Staying Informed

Somehow, in a sea of handouts, emails, websites, and even the occasional “unofficial guide,” you may still feel like you have no idea what is going on at SMES. Don’t panic. We have some advice that will help you stay informed without feeling overloaded.

FOLLOW SMES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

This is an easy one since you’re already on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook (maybe) anyway. It won’t help you know that there’s a nonuniform day coming up or that the conference sign-up link is going out soon, but it will help you feel more connected to what is going on at SMES. And that’s a good start. @smesatl @smesatl #NewsatSMES

GET FAMILIAR WITH THE SCHOOL WEBSITE

There is a wealth of information on the school website – especially when you log in. Some of the most helpful resources available are the school’s calendar, the parent/child directory, and teacher websites. We go over the school website in a little more detail later in the guide.

READ NOTIFICATIONS & EMAILS FROM YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER

It may go without saying, but we will say it anyway. If you get an email from your child’s teacher, you should read it. Not only will you get emails directly from your child’s teacher, but you’ll also get email notifications when he or she posts something on the class website. For example, if your child’s teacher posts an announcement on the class website, you will get an email notification that includes the text of that announcement. It’s important that you read these notifications, too, since posting to the class website is one of the main ways teachers communication important information to parents. If you find that you’re not getting these notifications, log in to the school website and follow the steps listed below. •Click the dropdown menu under your name (on the top right of the page). •Choose “Settings” and then select

“Notifications” in the menu on the left. •Make sure the box next to

“Announcement Posted” is checked. •Then, select “Edit Options” and make sure all the appropriate boxes are also checked. If you still don’t get the notifications, contact Chris Nama at cnama@ stmartinschool.org.

READ THE WEEKLY WARRIOR

The Weekly Warrior is an e-newsletter that goes out at the beginning of the week (usually on Monday). We cannot stress this enough: read The Weekly Warrior. It is an excellent source of information about upcoming school events (e.g., non-uniform days, student concerts, programs for parents, etc.) and other important reminders (e.g., due dates, carpool changes, registration deadlines, etc.).

READ ROOM REP EMAILS

At the school’s request, emails from the PTO Room Representatives for your child’s class will be a little less frequent (you won’t get one every week) this year but no less important. Room Rep emails will focus on classroom volunteer opportunities and important PTO announcements only.