How to Write a Newsletter for School
A school newsletter--whether it's being produced for lower level grades, a high school or a college--is an excellent way to share information, let readers know upcoming activities and build a sense of community with readers. You can write a newsletter for students and their parents with articles that cover a variety of topics of interest to both groups.
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Instructions
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Form a newsletter committee made of student volunteers and a teacher who will act as an adviser. Develop a publishing plan. The committee has to decide how often the newsletter will be published, its length and the types of articles it will include. The adviser needs to determine how the newsletter will be printed and distributed, and needs to confirm that the school will pay the cost of printing.
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Determine each committee member's responsibilities. These can include editor-in-chief, editor, copy editor/proofreader, reporters, photographer, graphic designer and webmaster.
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Hold a contest to name the newsletter. Students can have two weeks to hand in suggestions, and the committee can narrow the entries to 10. The student body can then vote on the names. The winner receives special recognition and a small prize and gets his or her picture in the newsletter.
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Set a deadline for the first newsletter, consisting of a detailed time frame with each phase of publication and the specific articles to be included. Students need to set aside one or two days each week to meet after school to work on the newsletter. The first newsletter should have a story about the newsletter's plan of operation, the committee members' names and responsibilities, and a request for any other students who would like to help. Students should also be encouraged to send suggestions and their own articles, fiction and poetry.
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Regularly ask for feedback from readers.
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Tips & Warnings
Participate in a newsletter exchange program with schools from other cities and towns to get additional ideas on editorial content and design.
Don't make bigger plans than you can carry out. Start small--four pages once every two months--and then add pages or print more often if desired.
