Contacting Parents By Email

[Guest]

We have just recruited a new deputy but because of the timescale we haven't yet sent out a letter to parents. I would really like to be able to inform them of her arrival before we go back on Monday if at all possible.

 

My fees manager sends out a lot of invoices via email and therefore we have most, if not all, of our families on the email system.

 

However, my question is, do we need to ask their permission to contact them via email for this purpose or does it constitute unsolicited mail? In our next newsletter we will be asking them if they mind receiving communication from us this way, in our effort to cut down on costs and unwanted sheets of paper floating around but that's a little late for this particular scenario.

 

TIA.

[Panders]

I own my own pre-school - we ask for e mail addresses on our registration form, rightly or wrongly I have assumed that if a parent is willing in the first place to give an e mail address they are giving permission to be sent info that way!

 

I think if your first paragraph explains why you are emailing everyone that should do the trick, I wouldn't like to think anyone could be upset by your reasons, your other choices are mail - I'm sure if posted today/tomorrow letters would reach parents in time, plus put out a blackboard/notice to capture attention before parents come in on Monday morning

[HappyMaz]

I think strictly speaking you need someone's permission to contact them by email otherwise it is considered to be unsolicited mail. I think if a parent gives you their email address on your registration form then that does imply that they give permission for you to use it though, Panders!

 

The problem we have is that sometimes emailed messages don't get passed onto the right person - even when parents are living together I know that some dads aren't good at telling mums what is going on. So now I tend to write in the home/school book if I've sent the latest newsletter out so that mum knows to ask!

 

It does keep the costs of printer toner and paper down, and I tend to save the documents in a PDF so that changes can't be made to the text of what I send!

 

Maz

[Guest]

Thank you ladies.

 

We're going to have hard copies available to hand out to those parents that aren't aware on Monday morning (and for the rest of the week to cover ourselves).

 

I think we'll have to put a form on the next newsletter asking for specific permission and then update our registration forms too.

 

This is all quite new to me still so your help is much appreciated.

[Rea]

I send emails to the addresses I have but everyone has a hard copy too. Mostly I use the emails to contact parents regarding newsletter stuff, more important things are written.

[HappyMaz]

I think we'll have to put a form on the next newsletter asking for specific permission and then update our registration forms too.

I think that's wise, as a good belt and braces measure!

 

Maz

[HoneyPancakes]

You've probably got a system, but... it is important that the emails are sent individually so that everyone else's email address isn't visible in the 'to' box.

 

Honey

[Panders]

You've probably got a system, but... it is important that the emails are sent individually so that everyone else's email address isn't visible in the 'to' box.

 

Honey

 

Good point Honey and one that I forgot to mention and which is one of my all time bugbears - especially when my LEA continue to do it!!

[mps09]

Thank you ladies.

 

We're going to have hard copies available to hand out to those parents that aren't aware on Monday morning (and for the rest of the week to cover ourselves).

 

I think we'll have to put a form on the next newsletter asking for specific permission and then update our registration forms too.

 

This is all quite new to me still so your help is much appreciated.

 

Surely, if you explain why you've used e:mail in this instance but assure parents that you will be asking permission to contact them this way in the future, that would be ok? surely no-one would complain?

 

Never really thought about this, but we ask for e:mails and whether parents would like to receive newsletters by e:mail, some say yes and some say no but I still e:mail reminders out to ALL the addresses that I've got. No-one has ever said anything....

[HappyMaz]

Good point Honey and one that I forgot to mention and which is one of my all time bugbears - especially when my LEA continue to do it!!

Mine too - if there's something guaranteed to wind me up its knowing that my personal email is in the address book of all and sundry in our Authority. If I want people to have my email address then I'm very capable of giving it out myself!

 

And breathe!

 

Maz

[Guest]

Don't worry - I shall be very careful with who can see what! I hate it when people get my address from bulk emails. Just to clarify, it's bcc I need to use isn't it? (I'm using hotmail). I'll do a practice run first to the trustees just to be certain.

[Guest]

Don't worry - I shall be very careful with who can see what! I hate it when people get my address from bulk emails. Just to clarify, it's bcc I need to use isn't it? (I'm using hotmail). I'll do a practice run first to the trustees just to be certain.

 

 

Yes you're right you need to use the blind carbon copy (BCC) feature. This stops anyone's email address from being visible to the other recipients.

[suebear]

thank you so much for that e-mail tip, I've often wondered why other people's e-mail hides the list but mine didn't!