Preparing a School Information Book for Parents
How to Make an Australian Primary School Parent Information Handbook
Oct 12, 2008
Preparing a parent information booklet requires an initial investment of time, but once compiled it can be easily updated each year to provide an ongoing everyday reference for school families.
Necessary Information for a School Parent Handbook
The parent handbook is intended to be a summary guide to general school information. It could include the following:
- School contact details including street and postal address, phone and fax numbers, website and email
- Names of the school principal and assistant principal
- School hours including clearly stated before and after school supervision times
- Discipline policy outline
- Educational support opportunities for struggling or advanced students
- Prohibited items, such as mobile phones, electronic games etc
- Any food restrictions because of allergies, such as nuts
- Canteen hours
- Parent fundraising and support groups
- Parent volunteer opportunities
- Library facilities
- School photos
- Reports and parent/teacher interviews
- Sports
- Term dates
- Uniform requirements and uniform shop hours (if applicable)
- A list of common illnesses and school expectations regarding time off class. These may include head lice, mumps, chicken pox, impetigo and conjunctivitis.
It is also important to include clear instructions for school procedures relating to:
- notifying the school about students who are absent, arriving late or leaving early
- communicating with members of the teaching staff
- accidents and first aid
- homework
- lost property
- parking and child safety
These lists are by no means exhaustive and a variety of other topics can be included. Where relevant, include links to the school website for further information such as canteen and uniform shop price lists, staff lists and/or printable absent or late notes.
Formatting a Parent Information Booklet
An A5 (140 x 210 mm) format is more user-friendly than an A4 (210 x 297mm) sized booklet. To minimise cost, use white paper for the internal pages and paper in a contrasting colour such as blue or green for the cover. Booklets can be stapled together along the folded spine.
While it is important to keep the booklet as compact as possible, it is also vital to not crowd too much information onto each page. Information should consist of brief one to two paragraph summaries under a bold and/or capitalised heading.
Information can be grouped under major headings or simply organised alphabetically. The latter is the simplest both for organising and finding information quickly.
Inside the front cover is ideal for a welcoming introductory letter from the school principal. The first page should provide a summary of school contact details and a summary of who to contact for specific needs such as enrollment, first aid or school fees inquiries. A basic map of the school grounds can follow this page or be included at the end of the booklet.
Distributing the Information Handbook
The primary target for the parent handbook is parents of new students. The handbook can be included with an orientation pack for kindergarten or prep/early starters. It can also be included in a new family welcome pack for students entering the school for the first time in higher grades.
The handbook should be available through the school website if possible. Existing school families can easily check updated information each year, such as contact names and school term dates, without the expense of redistributing the booklet to every family at the school.
Keeping Parents Informed
By making important school information easily accessible to parents, schools can minimise unnecessary calls to office staff and help to build a healthy network of communication between staff and parents.
Related article: Opportunities for Parent Helpers at School
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