According to the Chicago Public School’s website, Local School Councils (LSCs) “help with the operations of each school. The primary responsibilities of LSCs include approving how funds and resources are allocated, developing and monitoring the annual school improvement plan, and evaluating and monitoring the school’s principal.” Armed with this information, following are the top six reasons why Local School Councils should blog
1. Make the public aware of LSCs and what they do
Not everyone knows that Local School Councils exist let alone what they do. Your blog can help explain, in layman’s terms, what the LSC is, its purpose, its responsibilities and the team needed to make it all happen. If people knew more about them, they would probably give more support.
2. Report budget cuts and wasteful spending
Any budget cuts and wasteful spending that negatively impacts the quality of education for children should be reported to parents, the community and school administration. A blog is the ideal place to do this. If the LSC doesn’t report this fiscal abuse, it would remain largely unknown.
3. Give parents and the community an opportunity to voice their opinion
Your site is a great place to encourage community conversations. Yes, there will be complaints, but you can counter negativity through education and communication. Be sure to focus on solutions and not problems. Also, keep in mind that some issues brought up online will need to be addressed offline.
4. Report what happened at meetings
Posting briefs of community minutes will let everyone know the issues addressed during the meetings. You may even garner worldwide support on local issues by bringing them to the public’s attention on a blog.
5. Inform! Inform! Inform!
Announce meeting times, events, programs and community trainings. Report accomplishments of the LSC, even the minor victories. Share as much as you can when you can. This is your chance to show that you are active and you care.
6. Build community partnerships
Use your site to build relationships with parents, churches, businesses, community organizations, and community newspapers. Let them know what’s going on and don’t be afraid to ask for help. And use your site to support them, too.
Above are the top six reasons why local school councils should blog. Educating your audience and building relationships are your primary reasons for doing so. Depending on the type of information you share and how often you share it, your LSC group will gain credibility as a community resource and may positively boost the school and the community in which it serves.
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