trip turned out to be planned for a very wet day - so they tweeted that they would have all the children put on wellies & waterproofs (from forest school kits) and asked parents if they hadn't supplied these yet to send children in them that day.

Forgot to say - we also have a club section of the website - with club letters under the appropriate club (Choir, football, net ball, violin, french, etc...)

I put the basic information into a desk diary, but might also add a reminder in it a couple of days before the event. So if Friday is a school trip, I might add a note in Wednesday's entry to remember to buy stuff for packed lunches etc.

At the end of each week I write the dates for the following week on the noticeboard in the kitchen.

The letters themselves go into a folder in case I need to check anything later.

This is for more than one child and more than one school, so might be overkill for someone with one child and/or one school.

Tell them about Parentmail
It's a email system for schools to manage newsletters, notes etc
We even get text messages to remind us about mufti days thank goodness

Our school uses Parentmail. On my workdays my private email is open and as soon as I see something I check my own calendar and send an email to DH who runs the family calendar.

Our family one is online as it is linked to DH's work one (I love having an IT guy as husband) and each of us and his work have different colours.

So dates are logged straight away and all paper notes are then also on the fridge as a reminder in the morning.

Our school also sends out a newsletter on Thursday with reminders of any events in the upcoming week. We then normally re-check that any dates are also really logged.

For those of you whose schools use Parentmail do you know what they do about parents who don't have email access?

I would like to suggest that my DCs school consider this but I know that the HT will say straight away that it won't work because some parents won't get the letters.

Marquesas - the school still prints out paper copies for families who don't sign up to Parentmail. It just means that instead of handing out 30 copies of each letter, the class teacher only gives letters to the children on the list.

Thanks coppertop, I might have another word with the HT to convince her.

Hi Marquesas:

Our school were against e-mail at first on the grounds that not all parents have computers - but we persuaded them on two fronts:

1. it can be by invitation -so parents sign up.

2. it is environmentally friendly (school was going for 'eco school' award).

3. it saves money on ink and paper for the school (our school (single form) has saved £400 last school year on their stationary budget, which was used toward arts materials).

HTH

Parentmail here too It kinda works what I find annoying is the school send out a notice saying Dear Parent,

A new item that may require payment has been added to your ParentMail account. Please login to view the item and make your payment. (Some trips or items are optional to parents).

Please remember that if you pay this way, you can see all outstanding items that need paying and also all previous bills that you have paid historically.

Kind regards,
School Office

And if you have paid for text messages to be send to you that is all you get not the attachment.. So it was a bit redundant.

VERY handy for payment though but less so (for me) to use for remembering dates.

It is sign up so parents who chose not to get paper pieces.

The school also only sends info out on Fridays that works well.