Communication

Communication is imperative between school and parents. Communication leads to partnerships between schools and community in order to provide students with the best education possible. With new web based tools, getting the message out is getting easier and actually a lot more fun!

Last week, the teacher professional development centered on learning how to create blogs. For about five years now, staff have blogged from a module on our website, but it was very limiting - basically only text and a few pictures or links could be added. And there is no interaction or two-way communication available within the scope of our informational website.

With the introduction to Blogger, staff are now able to communicate with parents, guardians and community members using a broader scope of tools. These tools that they are being introduced to are known as Web 2.0 tools. The difference between the blog area on our website and the new Blogger is measured by interactivity.

Teachers can include calendars, pictures, videos, embed educational games and can even have a discussion board on their blog. Parents can subscribe or follow each teacher's blog and receive email updates when there is a new post. Surveys can be included into an update and parents can interact with that within the teacher's classroom blog.

Classroom assignments can be uploaded to the blog for students to view and download if needed. Neat website links related to a project or chapter in a textbook can be entered and utilized by students to enhance learning and understanding of a certain standard and benchmark related to what is being taught in the classroom.

Even our administrators are getting in on the blogging action. Superintendent Marshall Lewis has created a blog; Mike Thompson - Jacobson Elementary Principal and Eric Dockstader - Junior Senior High Principal have blogs too. The Bronco Photo Blog has been very popular with parents, grandparents as well as relatives stationed overseas!   Amazing!

Keep an eye out for updated links on our BK Home page as well as Blog Feeds on the blogs listed above.  More will be added soon and if you would like to receive alerts of when new posts have been created, subscribe by entering your email address in the area provided!